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Original poster

Sertraline

27 replies

Sienna04 · 12/01/2019 09:49

Hay I'm day 3 into sertraline and feel absolutely awful. Looking for some positive comments from people???

OP posts:
Homer101 · 12/01/2019 11:12

I’m on week six and I feel loads better !
Try to hang on in there . Many people start to feel worse when that start taking medication. But it dose get better. Give it time.
If it dose t get any better then tell your GP . It might be that these dose suit you . Or the dosage doesn’t suit you. A change of
Dosage or a change in medication might be needed .
But give them time to work. I’ve found them brilliant. They are really starting to help me now.

Original poster
Sienna04 · 12/01/2019 11:53

Thank you I am trying to stick to it. How many weeks did you feel bad for and can I ask what dosage you are on? I'm on 50mg, the doc told me that's the lowest I could start on. Dreading going back to work on Monday:(

OP posts:
tiptoetobed · 12/01/2019 12:12

Hi, I’m 5 weeks into taking Sertraline 50mg now and it has helped me so much. I felt awful for about a week, then things started to improve. I’ve really noticed a massive difference in the last 2-3 weeks in how I feel. Hang in there, it most likely will get better, and as pp says, there are other things you can try if it doesn’t!

Original poster
Sienna04 · 12/01/2019 12:33

Ok thank you :)

OP posts:
katmunchkin · 12/01/2019 12:40

I felt terrible for the first 5 or so days - had to actively trying to stop myself being sick but all I wanted to do was eat. It cleared up slowly and 4 weeks later I feel like a better version of me 😀

Original poster
Sienna04 · 12/01/2019 12:52

4 weeks just seems so far away doesn't it :( lol!

OP posts:
exercisejunkie · 12/01/2019 18:15

Hi there,

I’m on day 4 too, feel a bit groggy and very very tired, I have a 2 year old so not much chance of afternoon naps for me so coping with the side effects by having early nights.

SureIusedtobetaller · 12/01/2019 18:21

I started on 25 for a week or so-Dr told me to break the tabs in half. Maybe try that for a few days?
It does take a couple of weeks to kick in- hang in there!

Original poster
Sienna04 · 12/01/2019 18:45

Thank you. I can't wait for it to kick in. Wouldn't wish this bit on anyone. X

OP posts:
Verytired2019 · 12/01/2019 19:14

Hi there, I'm a week in and the first 4 days were awful, panicky, worse than I felt before, low mood, couldn't eat etc. Past three days I've felt better but today I've felt almost like myself again. Stick it out but maybe ask to see your GP next week for reassurance if you need it.

cheeseislife8 · 12/01/2019 19:18

I felt utterly horrendous for a week then gradually got better each day. Hang on in, but if they're really not agreeing with you your GP might have other options

Original poster
Sienna04 · 12/01/2019 20:29

Also my doctor said it should be taken the same time every day. Would it matter if it was an hour before? Not sure I can stay up til 10.30 pm lol

OP posts:
cheeseislife8 · 12/01/2019 20:44

I was a little flexible with that as long as it's not one at lunch and the next with tea or whatever... but it might be worth checking

Flipflopmum · 12/01/2019 23:23

Hi I’ve been on sertraline for 6 months now, you need to be patient as it takes a while to work. I had all the symptoms and every time I increased my dosage, I’m now on 150mg. I’m glad I carried on taking them - hang in there, but go back to the doctor at any time if you’re not happy with anything as sertraline can make you more anxious. Take care xx

Flipflopmum · 12/01/2019 23:27

Hi I started to panic if i didn’t take them at the same time but after the first few weeks I went 2 hours over or 2 hours under and it didn’t make any difference and I’m on 150mg now. I take mine in the morning as I have trouble sleeping. I would just recommend taking sertraline with water and carry on drinking the water after the tablets have gone down. Good luck try not to worry xx

Original poster
Sienna04 · 13/01/2019 07:03

Before I started these I was taking stemetil which is an anti sickness tablet as I suffer with dizziness and sickness and I'm sure I remember the doc saying it was still ok to take but after researching online it's not very clear if they should be taken together or not. Anybody else taken these together? I'm hoping it may help the nausea

OP posts:
Homer101 · 13/01/2019 10:19

I was lucky . I didn’t have any sickness when I started . I started on 50mg. I felt groggy and had problems with my heart racing. I lost my appetite completely. So I was hardly eating. On week three my GP upped the dose to 100mg. As I hadn’t had any good effects at all. I started on 100mg and the tiredness continued. So did the racing heart and the worse anxiety. But my GP had also given me beata blockers to help with this. It’s week the end of
Week three on 100mg and the good effects really started to kick in at the end of week two. I feel a lot carlmer. The anxiety is less. My mood if far better . I don’t feel groggy anymore. I do feel more tired as the day goes on. But I’m sleeping loads better.
My GP has told me to expect my mood to even out over the coming weeks. The extream lows and the terrible anxiety will even out.

Smiler1972 · 13/01/2019 20:43

Im in week three and I've come out in a rash on my face and neck. Could this be related? It's itchy and like little blisters.

Muminthemaking1 · 13/01/2019 20:45

I felt awful for a week or 2. Even lower than before..head aches, nausea ect. But then I felt ok. Best decision of my life to go on sertraline. I finally feel normal x

Luckingfovely · 13/01/2019 20:53

I'm four weeks in. The first three weeks were bad - anxiety worse, heart racing, headaches, couldn't sleep.

In the fourth week, I still have these symptoms a little, but my head is definitely clearer and calmer. I feel like I can actually feel hope again.

Have just increased dose to 75mg to try and accelerate the benefits.

I am feeling hopeful that this is going to be the answer to problems that have plagued me for many, many a year.

I wish you lots of luck, and I really hope that you can bear with it until you start to feel the benefits.

Original poster
Sienna04 · 13/01/2019 21:05

How long do I give these bad side effects before going back to the docs? I had an awful start to the day but as the day went on I felt a little better. I have work early tomorrow I can't bare the thought of waking up tomorrow the way I did today :(

OP posts:
London91 · 13/01/2019 21:07

Hey,

Like you when I started taking sertraline I felt awful. It took 3 or 4 weeks before I began to feel the benefits but I felt so much better afterwards. I know it's hard but you'll feel better once the side effects subside. Try to bare with it. I am now off them but I know the first few weeks are horrible. 💐

Luckingfovely · 13/01/2019 21:13

There are several threads on this recently - I started one too - and for loads of people it seems to take around 3-4 weeks. I know the early days are not nice but for the majority of people it seems to be worth sticking with it - short term pain for long term gain.

But I do know how hard it is - and clearly you are feeling bad enough already hence starting than - and feeling any worse seems unbearable. But it does pass, and then hopefully you will see real improvement in your life x

Luckingfovely · 13/01/2019 21:15

Oh and - I started on 50 and then to 75 after four weeks.

And I have switched from taking it in the am to the pm and back again.

Take them at the time that suits you best and don't worry about moving it this early.

Verytired2019 · 14/01/2019 06:25

How are you getting on now LuckingFovely?
I'm a week in and taking them in the morning as I thought they were disrupting my sleep in the beginning but I wonder if I will be able to switch back to taking them in the evening at some point?