Is sertraline worth the side effects?

[Cantpee]

I’ve just started taking sertraline as I have developed bad PND and PTSD following an awful birth and associated health problems. I’ve been reluctant to take it because before this I have never suffered mental health issues.

I’ve had four tablets and experiencing dizziness, feeling dizzy, jaw/teeth clenching and ache, headaches, nausea and generally feeling strange. I’m still not sleeping. I’m really tempted to stop but another part of me thinks I should persevere. Does it get better? Is it worth it?

This for me. Side effects disappear in 2 to 4 weeks.
I had pmdd and wish I tried it years ago. Now im on maintenance dose. Came off for a while and I was just wasn't great so went back on. In times of stress my dose is double and it really does help

I wouldn’t stop after a few days. I have tried several antidepressants. Each needed a few weeks to see how I did on it. Setraline was a no as it really upset my stomach. But it’s too soon to say if it suits you yet.

Your post is deeply offensive.
No it isn't. People are allowed to think differently from eachother and to discuss these issues.

But some people do need medication. I wouldn’t be here without it.

Yeah I took them for a while and definitely got worse before I got better but wasnt just side effects, general mood, anxiety, etc all was worse for a little while
You have to be patient but they do work

Hard disagree. Suggesting that mental ill health can be overcome with willpower and exercise will prevent vulnerable people from seeking help. It will perpetuate the stigma of mental ill health.

This isn't a matter of opinion. Seeking help early improves outcomes. https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/young-people-are-falling-through-the-gaps-making-care-before-crisis-a-reality/

Discussion is fine. Misinformation is not.

100% stick with it. It's a known side effect of sertraline that you feel worse before you feel better. Give it 2 weeks and see if you're still having side effects then. Best of luck OP. I promise you won't regret it if it works. Xx

Dh took them, and kept on being told to persevere with the side effects. But they never faded after 4+ weeks of taking, and ended up with anxiety worse than ever and uncomfortable-Ness in general - he explained it as a constant urge/need to peel all of his own skin off.

They changed his meds and is now on Trazodone

Er, well, it’s really well established that exercise is helpful in combating anxiety and depression.
I’m sure many people would find it helpful to learn of another person’s experience, that they found running helpful.
This is mainstream and has nothing whatsoever to do with stigma. Quite the reverse.

I was put on Sertraline following a mental breakdown and experienced every side effect going while I was adjusting yo the med which, all in, took exactly five months to the day of my first dose.
The journey was very rocky to say the least and I wanted to bail so many times but I rode it out and I'm so glad I did because I have never felt better. Not only did it help get me out the other side of my breakdown but the anxiety and OCD I had 'coped' with for 30+ years is now virtually non-existent. Honestly, I'm a different person... in the best way!
All that being said, the side effects were wild. Only you know what you're able to tolerate. Whatever you decide: good luck!

That’s what I was like to start with, I can’t explain how bad it was, but after about 3 months it was like magic, I think they can just take much longer than the doctors tell you to start working properly

Hi OP,

Sorry about what you are going through ❤️

First time I tried them I gave up quickly due to the nausea/dizziness. After trying a load of other AD's which didn't help me I gave them another go. After I got through the first week or two the side effects went away and I feel so much better.

I still get down but I bounce back so much quicker. I don't feel suicidal anymore and actually enjoy life! For me they were life changing.

Theres lots of different ones though so don't be afraid to change if you still feel bad in a week or so. Also worth considering going down to 25mg and building up more slowly. Might take a bit longer to feel better but could help you get used to them.

Im on 100mg now.

Agree. I thought I was doing 'just fine' with my usual coping mechanisms... until I wasn't.
I wouldn't be here without Sertraline.

Agree. For me personally, and for many others I know, it took months. In fact, it's widely believed to take 16 weeks on the same dose to fully 'level'. Doctors don't tell you this - worst case scenario they'll say it could take 6-8 weeks but I'm pretty sure that's because the research doesn't go beyond 8 weeks!

A family member takes them for her anxiety and depression. The first two weeks were rough, but then it's like she came out of a cave and into the sunlight. It's transformed her, and things that she'd have been anxious, tearful and stressed about, she simply no longer cares about.

I was switched to sertraline after maxing out the dose of citalopram with no effect. It made a massive difference after getting used to it for a few weeks. It made me incredibly tired and I couldn’t find the right time of day to take it. I took it at night for a while to help me sleep but once it was in my system mornings worked better. This was 12 years ago now, I came off it once but didn’t cope and had to go back on it. You can’t just stop taking it abruptly once it’s in your system as you can get awful withdrawal symptoms. I even find that if I miss 2 days (have recently diagnosed unmedicated ADHD so have a record of frequently forgetting to take) I feel very lightheaded and out of it until I take it again. You’re supposed to taper off it slowly.
the only long term side effect I’ve had is jaw clenching and pain, which I only learnt recently is a side effect, I always thought it was my anxiety. I do consciously try to unclench and do jaw exercises but sometimes I take some ibuprofen to help relax it.

I would say stick with it for at least a couple of weeks before you consider trying anything else as they all take a bit of time to get used to. The idea that ‘popping a pill’ is an instant mood enhancer is a myth. Let them build up and one day you will randomly notice that all of a sudden you’re functioning relatively normally and life will feel better. Remember that while you’re in the throes and getting used to the meds, you’re in a negative mindset and the side effects are likely magnified because of that too

Yes for me absolutely 100 percent with sertraline you will only feel sick and groggy for a week or so,but for me it has significantly reduced my PTSD my nightmares and flashbacks are significantly decreasing more and more and it's absolutely fantastic for anxiety too.

For me yes. Genuinely given me my life back and although the initial period was challenging, the benefits far outweigh the initial symptoms. Give it some time and wishing you well. Pnd is tough but you will get through it.

I'm on Sertraline and yes the side effects will subside in a couple of weeks . They are very good antidepressants and work quickly .

Life changing keep going it you can’t just quit you have to just get through the clouds to see the sun ..3-4 MAX ahd you will be so glad you stuck it out xx

Why is it not okay to find exercise more helpful than medication?
I’ve tried both and can understand why someone would say this. The caveat is that you need to have sufficient time and energy available to devote to regular exercise.
A really good diet can also make a difference to MH , I’m sure.

Everyone is so different but I felt AWFUL on them.

Anxiety through the roof, night sweats, sudden 4kg weight gain (after being 53kg exactly for 12 years!)

My GP told me to come off them after 16 weeks. I felt so much better after stopping them. And the weight slowly came back off.

I am AuDHD and apparently sertraline isn't ideal for a neurodiverse brain, I learned afterwards!

I had similar side effects OP and they did subside. Actually almost anyone I know who has ever been on Sertraline has had side effects and they did subside. I think mine became more manageable in general when I increased the dose.

I had them for post-natal anxiety and also PTSD and OCD symptoms and they helped so, so much. I wasn't spending every waking minute on high alert and so could start to help myself a lot more in other ways. When you have this kind of mental health struggle it consumes you. It's easy for people say unhelpful things like them being a last resort but they're a tool that can enable you find other ways through it too. But quite often when people go on them they have already tried to cope on their own. Nobody is popping on SSRIs at the first hint of struggle.

So it was worth it for me, yes, and the side effects did subside. The side effects wouldn't stop me going back on them if I felt I needed to. However a word of caution - the withdrawal was bad for me. So always, always taper off under your GPs supervision. I did and it was still awful so I can't imagine how bad it is to just stop them yourself.

I hope they help you OP.

Mental illness is a spectrum... talking therapies, exercise and diet help up to a point for mild anxiety and depression. But if that anxiety turns into sudden panic disorder or psychosis for example, no amount of talking or walking is going to fix that. That's where medication comes in. As I've said upthread, I categorically would not be here without Sertraline.

I think the problem with talking about SSRIs is that people always come on saying they saved their life and they wouldn't be here without them and I'm sure that's the case for them, but things like Sertraline do seem to be prescribed to a lot of people who aren't in that place.

I've had the experience of being prescribed them when I had issues that stemmed from my HRT (I didn't take them, I stopped the HRT), women get prescribed them for menopause symptoms, a lot of doctors do seem quite trigger happy to prescribe them to people with relatively mild issues and for those people the side effects probably aren't worth it. I do think they are over prescribed because therapy is in short supply.