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?

Ps - meant to say the sicky feeling was very much like morning sickness for me; I found it was much worse if I had an empty stomach, and if I kept nibbling on something plain, a rich tea biscuit or some bread, it really helped it go off.

Mrsbirdie I felt like that too, the nausea came in waves, but bearable, but I was tired and felt like I was coming down with something. It does get better, stick with it. I found the nausea from 25mg wore off after a day or two.

Can I jump in here? New to this thread. Day two for me and both day one and today been getting a sore throat and dull headaches. Nothing I can't handle but headaches are one of the possible side effects?

Went to my GP for something to help me sleep - she, however, wanted to talk about depression (I must have looked miserable) and ended up prescribing sertraline. Not sleeping pills so my guess is she wouldn't want me taking both. Still waking up very early in the morning, worried about the next day at work (work is utterly awful - hence my feeling so down).

Out of interest, is anyone taking sertraline and sleeping meds? Sertraline would be compatible with a more natural sleeping remedy? Thanks!

Hi treasa. I sometimes have a cup of Clipper Sleep Easy tea before bed if I'm feeling a bit wired. It contains valerian and really seems to help.

Treasa, I have taken (in the past) sertraline and sleeping pills (both prescribed) at the same time but....I am not keen on sleeping tablets. IMO the sleep they bring is not very restful, although who knows how much worse I would have been without them...and maybe your experience would be different. They are highly addictive and can cause rebound insomnia when you stop taking them, though. Unfortunately....

I can't imagine it's going to cause any harm to take a natural remedy like valerian or hops with sertraline. I'd steer clear of anything stronger though unless prescribed (and also things like st. john's wort).

There are other antidepressants that are good where sleep is a major issue - e.g., mirtazapine but that comes with its own issues, namely: significant weight gain and for the first 2-3 weeks feeling like you've been hit over the head with a frying pan the next morning although this does wear off with treatment.

The sertraline should stop the early morning waking and make you less anxious. Is there a anything that can be done about work ?

I'm doing really well on my sertraline/ mirtazapine combo. I would stay on it for ever if the mirtazapine didn't make me so overweight . I am bursting out of some of my clothes already....aaaargh.

Am on day 3. Has anyone else had something along the lines of just feeling like their eye's are about 10 seconds behind the rest of you? Sounds odd, I don't feel particularly spaced out otherwise, but I feel like my eyes are lagging behind everything else.

Had a very panicky morning and felt sick as a dog but magically have pulled it together a bit this afternoon. With the exception of my eyes which think they are in treacle...

mrsbirdie - day 3 - ditto! Hope you feel a lot better soon.

Thanks for replies chuff and apermanen - I like the suggestion about valerian in a night time drink and appreciate caveats about mirtazapine.

Instructed to take my 50 g every morning but with such weariness now and it's not even 6 pm, am wondering if I should switch to the evening. In the scheme of things, does it matter when?

Re time of dosing of sertraline - no, it's fine to take anytime but people usually take it am as it can be quite activating at first.

Hi and welcome Treasa

Hope everyone's ok today. I think I'm feeling a bit better, despite having another bad night, not sleeping well at all. Because I'm so tired I keep feeling asleep in the afternoon when at home.

Has anyone had an alcoholic drink whilst taking sertraline? I'm not planning to, I know it says not to in the patient information leaflet. I just wondered if people don't at all, even if taking it long term. we might meet friends Wednesday night and I don't want to explain why I'm not drinking.

Yes I have drunk. Never had an issue. My friend, however, gets drunk quicker on sertraline.

I get drunk after just one glass of wine at the best of times, so probably not a good idea then.

treasa I've heard that it's better to take it am because it can cause sleep problems if taken later - don't know if that's true. If it's any help, I stopped feeling wiped out every afternoon after about a week of taking it.

Ha ha me too. Can't imagine not having another drink for god knows how long though - I might have a small one at Easter & see how it goes

Yes, I want to be able to drink at some point. I have a bottle of champagne in the fridge I was given at work at Christmas that I'd like to have some time

Hi how's everyone been getting on? I had a pretty good day today - the mum of one of dcs school friends had asked if we wanted to meet up at a theme park today. Normally the way I've been feeling I would make an excuse, getting stressed about driving that far and being 'stuck' somewhere if I felt panicky, etc. Anyway the dc overheard me being asked and were so excited I found myself saying yes.

Anyway the day out was today and u was dreading it. But I forced myself to go and after a few minutes in the car I was expecting the panic feelings to start - but they didn't . I actually ended up having a really nice day and so did the dc .

I don't know if it was the meds or just me thinking they were making me ok but either way it's all good....

That's great Chuffchuff, fall glad you had a nice day out.

Hope everyone's ok?

All side effects gone apart from headaches. I'm sleeping better too. Not feeling happier, but I know it's early days yet. In fact I've been having a major meltdown, worrying about returning to work next Tuesday, thinking I can't cope and can't do the job. I just want to shut myself away alone and it scares me when I feel this down and hopeless

Kazza sorry to hear that

Is there something about your job that makes you feel stressed out or is it just that you're feeling that way generally?

They do say it takes a few weeks for the tablets to really make a noticeable difference - and it's good that your side effects are going - I wouldn't want to go through the last couple of weeks again...

I just don't feel I'm doing my job well. I started a year ago but was thrown in at the deep end as my colleague had a lot of time off due to illness in the family. I think I'm ok at my job if I stay calm, but hate standing in for her when she's off, which I've had to do a lot. I have no experience in her side of things and don't seem to get any better at it with time. She deals with solicitors a lot of the time and they're not very helpful either. I constantly feel inadequate and stupid.

Aww Kazza, you are still early days in your treatment. I would say it took me a good couple of months post- starting sertraline (first time) to find my feet at work. But boy, did it make a massive difference when it did.

The fear of doing things (e.g., going back to work) is always SO much worse than the reality I find. I went back week before last. Was not looking forward to it. But...i.t was totally fine.

I am not really one for self-help books but "feel the fear and do it anyway" is absolutely brilliant. I read it about 15 years ago and I still think about it often.

Aww Kazza, you are still early days in your treatment. I would say it took me a good couple of months post- starting sertraline (first time) to find my feet at work. But boy, did it make a massive difference when it did.

The fear of doing things (e.g., going back to work) is always SO much worse than the reality I find. I went back week before last. Was not looking forward to it. But...i.t was totally fine.

I am not really one for self-help books but "feel the fear and do it anyway" is absolutely brilliant. I read it about 15 years ago and I still think about it often.

Thanks I'm just worried this is as good as it'll get with the sertraline.

Hope things go ok for you at work. I'm in tomorrow for half a day, but on my own, which is ok.

I think I have Feel The Fear somewhere, will have a look for it, thanks for the tip.

Day 7 (feel like the voice over from Big Brother) and frankly today is a great big crock of shit. I feel like an absolute bundle of nerves and I keep flicking between a couple of my key anxiety mainstays. Its exhausting, even though I slept for about eleven hours last night (is this a sertraline thing, or just me being knackered?) Have essays to write today and dinner to cook, as well as cleaning to do and I just want to curl up in a little ball in bed and do sod all but feel sorry for myself. I just long for the feeling of being able to relax and think that everything is taken care of.

Have the added bonus of something funny going on with one of my boobs (nothing to do with the sertraline, was going on for a week or so before I started taking it - assumed it was a pulled muscle or PMS related pain but is still lingering) that I won't be able to get checked out for over a week. Health anxiety not something I suffer from, its more that it just feels like one thing after another lately. DP also been ill this week, enough for a late night trip to A&E, and I am 100 miles away at the moment so not being able to get there made it worse somehow.

Upside: no physical side effects today (bar the improving dry mouth) after a pretty good day yesterday too - only had a bit of nausea in the afternoon.

Sorry for a rant, hope others are doing ok today and enjoying the sun!

The ramped-up anxiety is likely a side effect, mrsbirdie. Horrible while it lasts but probably (strangely) a good Sign that it's going to do something positive for you.

Sounds like stressful life events too (deadlines, illness etc). Can you get deadline extension? Am sure if you waved your script at the uni they would be sympathetic.