Sertraline- scared.... actually petrified

[Higgans15]

Please help- all I keep reading is bed reviews and bad side effects on sertraline. I have suffered from anxiety and panic for two years and now I can’t cope anymore- the dizziness,sickness,cold and warm feelings, shaking , negative thoughts and fuzziness- I just need help and all the counselling hasn’t helped or cbt-

Thing is I am petrified to take even paracetamol- so the thought of an anti depressant is scaring me - I’m scared of getting worse or having bad side effects or will they make me have more negative thoughts-

I really need help with this ! I feel like if I can do this I may be able to live a normal life again

I can’t help with your symptoms as I’m taking it for different reasons and at a low dose but I was advised to start with just half a tablet (25mg) a day to keep side effects as minimal as possible. And then increase after 2 weeks. I think that way you can spot any side effects before they become unmanageable.

I didn't like Sertraline personally but it was nothing major. I struggled to pee on it so I stopped taking it and tried a different one which I got on fine with. I promise it's nothing to be scared about even if you don't get along with it. ADs are trial and error but even if you do get a few side effects it's better than living with anxiety. I've had a bit of a running disagreement with my doctor for ages over an antidepressant. I'm on a pretty old fashioned one as it's the only one so far that works for me but being old, it isn't that refined and carries more risks than newer ones like Sertraline. I'd still rather take my chances with it than live with anxiety again.

Hi, just wanted to share my experience with you as I felt really worried about starting sertraline - the bad reviews were also what did it for me! In the end I decided to give it a go. I found it helpful to remind myself that people are much more likely to post when they have a negative experience than a positive one so reading reviews is actually quite unreliable. Also, it’s not irreversible, if it isn’t working you can come off it - though you should do this gradually.

I started on 25mg for the first week, and actually felt better and brighter during this time, though I’m not sure this was to do with sertraline. I increased to 50mg in weeks 2 and 3 and at this point my mood took a bit of a dip with anxiety/obsessive thoughts ramping up but not nearly as bad as I thought and not as bad as before i started the medication.

By week 3/4 I just felt better. So much less anxious, thoughts seemed to slow down and be gentler, I felt more calm and positive and able to cope with life’s ups and downs. Although the change wasn’t dramatic, it made me realise how a gentle change can make a huge difference. I slept a lot better as well - hadn’t thought I had a problem with sleep until it got so much better.

I stayed on sertraline for about 6 months, also having therapy during this time which i would definitely recommend if it’s an option for you. Feeling more stable on the meds meant that I was in a good position to really take advantage of it.

I’m now coming off sertraline and it’s fine though important to do this gradually. Haven’t experienced a dip in mood but my life is a lot more stable now as therapy (and meds I think) helped a lot with dealing more calmly with work and my relationship which were triggers before and are far better now.

Side effects were really mild. I exercise a lot and noticed that sertraline made this harder (out of breath more quickly) which I noticed also with Prozac that I’d previously taken. Also a bit of a drop in libido but not enough to be a big problem. That was about it.

I hope this helps you a bit, I obviously don’t know what it will be like for you but wanted to let you know my experience as I was also put off by negative stories and I might have felt reassured by one like this! Good luck and I hope It works out. Happy to answer any questions.

Speak to your GP about concerns. Sertraline seems to be the most commonly prescribed at the moment, and does wonders for lots of people.
But GPs really should prepare people for the first couple of weeks and monitor them more carefully. In my experience, yes, increase in anxiety and suicidal thoughts at first. So I would establish some kind of strategy, some one to talk to about it and rationalise, and if necessary make an appointment to see GP or nurse to check in.
But for the vast majority of people nothing terrible is going to happen, otherwise it wouldn't be the recommended treatment I would imagine. I've not seen these horror stories, only my own experience but have seen so many posts worried about sertraline on here.
Did you not discuss these concerns when you were prescribed the drug or did you look it up afterwards? Go back in and discuss would be my suggestion.
Take care

I love sertraline! Honestly, I can't praise it enough. I take it for anxiety, panic and OCD and it has worked absolute bloody wonders for me. I'm so much more chilled out now, without being numbed. It's brilliant.

I had some side effects at first but they weren't awful. I had a few days of real vertigo like dizziness that made me feel quite sick (and as one of my main anxiety triggers is emetophobia, that was quite stressful!) but it all passed within about a week, maybe two.

My only persistent problem is night sweats, but I find they only happen during my luteal phase, so it isn't constant! (Except atm because I'm pregnant and my BBT is therefore slightly higher). The solution I found was…lots of sets of pyjamas!

But yes. Sertraline is brilliant. If I wasn't already married, I'd marry my tablets. Seriously.

Did anyone find it took longer than 3 weeks to kick in?

I'm going into week 3 and my anxiety is still really bad and I am relying on low dosage diazepam to keep it at bay. I feel permanently exhausted though I have missed a day here and there which I know won't help anything. I started taking it at nighttime about 9pm (Dr recommended) but have moved it a bit earlier to about 5/6pm with dinner. I wonder if taking it in the morning will help.

I don't want to give up on it just yet but daily it's a struggle.