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Original poster

Sertraline..anyone had it?

24 replies

AnxietyLevelMax · 22/12/2022 20:45

Just looking for some opinions. I never thought i will be the one who needs antidepressants but here we are. Did it help anyone? Dont scare me too much please…i am already freaking out

OP posts:

mamabear715 · 22/12/2022 20:49

Yes, two of my kids are on sertraline (they are ASD.) It seems to suit them very well. I've been on citalopram for donkey's years. :-)

mamabear715 · 22/12/2022 20:50

(They are grown up btw, don't want anyone to think I am drugging toddlers!) ;-)

AlpacaMaJammas · 22/12/2022 20:50

Absolute life saver for me

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General health

MaverickSnoopy · 22/12/2022 20:51

I've been prescribed it for anxiety. I don't feel depressed, or at least i didn't think I did. 50mg did nothing for me. I'm now on 100mg and feel much calmer and happier. I feel more like q person again and don't live in fear the way I used to.

Vallmo47 · 22/12/2022 20:52

Sertraline was amazing with my anxiety. Took a couple weeks but was then great. I was like a caged animal before. Good luck :)

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/12/2022 20:52

There are loooaaads of threads on this talking about the pros and cons. I found them really comforting when I started taking it 2 years ago.
It works really well for some and not so well for others, doses need adjusting and you need to prepare for the side effects (mainly to start with).
I never thought I'd be on them either but it made me realise how bad I was before.

NoodleDoodleDo · 22/12/2022 20:52

It's been fantastic for me and anxiety. Never realised how noisy my head was with racing thoughts until I took sertraline and the noise stopped

OllytheCollie · 22/12/2022 20:52

Yup I take it for anxiety and find it very helpful. It did absolutely mess up my sleep whilst starting out and that took about six weeks to calm down. And I think it takes 6-8 weeks to show any effectiveness and some people feel worse in that time (although that's hard to quantify, obviously some would also feel worse without it). for me I felt the effects most at about 10-12 weeks. I work in MH too, it's generally seen as the most tolerable SSRI which is why it's the first thing you will be offered but if it doesn't help you don't be afraid to re-evaluate. Hope you start to feel much better soon.

Haribosweets · 22/12/2022 20:54

It didn't do anything for me on the highest dose. I am now on citalopram and much better. I'm still anxious at times but can handle it better and much more relaxed than I was

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 22/12/2022 20:57

Life saver for me. I feel normalish and that’s good enough for me. When you start taking them you can feel pretty shite. Basically you need to look after yourself as you might feel a hell of a lot worse. For me it was a couple of weeks then all was well. It helped me to keep a diary of how I was feeling. It gave me the runs and I felt very very edgy and anxious. But that will pass. Then you start to lift. Gradually. Think clearer. Make positive choices. Recover. Xxx

PinotAndPlaydough · 22/12/2022 21:00

It works very well for me, I do get one of the stranger side effects (jaw clenching) but that did settle down eventually and for the first few weeks I lost my appetite. I would say give them a go, if they don’t work well for you there are other options x

verytired42 · 22/12/2022 21:08

Works really well and quite quickly for depression for me at a relatively low dose. Also get jaw clenching and some insomnia but the insomnia wears off. I put off trying antidepressants for so long because I thought my low mood was understandable given what I was going through at that time in my life, but it made a massive difference to my clarity of thought and energy levels, reduced my irritability and pessimism so I could actually problem solve rather than stay stuck. I don’t carry on taking it once I’ve been back to normal for a few months and have never had a problem stopping.

BrownTableMat · 22/12/2022 21:16

Life saver for me too. I honestly think I wouldn’t be here without it. It just got me out of impossible depths of depression and anxiety and enabled me to move on with life.

Had it twice in my life to fit episodes of major depression, in doses up to 150mg (if it isn’t working optimally you might need to increase the dose from the initial 50mg). Very few side effects: a bit of nausea initially that wore off, some interesting dreams, and it was a bit harder to achieve orgasm (sorry if TMI) but still very possible! Both times I tapered off when I felt well enough and I’ve now been without it for about 8 years and hope not to need it again, but if I ever do, I will not hesitate to take it.

Original poster

AnxietyLevelMax · 22/12/2022 22:00

very uplifting replies. I am just reading few other threads. Thank God it made a difference to so many of you. I cannot collect it until after Christmas and will have few days off before i go back to work so hopefully diarrhoea and things like that wont happen at work!🥴

OP posts:

CiderWithLizzie · 30/12/2022 12:30

I started it on Wednesday and really hoping it will help with my anxiety. Good to read the positive responses on this thread.

Original poster

AnxietyLevelMax · 30/12/2022 22:14

Hi @CiderWithLizzie how are you feeling so far? Any side effects? Are you on 50mg? I started today, really looking forward to feel better

OP posts:

Vanill1 · 31/12/2022 16:54

@OllytheCollie hi there just wondering if you took anything to help with the sleep as I’m struggling so much right now xxx

Vanill1 · 31/12/2022 16:55

@AnxietyLevelMax hi hun I just started 6 days ago hun how r u so far? X

Vanill1 · 31/12/2022 16:58

@CiderWithLizzie how r u doing on it? Xx

staciea31 · 31/12/2022 17:03

I’ve nothing but positives from Sertraline I take 100mg for depression and it has really helped good luck darling feel better soon big hugs xx

OllytheCollie · 31/12/2022 17:11

Sorry @Vanill1 I didn't take any additional meds for the sleep. It did slowly settle down. This is going back a couple of years and I can't remember exactly how long it took but.less than six weeks I think. I think it's one of the commonest side effects. I have been on it for the last couple of years and sleep fine now.

Vanill1 · 31/12/2022 17:14

@OllytheCollie thank you for that. My insomnia is dreadful at the moment. Literally about 6 hours sleep in 6 days but hoping it gets better xxx

Whywhywhywhy3 · 31/12/2022 17:18

For me sertraline did not agree with me. However citalopram (a similar antidepressant) works well. So even if sertraline doesnt work/gives you bad side effects, there are other options. Good luck!

Original poster

AnxietyLevelMax · 31/12/2022 21:31

@Vanill1 its only second day but no major side effects besides little headache and jaw clenching.
i am going to stick with my dose at the moment obviously but how do i know i might need an increase dose? What if i feel little better and settle for that but bigger dose could be even more beneficial? My GP isnt good at all and literally i know nothing about this things..

OP posts:

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