Sertraline- Please share your honest experience

[ACCx]

Hi, so I suffer massively with health anxiety. I feel like it is starting to make me depressed also. Currently having CBT for my anxiety. Currently I’m having muscle twitches all over my body and convinced myself it’s MND or something like that. Dr has tried to reassure me this is just anxiety and has told me I should consider taking sertraline. (I had it prescribed to me a couple of months ago but was far to scared to take it) it’s just sat in my cupboard and I just need to make a decision. I know I should take it, but I’m terrified of it having a negative effect on me. I heard people just feel numb on it and that’s not what I want. Please share your experiences if you don’t mind. Or if you can think of anything alternatively please share.

Sertraline helped save my life. I had complex PTSD & depression & it gave me the platform to start living life again.

Unfortunately, due to pain with a congenital deformity & deterioration, my pain consultant moves me onto tramadol & pregabalin from dihydrocodeine so I had to come off sertraline very fast (within a week) as they can have SSRI effects & can lead to serotonin syndrome (which can be fatal).

Coming off high doses of dihydrocodeine & sertraline rapidly was hell. Brain felt like it was being shaken, panic attacks, confusion, plus opioid withdrawal (my pain consultant was a cow, even my GP said it was cruel, thank goodness my surgery has a GP that specialises in chronic pain).

While my pain is somewhat helped, I miss the sertraline. I just felt more me.

It has completely changed my life for the better. 100mg a day and I’m no longer plagued by anxiety and paranoia in the work place. It’s knocked my body dysmorphia and eating disorder on the head and it’s helped me go for my dream job and no arguments with DH.
It was only when I started taking it that I realised how awful my mental health had been before. I only went on it for bad PMT but I imagine I’ll be taking it for some time if not forever.

The only side effects I had were in the first 3-4 weeks, I felt a bit queasy and had trouble sleeping but I started taking it first thing in the morning and since then it’s been fine.

The one sad drawback is that it badly affects my libido and ability to orgasm so sex is more hard work. That would be the only reason I’d ever try to come off it.

@Startoftheyear2021 thank you for your advice. I took the 25mg. Like you say it is added stress deciding to go up. X

@Corilee2806 I have just seen your message. That’s actually very reassuring. Thank you. I think I’m just worried about the side effects as they’ve just started to get better since I started the 25mg but then again I might not even get any. X

So many positive story’s about sertraline. It took me months to pluck up the courage to take them and I’m honestly so glad I did. X

I've been prescribed them yesterday. I'm not sure whether or not to start on a quarter dose (12.5mg) for 2-3 days and then work up to the 25mg. I have been prescribed 50mg but the Dr did say yesterday to snap them in half for a few days. I'm quite sensitive to meds and I don't want to feel too much worse than I already do.

I also have health anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, PMDD and GADS. I'm really hoping these help me.

Last Tuesday (5th) my DD tested positive for Covid and since then I've lost 10lbs in weight and had so many panic attacks. She's not passed it on to any of us in the house hold but I was constantly doing LFTs up to 4 times a day which then made my throat sore. Which in turn made my anxiety worse because I felt that I was getting Covid.

This thread has really helped so thanks OP for starting it.

@ did you start the 12.5mg dose as this is my plan?

@MissCrowley did you start the 12.5mg dose as I'm considering doing the same as I'm terrified

Yes and I ended up with back to back panic attacks for 3 days. Not been the same since. Absolutely terrifying. I’m no longer taking them.

I ended up snapping mine in half and having 25mg. I got some side effects but they died down and then when I went from 25 to 50 I had no side effects! X

@ACCx @MissCrowley thanks I'm in torment with it all damned if I dont but damned if I do, I've recently had to come off my antidepressants of 27 years on advice of the doctor and have weaned off since August and am 3 weeks with nothing but I'm struggling terribly and gone backwards the doctor has recommended sertraline I'm I'm obviously not coping but I'm so scared to try them

@FreddyP so sorry that you’re struggling:( it took me months of persuasion to start sertraline. Like you I was sooo scared, hence the reason I started this thread. Everyone is different on them so I suppose you will only know when you try and when you’re ready. If and when you start just take a low dose for a few days/week then gradually build up if you’re happy to! Xx

@ACCx thanks so much would you recommend taking evening or morning? I'm thinking 12.5mg to ease myself in x

I take mine in the morning with breakfast. If you start on such a low dose Hopefully your side effects will be minimal (hopefully none) and then you can build your way up to 25 then 50. x

I tried starting with 50mg but felt awful so only had that the first day then went to 25mg for 2 weeks, then increase back to 50mg and had no side effects! X

@ACCx thanks so much I may just bite the bullet tomorrow!x

No problem @FreddyP hope it goes well for you! X

Glad your feeling better OP. I started 50mg the same date you started this thread. The first week was tough. Felt very edgy but no feel much better with them. I was scared to start too but it was the right decision. I stil get anxious but much more manageable. Freddyp hope you got on OK.today!

@PrancerandDancer ahh that’s amazing I’m glad you’re feeling better. I remember being so scared to start them, and now I wish I started them sooner!

Saved my life

@PrancerandDancer @ACCx thank you both I've taken 12.5by today and nothing drastic side effects side thankfully my dilemma is now do you think I continue this for a few days or go for it tomorrow and start the 25mg as prescribed by the doctor? X

@FreddyP you could take the 25mg tomorrow and if it gives you some harsh side effects then just halve it again for a week or so until you’re body has gotten used to it. I tried starting on 50mg but it gave me side effects so I went down to 25mg and felt sooo much better. Then no side effects going from 25mg to 50mg. I had my first side effects start on day 1 by the way so if you haven’t had any yet that’s a really good sign 😊

@ACCxthanks for taking time to reply it's been a massive help I did have a couple of panic attacks but that is standard for me on a good day. I think if I've got the courage I'll give it a go x

Can I ask what you have said when you first approached a doctor? Did you specifically ask about setraline or just tell them your symptoms and they prescribed it?

I'm nervous and embarrassed about going to a doctor so I think I might fill out an online consultation. But I still don't know what to say. I feel on edge all the time, never relaxed, always worry I'm doing something wrong, have neck and shoulder pain from the tension, feel overwhelmed all the time.

@Manteo I have been on different antidepressants for 27 years but was advised to come off them and they then prescribed sertraline, please dont be embarrassed just explain to tour gp how your feeling and they will advise you what they think you need to help you, you could also mention sertraline if this is something you would like to try, good luck