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Mental health

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Original poster

Anyone taking Sertraline?

11 replies

takefu · 01/06/2007 13:32

Hello everyone, I'm taking Sertraline for PND and I'm wondering what side effects other people have had... and also how long you've been taking it. I've been taking it for about three weeks now and feel SO much better, but a.) I'm always sleepy and b.) I'm worried that I won't be able to get off it! Any advice? Also, anyone breastfeeding while on it?

OP posts:

daisybo · 01/06/2007 21:04

i took it a few years ago after having ds1. i breastfed him for 2 years so didn't seem to affect that at all. i was on it for about 18months all together, you have to come off it very slowly (over a period of 3 or 4months).
i didn't get many side-effects, headaches and nausea at first but that wore off after first few weeks.
hth and glad u feel better xx

harrisey · 01/06/2007 22:12

I was on prettty much constantly from June 2000 to June 2005, during which time I breastfed dd1, was pg and breastfed ds and was pg and breastfed dd2.
I fould it went for my bowels a bit - was an old farty pants while on it.

Coming off was complicated for me as I had a bad reaction in the end - called serotonin syndrome - where I became manic on it and had to have it stopped straight away - adn I 've been fine ever since. Its a good medecine.

Otter · 01/06/2007 22:14

i was told i could not be pg on it !!

lissie · 01/06/2007 22:15

i was on up to 175mg of sertraline for 18m and i got migraines and felt a bit woozy to begin with but felt that it really really helped me. came off it in march and havent needed it since but when i was bad it helped me function

harrisey · 02/06/2007 01:02

My psychiatrist and obstetrician said that there were small (unknown) risks while pg on sertraline, but compared to the huge, (very well known) risk of me getting depressed again it was better to keep on taking it. When I am depressed I am a danger to myself - luckily been off all medication for 2 years now, but would go back on something (not allowed sertrline again due to the probs I had at the end ) in a flash if I thought I was depressed again.

mamama · 02/06/2007 02:51

I took it for about 3 months when I was breastfeeding - no probs with that and no seide effects either. It really did not help me though, in fact there is talk that it made my depression worse, so I have had several med changes since.

If it makes you sleepy, do you take it at night?

I think with most ADs, you come off them slowly to minimise any problems.

mamama · 02/06/2007 02:54

Oh Harrisey, I'm sorry to read about your problems. I hope they weren't the same as mine

harrisey · 02/06/2007 15:49

mamama - I had serotonin syndrome. I got progressively more manic over several weeks, suffered from hot flushes and realy intrusive thoughts, couldn't sleep, was flying basically!

Then one day the kids got headlice and it was the end of things for me - I crashed bigtime and made a serious suicide attempt. Stupid I know but the psych said it would have happened over something in a window of just a few days.

The thing was we were on holiday when it started in Canada and were having such a fabulous time that I thought I was just having fun being away from home and the normal grind of things. Dh was pleased I was so 'well' and had so much energy! He's a doctor and he didnt notice to start with.

I was in hospital for 3 days and then let out with weekly CPN support which stopped pretty quickly as when I stopped taking the sertraline (they said it would have happened with any of the SSRI ad's like Prozac) I went back, not to normal, but to normal and no longer depressed. I've been fine ever since. Really!

So I would say to anyone watch out for the hot flushes and the hyperactivity. But its not very common (I specialise in rare conditions, me )

mamama · 02/06/2007 17:43

Oh Harrisey, I'm so sorry. That must have been awful. My situation was different but ended in a similar way. Thankfully, different meds seem to be making a huge difference.

I think it was not only brave, but vyer good of you to share your experience - I think some of these drugs do have scary side effects that doctors often don't mention.

I am so glad you are better now.

Original poster

takefu · 02/06/2007 22:04

Wow, thanks for sharing your experiences... Harrisey, especially, that must have been really hard for you. Sounds like it was very scary.

I'm taking 50mg for now, and I have been taking it at night because otherwise I'm zonked all day. I still spend a good part of the day yawning, but at least I'm not falling asleep. And I guess the meds would explain why I've been a farty pants lately!! Me and the DD are competing!

OP posts:

Otter · 02/06/2007 23:39

ps I got fat on it - put on a stone in 6 months

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