Sertraline chat !

[Mummyrj18]

Hi there, I have general anxiety disorder and low moods as a result....I’ve been on sertraline 150mg for about 3months now, while the first three weeks were horrendous as it made my anxiety a lot worse, after 4 weeks I felt calmer. At around 8weeks my mood started to lift. Had been feeling more positive but now I feel like I can’t feel true happiness if that makes sense ?! I’m usually quite emotional but feel like I can’t cry, feel annoyed or get excited about anything. Guess you’d describe it as feeling numb. I don’t know whether it’s my anxiety/ low mood making me feel this way or is the sertraline dulling everything down ? The worst part is not feeling close to anyone especially my children, then having bad thoughts that I regret having them which I know isn’t true.....
Just wondering if anyone can relate or had experience of increasing/ decreasing the dose ? Thanks X

I think the whole point is to deaden your emotions as the same part of your brain does happy and sad (it seems to me).

I got put on a huge dose where I could barely think, but am now on 50 mg, which stops me acting on my negative thoughts, but leaves me with a brain to use. Have you considered reducing your dosage?

I'm also on 50mg and for me it's the perfect dose. I still feel, cry and can feel anxious etc but I'm not a nervous wreck. I'm probably quite balanced on 50mg.

Was just about to start a thread on this before I saw yours. I'm on 100mg and have been for bust over a year. it sounds like I have a similar experience to you. At first it was awful, I had constant diarrhoea (sorry if TMI) my anxiety was worse. I barely slept for weeks. Hot flushes were terrible. Then it seemed to start working and things felt a bit better for a few months. Now I just feel like it's stopped working. I feel really anxious, very very depressed. I am completely numb, I don't really care about anything. I don't really have normal moods anymore, I'm just sort of in a numbed state constantly. I'm constantly starving hungry and have put on 2 and a half stone. Absolutely no sex drive whatsoever. It's awful to be honest.

*just

I've recently increased to 150mg and I'm now actually full on belly laughing at funny things, but it's hard to tell wether you'd be better going up or down in dosage. I was quite numb at first when I started with 50mg, it took a while to feel less numb even after the worst of the side effects passed. I think I'm quite lucky in that sertraline obviously suits me well. I still have a dodgy stomach even after being on it a longish time, but I haven't suffered with the complete numbness that some people get, or with reduced libido / sexual function.

Sounds like you are on too high a dosage, or need to try something else. My DD has been on 100mg of Sertraline for almost 2 years (for anxiety) & for her the results were swift & dramatic. They have literally given her the chance of a life, which she has grabbed with both hands. She often forgets to take them now & I have suggested starting to wean off gradually. If something isn't helping then go to your GP with a view to adjusting the dose or trying something else.

Scared to take less in case I feel worse, or trying something new scares me too ! Can’t tell if it’s the sertraline making me feel this way or just part of anxiety/low mood...don’t want to go back to stage where I couldn’t function but can’t stay stuck in this rut either 😰 so hard tying to be a good mum when feeling this way 😪

I took sertaline for about a year, 50mg, when I was about 17? Completely number me which didn't help me much at all. Maybe try going back to the GP and ask for a change in dose or medication?

I went to my gp yesterday and explained how I felt but he thinks I need to take more sertraline, 200mg ☹️ More confused than ever x

I had that numbness too OP on many SSRIs that I've tried including Sertraline. It would be a case of reaching such a low I'd try going on medication, putting up with horrid side effects for weeks/months, feeling a bit better, but then having to come off it as I couldn't bear the numbness anymore. Felt like I was always choosing between the frying pan or the fire. Also, the second time I tried sertraline it made me very ill and I threw up for a week Eventually I found a medication and a dose that didn't make me numb but stopped the worst of my depression lows (venlafaxine in my case - many have a difficult time with it but it's been good for me). I feel for anyone going through this process, it's rough

Hi there everyone !

I have been on sertraline 50ml for around ten months now, mainly for anxiety.

Recently my anxiety has worsened so my Dr advised me to go up to 75ml.

I started 75ml yesterday.

Has anyone done the same thing and how do you feel now ?

Thank you 🙂