Positive experiences of sertraline?

[Laurap25]

Ive been suffering from depression & anxiety for most of my life, it's been particularly bad these past 5 years, I've been so reluctant to go on antidepressants I've been trying everything, like herbal remedies, hormone balancing vitamins, nothing is working. My doctor prescribed me sertraline 50mg a few months ago, I tried them for around a week but the side effects were terrible, I couldn't stick them. I'm at a point now where i need to do something, I can't live my life like this anymore, I've started the sertraline agian but I've cut the tablet in half to make it 25mg, hoping that the side effects won't be as bad. I'm on it 2 days now and I feel awful, my anxiety is through the roof. How long will this last? I'm reading reviews on line and they are quite mixed so i was looking for some people's positive experiences to give me hope! I'm determined to stick it out this time because I need something to change

The one I take is aimed at women but I know there are b vitamin supplements available for men too. Sorry to hear that mediawhore, I really hope things start to turn around for u soon. This is my 6th day of feeling good now, I'll be due my period next week so I'm really hoping I don't start feeling bad again xx

Day 15: went back to work today and didn't feel great - anxious and panicky on the drive in and those feelings have lasted most of the day. I suppose its to be expected but I'm disappointed after a few good days in a row.

Labelled
Sorry to hear that, what is it about driving that's giving you anxiety? Is it a fear you'll crash? Try to hang on in there, I know everyone's different but it was after the 3 week mark that I really started to notice a difference

I've had anxiety around driving for ages - I worry that I'll panic and that will make me crash the car. So it's 'fear of the fear' really. Cars make me feel a bit trapped to be honest. It also doesn't help that I'm driving my teenage son, who has special needs and gets very agitated at times - he hates traffic jams in particular, so that adds to my anxiety.

I've posted several times about how much Sertraline has helped me over the last couple of months.

My depression has lifted by a staggering degree, and my mind is much clearer - but my physical symptoms of anxiety don't seem to have changed at all. Still constantly have racing heart etc.

Has anybody here got any experience of taking another drug for this alongside the AD?

I know some people take beta blockers alongside their sertraline. I have been on a beta blocker for about 8 years because I’ve got an irregular heart beat ( caused by a prolapsed mitral valve but made worse by stress) and that has definitely helped with heart rate. I don’t have any experience of taking a beta blocker after starting ADs though.

Sorry - that’s muddled. What I mean is because I’ve been taking the BB for years, it’s hard to know what effect it’s having alongside the sertraline.

Thank you @LaBelleSauvage123

I take 200mg Sertraline daily, I did have some side effects, sweating horrendously, not being able to sleep and a very bad tummy but they passed in a couple of weeks. I started on 50mg, I had been on Citalopram but it wasn’t right for me, made me more agitated and distressed.
I have been on Sertraline for about 2 years and have been told that I will need to take antidepressants for the rest of my life. I had a bad breakdown 2 1/2 years ago and Sertraline helped me to piece myself back together. I felt it start to kick in at about 3/4 weeks and then never looked back. Stick with it for a while because it may be the right one for you, you won’t know if you don’t try. Oh and a bit of advice, take it in the morning and not at night because it makes you more alert and if you take it at night you won’t sleep.

Day 21 and I’m feeling very positive at times but still getting spikes of anxiety and low mood. The anxiety is much worse than it was before I started sertraline- much more physical. So I guess I’m having more ups and downs than I did.

Hang on in there.

I hope you are all doing well on this :) I've been taking it for 6 weeks Wednesday and I take it at night after dinner and before bed and the tiredness I'm getting in the afternoon is ridiculous. It doesn't feel like its normal that I am that tired :( do you think k it's worth me trying the tablet in the morning instead?

Yes me too. I’m currently trying to push the time back to see if it makes any difference - thinking of taking it around 4pm.

I hope everyone is feeling ok now :)?

Has any one noticed weight gain? I'm sure the lbs are slowly creeping on:( not ideal lol

I’m much better than I was ( just started week 6). Still feeling low and anxious on work mornings but get better as the day goes on and have even been getting some moments of joy, which I’ve now realised have been missing for a long time.

Weight gain can be a side effect.
Also (from beginning of thread) you can definitely cut them in half- I take 75 mg and there isn’t a 25mg tablet. Also they have a line across- any tablet that can be split has this.

@Sienna04 the weight thing is really weird. I went up to 100mg a couple of weeks ago, and have had permanent, constant diarrhoea (sorry) since then BUT at the same time I seem to be putting weight on! How is that even possible? Grrrrr....

It has improved my MH so much though that I can't consider stopping. I don't know what the answer is. Does anyone have a magic wand?

I'm only on 50mg and I've definitely had more of an appetite and I guess where I've been feeling unwell I haven't been as active but I've definitely put 1/2 a stone on in the last 6 weeks 😱. I'm hoping if I watch what I eat and exercise more I can control it xx

I’ve got much less of an appetite but haven’t lost any weight, just stayed the same. Am getting more IBS symptoms since being on sertraline.

@Sienna04 could you explain more about your pppd please as I think I may have it, thank you in advance

@pinkrabbits39 hay, so pppd or pppv is what I'm just about to start VRT for. It's awful but since being on sertraline I do believe its helped. I think if you are stressed it can make your symptoms far worse so even thoni still feel hungover and dizzy daily the stress of it has almost gone I'm just hoping one day soon I will feel 'normal ' again. What ever that is. Go and see your doctor. I've been seen by ENT a few times and they have done so many tests and have put it down to pppv or VM (vestibular miagraine). I've got to do 4 weeks on a strict diet to figure out which one it is. I hope this helps x

@Sienna04 thank you so much, was it anxiety that caused your symptoms? How do I get VRT? When you're distracted do your symptoms ease? I have a load of questions

@pinkrabbits39 I have absolutely no idea how this all started :( but since may last year I've felt drunk most days, its only in the past few weeks I've been feeling better so it must be down to the sertraline. I was referred for VRT from my ENT consultant. They don't do it at my hospital so I have to go to another. Praying it fixes me. Yes concentration like driving i seem to feel ok but sat in a room with a bit if paper i cant read :( i find taking myself outside when I'm really bad helps x

Hey lookingfovely,

I take propanolol along with sertraline and it’s fine. I used to take 3 a day as I had an awful headache and jittery feeling awful the time and the propanolol definitely helped, now I only take one before bed and the occasionally one in the day if I feel I really need it.

Go to your gp and chat about it- you can only give it a go and see if it helps but it is definitely safe to take the two! Hope you’re doing okay

Ah thank you @BonnieandBell, since I posted I have been to GP and now have the propanol as well, am mostly just taking one a day and it's really helping to take the edge off the anxiety, I'm really pleased.

If only my stomach would settle with the Sertraline, I think I'd be a whole new person!