Sertraline for insomnia

[Sabri1984]

Hi all.
Need some support. I was given sertraline for insomnia, anxiety. On week 5, 3 weeks on 50mg and 2 on 100mg. Still having trouble sleeping. Will I get better? I'm really struggling. Docs said insomnia caused anxiety now I have anxiety about sleeping. Both are playing off each other. Anyone else in same situation?Been give quetiapine 50mg to help with sleep. Some nights with a diazapam too.

Sertraline for insomnia. Support

The first few weeks of sertraline are awful for insomnia. I absolutely hated it. I’ve just been giving quetiapine to help with sleep too. 2nd night of it tonight. To be honest I feel like a mess just now

I’ve been suffering with insomnia for a few years, been back and forward to gp, anyway lots going on in life and been on setraline for 5 weeks and sleep still awful, prescribed for severe anxiety. They’ve given me zopiclone for 2 weeks but only knocks me out for a few hours. I’m in a vicious circle as anxiety is awful due to insomnia. Really not sure what do but will consider anything

Have you discussed Melatonin with your GP? It’s also easy to buy online as it’s available over the counter in the USA and most of Europe. I buy it from Spain,

Asked gp about melotonin said we don't prescribe. I got some from online, calms you down slightly but didn't get me to sleep. I've become obsessed about sleep. The night scares me. This just makes the anxiety worse.

Tracy, how many weeks have you been on sertraline and is it 100mg?

I'm week 6 now and I am having some OK nights.

Help talking to people in the same boat. It's a very lonely situation otherwise.

I've started on antidepressant (another one I'd been in many years ago) with the hope that my insomnia is caused by anxiety and that the treatment will help with it. I'm only on week 2 though. Some night have been good and others as bad as before.

I've now suffered from insomnia for 5 years. The first 3/4 years, I used to be overly frustrated and anxious about it. I've now learned to live with it. Ultimately although it has changed me in some ways, as my energy is nowhere where it used to be, it hasn't killed me and I'm still getting on with life quite normally. I've learned that the impact of insomnia itself is nowhere as bad as the worry it causes.

Still I so would love to regain my previous energy, even if not all, so the antidepressant is the last resort. My anxiety is directly linked to hormones (menopause). I don't have anything in my life to cause me anxiety so that makes it harder to recognise and difficult to treat.

Relaxation and meditation helps a lot in learning to accept it and feel less anxious about it.

I’ve recently started listening to a podcast called something like
Boring books for bedtime.

It is helping my insomnia.
Best of luck

Sertraline made my insomnia worse!

Sertraline caused my insomnia!

@vivainsomnia you sound exactly like me! I had a follow up phone appointment with gp yesterday and I mentioned menopause as I’ve suddenly got a period, not had one for 7 months and my mood has dipped, she totally dissed it and has prescribed me zopiclone on repeat! Not going to take it every night as in her words said it’s addictive but we’ll deal with that later. I’d hoped a combination of sertraline and hrt would be good.

Sorry to jump on this ladies but I'm on sertaline 150 but I take in day
However from what I'm reading on here is it better to take at night.i suffer badly with insomnia and have been buying zopiclone on Internet. It knocked me out to start with but now I'm waking after 3/4 hrs and can't get back to sleep and feel knackered and tearful in day as I've taken sleeping pill. Should I take sertaline at night if it does help you sleep then I cam wean myself of zopiclone
If sertaline is going to keep me awake then I won't

There are plenty of anti depressants that make you sleep. I think Sertraline is one of the worse for insomnia.

Oh thanks for that if its going to make me wake more than I do I won't take at night. Have used different antidepressants but sertaline is working for me at mo so don't want to change

@Sabri1984

Hi all. Need some support. I was given sertraline for insomnia, anxiety. On week 5, 3 weeks on 50mg and 2 on 100mg. Still having trouble sleeping. Will I get better? I'm really struggling. Docs said insomnia caused anxiety now I have anxiety about sleeping. Both are playing off each other. Anyone else in same situation?Been give quetiapine 50mg to help with sleep. Some nights with a diazapam too.

I wonder how you are getting on Sabri? I also take quetiapine 50mg along with paroxetine 30mg and mirtazapine 45mg. I cite all three as being helpful but the quetiapine particularly so, even though I've gained weight. Quetiapine is a funny one though. I find it myself very slow acting as a sleep aid with a hangover the next day. I can live with it.

It helped me wean off alcohol and diazepam respectively! No plans to change

Hi halwapuri, sorry for the late reply. I've been doing well thanks. I have come off the quetiapine thankfully. Its been 6 weeks on the sertraline. I'm hoping that I'm over the worst. Are you taking for insomnia? Have you been on any antidepressants? For me the diazapam, zopiclone etc didn't help only with the quetiapine combination I got sleep. Doc said medicated sleep is better then none (in the short term anyway). Let me know how you're getting on.

@Sabri1984 I know this is an old thread but really need help. Did your sleep anxiety improve? X