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?

Just read the information leaflet in the box when I took mine - and am now wishing I hadn't. They really should tell the pharmacist to take the leaflet out if it's being prescribed for anxiety

Oh never read those things. They are awful!

they are awful! They are just covering all bases, they have to put everything in there just in case. I can't read them anymore, due to my anxiety. I'm sure most people are fine.

chuffchuff, how are you feeling now?

approx 6 weeks in and I'm noticing a difference. I'm a bit more cheerful, energetic and less antisocial. Side effects seem to be all gone too.

Hang in there.. hopefully you'll get a good result too

Hi kazza not too bad today thanks.

Glad I only took half a tab yesterday, the side effects were much less 'urge', just felt a little bit sick - also slept ok last night. Went to do the weekend food shop after the school run today and felt a little bit flakey & claustrophobic - but lots have people have said that you can often feel worse when you start taking the meds before you feel better so trying to put it down to that.

How are you today?

Crispyhedgehog - thanks for your message - it's really good to hear positive stories

Crispy, that's great. hopefully onwards and upwards from hereon in.

I've gone up to 50 mg today. My only side-effect this time around (like previous times) is the runs and feeling slightly wired.

I've been on anti-ds again now for about 3-4 weeks and dearie me, I didn't realise how inefficient I'd become at work. It's like my brain's switched back on.

Why did I say my side effects were 'urge'? . I'll blame it on the spell check....

Apermanent that sounds good - I could do with my brain being switched on a bit more. Do you mean you were taking a half dose for the last few weeks? It's good to hear you can start to feel better even on just that.

Chuffchuff no I am also on another AD called Mirtazapine. This was the one I started 3-4 weeks ago. I added in 25 mg sertraline a week ago (as this combo is what worked best for me last time when I had a really severe episode). Now I'm taking 50mg sertraline in the AM and 30 mg Mirtazapine before bed. Mirtazapine is very sedating and my main issue is sleep going wonky so it suits me. Makes you horribly fat though!

The Mirtazapine makes me fat, not the sertraline, I meant. It's well-known for doing that. Don't want to set alarm bells ringing for you!

That's good news crispy

Chuffchuff glad you feel a bit better on half a tablet.

I'm feeling ok today, slept well last night so not as tired.

Hi there glad I found this thread. I just started Lustral (sertraline) last night, took half a tablet as per doctors instruction, will be going up to 50g after a week. I was told take it at night, slept okay last night. No noticeable side effects so far but I was feeling pretty crappy and headachey etc anyway so don't know what's what.

I really hope they make me feel better!!

Hello Nugget. Keep us posted on how you get on with the tablets. I'm on day 5 of 25mg a day and feeling ok at the moment. I'm very worried about increasing to 50mg soon though.

Thanks kazza. Yeah I'm worried too, that's why I've avoided going on ads for years. I don't tend to cope with physical illness or side effects well, can't just "power through" the way some people seem to.

Same here nugget. I have health anxiety and emetaphobia (fear of vomiting) and just go to pieces if confronted with it (we're talking rocking back and forth crying in a corner!) so have put off considering ads for a long time. But looking back at how long this has affected my life, I can't go on like this, so need to give it a try.

I have health anxiety as well so I think the mildest side effects mean I'm dying. I hate any physical unwellness. But the stress/anxiety/depression is making me physically sick now so I have to try them.

I'm also worried about putting on weight when that probably isn't the thing I should be focused on but I have a lot of anxiety around food too so don't want to make that worse (and also don't want to get fat!)

SSRIs like Sertraline are not usually associated with weight gain - don't worry. Mirtazapine works in a different way. Back in the day I was at my thinnest ever while taking sertraline .

I heard that about sertraline too, that you don't tend to put on weight with it. Fingers crossed.

I crave sweet things when I'm stressed or unhappy. At the moment taking sertraline isn't making me hungrier than usual.

I keep feeling so sick I can't imagine ever putting on weight again atm

I felt fine today until I had to go out in the car and got really travel sick - it's like being pregnant without all the excitement...

Anyone else had that?

Hi nugget

Aw sorry to hear that chuff I haven't been on any long car journeys since starting it, so haven't had that experience.

I was only doing the school run - which is only about half a mile down the road as I'm a lazy cow at the moment - probably serves me right

I'm sure it will settle soon. Hang on in there. You still have the higher dose in your body maybe? Once your body gets used to the half dose, maybe it'll improve?

Maybe . I had been taking St. John's wort for ages as well and GP had said to just stop taking them and start on the sertraline straight away - I'm wondering if I could have had some funny reaction to suddenly stopping the Sjw. Not that it had seemed to be doing anything....

Not looking forward to going up to 50 though.