Sertraline, side effects- tummy pain, bloat, anxiety

[Chummy21]

Just looking for some reassurance. I'm 11 days into taking 50mg of Sertraline. I have terrible health anxiety so, my first thought is always something sinister.
I came on my period on Saturday. My second true period since coming off contraception. I had none of the usual PMS symptoms so was quite surprised by it, I'm now on day 4 of it and it's just a normal period.
Anyway, I had one episode of diarrhoea on Saturday and then I started with lower tummy pain on Saturday night (day 8). It felt like a dull ache and when pressed it was really quite tender. I convinced myself I could feel a mass... and my mind really started working overtime.
I've pooped normally since the diarrhoea but I'm so windy and feel really bloated (more than usual with a period) also intermittent dull tummy ache which is making me think it's bowel related...

Wondered if anyone has had this as a side effect? If it hasn't resolved by the end of the week I'll contact GP. But, just looking for other perspectives.
All other sertraline side effects seem to have settled down other than my anxiety 😳

Just to add my poo has been lighter in colour. Like a light brown/tan colour. No blood or mucous. And has been for the past week. I've been drinking herbal teas and wondered if this could affect poop colour.

Health anxiety is just so awful 😖

Take a look at the sertraline groups on Facebook. They're really helpful

I had a look at some before I picked up my prescription and they absolutely terrified me lol. Maybe I found the wrong groups as they were all anti-sertraline. Can you recommend specific ones?

@Chummy21

Just to add my poo has been lighter in colour. Like a light brown/tan colour. No blood or mucous. And has been for the past week. I've been drinking herbal teas and wondered if this could affect poop colour.

Health anxiety is just so awful 😖

Herbal teas possibly could affect colour as they may have a laxative effect. Usually when poo is a lighter colour it's gone through your body quicker than normal, which would be possible with drinking the tea.

I'm on sertraline too and must eat before taking them otherwise I get diarrhoea.

@Chummy21 Hi Chummy. You sound so like me, I also suffer with extreme health anxiety, this came to a height as I recently lost my dad and then got covid. I am now 4 weeks into sertraline and feeling so much better. But in the beginning I felt awful, I also worried about the colour of my poo, any sensation or pain, anything. But I kept going and am so glad I did as I feel so much better already. It’s usual for anxiety to get worse once you start the meds, remember anxiety is a nasty little bully that doesn’t want you to get better, so it tries everything it can, even trying to make you think the meds are making you unwell. You literally have to keep telling it to piss off just like you would any other bully. I know how hard that is to do, I had to take propranolol to begin with as well because my anxiety was horrific. Keep going, always here to chat. Also I found this thread really comforting, there’s a follow on thread too which is still active
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feeling_depressed/4088279-sertraline-hand-holding

@tintodeverano2 thank you, I'm giving the teas a break to see if that helps. I'm not usually poo obsessed. It's something that doesn't really affect me x

Thank you @cheeseybeans19 I feel so pathetic at times. Today I've been having very mild cramps around my belly button today. I'm still bloated. I just keep thinking gastric bleeding/vomiting coffee grounds Which is a massive fear of mine.
Everything feels really intense at times.

I'm glad you're doing better, reading this gives me hope that one day I'll be in a better place xx

@Chummy21 not pathetic at all, I understand. Health anxiety is awful, you will get better soon, this is the worst bit and it will pass x

@cheeseybeans19 thank you for your kind words x

[quote Chummy21]@tintodeverano2 thank you, I'm giving the teas a break to see if that helps. I'm not usually poo obsessed. It's something that doesn't really affect me x[/quote]
See I am poo obsessed as I have inflammatory bowel disease! Haha so I struggled for the first few weeks hoping that it wouldn't start off a flare. But thankfully I was okay.

I'm now five months in and the sertraline has helped so much. I feel more like me. Better than I have done for years.

@tintodeverano2 That's amazing! I can't remember the old me so hearing that is so reassuring x

I have health anxiety too and I have just had covid, literally on day 10 today and just tested negative for the first time however, my anxiety is through the roof. I have been on 50mg of sertraline since September I think and it honestly worked wonders, I couldn’t believe it. I’ve felt so much like my old self however that person seems so far away again. I upped my dose today to 100mg so I’m really hoping that is going to help. I’m back to being a shadow of myself, no appetite what so ever, can’t even force myself to eat and constantly running to the toilet which is making me even more anxious. Health anxiety really is the worst and no one understands it unless you experience it.

@SpecialK01 I found when I had covid it really heightened my anxiety too. Really hope you feel better soon now you have increased your dose, health anxiety really is awful and I agree you can only fully understand it if you’re a fellow sufferer. I hate the thought of anyone having it as I know just how awful it is. Hugs to you xx

@cheeseybeans19 thank you. I haven’t noticed any side effects after increasing my dose however I’m feeling terrible tonight. I have zero appetite and constantly feel nauseous, ate a yoghurt this afternoon and then brought it up tonight. The anti sickness tablets the doctor has gave me aren’t working. It sounds pathetic but I’m actually clock watching till 9 o’clock so I can take a diazepam and force myself to sleep x

@Chummy21 @SpecialK01 how are you both today?

@cheeseybeans19 sorry I’ve just saw this. I went to my doctor today and they gave me different anti sickness tablets that have helped a little, had a terrible night last night, was sick 3 times and because I’ve not been eating it was just bile. Managed half a tin of soup today and a wee walk round the block. Small wins. Since I started the sertraline a few months ago I’ve not been able to cry but all I’ve done yesterday and today is cry my eyes out. Defos felt a bit sicky after upping my dose, on day 2 of 100mg so just hoping that settles quickly.

How are you? X

@cheeseybeans19 yesterday was a good day. The diarrhoea (but not diarrhoea) continues. Its the urgency that's really worrying and making me not want to venture out. How are you doing?

I do feel more settled in general. Today is day 15. But, last night I started with a headache. It was such a heavy pressure on the top of my head and behind my eyes. I was woken up by it at 3:30 and felt quite sick.
I'm surprised it's started 15 days in so my mind is telling me its more sinister. These intrusive thoughts really take over the day.

My anxiety crept up after having covid in December. It's been bubbling away since 2019 but covid opened the floodgates. Find myself constantly checking temperatures and holding my breath to see if I still can....

@SpecialK01 I hope the sickness tablets help and you feel some relief soon. Do you feel better after having a good cry?

Health anxiety is so misunderstood. I found this blog a couple of days ago and found it so relatable xx

foreveramber.co.uk/health-anxiety-story/

@Chummy21 I had really bad diarrhoea too, for days there and when I spoke to my doctor yesterday he said that it’s because of the anxiety. He said it targets your gut, your appetite and the diarrhoea. I felt like I was at the toilet every 10 minutes and couldn’t understand why because I have zero appetite so haven’t been eating anything.

The headache has probably just been a one off, I think if you were going to have those as a side effect then it would have started before now. How does your anxiety feel? Have you had any release? I was really lucky, when I started sertraline I had no side effects and felt they worked quite quick, i kept just wanting to get to the 4 week mark but I remember feeling better before then so I hope that’s the same for you.
I don’t know if I’m struggling with the increase to 100mg, or if it’s in my head - if that makes sense? The new anti sickness tablets are definitely much better thankfully. The crying has been so strange because it’s been so long which I know sounds silly but it was good to get that out. I’m trying to concentrate on doing one thing at a time, I’m really bad for sitting staring into space and it just makes me worse.I’m praying that we all get some relief soon. The sertraline in my opinion is a wonder drug, it helped me so much. I’m just hoping it does the same this time round for me but keep going with it because it honestly did make me feel so much more myself, more than I had felt in years x

@SpecialK01 so far today, I haven't had any diarrhoea, which again I'll be wondering when I'm going to go or if I'm now going to be constipated. I just can't win at the moment.

My headache has eased off alot. Came out of the blue last night so I'm hoping it is a one off. I find it really hard to get motivated just lately. I have to really make myself move and do something. Even if it's a bit of colouring, I'm excellent at procrastinating, and if I fall down a rabbit hole that's it I'm done for the day.

I do feel better. The thoughts haven't been as all consuming for a few days. But, I know they'll come again.

I'm so glad the sickness tablets are working. Nausea is something I really don't cope well with. I'm not looking forward to the increase to 100mg but anything is better to how I've been feeling.
I remember my sister telling me that for the first 12 months she found crying really difficult, or showing much emotion for that matter and it was very much a case of just going through the motions or "fake it til you make it". I'm the complete opposite as I've cried almost daily for the last few weeks. Sometimes without even realising at first.

Your perspective has really helped this morning and I've felt like giving up at times with the sertraline but, (despite your sickness and poor appetite) I think or at least hope it will all be worth it x

Hey @Chummy21 there's a really good Sertraline thread on here under the health board - check it out.

From there it seems stomach issues are a really common side effect. For what it's worth my first 2 weeks on Sertraline were AWFUL. But I'm so glad I stuck it out, am now about 10 weeks and feel like the old settled me again! Most symptoms took about 4 weeks to go away but still occasionally get tremors and tiredness!

Come join us and know it gets better!

@Chummy21 I was like that with checking my temperature and in the end I had to just force myself to put the thermometer in a drawer and not touch it because it was just feeding my anxiety even more, I’d read the result but then ten minutes later feel I needed to “double check” and I’d end up doing it several times every day. I’m having a bad day today, I worry a lot about my teeth and I have one at the back in particular that I worry about. I went to the dentist 5 weeks ago and she said all is fine and I don’t need to go back for 6 months, she said I do over brush and to calm down on that. But I have felt like my tooth was a bit uncomfortable so I think I’ve over brushed and caught the gum behind it, it’s got a bit of an abrasion and had a bit of blood on it. So that’s set me off and I keep fretting that I’m going to end up with toothache or an abscess, or be in pain. But I know it’s more than likely from the toothbrush catching it. I also am aware I worry about that tooth every month about a week before my period and am due on next week. But because the gum is grazed looking and had bled my anxiety is sky high. It’s exhausting and sometimes I wonder if I might need to increase my dose to 100mg.

Oh @cheeseybeans19 I'm mouth obsessed! Started a few weeks after I had covid with a persistent sore throat. From there I had a coated tongue, which was patchy (like geographic tongue). I thought it was oral thrush so was treating it for that which made my tongue pretty raw... its hard not to think the worst. I was spending hours looking at pictures of cancers.
What does help is warm salt water rinses a couple of times a day. Have you tried that for your graze?

You're right it is exhausting. I never paid much attention to my tongue until this last few weeks and some days iits been all I can think about.

My period definitely makes my triggers worse. How long have you been on sertraline? X

Well my worst fear has happened today and my daughter has tested positive for covid so you can imagine the anxiety I have just now. Thank god for the doctor giving me diazipam yesterday - you honestly couldn’t write it. It’s just one thing after another.
I hope your day has gotten better @cheeseybeans19

I started it on January 24th @Chummy21, I took 25mg for a week then went to 50, so four weeks on full dose. Writing that makes me realise it’s early days so I’m bound to have bad days. I lost my mum 5 years ago and went on sertraline after that, ironically I came off it this year as I really felt I no longer needed it then bam, my dad died at the end of November. I tried to cope with the grief but couldn’t and then I got covid along with my son and that just tipped me over so I had to go back on sertraline. It helped me so much last time, and tbh I’ve felt good for the last week or so but today is awful. I have such a fear of my children seeing my in any pain, or having any illness, because of what happened with my parents and how that’s traumatised me. @SpecialK01 sorry to hear that, how old is she? My son is 10 and it was honestly just like a cold for him so fingers crossed she won’t feel too bad at all.

Oh no @SpecialK01. I can imagine your anxiety. Is she OK? How old is she? I get massive anxiety over my children. I'm checking them constantly, my 11 year old gets sick of me asking if he's pooped lately (I'm turning into a nightmare) Hope your daughter isn't too poorly and I hope the diazepam does the trick for you xx

@cheeseybeans19 I lost my dad in 2018, I think that's when this really started. He had dementia and the thought of leaving my kids or being too unwell to look after them is too much to bear sometimes. 4 weeks is early days but you're making progress. I think ups and downs are to be expected. I've had a good day until this evening. I don't know why evenings make my anxiety bad. My tongue is patchy and I'm wondering if I can get a dentist appointment to have it checked... if I hadn't of looked earlier I wouldn't have known, now it's all I can think of and now comes the jaw clenching