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Original poster

Anyone take Sertraline

42 replies

Ihearditthroughthegrapevine · 13/01/2021 18:09

I was wondering if anyone on here takes sertraline
I am starting on it tomorrow for anxiety and low mood and I’m worrying that it’s going to change my personality or make me feel worse. Does anyone take it long term and find that it’s ok?

OP posts:

crazymare20 · 13/01/2021 19:42

I took it for a few years, made me feel loads better, I felt calmer and slept better.

Original poster

Ihearditthroughthegrapevine · 13/01/2021 19:57

Thank you, I tried to find other people’s experiences and only found people who didn’t like it, so it’s good to hear something positive

OP posts:

Duckswaddle · 13/01/2021 19:59

I’ve been taking it for a couple of years, a low dose, but I find it levels me out.

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Original poster

Ihearditthroughthegrapevine · 13/01/2021 20:04

Can I ask what a low dose is I’ve been prescribed 50mg once a day. My mood isn’t very low but I am very anxious to the point it affects my life.

OP posts:

rainbowninja · 13/01/2021 20:07

I take it for anxiety and it does make a difference and I still feel like 'me' if that helps but I get it, I felt anxious about going on it too which was really frustrating when you are trying to do something to feel better

FellowFlipFlop · 13/01/2021 20:07

50mg is a normal dose. I had lots of side effects - headaches, nausea, mood swings, a weirdly clenched jaw but they pass within a few weeks.

The benefits of taking it far outweigh the side effects. And yes they could make you worse before they make you better but I sort of saw it as if I don't try I won't know.

If you really don't get on with it you can try another drug but once you find one that works for you you'll wonder why you left it so long to start

Crayfishforyou · 13/01/2021 20:07

I’ve been on 50mg daily since last summer. I feel so much better.
It did make me feel a bit sick for the first week but that did pass really quickly.
It’s a gradual improvement and takes about 6 weeks to kick in. I only realised it was working a couple of months later, I noticed my thoughts were no longer dark.
And I could cope with things I couldn’t a few months before

FellowFlipFlop · 13/01/2021 20:08

I'm on 100mg a day, started on 50 and would like to get back down to 50.

goose1964 · 13/01/2021 20:14

It's great for me. I had extremely low self esteem due to bad comments going through my mind, sertraline has stopped those voices and I'm much better esteem wise.

Glitterinthegrey · 13/01/2021 20:22

I took Sertraline for anxiety. You need to be prepared for the side effects over the first couple of weeks - I had severe nausea, jitteryness, jaw clenching and worsening of my anxiety - but once these passed, I felt so much better in myself.

Unfortunately I had to come off it as it caused a worsening of an existing neurological problem (which is still being investigated, so I can't take anything else either) but I wish I could go back on it as it really is the only thing that's ever worked for me.

Original poster

Ihearditthroughthegrapevine · 13/01/2021 20:29

Thank you these answers are so helpful.
Im trying to take something to help me feel less anxious and so anxious about taking it 🤦‍♀️
I think i was worried I would stop being me, but I wouldn't notice. (Not that overtime everything )

OP posts:

Original poster

Ihearditthroughthegrapevine · 13/01/2021 20:29

*overthink not overtime

OP posts:

rainbowninja · 14/01/2021 20:37

Hope you're doing ok @Ihearditthroughthegrapevine hopefully this is the first step towards you feeling better x

Original poster

Ihearditthroughthegrapevine · 14/01/2021 23:54

Thank you rainbowninja I took my first dose today I cant feel any difference at the moment but I know it can take weeks.

OP posts:

rainbowninja · 15/01/2021 00:21

Yes have a feeling it's around 5-6 weeks although some might get a benefit sooner xx

DragonMamma · 15/01/2021 00:29

I take it and it’s been excellent for my anxiety - I was on 50mg to start with and I’m now on 100mg daily. I initially felt a bit nauseous when I first started and then when I upped my dose but I switched to taking it before bed and that helped immensely.

Violetroselily · 15/01/2021 00:34

I'm on my second stint and it has changed my life to the extent that I can't imagine coming off it.

The first time I took it a few years ago I suffered quite bad nausea and a panic for a week, but it soon passed.

partyatthepalace · 15/01/2021 00:46

I started it a few months ago. It evens out my mood a little and I’m finding that really helpful. Am also having CBT.

I felt a bit sick for a couple days. Some people do have raised anxiety to start but stick with it.

WishingHopingThinkingPraying · 15/01/2021 00:47

Don't be scared! You may have a rough first 2 weeks but keep going. You should start to feel benefit after 14 days, and get full affect by 6 weeks. I removed counting every hour of those first days taking it, desperate to get to 14 days but somewhere along the way I forgot to keep desperately counting because I WAS feeling better. It's hard to notice it but looking back it was like magic. I've been taking it for 8 months. Completely well and happy and back to myself for the last 4 months. Side effects completely disappeared after a few weeks (though it was hard to know what was sertraline side effects and what was the anxiety).

Well done for sorting yourself out and getting the help. That's the hardest bit. You're going to feel a lot better very soon.

WishingHopingThinkingPraying · 15/01/2021 00:48

Removed=remember

WishingHopingThinkingPraying · 15/01/2021 00:50

Oh and you'll still feel like you! To me the sertraline is completely invisible. I also envisioned it 'doping' me or making me different but have zero concerns about that now.

carrotcake124 · 15/01/2021 13:47

I've been out on it 50mg daily and to help with PMT. I feel so much calmer everyday. Struggling with a teenager I used to get really angry whilst now I feel more in control when we are arguing and less emotional (in a good way)

My family have noticed as I hadn't realised how stressed I was and by dinner time trying to finish work, cook, do homework i was ready to explode

Spoke to my GP and she said if it was working to carry on taking long term

MsKL · 15/01/2021 15:08

I'm starting this next week. I've taken it before, about 5 years ago, can't remember much about how I felt on it except for feeling a bit nauseous. I broke my tablets in half for a week to avoid feeling too sick because I have emetophobia (fear of vomiting). It did help though. I stopped taking it because I had no libido on it, but that's irrelevant now.

Bralessandfree · 15/01/2021 15:37

I take it for depression and think it's absolutely brilliant. The only side effect I have is orgasming is really difficult. I came off it for a month and the depression came straight back. It took a couple of weeks to kick in but now I don't cry at everything and I'm not painfully tired. I love it, its life changing. I would say though, if you choose to come off in the future, see the doctor first.. I didn't come off it slow enough and had horrendous withdrawal symptoms.

Original poster

Ihearditthroughthegrapevine · 15/01/2021 16:58

Thanks everyone, I’m on my second day today and I feel a bit more anxious than usual and like I’m not concentrating properly although I think this is probably just me worrying myself into symptoms I don’t have . Hopefully I will feel like my old self again soon.

OP posts:

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