Starting sertraline for pna, nervous

[whyyy321]

Due to start 50mg sertraline in the morning for pna/health anxiety/emetophobia. Feeling really nervous of the side effects, particularly the increase in anxiety that can happen and gi upset (I worry about coping with bf baby and toddler if tummy was to be upset, which is the route of a lot of my pna).

Anyone had a good experience that I can cheer myself on with? Or even a not awful experience with side effects? I know I need to start them but I've had a better week with anxiety and the idea of it making me spiral at first is frightening.

I am not sure what pna is but I got on well with sertraline.

A lot of the listed side effects of antidepressants overlap with the symptoms of anxiety and depression. I figured something had to change so just took it. Tried to avoid poring over lists of side effects analysing every sensation, I think that risks feeding the anxiety and side effects much more than it helps. The best chance you can give yourself is just take it, avoid thinking about it too much and crack on with something else.

Thank you, and very wise advice as I am prone to googling! Pna sorry post natal anxiety - 2nd baby, was bad with my first but never got help and promised myself I'd ask for help this time so I have and they offered meds alongside online CBT which I've started already.

As per pp, I knew the risks of side effects were less of a worry than living a life continuing to feel so low.
My gp said that the side effects are generally at their worst for the first week or so, as your body/brain get used to it.
I ended up with one of the rare ones, and felt much worse mentally on days 3 and 4. I can't even explain it - not suicidal, not crying, but felt extremely unsettled/disturbed, and extremely sad/down.
Those feelings were gone by day 5.

Some people take them before bed, but I take mine at lunchtime as they cause insomnia for me. Yet my friend says they help her sleep. So it's bizarre how differently they affect people.

I sometimes have a dodgy tummy, but nothing that I can't put up with, or I take imodium now and again, if needed.

I've had my dosage doubled. The first few days of that gave me headaches, but again, they stopped after a few days.

Hope it goes well for you x

Thank you for sharing your experience, I'm glad they've helped you. I've just taken the first one with breakfast, decided to just go for it as I'll go round in circles otherwise. Fretting about how ill manage the baby and toddler if side effects are bad!

Packet says that you might not be able to drive heavy machinery on it?? Surely not, I've places I need to drive!

A lot of packets say that. My "non-drowsy" antihistamines say more than 1 in 100 people may feel drowsy on this medication and if affected, do not operate heavy machinery.

They have to write it on the pack to cover themselves, and you do need to take it seriously if you feel very tired on it, especially as you are probably pretty tired anyway with having a baby and toddler. But mostly people are getting on with their lives fine on it, just like they do on antihistamines. I haven't read the leaflet recently so I may be wrong, but if it says something along the lines of "if affected do not operate heavy machinery" then it's your call whether you are alert enough to drive safely, just as it was the day before yesterday

I'm taking sertraline for anxiety. The first two weeks weren't pleasant, I'll be honest. I had every side effect going but the anxiety was so bad that I needed to do something.

I'm over a month in now. I'm feeling so much better than I was and all of the side effects have gone. It's not a magic fix but it's definitely helped me.