Sertraline for mild general anxiety? Worth it?

[Bellablot2254]

Hi everyone.

im looking for some advice please. I’ve suffered with anxiety on and off my whole life. I’ve recently gone though some stressful events and I’m not feeling great. But I’m also not feeling desperate.

I have had a few episodes of desperation but always just rode them out. I’ve always been against medication because I’m scared it will change who I am, or I’ll get addicted.

Basically I’m not depressed (slight low mood) and I’m not ‘crippled’ with anxiety, however I am very irritable and have general underlying anxiety and health anxiety (last 2 weeks of my cycle seem to be worst). I can cope day to day. I still go to work etc, but I feel like having low lying anxiety means I’m not getting the most out of life. I’m scared of everything and I just want to be able to live day to day without overthinking every single thing and being harassed all the time. My brain goes 100 mile an hour nonstop.

I keep reading about how good sertraline is at reducing anxiety, and thinking about trying it.

I suppose my question to everyone who’s taking sertraline, is how exactly does it make you feel? and has anyone took it for mild anxiety? In other words, anxiety that isn’t ruining your life, but definitely having an impact and stopping you from living your best life?

any insight greatly appreciated :)

What did your doc say? I’d just do what they say. Mine started me on 50mg then at my review we went down to 25mg. Good luck!

@Pmdd2022 no but I’ve only started today. I’ll let you know. I’ve heard some people getting none and others who are unlucky.

I’m trying to decide whether to take my first dose tonight or wait until the morning.

Take it in the morning.

I’m 8 weeks in now. Started at 50mg for 4 weeks then 100mg for the next four weeks. I had my monthly review with my doctor today and said I’ll stick to 100mg for another 4 weeks and if I’m not feeling any better we will either increase to 150mg or try something else.

Other people have noticed a difference and said I seem a lot better. Still don’t think I feel it. I just feel numb.

You’ve nothing to loose by giving it a go x

read the package insert, it has the most relevant information.
Find out what the drug does and whether that needs to happen to your body to make you feel better.

www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2016/019839S74S86S87_20990S35S44S45lbl.pdf

Well I slept much worse than usual after my first day on sertraline. I should've been tired as I've done many hours at work this week - physical job - and yet I could not drop off. Tossing & turning until bout 3am and then awake at 7. How about you Bellablot2254 ?

@toomanychickens oh sorry to hear that. I was kept up due to my poorly baby, but I slept ok other than those instances she got me up. Hopefully it settles down for you. Sleep deprivation is horrendous

I didn’t realise until I started taking sertraline that I’d been living on red alert for most of my adult life

this. And now my doctor is pushing for me to come off as I don’t have anxiety now. Well that’s because im taking the sertraline

Hi all,
Just to caveat that I’m not saying don’t take Sertraline but thought I would just add my own experience here.
I took one 50mg Sertraline pill last week for the first time (I’m 27 years old). I’ve had anxiety for many years and CBT wasn’t working as well as it could, so my GP recommended that I try an SSRI medication.

After taking just one Sertraline, I had a very wild ride for the next four days! My pupils were suddenly huge and very dilated, so much so that all lights were very blurry and it obscured my vision. I also felt extremely drunk and spaced out, and I was unable to cook dinner that night without speaking out loud to myself to work out how to make the lasagne! I also had insomnia that night and only slept about two hours. I felt a bit crazy, wired, spaced out and very strange for the following three days. I also had a very big grin on my face for about 24 hours, and just the smallest thing my partner said (not even funny comments!) would make me burst into laughter. It was very, very odd. I would be interested to know whether anyone else has experienced this!

Anyway, I didn’t take another Sertraline pill, and have since started CBT again in the hope that it will help as the side effects of the medication scared me a lot. But it’s just my experience, and many people don’t have many side effects on SSRIs. I hope that helps.

Hey @petalflowers95 i bet that was an odd experience. I’ve actually read that they can have effects like this on people with bipolar and can cause euphoria and then manic episodes, or if they’re taken within so many weeks of coming of a different type of anti depressant (not sure how accurate that is though). Not suggesting any of those apply to you, but if they cause side effects like like is some instances then maybe there’s more cases where they would cause them too. Hope you found improvement with CBT

Thanks for the reply! That is interesting. I don’t have bipolar or any other diagnosis so I was very surprised to have such odd side effects. I wonder if I would have fewer side effects with a different SSRI or not. My GP said to keep taking the Sertraline (didn’t offer to lower the dose as he said 50mg is the smallest dose!) but I couldn’t face taking another one.

@petalflowers95 yws very strange, would be interesting to know if anyone lease posts about those side effects.

I’ve read a lot of people break to 50mg pill in half and try on 25mg for a week or so and then move up. Maybe that would help. I have heard great things about escitalopram too. If sertraline didn’t get on with me then I was going to ask for escitalopram next, but so far so good for me. I’ve heard that it’s more expensive than sertraline, so that’s why they don’t prescribe it as often, but supposed to have less side effects

They have almost exactly the same side effects - I believe sertraline is more effective for most people. I’ve been on both and didn’t actually notice a difference

@petalflowers95 pupil dilation is rare but happens and resolves. Laughter thing is a bit bizarre - looking online it says this can happen if you have a neurological condition such as MS but in rare cases people without have reported it. What did your doctor say?

Thanks for the reply! My doctor said he hadn’t heard of the grinning/laughter thing or pupil dilation before but he ‘wasn’t bothered’, which didn’t give me much confidence as I would have thought he would look into it more!

I’ve started with side effects today. Really spaced out (almost feel high) and palpitations. I hate the palpitations, they really scare me, hope they calm down soon. Im scared to take the next one. My partner has gone away for a week so got both kids on my own.

@toomanychickens how are you getting on?

I took 10 mg escitalopram for about a year after my third child was born.
Was very good with no side effects.
Got me back on track.
I took citalopram before that and had a terrible experience, very scary and ended up throwing them away.
Sometimes you just need a reset and if it's to do with your cycle it should help a lot.
If the sertraline is concerning you then stop taking it. No need for extra worry.

I think I read when I first started taking my citalopram that it takes about 10days to take effect, so I would see how you get on over next week and maybe if you don’t feel the side affects calming down, speak to your GP, it may be a case of altering the dosage or swapping meds.
Ive always found taking a holistic approach to my mental health is the best, so I take meds as well as do some journaling, exercise (20mins yoga 2-3times a week from YouTube) and reading. No social media also helps me!
All the best OP!!

Oh no Bellablot2254. I have had a bit of nausea and a headache. I slept ok last night. I have had palpitations, but I get those anyway as part of my anxiety so I've taken a propranolol which has helped.
Can you take beta blockers? Perhaps your gp will prescribe you some. I take them for the physical side effects of anxiety. How are you feeling now?

I took my second tablet today and don’t think I will be taking anymore. I burst into tears this afternoon and told my partner that I don’t want to be here anymore. Totally freaked him out I think. Luckily kids are with their dad this weekend. I feel under a fog, really weird, like I just want to give up on life.

Aww @Pmdd2022 that’s awful to hear I’m sorry, but maybe if you persevere they could help in the long run? I had a wobble this morning but have felt ok since then. I hope you feel better, hugs

I’m too scared to carry on taking them

Don't take them then
Don't "push through". Just stop. I know how you feel when you have a reaction it's really scary.
I know everyone says this but exercise does wonders for hormonal anxiety also research herbs and vitamins for cycle regulation. Dietary changes and water and meditation help too x

I know lots of people say to persevere but I haven’t managed to eat all weekend apart from cereal, I haven’t even cleaned my teeth, and I need to look after my children this week. I can’t afford to feel any worse 😞

mrsmorrisey thank you I will look up some vitamins. I didn’t take sertraline today but my anxiety is still really high. I have managed to eat today though and do some laundry so that is an improvement