Sertraline buddies - support for anybody taking Sertraline

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I eventually went to docs yesterday, been really suffering with depression. Is it possible the medication can result in side effects straight away? I'm feeling sick and no appetite today, however feeling better, clearer... I'm on 50 mg the lowest dose.. Anyone else share their experience please?

I'm on day three of taking Sertraline today, side effects ok so far, slight nausea on the first evening, a bit of trouble sleeping first night, slight headache. I'll see how it goes and will increase to 50mg after seven or ten days.

Kazza well done you :) Do you feel pleased you've managed to start the meds?

I feel really pleased that it's going so well. Feel relieved I've done something about it at last.

How are you coping? Hopefully no side effects too?

Hi just found this thread - I think I really need it ATM....

Am on day two of sertraline, yesterday I felt a bit sick but was really happy that I'd finally made it to the docs and was doing something positive. Today I'm just feeling a bit crap again and this evening I feel awful, really sick and tired and started feeling really panicky an hour or so ago. I'm really hoping it's not going to get much worse than this

Sorry chuffchuff, that's rubbish

I'm on day three of sertraline, but started on half the dose. I have put off starting to take them because of the potential side effects, as i suffer with emetaphobia - fear of vomiting.

what dose are you on? could you talk to your gp about taking a lower dose? then increase it very slowly - obviously discuss with your gp, especially if suicidal

I hope things improve. Maybe someone who knows more about anti depressants will have more info.

kazza I'm on 50mg. GP did say I could take half the dose for the first few days because if not I might feel a bit sick (slight understatement!) but I was feeling so positive and pleased with myself yesterday that I thought 'sod it, why mess about, the sooner I Take the full dose the sooner I'll get results'....

Might be worth just taking half the dose from now on until it settles if he's said that would be ok? I'll cross my fingers that things improve.

Think you may be right! Will see how I feel tomorrow - thanks

By the way, my tablets are 50mg too, I break them in half.

Are you finding they affect your sleep at all?

Yes! The first night I slept fine but last night was horrible . I woke up about 2:30 drenched in sweat and felt really sick and faint. I didn't get back to sleep properly after that because I felt so ill and it made me go all panicky.

By this morning I had decided I wasn't going to take any more of them but DH is adamant I have to keep going with them. So today I am going to take half and stick to that for a few days - hopefully then the side effects won't be so bad.

I feel a right idiot for thinking I could just start the full dose straight away and ignore the doctors advice

I hope you get on better with the half dose. I'm going to stick to half a tablet for about a week to ten days, depending how i feel before increasing to a whole tablet.

Yes that sounds like a good idea - I will take half a tablet today and hopefully tonight won't be so bad. Have you been pretty much ok on half a tablet so far?

I only felt a little nauseous on day one in the late evening, but I'm not sleeping well. I wake up early and don't go back to sleep. otherwise just a slight headache that feels a bit fuzzy.

I hope you feel better on half a tablet. keep posting

I will do - you can be my Sertraline buddy

Hi kazza and chuffchuff (sorry OP for thread hijack).

The anxiety, sleep disturbance etc are really well known effects of starting any SSRI medication. The good news is that these usually start to diminish after about 1-2 weeks. It can be pretty horrible until things start to improve but honestly, they do, and if you can stick with it, do. I know it's hard though. A psych once told me that if you get initial side effects then that's an indication that the medication is probably going to be beneficial for you. I don't know if there's any basis to that or whether she was just trying to jolly me along (!) but it made me feel better.

I am doing fine on the 25mg BUT I am also on another AD called Mirtazapine at the same time which helps with sleep (understatement). I remember in the past when I've been on 'neat' Sertraline that the sleep disturbance does get annoying. However, one of my depression/ anxiety symptoms is early waking (around 4-5 am) and not being able to get back to sleep so there was nothing to be lost for me, really.

I had citalopram once in the past and had to give up on it after about a week because it gave me severe agitation and anxiety. I find sertraline doesn't do this quite as much.

If you're really struggling you can always ask the GP for some very short-term tranquilisers. They are not at all keen to hand these out as they're very addictive but they can be useful while you get stable on the main meds. I've used them before for this reason but haven't needed them this time.

Thanks aper . What your psych said is very good to hear - I am choosing to believe that there is basis to that

Also sorry OP for the thread hijack

And actually I have just found some Rescue Remedy that's been kicking around in the bottom of my bottomless bag for a while. I'm going to use that as a bit of a crutch for a few days if I keep feeling edgy. Do you think that's ok to do?

Sorry also op for thread hijack

Chuffchuff (and Apermanentheadache) I could do with a sertraline buddy too

I'm ok with the not sleeping at the moment. It gives me peaceful thinking time I don't feel as tired as I think I should at the moment!

The only thing I can't cope with is nausea, vomiting, upset stomach.

I have taken Prozac, Citalopram and mirtazapine in the past, I felt like a zombie for weeks, as if I was wading through mud all the time. This feels different. I really hope it helps.

My doc said that in his view there is slightly stronger evidence for the use of Sertraline (as opposed to Citalopram or other SSRIs) where anxiety is a significant feature of depression. Whether that's true or not I don't know but again, I'm choosing to believe it :)

My doctor also said that Sertraline is the most effective at treating anxiety. He diagnosed me with GAD and not depression - just lately I have been feeling down and exhausted by it all but I think it's just because the anxiety has been there so long it's dragged me down a bit and he agreed with that.

Am due to take my next tablet at lunchtime and am dreading it after feeling crap last night. Will only take half a tab (25mg) this time though so hopefully it won't be as bad..... (fingers crossed smiley)

Good luck, Chuffchuff. Good to hear the same thing from other docs. I take mine first thing in the morning to minimise any sleep-related effects. Is that an option for you?

Yes I suppose I could - I'm only taking them at 12 because I took the first as soon as I picked them up from the pharmacy and that was the time then. Maybe a bit earlier would be good.

My gp said the same re. Sertraline being more suited for anxiety. I suffer with depression and anxiety, so hope this may help make things more bearable.

I take mine first thing in the morning too, still struggling to sleep though. Hope it's a side effect that will wear off soon.