Sertraline…to ask if this is normal?

Yiie · 2025-02-23T17:49:21+00:00

I’m on 50mg of sertraline for anxiety. I took 25mg for a week and now been on 50 for another week. I feel exhausted. Like first trimester pregnancy tired. Also spaced out and lethargic. On the plus side I don’t feel as anxious. However I literally don’t know how I will function at work tomorrow as I’ve felt totally drained all day! Is this normal?!

EarsLikeAFennecFox · 23/02/2025 17:58

Sertraline did that to me, and didn't improve. I actually think my anxiety was a symptom of perimenopause and I felt much better when I stopped the sertraline and started HRT instead. I'd originally asked the gp for hrt, as my anxiety felt hormonal, but was told I was too young (42 at the time). Not sure how old you are, but if it's a new symptom and you're in your 40s, might be worth looking in to?

Jaxtellersoldlady14 · 23/02/2025 18:04

I started 50mg just over 2 weeks ago and I've felt the same absolutely shattered but seems to be easing a little now.

Katemax82 · 23/02/2025 19:24

I literally spent my entire time on sertraline exhausted, lying on the floor and having chronic dihorea

SquashedSquid · 23/02/2025 19:28

I'm on 250mg a day but don't get this any more. It wore off after a few weeks.

Mousespace · 23/02/2025 19:30

I was on a much higher dose and the doctor and leaflet often tells you to take it in the morning- but it does seem to be a medicine that gives some people insomnia, and makes other people super sleepy. I switched to taking it in evening instead. Would sleep 9 hours beautifully. Maybe try this change?

ALSO as a warning from a bad experience, absolutely NEVER dry swallow this medicine. Plenty of water. I was flippant about it cause you can dry swallow an antihistamine or a paracetemol and it's fine, but you dry swallow sertraline and youll be on the phone to nhs24 panicking.

JorgyPorgy · 23/02/2025 19:30

I’ve taken it before for anxiety , I had no side affects like that at all, in fact for the first 2 months I didn’t feel that it was doing anything at all and not working for me , but after that i did notice it took the edge off my anxiety.

Doggymummar · 23/02/2025 19:31

I was on 200mg and didn't have this, I'm sure it will settle. I was it for a decade till I managed to get the Dr to prescribe HRT.

ItGhoul · 23/02/2025 19:33

It’s normal to have side effects for a few weeks, especially if you’re increasing the dose. Do you take it in the morning? If so try switching to taking it at night.

It’s actually very unusual for it to improve your anxiety within a fortnight.

DGPP · 23/02/2025 19:35

DB had this for several weeks but it did settle down. Much happier now

Whenim63 · 23/02/2025 19:37

EarsLikeAFennecFox · 23/02/2025 17:58

Sertraline did that to me, and didn't improve. I actually think my anxiety was a symptom of perimenopause and I felt much better when I stopped the sertraline and started HRT instead. I'd originally asked the gp for hrt, as my anxiety felt hormonal, but was told I was too young (42 at the time). Not sure how old you are, but if it's a new symptom and you're in your 40s, might be worth looking in to?

Exactly this. Dr prescribed it for what I now know were peri menopause symptoms. Sertraline didn’t agree with me at all. I was utterly exhausted but wired and I had the most awful paranoia, which I have never experienced before and never want to again. I lasted 8 weeks then stopped. I know it’s brilliant for a lot of people but it wasn’t for me.

Doggymummar · 23/02/2025 19:52

Whenim63 · 23/02/2025 19:37

Exactly this. Dr prescribed it for what I now know were peri menopause symptoms. Sertraline didn’t agree with me at all. I was utterly exhausted but wired and I had the most awful paranoia, which I have never experienced before and never want to again. I lasted 8 weeks then stopped. I know it’s brilliant for a lot of people but it wasn’t for me.

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Ditto

Hankunamatata · 23/02/2025 20:09

It gave me mild stomach ache for a couple of weeks

TreesWelliesKnees · 23/02/2025 20:31

Sertraline did this to me at the start of taking it, for two or three weeks. It also took the edge of my anxiety very quickly. Now I take it at night and sleep really well, and function fine during the day.

3within3 · 23/02/2025 20:32

Mousespace · 23/02/2025 19:30

I was on a much higher dose and the doctor and leaflet often tells you to take it in the morning- but it does seem to be a medicine that gives some people insomnia, and makes other people super sleepy. I switched to taking it in evening instead. Would sleep 9 hours beautifully. Maybe try this change?

ALSO as a warning from a bad experience, absolutely NEVER dry swallow this medicine. Plenty of water. I was flippant about it cause you can dry swallow an antihistamine or a paracetemol and it's fine, but you dry swallow sertraline and youll be on the phone to nhs24 panicking.

Hi @Mousespace do you mind please sharing what happens if you do this?

BooseysMom · 23/02/2025 20:38

I started on a low dose and had headaches that wouldn't ease so stopped taking it

pambeesleyhalpert · 23/02/2025 20:39

@Mousespace this happened to me, it wasn't completely dry but not enough water and I think on an empty stomach and I thought I was having a heart attack it was so painful

Treeleaf11 · 23/02/2025 20:41

Katemax82 · 23/02/2025 19:24

I literally spent my entire time on sertraline exhausted, lying on the floor and having chronic dihorea

Same for me. I had to stop after 3 days the diarrhea was horrendous

ssd · 23/02/2025 20:44

Setraline started me bleeding on day 2 of it so i had to stop it

ChiliFiend · 23/02/2025 20:49

I am on a different SSRI, but on mine was really spaced out to begin with. It balanced out eventually, so I wouldn't give up. If you do decide they're not right for you, go off them with the help of your doctor rather than just stopping cold turkey x

KIlliePieMyOhMy · 23/02/2025 20:52

Is it one tablet a day?
What time are you taking the tablet?

cheseandme · 23/02/2025 20:59

My son takes Sertraline for anxiety and it has been a game changer. He had a wobble in the first few weeks but he is now a happy,successful guy .
He still takes Sertraline and it works for him.

Waitingfordoggo · 23/02/2025 21:04

Mousespace · 23/02/2025 19:30

I was on a much higher dose and the doctor and leaflet often tells you to take it in the morning- but it does seem to be a medicine that gives some people insomnia, and makes other people super sleepy. I switched to taking it in evening instead. Would sleep 9 hours beautifully. Maybe try this change?

ALSO as a warning from a bad experience, absolutely NEVER dry swallow this medicine. Plenty of water. I was flippant about it cause you can dry swallow an antihistamine or a paracetemol and it's fine, but you dry swallow sertraline and youll be on the phone to nhs24 panicking.

I echo all of this. I was on a high dose of Sertraline for a while- I took it in the evening because it made me so sleepy.

Agree with the second point too- I once took one while on holiday in Spain just before bed and although I did swig a bit of water to take the tablet, it obviously wasn't enough, and then I lay down in bed straight afterwards. A minute later, I was in excruciating pain and had to get out of bed and spend the next few hours pacing the apartment and drinking milk. I honestly thought I'd burned a hole in my oesophagus. So yes- lots of water to wash it down and don't lie down straight away. I daresay it warns about that in the leaflet but possibly needs to be in bold and capital letters because I didn't remember reading or being told that before I started taking them.

hellyq · 23/02/2025 21:25

SquashedSquid · 23/02/2025 19:28

I'm on 250mg a day but don't get this any more. It wore off after a few weeks.

I'm on 200 mg and was told that was the maximum dosage. I've found it only slightly helps my mood at this level. I wonder now if that's correct about the dosage

I'm also on HRT

hellyq · 23/02/2025 21:26

Yes, it is normal, OP. It will pass!

letslaughitoff · 23/02/2025 21:26

Tried it once 25g never again.
I didnt eat couldnt sleep i was almost suicidel i was just not myself and in a constant state of panic.
My GP took me off it after one week id stopped taking it 2 days before hand and started to feel better.