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Sertraline brand change confusing and unpleasant

4 replies

reenchantmentofeverydaylife · 03/11/2018 10:30

Began taking Lustral 50mg in August. Upped to 75mg after a couple of weeks, but early last month went onto a generic (Aurobindo) because the Lustral was upsetting my stomach constantly. First few days of taking the generic my stomach wasn't too bad, but then it returned with a vengeance. Nevertheless, persisted until this week, as was having some days of feeling a bit brighter here and there, and a useful, more relaxed feeling generally.

On Wednesday saw my GP, ostensibly to get a repeat prescription, but mentioned the unresolved upset stomach while I was there. It has been a complicated few months because I was having stomach problems for a short time before I started Sertraline, presumably because of a virus, but I've never had an upset stomach that lasts for months before. So he diagnosed IBS but we agreed I'd also try another generic Sertraline to see if that helped at all. Pharmacy gave me one made by TEVA, and I began taking that on Thursday morning. Pretty quickly began to feel emotionally rubbish, some of my intrusive and impatient thoughts and impulses returned, and I generally feel uncomfortable and 'dirty', if that makes sense to anyone who has taken ADs that don't work properly? It's a horrid feeling of putting something in your body that only seems to make you feel nasty. Overall, fairly gloomy.

I know it's a thing, this swapping between generic AD brands causing relapses and worse. Just wondering if anyone can reassure me that sticking out the brand change for a bit longer will pay dividends? Because on the plus side, my tummy is a lot less fractious. But I look a bit haggard and don't want to do much or go anywhere.

Incidentally, I was on Sertraline briefly a couple of years ago and had no stomach issues at all. This year have come to the point where I accept I desperately need to give ADs a proper shot, so am committed to staying with them until I find something that really works. But it would be great if I didn't have to start another one altogether at this point.

OP posts:
reenchantmentofeverydaylife · 03/11/2018 10:35

Forgot to mention, we agreed I'd go up to 100mg this week, particularly because changing brands can apparently entail a +/-10% of the active ingredient, from one generic to another. That said, when I went up to 75mg on the previous versions I still felt some relief. No relief whatsoever since Thursday morning Hmm

OP posts:
chapsie · 03/11/2018 10:44

I always had stomach problems on sertralne and always felt worse when the brand changed. Eventually moved to a different SSRI altogether which had fewer physical symptoms.

reenchantmentofeverydaylife · 03/11/2018 10:53

Thanks chapsie. Glad you found one that worked better for you. Just in case I need to do the same eventually, what was the name of the one you had good results with?

OP posts:
chapsie · 03/11/2018 21:11

I've had more types than I can remember - for various reasons not related to physical side effects - in terms of physical side effects it might be trial and error. I suppose I found escitalopram (cipralex) easiest on the body. In short there are lots of options so find one that works for you as tough physical side effects take their toll mentally and it's all about what you can put up with for what level of gain I guess

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