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Mental health

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Original poster

Sertraline side effects.. handhold please?

15 replies

AvocadoPrime · 20/04/2020 19:39

Hi all. Today I took the plunge and spoke to my GP about my feelings. I was diagnosed with Health Anxiety and prescribed Sertraline. In a way I feel positive about this as I'm waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel.
So, I took the tablet without reading the leaflet as last time I done this I wouldn't take them. A few hours have passed now and i feel really sick and dizzy. I know rationally this is an effect of the tablet but I genuinely feel awful. Anyone else get these feelings, was it worth it? Rambling and self-indulgent, so sorry for that

OP posts:

Whathewhatnow · 20/04/2020 19:43

Yes, I felt worse for a week. Yes, it was worth it in the long run.. it gave me a wholly new outlook on life.

Nausea and dizziness are known side effects but they are temporary usually. If they are really troublesome then definitely ring your GP back.

Bingeslayer · 20/04/2020 19:46

Yes I had this for a while but was mild and did pass,sertraline saved my life twice,literally.

Original poster

AvocadoPrime · 20/04/2020 21:27

Hoping it passes. I have read a mixed bag of opinions and experiences. What time did you both find was better to take them or did it make no difference?

OP posts:

MusicTeacherSussex · 20/04/2020 21:43

Mine made me nauseous and dizzy for 3 weeks
It helped taking them before sleep so I slept through the worst of it xx

Keep at it you will see the benefits

Whathewhatnow · 20/04/2020 22:09

Personally I preferred taking mine early in the day because they kept me awake otherwise. But if they dont affect your sleep then taking them evenings probably makes sense.

Original poster

AvocadoPrime · 21/04/2020 06:45

Thank you. I think taking them at night is worth trying. Hopefully they don't interfere with my sleep. Feel a bit hungover and spacey this morning.

OP posts:

mommymooo · 21/04/2020 07:01

I take them been on them for a few months now and worked up to the 200mg a day.
Yes at first I felt like shit. I went through a bad phrase that is mentioned and I was warned about but me and DH and mom dealt with it well.
But now I feel so much better and they have helped. I'm way less panicky I don't freak out as much at silly things. Stick with it it does work xx

PhoenixIsFlying · 21/04/2020 07:08

Best thing I ever did was take Sertraline. Felt weird the first week but that went. I also experienced weird dreams but that went too.

Elephantonascooter · 21/04/2020 07:26

Gp warned me there would be tummy related side effects with them. Also had bad anxiety for around a week. I'm now on week 2 of them and starting to level out a feel a bit better. They have helped a lot from the dark place I was in

Lemonsaretheonlyfruit · 21/04/2020 07:30

Hi OP

I took the plunge after a long time of not wanting to but did in the end. I remember feeling utterly awful both physically and mentally. I called my friend who had finally persuaded me after the first few days and said 'you told me these would make me feel better not worse' . She told me to hang on in there. I did abs as others have said it was totally worth it and they helped me through a very difficult time in my life for about 3 years. Hang on in there.

Original poster

AvocadoPrime · 21/04/2020 07:33

It's really encouraging to hear that they work so well, and that the side effects go! Im glad you are all doing so well! I did have a strange (not bad) dream last night, feel a bit more anxious this morning so seems that's all a part of it initially

OP posts:

donquixotedelamancha · 21/04/2020 07:34

I got the dizzyness for the first 2 weeks. Also had diarrhea.

Still worth it. Keep going OP, it gets easier.

mrsjg · 21/04/2020 08:06

I started off on 25mg. I took them first thing on a morning. Only side effect I had was nausea in the afternoon but bizarrely only when I yawned! Didn't stop me eating though. This lasted a couple of weeks.

I then upped my dose to 50mg (discussed with GP) and had same side effects again for a couple of weeks.

I took them for anxiety and had this dosage phased in as I was anxious about taking them. A couple of years ago I'd tried citralopam which didn't agree with me at all.

Well done on asking for help, I know how big of a step this is.

Aria20 · 21/04/2020 09:18

I had bad heartburn at night for first week and again when i increased my dose. I take them first thing in morning. When I forgot to take them for a few days I felt really dizzy and spaced out which is also apparently common withdrawal symptoms!

mrsjg · 21/04/2020 18:02

I felt dizzy too when I stopped taking them, but the dizziness only lasted a second or two each time it happened. I can only describe it as a 'jolt' of dizziness.

I'd spoke to the GP about coming off them and he advised to take a 50mg tablet every other day for 4 weeks and see how I got on. After 4 weeks I stopped completely, this coincided with me getting a job after 10 years of being a SAHM. God knows why I thought that would be a good idea!

If I'm honest coming off them was worse than starting them. It took a good 2-3 months for the dizziness to stop and I wasn't really aware that it had. Just one day I realised that I hadn't felt dizzy for a while and haven't been since. Looking back I think I came off them too quick.

Give them a chance, even with what happened above I would still take them again if I needed to. They made me feel me again.

Let us know how you get on.

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