Anxiety about taking anxiety medication

[babasaclover]

Was prescribed sertraline on 30th of January, after quite awhile I'm needing some help. At least a year if I'm honest. Put off taking them as was so anxious about starting to take them after reading the side-effects. First of the month so I've just taken the first one as can no longer make excuses

Well done.

My experience of sertraline was that initially I felt much much worse, but then after I got used to it I felt much much better.

I was recently prescribed this, took for a month and yes it does have side effects but didn't find them too bad

I have now stopped taking them as made life changes to reduce stress/anxiety

Do what you need to do to be healthy, asking for help is a strength and being kind to yourself helps.

Op I was the same but I never had any side effects and they really helped me to feel much better! I hope you are feeling better soon x

I started taking them last year, and the first 10 days were rough. I took them at night, which helped, since the side effects were a bit milder during the day. After a week or so though, the veil lifted, and I felt a million times better. Don't intend to stop taking them any time soon...they have really helped me!

Sertraline has been life chnaging for the better for me. First couple weeks were bit rough but never looked back

Thank you all so much for the replies, it's so nice to hear some positives if a little bumpy to start with.

I think I had just gotten myself into such a state about the idea of taking them, which in itself shows the anxious state I'm in.

Did anyone have any actual vomiting? I was sick twice in the night and had a dry mouth but surely it's too early for side-effects?

Well night number two went better, I had a dry mouth but not as bad as the first night. I was awake at 5 am though 😫😫😫

I had an upset stomach about an hour after taking the first one! Also got the insomnia. It wears off though, keep at it you'll feel better

I'm on my fifth day of Sertraline so new to them still. I had really bad anxiety the first couple of days and kept on waking up at 4am but today hasn't been so bad.

The first couple of weeks are the worst. It's a revelation when the sertraline kicks in though. I've been on it for five years now and haven't had a problem with it.

Hope you start to feel better soon

I take sertraline and it has really helped me feel more like me again. I did have a lot of nausea for nearly 3 weeks. I also felt more anxious for a week or so and quite on edge. Now feeling much better, they help me enormously.

I do wonder if it is the mind causing it or the tablet. I'm off work for a couple of weeks thankfully so I've got time to see my reactions to it and deal with any lack of sleep!

Thanks to everyone for your replies, I bet your handhold is well needed.

Oh to be young and carefree again.

I got a dry mouth at first, and a touch of insomnia... lasted only a couple of days. I started taking mine first thing in the morning: don’t know whether this helped but insomnia disappeared. Feel so much better now, so glad I take them. No other side effects at all. Good luck x

I felt sick, but never vomited, for about a fortnight. After that no side effects. Was a lifesaver for me. The repetitive thoughts stopped and I felt much more in control of my life.
Im off them now but did find them very useful at that period of my life.

Well done Mia is still there, so I'm going to start taking in the morning as you suggested.

The dry mouth has gone though I've taken five tablets now. The nausea is still there but not so bad, hopefully this is the beginning of the end of that.

I am taking it for anxiety and OCD, so would really like the repetitive thoughts to calm down.

Sertraline saved my life.

I really don’t recall feeling ANY side effects, although I felt so shite anyway it may have been difficult to tell.

Major side effect: Wanting to live.

Do it. Good luck x

I take mine just before bed and have no insomnia at all , when I was taking them on a morning I suffered terribly - now I just have the really vivid dreams / nightmares to deal with

I'm off to the GP in an hour to discuss anti-depressants for anxiety so this is really useful. My daughter takes sertraline and was told to take them in the morning when she wakes up, as that minimises the effect on your sleep.

This is also interesting, how different people get the different effects. I know from reading the side-effects leaflet that not everyone will get every side-effect, but hearing from you guys has kept me sane.

The doctor said to me that it's quite the wonderdrug for treating OCD, and things have come along way since previous antidepressants / anti anxiety etc.