Three weeks on sertraline, is this normal

[Holdingonforlife]

Hi
Wonder if anyone can offer some reassurance. Now been taking sertraline 50mg for three weeks. Since taking it my anxiety has increased - it's a horrible constantly on-edge feeling, makes it hard to think about anything else. Finding myself very irritable and everything goes through me. It gets a little less by evening.
It has improved a little over the three weeks, but still there. Still quite depressed also.

Guess I just need some reassurance.

Someone tell me it's all going to be ok

It can take longer than three weeks, like most antidepressants.
I've been on escitalopram for seven weeks and still get anxiety and agitation. Some days are worse than others.
If it's bad, tell your doctor as they may prescribe a low dose diazepam but only for a short time. I found it helped the anxiety but lowered my mood.
I've been assured it will get better but I'm not very patient. I've just had my dose increased.
It's different for everyone but discuss it with the doctor and ask for more support.

Side effects for SSRIs generally can make symptoms worse at first. They can take a month or so to start having any effect. Also, different dosages are used for different diagnoses, it may be that it needs to be increased.

Thanks both.
Not keen on the thought of increasing if the anxiety doesn't settle tbh, I've heard it can worsen it again.

I'll just have to put up and hope for the best.

If anybody has taken these, had similar side effects and found they got better, I'd love to hear.

I've been on it (at different doses) for 3 and a half years now, just recently upped the dose. When I first started taking them it did take a good 6 weeks to see any improvement. I had every side effect going and it was brutal (I was on a higher dose than you), but if you can stick it out you should hopefully see a improvement soon

Your. Doing well ,I didn't get past day 4

Thank you. Feeling a little better this afternoon. This sertraline is a strange beast.

I nearly stopped it last week because the side effects were so bad, certainly I'm not as bad as then.
Thanks for your support

It's disheartening when everything takes so long isn't it?
I'm really fed up with feeling awful. I also get upset at the thought I could be on meds for years when I read posters saying they have been on antidepressants for many years.

@limensoda the way I see it is if it means I feel well and like my 'normal self' I dont mind if I'm on them for the rest of my life

@Limensoda

I know where you are coming from, it's like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.

When you do choose to come off though, I hear you need to taper it really, really, really slowly. Some people struggle getting off because they taper too fast (that was my mistake)

@Sian03
The problem is I don't feel like my normal self and can't see an end to being agitated and tense with a fuzzy head and stinging in my face.. I can't sit still all day and I have started smoking more, which I'm sure makes it worse.
I had cut down smoking to 5 a day and had a quit date but since I've been bad I smoke more because of being restless.
I don't even want a cigarette but feel compelled to have one.
After 8 weeks I thought I would feel a bit better but I don't.
If I could feel normal I could probably accept being on meds.

And I'll add there's nothing wrong with it if you do choose to stay on.

@Holdingonforlife
I can't do things I know may help my anxiety because of how I feel. I can't even arrange to get my hair done because I doubt I will feel ok on the day and time of the appointment.
If anyone can tell me this will get better I would love to hear it. Maybe I'm expecting too much after 8 weeks?

@Limensoda
That's how I've been, life's on hold.

Hopefully it will get better though, and I suppose if it doesn't then you don't have to stay on that med, you could try something else.

Have you noticed any improvements at all? I find looking back a week helps. I know I'm in a better place compared to this time last week. Keeps me going.

“I can't do things I know may help my anxiety because of how I feel”

This x1000
I started back on sertraline about 3 weeks ago myself as well, was on it for about a year maybe 12/13 years ago, and I remember it taking what seemed like an eternity to make a difference. Initially I was put on fluoxetine (Prozac) and that sent me somewhat loopy, with sertraline it seemed to catch me slowly but surely unawares that I was feeling better. After about a month on sertraline I realised I was feeling better without even realising it, hang in there @Holdingonforlife.
After my experiences a few years ago I was expecting the same month or so of drudgery and overwhelming lethargy as last time but this time they seemed to kick in a bit sooner. Would definitely persevere, and agree re not coming off them too soon. Last time I was feeling well for about 3 months before I came off them.

And I know what you mean about feeling unable to do what makes you feel better , everyone says going for walks/exercise helps, and it does, but it’s getting the energy together to go and do it.
I also find it hard going out in the nice weather and seeing people happy and enjoying themselves when I’m in a bad place currently, I know that sounds misanthropic but it’s hard seeing others in a great mood when you feel so down yourself, so I try and go for walks where I know I’m not likely to bump into anyone

Hi OP
I’m on sertraline been since Feb
Before that years on Prozac
I’ve found it amazing. I actually feel normal but I’ve never had anxiety only depression

@overnightangel
I'm exactly the same. No energy which has got worse in the past week. I can't look after my grandson at all and I used to look after him regularly.
I too, get miserable seeing people laughing and having fun, including my own family, which is so selfish. I even get resentful of my partner sleeping when I can't manage more th a a couple of hours a night.
I can't think of anything other than how I'm feeling all the bloody time. I'm worried I will end up in hospital at this rate.

Hi OP.

I was also on 50mg of Sertraline until I became pregnant.

The first 4-6 weeks were a real struggle for me, I was really irritable and on edge and my anxiety levels were the highest they had ever been.

When I was first prescribed them my doctor was really honest and explained how rough it can be initially and that a lot of people stop taking them before they have had time to get properly into the system.

I had horrific shakes and weirdly couldn’t stop yawning! I constantly wanted to vomit and I had some hallucinations at the very beginning too.

But after the 6 weeks, the side effects started to ease and I felt my worrying slowing down. Don’t get me wrong, the Sertraline alone won’t cure everything but it helped enough that I could try and tackle my anxiety on a daily basis. I didn’t have a panic attack for 12 months while I was on them which for me meant the initial crappy period was worth it.

Stick it out if you can, it’s worth it for how much it does help but I know the first few weeks are pretty horrible.

I’ve been off it since I found out I was pregnant in January and honestly feel 100x better than I did beforehand.

Good luck, I hope you manage to keep going with it

@TheSweatyPregnancy and @overnightangel
Thank you, it's so reassuring to hear from those who have been on this hell-ride and successfully got to the other side. I think when you are in the middle of it, you can't see that life will be any different, and just need constant reassurance.

One day at a time

@Limensoda
Hold on, because one day, one way or another, you will get through this

@holdingonforlife it’s always useful to know someone somewhere has done it and come out the other side!

I didn’t use MN then otherwise I probably would have started a thread too.

Before you know it you’ll start to feel better and have the energy to do all those things you know will help in the long run.

I used an app called ‘insight timer’ to meditate me to sleep. I felt like a nut at first but got over myself and it did help, might be worth trying if you’re having sleep issues too.

I have been taking it for about 6 weeks now and its been a game changer for me in terms of addressing my post natal depression and anxiety alongside some talking therapy. Took a few weeks but feel just like me again . Hope you feel better soon.

Aww, thank you all for your reassurance, and tips, it really helps. I shall come back and read this thread whenever I have a wobble

I was taking them for four years. Only main side effect I had was severe tremors. I started from the lowest and eventually up to the highest. Last year I decided to stop. It wasn't working for me but I tried. I'm now taking an anti-psychotic and that helped almost instantly and I couldn't be without it but it was a battle to get it. The problem is with these types of medications, it's trial and error and there is no other way to find out what works.

Hi @kamikazeee
I've heard antipsychotics can be used to treat depression. May I ask which one it is? Might be something for me to consider in the future if sertraline doesn't work - I've been through 3 SSRIs and an SNRI. All but citalopram were ineffective. Unfortunately I seemed to have developed an adverse reaction to the citalopram hence the swap to sertraline recently.

Sertraline can make you feel worse before you feel better.

It's worth persevering with if you can put up with the side effects temporarily.