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Original poster

Sertraline outcome?

17 replies

SausageDogTails · 19/09/2022 19:57

I have NC'd for this as worry it's a bit outting.

I experienced a large amount of trauma growing up and there was emotional abuse from my mother who stopped me having friends/a normal life. Due to that I never really learned how to rely on myself and feel I have no ability to cope with life in general. I am also really very pessimistic and suffer badly with anxiety. The world is an awful place to me.

My question is to ask what those of you who have been on Sertraline found was the outcome of taking them? Were you suddenly happy and optimistic? Or was it more a case of just scaling down anxiety?

I guess what I want to know is whether they would make me 'normal', ie. happy, outgoing, optimistic, upbeat, ready for adventure, etc.

At present I feel I need to do something as living this way is near unbearable but I hear most people lose libido and gain weight. I don't want to do either of these things but if I thought medication would make me cheerful and self reliant then I would have to give sex up I suppose.

Does anyone have any examples of outcomes of Sertraline use?

OP posts:

Original poster

SausageDogTails · 19/09/2022 20:26

Bump

OP posts:

popandchoc · 19/09/2022 20:43

It took a few weeks to work for me and it didn't make me feel really happy or anything, just normal. It was just great not to have that feeling of dread all the time.
I have had no issue with libido but have gained some weight but worth it for me.

Belindamccartney · 19/09/2022 20:44

I have been taking sertraline for 2 years now. It has stabilised my moods and made me a lot more confident. I hardly ever cry now and I don't have screaming rows with my DH very often now. I also have fabulous dreams!!

Downside is the weight gain (which I've only just discovered is a side effect but it explains a lot). I also get weird tingling in my arms and legs.

I would definitely recommend it.

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Sparklythings1 · 19/09/2022 20:47

I’m on the fence about it too. There’s a Facebook group with a lot of stories both positive and negative

Sparklythings1 · 19/09/2022 20:49

@Belindamccartney @popandchoc glad to hear you have got on well with it! Personal question.. would you take it when pregnant? I am so anxious at work I need to do something about it but we’re trying for a baby and I know it’s supposed to be safe but then I see one mixed review about it’s safety and I couldn’t bare to risk it. At the stage I’m going to have to quit my job in pregnancy though as I just can’t continue like this

Amarette · 19/09/2022 20:49

I was extremely anxious after a lot of traumatic events one after the other. I started taking Sertraline 50mg and it made feel worse for the first three weeks, physically shaking etc. After that I have felt so much better. I feel like I can cope with anything. I might still feel worried about something but it doesn't mean I obsess about it or worry about it all of the time. I can now put things in perspective. I feel so much more like the "real" me now. I'm still on the lowest dose after a year and not sure if/'when I will come off it as I've found it so beneficial.

Belindamccartney · 19/09/2022 21:00

Sorry I have no experience of taking it when pregnant, I think I would be reluctant but then I never even took paracetamol or caffeine when pregnant!

Another thing I should have said; I feel a lot more sociable and friendly since taking it.

tatyr · 19/09/2022 21:02

OP if you are trying to conceive, then check with your GP of this is the best med in that situation. I started antidepressants while pregnant and was given fluoxetine, and changed onto sertraline after baby was born as I wanted to breastfeed.

For me, the benefits of having my depression treated outweighed the very slight risk of taking medication, your GP would help you weigh it up. I find that taking medication lifts the heavy clouds from my head, allows me to function in the way I know I am capable of.
Given what you've said about your background, you would benefit from some 'therapy' once you feel well enough, to help with understanding /accepting/ moving on and in developing the coping skills and view of the world without anxiety weighing you down.

You really don't need to be fearful of medication, it can change your life in a really good way! Sometimes needs a bit of trial and error to find the right one for you, but things definately can improve. X

Dou8hnuts · 19/09/2022 21:13

I’ve been on and off this medication for 7 years. It Hal’s with my anxiety a lot and stops me feeling so depressed I can’t get out of bed. Im
currently on 100mg after recently upping it from 50mg to help my anxiety over finding a lump in my neck and having to wait for results, add to that a lot of stress, OH lost his dad and we’ve had to empty a house whilst juggling two DS with autism. My GP and I have a good understanding and when I need to up or lower it I do so, when I feel the time is right I’ll lower it back down but for now I’m sleeping better, I just wish I could find an appetite but I think that’s more the health worry

Marellatea · 19/09/2022 21:38

I was on it for 6 years, including when I was pregnant. I noticed a difference in my mood within a week of using it and was thankful for it.

However coming off it was the worst experience - I probably should’ve gone back to it but I was determined to keep off it. I think I also went straight into peri menopause which didn’t help!

It took me well over a year to feel normal.

Katnissx · 19/09/2022 21:39

Sertraline didn't work for me, the Dr kept increasing my dose but it actually made things worse. Tried a couple of other antidepressants (mirtazipine and ranitidine), until I was prescribed Citalopram and it has literally been life changing for me. It wasn't a sudden like oh I'm so happy kind of thing, but my suicidal thoughts stopped, I had less anxiety, and over time I just started enjoying life and my children again and just feeling happier in general- I'm now nearly weaned off them now! So just trying to say, if you're not noticing much of a difference with Sertraline, different things work for different people so there are other options to try.

GettingStuffed · 19/09/2022 21:41

For me it stopped those internal , you're fat, you're ugly. No-one should like you type voics. I'm definitely happier than before

headinabook · 19/09/2022 21:55

Sertraline has saved me for the last 4 years. I was in a constant state of panic, easily overwhelmed if just one more thing to deal with came my way. It calmed me, allowed me to become a better mum, wife, employee. I didn’t miss the real lows, I did miss the real highs though. For me, I was levelled out. Nothing made me feel manic but nothing made me feel euphoric either. I never cried once whilst taking it, even at my daughter’s wedding. Yes, I gained weight but I got my sanity back. Yes, it reduced my libido massively. 3 months ago , I stopped taking it gradually. Have cried tonnes at the death of the Queen but appreciated the fact my emotions are no longer levelled out to neutral. And the libido is back already!

KatRee · 19/09/2022 22:24

I think I went through relatively low-level trauma over a long long period of time growing up and struggled with low self-confidence/self-esteem, anxiety and depression which went undiagnosed for many years as these things in themselves made it really difficult for me to ask for help.

I was also really scared of taking any for of any-depressant as my mum had been on and off them when I was growing up and seemed to suffer with bad side effects. However, eventually I did go to the GP during a particularly bad patch and was prescribed sertraline alongside counselling.

For me it was honestly life-changing. It dialled down all my anxious thoughts and it felt like in doing that it made room for all the positive emotions I hadn't even realised I'd been missing. It also allowed me to open up during counselling, so I could get benefits from that as well. I read a lot about potential side effects and lots of posts on forums from people who had experienced them, but found that I never did.

My outlook during the time I was on it improved so much I decided to try for a baby which was something that I'd always wanted in a way, but was terrified of. I came off sertraline before beginning to seriously try

Unfortunately we didn't have an easy time conceiving and had three cycles of ivf, so the last two years have been difficult and some of the anxiety has returned. If I wasn't pregnant I would probably ask to be prescribed it again to take alongside another therapy because I just found it turned the volume down on the negative thoughts enough to be able to engage and be open to other ways of thinking

KatRee · 19/09/2022 22:27

To add - I understand sertraline is considered relatively safe when pregnant and I've been advised my doctors I can go back on it - midwife told me lots of women they take care of are on it and they don't see serious issues- but the way my anxiety is working at the moment, I've decided not to just now

KatRee · 19/09/2022 22:33

Anyone thinking of taking it when ttc or pregnant, the maternity mental health team I've been in touch with advised me to look at the info on www.medicinesinpregnancy.org to help make a decision

Original poster

SausageDogTails · 19/09/2022 22:47

Thank you for all of the inputs and insights.

It wasn't me who ever mentioned taking it whilst pregnant, I think that was @Sparklythings1 . Pregnancy is not a possibility for me so I'm not concerned about taking it in that sense at all.

I guess I just wanted to know if it will allow me to be positive/cheerful/self reliant. It seems from @KatRee 's post that actually it does allow you to suddenly become that person.

Ultimately I'm going to have to try it to see I suppose. Side effects are daunting though! Thanks all.

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