Sertraline

[SunnySandy]

Any positive reviews for Sertraline please?

Yes.. I put off taking it for a v long time.
The initial side effects were not fun but after a month or so I realised I was more the old me.
I could genuinely laugh instead of pretending.
I'm only on 50 and think maybe I'd be best to up to 100

Yes. But only after 6 weeks. The first week is horrendous

@Norah8 I know what you mean I started on 50mg on 23rd December 2020 upped to 100mg 4 days ago. Just really tired all the time no energy and no interest in anything at all 🥴 just want to get better x

I can't do without it as my recent slip into depression made evident

I started on 50mg and was on 200mg until last summer when I dropped to 150mg and then 100mg
Back up to 150mg now

Only side effects I had were teeth grinding and difficulty swallowing but didn't last long

They're great if you plan on medicating forever but not easy to come off

@Paanda I’m counting the days. I hope you continue to feel better x

@MozzchopsThirty yes I’ve heard they are nit good to come off of but I can’t continue with the anxiety and depression 🥴 how long have you been taking them if you don’t mind me asking x

Been on it for 5 years and just started weaning myself off for good hopefully. First 6 weeks were horrendous but after that I was fine. It literally saved my life.

@SunnySandy 10 years 😂 and I'm staying on them now until I die

I was prescribed it for PTSD anxiety/panic attacks - it worked for that but I was so tired all the time I had to come off it - sleeping like 15+ hours a day.

Adding - I was on them for a week or two I think and my doctor advised me to come off them due to the tiredness

I felt fabulous on 150mg (complex PTSD & depression). Unfortunately I had to change (very quickly, not recommended, I could hear colours ffs) due to pain management changing my pain medication to Tramadol & pregabalin. Don’t feel nearly as chipper & have panic attacks & anxiety now, but my Pain team don’t want to switch me back to my old regime.
Ho hum.
Sertraline doesn’t suit all, but I loved it.

@georgarina Umm I’m thinking I’ll ride this wave for a few more weeks to see if the tiredness goes away. Did you go on another AD? X

I was on them for 14 months. Worked wonders for me.

Came off them very gradually. I had a few bouts of anxiety at the beginning, but it settled fairly quickly. My side effects when I started on it were quite mild too.

If my depression ever gets bad again, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back on them.

I couldn't take mirtazipine due to the tiredness and voracious appetite

Never had tiredness with sertraline.

@PuzzledObserver that’s good to hear your positive experIence! Wishing you well 🙏

I’m on a low dose at the moment of 50mg started them just after Christmas. I do feel a lot better than I did but will be asking to up dosage at my next review.

[quote SunnySandy]@georgarina Umm I’m thinking I’ll ride this wave for a few more weeks to see if the tiredness goes away. Did you go on another AD? X[/quote]
Yeah go for it, if your doctor is happy with that...I've tried about 5 or 6 and unfortunately the side effects were too much - anything that chilled me out made me ridiculously tired, and anything that gave me energy dramatically increased my anxiety - then I had to stop when I got pregnant and haven't restarted the search since then!

But I really hope they work for you. Could be a life changer! x

I struggled with Sertraline for about 6 weeks before the tiredness and woozy feeling subsided. Been on it now for 9 years and couldn't live without it - whenever I've tried i realise just how much I need it.

That's said, I tried 2 other ADs before Sertraline and couldn't get on with them at all, so if you're really struggling after a couple of months then speak to your doctor and see about trying another one. I have friends who take those ones but didn't get on with sertraline. There's no one size fits all medication

I was very lucky - I had some side effects for a few days, but they settled down very quickly and they've really helped me. I started on 50mg, went up to 200mg in stages, and now I'm fairly stable on 100mg. The trouble at the moment is not knowing how much of my anxiety and depression is the usual "background" level and how much is down to the current situation. I definitely won't be trying to come off them until we're back to some semblance of normality. Long-term side effects have included hair loss and difficulty waking up properly in the morning. Not a big problem while I'm working from home, but it will need to be addressed if I want to go back into the office in the future. Again, it might be more to do with circumstances than the sertraline.

Saved me, in all honesty. I didn’t find coming off them that difficult, I slowly reduced the dose and then took it every other day and reduced down from there. It lifted me out of the dark pit so I could feel slightly better and do things to help me feel better. Showering, for example. Good luck to you OP, I hope soon you start to feel lighter ❤️

After 5 years using it I'm currently in the process of coming off it which is honestly grim as fuck. However it did wonders for my anxiety and general mood so it was absolutely the right thing for me and really helped me through so very hard times

Have been on 50mg for a few months. Mainly for anxiety. My mood more even, fewer lows, so along w CBT is making it easier to manage life.

The tiredness was awful at first, and each time I upped my dose, but it wears off. I find I have to be careful when I take them because too early they give me cramps and dizziness, but too late and they make me jumpy and give me night sweats. My weight has soared since being on them. I also find they helped my anxiety tremendously, but I’m not so sure on my mood...as another poster said it’s so hard in the current situation to know what’s ‘normal’ to feel and what’s not.

I was on 50mg for six months or so came off over Christmas.

I found it took the edge off things and allowed me to function , while I healed .

After the first week of being wired , the only side effect I had was occasional nausea and vomiting every two weeks or so .
For me it was worth it as it gave me my life back .

First week is awful, I couldn't sleep and felt sick but after that it was wonderful. I felt a bit more like me again! I'm on 50mg, it does make me very tired mind. Am I alone in that?