Can you tell me about your experiences on Sertraline?

[AdmiralOrangeroo]

I've been prescribed this but am struggling to take the leap and take it. I had a couple of questions I'm hoping others can answer :

1. What if any were the side effects and how long did they last?

1. Do you take it morning or evening?

1. Did it work?

1. Was it hard to come off?

Thanks so much, I really appreciate any help.

There is a board for this subject But I can add a few points to this in advance of you being able to find iit

I take 50mg first thing on a morning. I felt a lot worse for the first few weeks. Then once I settled it was a game changer for me. I don't feel anything bad or altered in an ways. Apart from I feel more alive and wanting to participate etc etc. my work life is far more engaging

Ooh sorry, thanks for the info. @mnhq please do move this to the truth place

I've taken it quite a while and come off it before as well. I'm on a very low dose right now and it's fine. When I first started it I had a rough couple of weeks and felt more anxious than ever but fine now. I'm come off it before and been ok too

Op if you go to mental health board there's lots of threads on this, including a long running Sertraline support thread - come join us!

Taking it has been the best decision I ever made. I started off taking it at night as it made me feel off for a few hours so thought better for that to happen while I was asleep. Now I take it in the morning though otherwise I wake up a lot in the night.

The side effects were bad for the first 6 weeks. I'm not going to lie. My anxiety was much much worse for the first two weeks but then slowly got better. I slept like the dead in that time too. I also got shakes and foggy brain but that went by 6 weeks. Only symptom I still have is very vivid dreams and reduced libido/difficulty in orgasming.

But the change to my life and reduced panic attacks has made it all 100% worth it!!

Just to add to this.

I was a massive introvert. And still am really BUT. Sertraline has given me a voice to be able to make small talk. And actually want to speak to people

I tried sertraline and had to come off it within a few days because the side effects were so horrendous. I assumed I had covid because I felt more ill than I'd ever had in my life before. Luckily because it has a short half life the side effects went very quickly after stopping.

I also tried fluoxetine, which had similar effects although not quite as bad, and mirtazapine which was better but made me insanely hungry. Then I went on citalopram and was absolutely fine, no side effects at all. I'm only on a very low dose but it works fantastically.

I'm not posting it as a 'don't take it!' to you, just saying if you do find the side effects really bad, it's fine to try other ADs until you find the one that works for you.

Best thing I ever did. I inadvertently came off once when I couldn't get a prescription as my doctors are terrible and thought I'd just try not taking it and went back to my old moody, depressed, angry self, felt like I was a slave to extreme emotions.

Being on it is liberating, I don't get angry or depressed anywhere near like I used to and feel like I can function as I should. I still have emotions and certainly not numb or anything but it's like I can keep things in perspective now whereas previously I felt like I was spiralling out of control.

I usually take in the evening but not too fussed what time of day.

Like @latetothefisting, Sertraline wasn’t for me – it gave me severe side effects very quickly, it was very intense and scary. Switched to something else (can’t remember now what, this is a while ago and I’m not on anything now) and was absolutely fine. You don’t have to “battle through” early days and weeks on something if it makes you feel horrendous.

I’ve been on sertraline for 8 years. It’s an amazing drug for me. It has kept me out of hospital and stopped me waking up anxious every day. I am autistic though so I need to stay on it.

1. I felt very sleepy in the afternoon for about 2 weeks.

1. Morning but I always take it with food otherwise it hurts your stomach.

1. YES! I feel like a different person. I can sleep too at 10pm.

1. I can’t come off it.

I found it horrible at first for the first 2 weeks. Very weird thoughts and dreams, totally out of character for me. Things settled down after a couple of weeks. I've been on it for almost 3 years now but think I will try to stop it soon as I just don't think it's doing any good anymore.

I love sertraline. I was moved into it from lexapro when I wanted to conceive. Was on Effexor years ago which was horrendous for me.

Lexapro was great in that it sorted the anxiety. Sertraline is better for me because it does what lexapro did for me but without any noticeable side effects.

I’m on 50mg which I take at night.

I’d echo what previous posters have said. No one medication works for everyone so don’t be afraid to try something else if this doesn’t work for you.

1. What if any were the side effects and how long did they last?

I felt nauseous, more anxious and struggled to sleep. This lasted a few weeks.

1. Do you take it morning or evening?

I take it in the morning which helped with the nausea.

1. Did it work?

Yes. I struggled for years and resisted medication. Taking sertraline was the best thing I've ever done. I can't over emphasise the positive impact it's had on my life.

1. Was it hard to come off?

I'm still on it. It's been a few years now and I might think about it at some point.

I had mild nausea. Few times a day I’d feel a bit dizzy however it only lasted a few weeks. I found taking the pill in the evening helped.
I do occasionally get really vivid dreams if I over sleep.
For me personally it has been life changing. My mental health deteriorated after the birth of my youngest just less than a decade ago. My pnd manifested into health and general anxiety. I had essentially become a prisoner of my own fears. I lost all my friendships. became socially avoidant and couldnt find any self worth in myself. I would always be angry. Kids and husband always unsure how I’d react to things. I’d over think situations like my teens being 5mins late home would have me crying and panicking - they’d normally be so out of breath from running off their bus as they’d know I’d be having a manic episode thinking they’d been killed.
My anxiety also affected my dreams such as my children dying in horrific accidents or getting phone calls from school to say they’d gone missing I’d wake up physically and emotionally exhausted.

After a panic induced phone call with my gp after years of refusing medication (I was worried I would have an allergic reaction and die) she persuaded me to give sertraline a go. Started off on a really small dose due to my health anxiety and gradually increased.

I’m a year on. My brain no longer jumps to worst case scenarios. The awful nightmares stopped. I feel like I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. Currently training to get back to employment. My kids talk about how much I’ve changed and I’ve been working hard to improve our relationship - this does make me sad that my mental health got so bad if affected them.
I look back and I can’t believe how irrational my anxieties were.
I have no intentions of coming off it, as it has also helped my pms mood swings. Gp is happy with that so I can’t answer your last question.

I was on it for 6 months. After around two weeks when I was adjusting to it I felt a bit wired. After that it was good. Just gave me a perk and I was able to voice myself more which is so weird because I always thought that was a personality thing rather than a mood thing.

I came off it fine, I was on the lowest dose though.

Side effects were dry mouth and throbbing feet at night.

Thanks all, I do want to start but I'm worried about the possibility of my anxiety getting worse initially as I'm pretty much at full speed already!

@AdmiralOrangeroo

1. What if any were the side effects and how long did they last?

Insomnia at first, headaches that 'zapped' rather than ached in the usual way, zero ability to orgasm, sugar and alcohol cravings (not hugely but enough to put on some weight) no motivation to exercise

1. Do you take it morning or evening?

Morning

1. Did it work?

Yes, it was the reset I needed to level out my emotions and get be back to feeling calm and in control

1. Was it hard to come off?

I was on 50mg for 6 months, I very very gradually tapered off by cutting the pills, reducing the dosage over a 6 week period. It wasn't hard but I had to be patient. For a while I felt great, back to my normal self but the feels of anxiety and depression did return in waves over the next couple of years.

You didn't ask this, but I'll say it wasn't the solution or cure, but it was a great helping hand when I really needed it. Now I don't take anything but have found the right counsellor who has really made a huge difference

1. What if any were the side effects and how long did they last?

The only side effect I remember seriously having was I lost a load of weight. It was glorious. Sadly, I continued eating and now weigh more than ever!

1. Do you take it morning or evening?

I took it in the evening, I started in the morning but it made me feel sleepy in the beginning and I forgot to take it, so evening works best for me.

1. Did it work?

It did. It was magical. I’ve been crippled with anxiety and depression most of my life, but finally started taking it for pnd as my babies needed more from me. My world quickly became colour again, and I stopped second guessing myself. During stressful periods I’d increase the dose with my GP, then I’d reduce it when I needed to.

1. Was it hard to come off?

No. When they seemed to stop working for me, my GP tapered me off gently and I suffered no side effects. Being off of ads was absolutely horrendous so I restarted them but a different brand.

The only thing I’d change is I would’ve started them years ago rather than being too scared of being on them.

1. What if any were the side effects and how long did they last?

First few days was pretty tired. Kept waking up in night for first 6 weeks ish but much better now. Anxiety got a bit worse in first 3-4 weeks but then got so much better.

1. Do you take it morning or evening?

Morning with breakfast

1. Did it work?

Yes i was in an awful place and it has helped so much. I feel like i can think properly and don't get into a panic about everything.

1. Was it hard to come off?

Haven't come off yet as only been on since Nov.

But how on Earth do you get through the first week when the anxiety gets worse? I'm struggling to manage my job as it is and don't know how to accommodate an uptick in my symptoms for however long it takes to settle down

I’ve been on sertraline for 5 almost 6 weeks tomorrow. I’m on 50mg it was prescribed for social anxiety and depression / panic attacks.

At first I noticed big pupils and stomach upset (lots of gurgling when I ate) , lack of appetite, diarrhoea, vivid realistic dreams.

After a few weeks my anxiety did increase, poor sleep, heart racing at night etc

I’m definitely coming out the other side now, can’t feel any side effects and I’m definitely less anxious about things that would have immobilised me before. I currently have two leaks in my roof and had such horrendous driving anxiety, whereas before it would have spun me into a depression, I just deal with things and forget about it whereas before it would have been hours, days, weeks of dread and worry.

I wish I went to the dr sooner and took them. Please push past the side effects, as hard as it is. I had to take 2 weeks off work to let my body settle to the medication, don’t hesitate afraid to get signed off work.

Sorry forgot to add I take mine at 8 at night, I sleep through the buzzed feeling, wake up with it in my system and feel more normal.

My colleagues at work have stated they think I’m brighter and happier now, I get more work done, I don’t have as much sense of perpetual dread as I did before.

Been on Sertraline twice now. Currently been on it this time for nearly a year. Initially prescribed it for Postnatal Anxiety. The second time for Panic Disorder.

1. It’s hard to start with - my anxiety got a LOT worse, as in, I felt on the edge of panic constantly. However, diazepam and a sick note from my GP helped me through those first few weeks. Also suffered a bit with insomnia where I’d wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep - I’m all good now, though. The only persistent side effect is acid reflux.

2. I take it at night as it affects my sleep, otherwise.

3. Helped hugely - I can live a normal life now which isn’t dictated to and made smaller by my anxiety, though, the second time around, it took a LONG time to get back in my system and stabilise: probably 6 months or so. But my anxiety was a lot worse the second time around so it might be correlation rather than causation.

4. Tapered off slowly over 6 months the first time (do some proper research and don’t listen to the schedule your GP recommends as it’s far too short); only lasted 4 months off of it before I started with the panic attacks again. I’m on it for the long haul now (even if I have to argue with my GP about this at each medicine review).

If you’re worried about initial side effects, ask for a sick note for work and then some diazepam to ride the waves of the initial increased anxiety.

Good luck!

1. What if any were the side effects and how long did they last?

Insomnia, felt anxious and panicky, nauseous. I'd started by taking 50mg in the evening but I felt so awful that I switched to 25mg in the morning, did that for a bit before going up to 50mg. That helped a lot. Side effects subsided after a few days IIRC.

1. Do you take it morning or evening?

As above, morning was much better for me, because of the horrendous insomnia to begin with.

1. Did it work?

Yes. Worked much better that i could have hoped. Wished I'd started taking it years ago.

1. Was it hard to come off?

Haven't tried yet (been on it about a year).

answer :

1. What if any were the side effects and how long did they last?

Dry mouth

Slight headache at first

After stopping, ‘zapping’ electric shock feeling in the brain when dropping off to sleep. This went on for well over 10 years. To be clearer each zap is a one off and didn’ht happen every day.

Not feeling anything much emotionally.

Flattish.

Possible loss of cognitive sharpness and some memory permanently - but that could have just been life.

2. Do you take it morning or evening?

Cannot remember but I think it can cause sleeplessness so maybe morning is best.

3. Did it work?

Went from non stop crying to nothing in almost hours. Genuine reasons for sadness were not ‘cured’ though, just all sadness and all emotion stopped. ( Get therapy and exercise etc as an alternative?)

Felt calmer. Did not ever feel irritated or cross.(Not many feelings at all.)

4. Was it hard to come off?

No, but stopped after 6 months and had been on a low dose.

Thanks so much, I really appreciate any help.

Slightly different for me as I take it 2 weeks at a time for severe PMS/PMDD. It’s been life changing.

I had slight nausea when I first started but nothing now, I take mine in the morning as it did give me insomnia.

I found it relieved my issues, including anxiety straight away. I haven’t found they got worse, I’m much calmer and more able to get perspective.

No issues at all coming off and taking it again.