Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

Original poster

Sertraline: Here goes... (gulp!)

27 replies

keithlemonsbackdoors · 30/03/2012 21:17

I have pretty much made up my mind to go back on the happy pills after 3 years off.

Unfortunately, it's not long enough to have forgotten how horrible the side effects were in the first week (clammy, dry-mouthed, shivery, panic-addled space cadet, I seem to remember).

I don't even feel that bad at the moment but the few last weeks who am I kidding, months, years have been pretty rough. I am on my own with DCs all weekend but from what I remember the worst of it won't be for a few days.

I am scared! Confused

I may well record how the side effects (and good effects!) pan out in case it's useful to anyone else who is staring down the barrel of a prescription...

OP posts:
poppypops · 30/03/2012 22:14

Best of luck. It is scary, the unknown of how you will react to them but think you just have to hope, short term pain for long term gain. You hopefully will have minimal side effects.

I have been taking sertraline for just over 4 weeks now. First few weeks experienced nausea, increased anxiety. Nausea has settled but still feel Panicky, especially when tired ( which is pretty much all the time with young children!).

Fingers crossed x

kerstina · 30/03/2012 23:58

Can I join you I started on a really low dose of seroxat a couple of months ago but i was suffering dizzy spells at night so doctor swapped me to sertraline.
I am going to take 2.5 ml for the first time in the morning and I am really scared of any possible side effects and throw in withdrawl effects of stopping seroxat !

LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 08:25

oh my god im so glad i found this thread! I just started a thread on this drug as i took it for the first time last night!

i felt sick, shakey, cold, hot, dilated pupils, it felt a little bit like the symtoms you get when taking e (party days not now). im glad i took it last night rather than the morning as id have to do the school run and was a complete wreck.

i still feel odd now, im not going into work.

how long will i feel like this? they cant expect people to function feeling this way surely

kerstina · 31/03/2012 10:18

Well I have not had a good morning as I have wimped out of taking it as it tastes absolutely disgusting I refuse to believe something that vile tasting is good for you ! I have liquid as I find pills hard to swallow.(yes i am neurotic!)
Not sure what to do now Sad

Original poster
keithlemonsbackdoors · 31/03/2012 10:39

Hello Poppypops, Kerstina, LittleWhiteMice Smile

I took the first dose (I'm on 50mg) at about 10pm last night. Stood looking at it for ages like my teenage self in a club toilet before I plucked up the courage to neck it. I've been awake since 4am & feel a bit shaky & sick but nothing too terrible. Keep having to remind myself not to clench my jaw.

I've found an old diary from when I first took sertraline about 10 years ago - it seemed that that side effects kicked in within a few hours and got steadily worse over 3-4 days, then started to subside, so after a week I was feeling human again (hope this helps LittleWhiteMice?). I'm treating it like being ill - except I knew in advance what was going to happen.

OP posts:
Original poster
keithlemonsbackdoors · 31/03/2012 10:46

Oh Kerstina!

Is it just the taste of it that's putting you off? My gp recommended I take mine at night so I would sleep through the side effects (yes, insomnia is easy to sleep through, ha ha), you could always wait until later. Or you could use one of those medicine syringes that you get for calpol to babies & squirt it down the back of your throat so you don't taste it? Wink

OP posts:
LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 10:48

Thanks! would it be wise to cut a pill in half and just take half each day?

Also as i took it at around 7 yesterday and i dont want to take it at that time again so that i can sleep what do i do today?

take another one now?
im working sunday so i want some sort of knowledge on how itl effect me half way through the day before im at work on it.

LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 10:57

fuck it im going to take half another at 3pm.

Original poster
keithlemonsbackdoors · 31/03/2012 11:05

I'm not claiming any medical knowledge here, but I would take the full dose. If you only have half you'll still get the side effects, but less of the good effects once they start working, if that makes sense? What dosage are you on?

I took mine just before I went to bed & it didn't keep me awake. Felt a bit weird when DS woke me up at midnight-ish but went back to sleep (did wake up stupidly early though).

Sorry to say but you probably will feel a bit rough on Sunday but there's a lot of viruses around at the moment... would be easy to just let people think you are ill (unless you're in the habit of turning up at work wasted I don't think anyone would question it Wink). Shouldn't be too bad though, and by my old diary's reckoning we'll feel horrible on Mon/Tue and better again in time for the weekend Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
keithlemonsbackdoors · 31/03/2012 11:06

Ha ha, that's the spirit!

I'm confused though, how much did you take when? (sorry if I'm being thick)

OP posts:
LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 11:22

ive just realised i mixed up my words :(

i dont know, ive never taken drugs that make me feel like this.

dp has bought some ht4p and is trying to get me not to have anymore.

its good to know other people have the same probs with it. I was a bit scared when it said it gives you cancer.

have you tried 4htp?

LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 11:23

i took 50mg last night. im trying to prempt being up all night so il take a half at 3pm so hopefull i can sleep.

its 50mg a day.

LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 11:24

how horrible?

Original poster
keithlemonsbackdoors · 31/03/2012 11:38

Never tried 4htp, what is it?

Never heard anything about sertraline causing cancer Shock

It really did help me before & after the first week I felt fine - if you need it for depression or anxiety I would give it a fortnight.

Not sure how horrible coz it affects people differently but I remember sitting in my room shivering uncontrollably, feeling wired, panicky & sweaty! But that was only one day (well, night & I took it in the mornings last time), day 4. It really is worth it once you get through the first bit, you'll feel normal again just happier & calmer.

OP posts:
LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 11:41

it says in the side affects cancer!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-Hydroxytryptophan 4htp

LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 11:44

fucks sake 5htp

hathorinareddress · 31/03/2012 11:44

Thanks to LittleWhiteMice's suggestion there's a very new support thread here if any of you feel like coming and doing some mutual hand holding popping over

Original poster
keithlemonsbackdoors · 31/03/2012 11:51

Fuck! Shock

Don't think I'll read it coz it'll freak me out. And I'm pretty sure smoking, drinking, sunbathing & family history give you cancer too so I'm screwed anyway. May as well be happy in the meantime...

If you do decide to take 5htp MAKE SURE THE SERTRALINE IS OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM FIRST!!!

5htp is serotonin, SSRIs (like sertraline) stop your natural serotonin (happy chemicals) being re-absorbed too quickly (vague recollections of neuropharmacology lectures). Tell me if I'm being annoying.

OP posts:
LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 11:54

why do cant i take them together? how long do i have to wait?

YOU ARE NOT ANNOYING. silly :)

so what is this feeling? i thought i was making lots more seratonin, hence the "flooding, high" feeling.

have you really not read the list of side effects? it says if you have swollen face or lips and eyes its an allergic reaction?

Original poster
keithlemonsbackdoors · 31/03/2012 12:31

If you take them together you could get serotonin syndrome, I would check with a doctor if you're thinkiong about it.

Glad I'm not being annoying, nothing worse than a smartarse!

SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) kind of enhance the serotonin that you already produce, make it easier for you to use it & stop it being re-absorbed. A bit like putting a plug in your brain to stop the happy chemicals draining away. Sort of.

Oh yeah, I read the list of side effects. They are every single thing that their test groups reported - so if someone got cancer while they were in the study, cancer got listed. it doesn't mean that it caused the cancer. Colds were listed too, but you can't catch a cold from sertraline! They have to list everything so that you can't sue - does make some scary reading though.

OP posts:
BustyDeLaGhetto · 31/03/2012 13:09

KeithLemon I am due to take my Setraline again today so hallelujah for this thread. I had a horrible panicky episode last night and actually called the doctor this morning convinced that I was going to harm either DD or myself. I am FUCKING DREADING taking it as the last time I lost my appetite and felt like I'd had a smacky E (ugh, I sound like I right wazzock).

GP has given me valium to take with it (at a very low dose) so that I can get the drug into my system with minimum anxiety as I have been diagnosed with panic disorder. I was planning on taking it tonight after DD is in bed as I won't be able to function with her around too, it will worry me. Luckily DP is off work for ten days so can be my support if I feel like hell. Am so scared, only taking halves initially, to level myself out. Did they work for you the first time you took them ? How are you feeling today ?

LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 13:19

i just took half. here we go

LittleWhiteMice · 31/03/2012 13:20

yeah it feels like the next day or when its fading dousnt it?

i still feel odd from the last one.

poppypops · 05/04/2012 16:31

Hi all, do you mind if I join? Been on 50mg for 5 weeks now. Having a rough few days but not sure if it's down to the tablets or if I have a bug! Feeling dizzy, nauseous and no appetite. Vomited yesterday and stomach a bit ropey today. Have had a head cold for the past 10 days too which is still lingering.

Worried that I am having a reaction to the tablets but surely that would have happened by now? Hopefully it is a bug that will pass soon.

Sorry for long self-indulgent rant.

poppypops · 05/04/2012 16:58

Oh dear, posted on wrong sertraline thread