Sertraline and morning anxiety

[LaBelleSauvage123]

I know there are a lot of threads on Sertraline at the moment but hope people won’t mind if I ask a specific question on a new thread. My anxiety is always worst in the mornings - in fact, most of the time it’s gone by midday. I haven’t been diagnosed with depression but my mood is often very low in the mornings as well and I find it difficult to get up and get going. This hasn’t improved at all since Ive been on sertraline - in fact I think it’s got worse - although it has definitely lifted my mood at other times of day.
I’ve read that diurnal depression/anxiety, as I think it’s called, doesn’t respond as well to SSRIs but to something called ( I think) SNRIs?
Any thoughts or experience?

I've recently started sertraline and am feeling worse I'm terms of anxiety in the mornings and slightly better in the afternoons.

That’s interesting Beesneeze - I’ve just started week 6 so was hoping the mornings would be better by now.

I’ve been on a low dosage of sertraline for 5 months and it took about 6 weeks to start working!

First few weeks I was worst and had to ride the storm (felt more anxious and stuff). Then I found my moods slowly levelled out.

My anxiety had been worst in mornings and sertraline has helped that. It did take time though. How long have you been on it? Maybe it’s not the right one for you - my doctor did say it might not be right for me and that I might have to try a few first but luckily it did help.

I do still get some anxiety but it’s less intense and I am not having as many mood swings xx

Littlefly I’ve just started week 6.

Morning LaBelle, I hope you aren't feeling too low this morning.

I'm only on week 3. Like littlefly I also think the anxiety has been worse since starting the tablets but have been noticing periods in the afternoon when I feel ok during the last few weeks. I take my tablet in the morning after breakfast so was kind of putting it down to it kicking in after a few hours. No idea if that's likely.
I have had some life stress over last few months and i think my body has got used to waking, feeling ok for a second or two and then remembering the rubbish stuff. The anxiety feeling then rises and wraps around my stomach and chest.

That’s exactly the same feeling I get. Normally I don’t feel like eating breakfast when I’m anxious , but after reading about low blood sugar in the mornings I tried eating a few almonds this morning and felt SO much better. Still a bit anxious on the drive to drop DS2 off, but nothing like yesterday. Could be a coincidence but I’m trying it again tomorrow.

I'd say give it another few weeks.

I think in week 6 I had stopped having the weird initial side effects (I had muscle stiffness, tense shoulders and my sleep was bad for first two weeks)! I also had a big panic attack on day 6 after drinking too much wine the night before. I woke up feeling SO anxious!

A few months in I noticed I wasn't waking up with butterflies in my tummy all the time. Now my moods feel sort of level and less extreme. I take mine as soon as I wake up and I try to get out of bed and have a bit of food to keep blood sugar ok (my doctor said the wine had reduced my blood sugar with the hangover and the new tablets were still settling in so that's why I had big panic!).

So glad I’ve found this post! I’ve just been prescribed sertraline for the second time in12 months. Initially was on it for 6 months, worked really quickly with me, literally only a couple of weeks to kick in, and not too many side effects.
Now due to issues out of my control I’m back on it and the side effects are shocking! Poor sleep, restless leg, nausea and tremors. I take it before I go to sleep to avoid the nausea and also the fact it makes me feel partially drunk and it’s not fun to drive in that state.
But the main thing for me is I have noticed my anxiety and depression is significantly worse in the morning, in fact, it takes me till about 4pm to start to calm down. Like you say @littleflybuzz the butterflies when you wake up.
My current situation with partner in the throes of a major anxiety and depression phase is not helping at all, but all I can do there is give him the time and space he needs to sort himself out, me mithering if he’s okay will only wind him up, as I know it’s exhausting dealing with these issues and sometimes you do just need to shut people off for a while.

That sounds so difficult Mambo - I hope the side effects wear off soon and you start to feel less anxious. Mine has definitely got better over the last couple of days - but it’s the weekend!

Thank you @LaBelleSauvage123 glad to hear your start to feel better too. It definitely doesn’t help me at the minute that I have no idea what’s going on with aforementioned partner and the worry that he may not decide to contact me or will turn round and tell me he doesn’t want the relationship anymore, which is hard enough in itself as before this set in with him 2 weeks ago we were perfectly happy and had never had an issue. Although I’ve spoken to him briefly once in the two weeks and gave him the opportunity then to tell me if he wanted to be with me or not he couldn’t say, but I know him enough to know he’s blunt enough to tell me realistically if he didn’t. So I’m holding on to that for the time being. It’s just extremely hard on both is us right now for different reasons and it’s taking its toll on me.