Today I took my first Sertraline tablet

[MonnaLiza]

Hello fellow MH sufferers.

Today I have taken my first Sertraline tablet. I had severe depression in my 20s and then struggled after my first child was born, and then again when my mum was ill... and now... the fourth time in my life in which I stare the Black Dog in the face.

Apart from the first time I have always managed to get through the darkness by soldiering on... willpower ... wait ad it will pass, and it did pass eventually.

But this time I felt medication could help. My GP also though so, considering I was sobbing in his surgery. I was prescribed Sertraline.

I waited a few days, but after a rather bad meltdown Wednesday night I decided to get on with it.

So I took my first tablet today and not sitting on my bed terrified about it with my eyes wide open as if I had been taking some form of acid instead of some safe medication that millions of people take everyday.

Tell me to get a grip! And also tell me i'll feel better soon as I am in so much pain.

I'm on day 5 (50mg) and currently I can't complain at all. I had diarrhoea on day 1, but other than that I don't think I've noticed any side effects. Maybe an afternoon tiredness (definitely feeling that today) but I have two small children and disturbed sleep so could just be that anyway!

I definitely feel less rageful. Is that a coincidence or would the positive effects be happening already?

I really struggled with work today. Difficult colleague has blanked me all week, and then dropped me in it. Full anxiety symptoms triggered. Thank goodness I wasn't staying all day. Longer next week though, dreading it. Though mostly I am now angry with her.

Hi @tempnamechange98765 :) glad to hear the medication is already working for you.

And lovely news @jogalong, I agree about the lessened overthinking & overanalysing.

@ThingDoer - sorry about the difficult colleague, people can be arses sometimes.

Is anyone having therapy as well as medication? I had my first session today - cried throughout the session, cried quite a bit afterwards, and spent the afternoon feeling emotionally drained. It did help but it's hard, hard work.

It's my day 28. I have finished my first box of pills. Symptoms mostly gone but still rather tired.

Morning! Day 29 - having tea and cake in bed :)
Feel ok, yesterday's tears have washed away many worries. I slept well.

Oh I wrote symptoms when I meant side effects - I wish my symptoms were gone!!

Day 10 and feeling really positive. Also proud of myself to get this far.
Thank you all for your support. If I didn't have this forum to read daily I'm sure I might have given up by now. It's great to read that all the side effects are normal and will eventually subside. I took last week off work to help me cope also. I'm really glad I'm on day 10 although I know the road to recovery will be slow and hard. At least now I feel I can tackle it. I was stuck in such a self loathing, low self esteem rut for sooo long.
I know some of you might find this strange but I've told nobody I'm taking these meds. Not even dh. I don't feel I'd be supported and want to get strong before I tell him or anyone else. Unfortunately I live in an environment where MH is looked poorly upon.
I can see now my mother suffered depression for years in silence and I do not want that for myself.
Thanks for listening

@jogalong being listened to is so important! I read and treasure all messages to this thread and I learned so much from others who have been kind enough to put suggestions and tips here even if I do not respond at length (sometimes just because it's difficult to find the right words... it sounds ok in my head but when written down sounds trite & cliched). You can post to your head and heart's content here. It's important to have a safe space to talk. :)

I have told my DH about the medication but not to my DCs or anyone else.

Morning! I made it to Day 30. Woke up with terrible anxiety during the night. Still finding it difficult to "get up and go". Spent the afternoon watching crime dramas and eating cake yesterday. I am ok but just find life such an effort. Must trust my body that this is a stage in my recovery.

Hello @MonnaLIza, I've been feeling more get up and go but have a morning of taxiing kids that is draining me (started at 0715, will be 1200 before I'm done). But I've booked to go to a 2 hour yoga refresh/relax session this afternoon so I'm looking forward to that.

I am still overthinking and thinking about things I have no control over.... but I am feeling more like the old me of 10 years ago...

It's going to take a while to get back and settled and to move in not just back... still not done a job application yet.

Today was crap. Fuzzy head, headache, fog and diahorrea! I wonder is it cause I had 2 glasses wine last night? My stomach is making weird noises all day.
Hope tomorrow is better.
Jog

I had a few glasses of wine last night, and no different than usual so that's good.

The yoga was amazing! Yin poses? And deep relaxation - felt really self-indulgent and therefore good!

Hi, can I join you all?

I am only on day 2, taking to try and tackle awful anxiety associated with a phobia which is sadly taking over everything now - so in desperation here I am!

So far, felt a bit nauseous and spaced out a few times. Also increased anxiety but surely not already?!

Am on 25 for a week before going up to 50. Have you all found more side effects kick in as the dose is raised? Bit wary of increasing it next week...

I've gotten my confidence back, my anxiety is next to nothing and I'm enjoying life so much more since being in sertraline. I take 100mg every morning. I just feel like me again.

Stick with it OP. You'll feel so much better in a couple of weeks. Do keep us up to date xxx big woolly hugs xxx

I have been on 50mg sertraline 5 months now. Was absolutely the right thing for me.

Side effect wise:
Had A little bit of increased anxiety for the 1st 10 days then it all settled down.
Also had a really foggy head for about 2 months, but that does seem to have cleared now.
Had the runs from about 6 weeks in to about 9 weeks in, dunno if that's linked to the tablets or not.
I'd say the only side effect I still have is night sweats, I wake up drenched some nights! It's fairly rank, but better than anxiety so I can just live with it.

Welcome all new people :)

I am finding today difficult to 'get on' - do things - as always. Overwhelmed by 'to do' pile. :(

I have read somewhere that weeks 4-6 are often a small dip so keeping on keeping on.

Day 31.

Day 12 today. Back at work after annual leave with a fuzzy foggy head. My concentration was so poor. I kept feeling like I was in my own little world. People talking but I couldn't hear them. In a trance like state.
Please tell me this will pass or I'll have to give up. This is much harder than I thought.
And I'm not feeling any better mood wise either.

@jogalong I personally had that foggy feeling for a month or 2 at the start I'm afraid, but it has passed now, it does get better.
I just felt like I had to sleep loads at the start, which obviously couldn't happen with a small baby!

Reading all this I'm a bit concerned that I seem to have had virtually no side effects, other than diarrhoea on the first day. I'm on day 9 of 50mg, Could they kick in later?

Oh @jogalong I am so sorry to hear :( - I do not feel foggy as such but so so tired, like @shallen, and find it so difficult to move and do things. I just want to stay in bed, eat and watch Netflix/browse MN - not good!

and @tempnamechange98765 - we are all different! Glad it's going so well for you - Take the success on the chin and own it :)

So it's my day 32 - I am travelling away for work and feel so much better when out of the house. The days I work from home, though, are simply awful. But on the other hand... it's my last week so no more working from home for me .

just to say, next week is my last week - not this one. I wish!

Can I join in? I took my first 50mg this morning. All okay so far. My anxiety is quite severe so I've had to start meds but didn't really want to. Worried about side effects. Have had all of what you're all describing as part of my anxiety already. Just hoping it doesn't make a worse version of all that happen! I really want to be able to go to work tomorrow but scared some awful side effects will kick in while I'm driving or teaching...it's not the ideal job in this situation!

Of course you can join @Hairydogmummy - a big welcome to you!

Day 13 today. Slept really bad last night so tired today. And head still fuzzy. Tummy seems to have settled down. TIM but I'm full of wind is that common??
Also my mood has not improved at all. Still feel low. Only on 25mg dose. Reading here everyone else on a higher dose.
Although there is no way I will increase the dose and I couldn't tolerate worsening side effects.

I've just joined the website my mum shared this thread with me. Full admission i am 29yo male. I started 50mg sertraline just over a week ago, I've had good and bad days, tbh more bad than good so far. Spent the first 3 days so nauseous I could barely move from bed, I've felt lethargic. Then the weekend came & my son was staying I felt more alive during the day but unable to sleep through the night, then led me to waking up Sunday & Monday being sick. Today is day 8, I slept better last night but I've slept most of the day away

@jogalong - re TIM (wind) me too but I thought it was because I am eating rubbish - maybe it's the meds!? Fuzzy head gradually gets better - I have noticed that if I just 'get on with it' and go out I get much less tired and can cope with most of what the day throws at me. I am on 50mg and doc thought that probably this was a start and would need to move onto a higher dose after a few weeks.

@Carwrecker - welcome! Everyone is welcome here. Depression/anxiety is a great leveller: whatever our circumstances we all feel rubbish and we are all striving to get better. What time do you take your tablet? I have moved from morning to evening and that worked better for sleep.

@Hairydogmummy how is your first day going?

@ThingDoer - hope you are well.

I had my 'leaving work interview' meeting! :) Now in hotel, had deliveroo pizza and feel like a mahoossive weight is off my shoulders. The days when I go out are the most positive. In the house the walls fold around me and I am there alone with my fears. I am looking forward to my new, office based job! Hopefully by my start date at the end of November I'll feel more energetic.