Sertraline

[Stygimoloch]

My doctor has prescribed 50mg of sertraline for anxiety and possible depression. I’m really struggling right now to cope with day to day life and have a churning feeling of dread most of the time. I’ve been a teacher for 19 years and am
now feeling like I just cannot cope with the pressures and it has spilled over into my home life with me crying a lot of being really snappy with my children (9&12) and my husband. I’m desperate to feel better and be a better mom and wife so I finally went to the doctors.

I took one of the sertraline on Thursday night and it made me so poorly. I was sick and felt like I’d been hit by a bus. I couldn’t function at all. Friday I still felt really unwell so I haven’t taken another tablet. I realise this was probably stupid because I know there are side effects and that I need to ride through them but I just can’t imagine functioning feeling the way I did.

Does anyone have any advice? I’ve never taken antidepressants before and am feeling really desperate. Is 50mg too high a dose? Should I half the tablets to start with? I just want to feel better but I don’t know how to manage the side effects and still carry on with my life in the meantime.

Thanks

My dd, 15, is on it since summer. The psychiatrist started her on 25mg initially, she did have nausea, dizziness and sore mouth, headaches etc at the start. The psychiatrist didn’t up here dose to 50mg until all the side effects settled down. That took about 4 weeks. She then went up to 50mg, had minor side effects with increased dose but they settled much quicker.
Start on 25 and see how you get on. It’s a sub-clinical dose, so don’t expect any mood improvement but will help you adapt to it slowly. Once you’re settled, up it to 50.
50 is the minimum dose for therapeutic effect. It can take a good few weeks before you see the benefits cos it has to build up in you system.
good luck