Sertraline 2- A second handholding thread

[freckles20]

This thread is a follow on to the original handhold thread- for those beginning or continuing their journey on sertraline. All are welcome.

This is a supportive thread, where all situations are unique and there is no judgement.

Hi @10littledinosaurs, sorry you’re struggling with the nausea. I’m on day 15 of sertraline now. I snapped the tablets in half for the first 12 days, but I’ve just increased the dose to 50mg in the last few days. I had horrible nausea, jitteryness and dizziness for the first week, but thankfully it passed after a week. I’ve had some more nausea since increasing the dose but not too bad. I’ve read a lot that the side effects do tend to pass after a couple of weeks

The tiredness is wiping me out. Have felt a bit sick but mostly tired and headachey.

I've had to stop, I was getting so tired and shaky that everyday functioning was awful I'll get another call with the doctor and ask for a review as I'm not sure this type is for me.

Hi coming up to week 6 of 50mg sertraline after having to change AD I was on for 27 years it's been a rough ride I'm making all steps but still not feeling how I did prior to the changeover, the horrific side effects of increased anxiety has died down slightly but I still wake up fearful of the day and trying to force myself to eat, my dilemma is I've had to take time off work and been off a month including some holiday leave but I'm due back in on Tuesday and feel absolutely terrified at the thought of it, did any of you take time out from work while you get yourself right? I'm not sure what's right or wrong anymore

How are you doing @OnwardsEverStridingOnwards? Do you have support around you so you can rest and do very little for a bit? Once the nausea passed for me the improvement to my mood was definitely worth it.

@wendz86 I’ve had two different brands and no issues switching. Are you feeling any better now?

@trydry22 I’m really sorry to read that, have you tried other meds? Sorry if I have missed that. Good luck with your GP.

@FreddyP that sounds so difficult for you, I’m sorry. I’d have thought by six weeks you should be mostly adjusted. Might it be harder to go back the longer you leave it? Are you well supported at work?

I started 50mg and had no break from work and then increased to 100mg the same week I started a new job. The latter was awful and I feel like I’m only just now over it four months later. I’m still dithering on whether 100mg is ‘enough’ but some areas of my life are shifting and I know I need to wait and see how things are in a few weeks when I should be more settled. But when the lows hit it’s so hard to view that perspective.

I’ve barely done anything with my kids all Christmas. They’ve had time with their wider family and done a few things when with them but I do feel sad that it wasn’t with me. My eldest is very much a teenager now so ‘family days’ are diminishing anyway. I don’t feel like I’ve rested enough during my break from work, and I’m packing for a house move anyway. I just want to sit on the sofa and procrastinate.

Yes feeling much better thanks . Think it was prob the Christmas food that caused my upset stomach . I’ve upped my dose 5 days ago as recommended by GP and haven’t had any side effects thankfully .

@ProfessorInkling hi thanks for your reply yes work are quite supportive but its a very fast paced job in customer service and cab be quite difficult at the best of times, I've spoken with a work colleague who is also a team leader and she agreed I should probably stay off another week as I also have an important hospital appointment due to a fear of eating that I've developed since starting these tablets, I was coping just fine on my previous medication and this has caused me massive setbacks my main issue has always been anxiety but now I feel depressed with it all and like you couldn't manage to do much at Christmas as I wanted to so I feel your sadness 😪 and you have your house move to contend with, good luck with that sounds like you've got a lot going on x

Has anyone experienced numbness “down there” and it’s resolved itself? Starting to feel the benefits of the meds so all in all going well. First week was rough, the first day was insane but this side effect remains. I can still orgasm but it takes a little more effort

Sorry to post again but looking for support I've spoken with a doctor today who has advised to up my dose of 50mg to sertraline to 100mg as I'm still struggling, do you get bad side effects again when increasing?

@FreddyP I upped from 50 to 100 mg around 6 days ago and haven't had any side effects so far. I know it can impact some people though.

@wendz86 thanks fingers crossed 🤞 I'll be the same, are you taking it for anxiety?

Yes anxiety and low mood. I was still feeling quite anxious on 50mg but have been feeling a bit better the last couple of weeks so not sure if it was just taking a while to work but gp recommended I go up to 100mg.

@wendz86 thanks I'm hoping it works as I've had to take time off work as the side effects were so bad first few weeks

@ProfessorInkling

How are you doing *@OnwardsEverStridingOnwards*? Do you have support around you so you can rest and do very little for a bit? Once the nausea passed for me the improvement to my mood was definitely worth it.

@wendz86 I’ve had two different brands and no issues switching. Are you feeling any better now?

@trydry22 I’m really sorry to read that, have you tried other meds? Sorry if I have missed that. Good luck with your GP.

@FreddyP that sounds so difficult for you, I’m sorry. I’d have thought by six weeks you should be mostly adjusted. Might it be harder to go back the longer you leave it? Are you well supported at work?

I started 50mg and had no break from work and then increased to 100mg the same week I started a new job. The latter was awful and I feel like I’m only just now over it four months later. I’m still dithering on whether 100mg is ‘enough’ but some areas of my life are shifting and I know I need to wait and see how things are in a few weeks when I should be more settled. But when the lows hit it’s so hard to view that perspective.

I’ve barely done anything with my kids all Christmas. They’ve had time with their wider family and done a few things when with them but I do feel sad that it wasn’t with me. My eldest is very much a teenager now so ‘family days’ are diminishing anyway. I don’t feel like I’ve rested enough during my break from work, and I’m packing for a house move anyway. I just want to sit on the sofa and procrastinate.

@ProfessorInkling I'm so sorry! I've only just seen this. Haven't been on here much recently.

I live with my mum, stepdad and younger brother. My mum works nights so she's always at home in the daytime.

Things are going okay, I would say. I had a awful night last night with my aches and pains, but the sertraline is still working. It just makes me feel a bit tired and headachey, but I'd rather have that than a panic attack or crying fit!

Hope you're keeping well ❤️

Hi all!
Today is my first day of sertraline, I'm on 50mg for anxiety/low mood/depression. Was so relived when the gp prescribed them as I've been struggling for a while but became strangely reluctant to start taking them although I've bit the bullet today! Feel a bit spacey so far but not sure if I'm imagining it or not.

@Shelleyjelly80 hope you don’t get too many side effects .

I’ve been on 100mg about 9 days I think and has been fine apart from I’ve started waking up in the night again like I did when I first started . Hopefully that won’t last too much longer . Feeling much better overall.

Hi I'm back again looking for advice, I've upped sertraline to 100mg on Tuesday but still unable to eat I've had a barium swallow which showed swallowing is fine but food goes down slowly, I've never had this issue before and wondering could it be because my mouth is so dry? I also have oral thrush at the moment and the thought of eating is sending me in a panic I literally have no slavia could this be the issue?

Day three of 25mg for me and feeling zonked and kind of numb. Suffering terrible health anxiety as well as GAD and depression so hoping this will help me turn a corner. Going to stick with 25mg for a week and see how I go, I’m very susceptible to medication and don’t want to overdo it with 50mg yet.

Hope everyone is doing ok.

@DasAlteLeid that's the dose I started on to see how I would get on on the advice from my doctor then upped to 50mg after a few days

Hi everyone. Started my sertraline journey today for low mood. GP wasn’t very helpful but at least now I’ve some meds to try. I’m BFing so my options are limited.

Took half a tablet this morning and already feel a bit nauseous tonight. But I’ve taken citalopram in the past and also felt weird in the beginning with that.

Gosh I’m not doing well today. Was up from 5am shaking and panicking, and had a terrible pain in my right side. Feels like a cross between muscular and crampy. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve spent a lot of extra hours in bed lately as it’s a bit better now I’m up. Don’t feel right in my mind at all today, after feeling kind of ok yesterday evening. Ugh. Day four 25mg here.

@FreddyP how are you feeling today? Sorry to hear about your swallowing problems. My mouth is like the Gobi desert since I started these things I must say.

Also I’ve got a dodgy stomach but I’m not eating much these days so 🤷‍♀️

@DasAlteLeid keep at it, it can be very up and down to start with .

@FreddyP sorry to hear you are still having swallowing problems, is it worth contacting doctor again to check?

@fibeee Good luck, hope you don't have too many side effects

Thanks @wendz86 I’m trying to stay the course. It’s a cruel irony that people with anxiety have to take medication that makes them more anxious to start with!