Sertraline brand change side effecta

[potterface29]

Hi

I've been on anti depressant sertraline since October. I picked up a new prescription last Wednesday and on Thursday started taking it and have been suffering with terrible acid reflux symptoms since. Pain so bad this morning I didn't know what to do with myself, was so close to going to a and e. Does anyone else suffer with these kinds of symptoms when switching brands ? I took tablet as I normally do with water don't usually eat before taking it. the pain was unbearable just so scared to take my tablet again!

The negative side affects I get are lucid dreams and nightmares and the occasional dry mouth.

Have you tried taking your tablet in the morning or at night? It might make a difference.

What Mg are you taking?

Taking 200mg always in the morning. Think night would make it worse as acid reflux is worse lying down? I get side effects too but this I can't live with. Just strange I got a different brand and then start suffering with these symptoms....

It's definitely a thing. If you google it you'll come across forums where users discuss SSRI brand changes as an issue. Last week I started a new supply of Sertraline, different brand to the previous 6 months, and it has been tough. I've had mild flu symptoms, been a bit tearful, yawning, struggling socially and intrusive thoughts and looking like death warmed up. Basically have been feeling a bit "Where has my safety blanket disappeared to?!" All I can do is keep taking it for a few weeks and hope my level goes up again.

Saying that, your reflux sounds very distressing and painful and you can't be expected to go on like that for a day longer. Is it something that you experienced in the early weeks of starting your previous brand? My sense is that I'm getting 'start up' symptoms again, which will hopefully pass more quickly than they lasted originally. But if your severe reflux isn't something you got at initial start up you must go back to your pharmacist and complain, see what they suggest. Chances are, if you speak to the manager it's something they've been asked about before. As far as I know there's no official acknowledgement of this phenomenon, but my GP recognises it and from what I've read online, some pharmacists do too.

Hope you can get a supportive solution to this crisis very soon

Just a suggestion but if you change brands, while the active ingredients should be the same, pharmaceutical companies can use different excipients/packers - ie the other stuff that makes up the pill. It could be one of these that’s not agreeing with you.Even different colourings can bring on side effects for some people.

How about checking the ingredients for each and seeing if there’s anything that’s different?

Thank you so much for these responses, I felt like I was going crazy. Acid reflux has settled down alot, but I am super anxious today and I haven't been like this in a good month, so that's a bit strange, wonder weather the different brand tablets can also be causing this too. Just want to see a physciatrist to talk all this over with, but it's a long wait for the NHS. Ingredients do differ slightly. Not massively but are two ingredients in the new one that aren't in my previous one

YES!!! This is definetely a thing ! I used to be prescribed "ranbaxy" - all absolutely fine, working and I felt major if somewhat slow improvement. Now I'm on "Lustral" and omgits like starting from day one 😔😢.... so disheartening and debilitating xx

@JenNtonic How long have you been on Sertraline for? Ive been on it 5 months now, on the max dose (200mg) for severe anxiety and depression. Don't think this tablet agrees with me, been feeling a bit off colour like I have had a temperature (but i haven't) somedays, has made my appetite disappear. @PeninsulaPanic Sorry to hear you are also suffering. I am going to get a new prescription today and request the brand I was previously on. Wish there was medication you could get with less side effects which helps anxiety and depression. But I don't think that will ever happen.

@potterface29 Sorry to hear you're still feeling so rough, I understand how disheartening it can be. Have you tried experimenting with dosing down rather than up? I can see you're on what's considered the maximum therapeutic dose but what I feel some GPs/psychiatrists don't always suggest is waiting until you've been at a high dose for some time and then titrating it down to find a level that's a happy medium. The really high doses can be counter productive in some people in terms of side effects and fatigue, particularly if you've gone up fairly quickly and not given a lower dose longer to settle in. I came back down to 75mg after being at a hundred for a couple of months because of side effects and it has helped a lot. Anxiety and depression both somewhat better but side effects lessened. It's worth trying. Less can definitely be more. I've had chronic depression and anxiety (untreated) for a long time, part of PTSD and BPD diagnoses, and after 6 months of playing with doses I'm functioning better overall.

@PeninsulaPanic thank you for this. I want to consider it, but I am currently struggling with the mental health services in my area. I had a breakdown end of last August, and was just surviving until about the end of December. I have had mental health struggles for most of my life, but I am finally getting the courage to push for a diagnosis from a physiatrist. I suspect I have BPD or Bipolar. How did you get your diagnosis if you dont mind me asking?

Hi OP I had the same issue with citalopram (another SSRI) I’m quite sensitive to anti depressants and the brand change certainly gave me side effects I couldn’t endure. GP and pharmacist said there was no reason I should be affected but reading forums there are plenty who are affected. I ended up having to ring round different pharmacies in my area to request the same brand each time I got a prescription and there was normally one that could her the right one. Good luck x