Thoughts on sertraline . Does it work for you ?

[MimiBeee]

I've been struggling for the last few years and was determined to make myself better without taking pills but feel a bit desperate . PTSD and OCD, panic. So tired and over worked ! I am 32 weeks pregnant and hoping to breastfeed but I think I want to start sertraline because I'm just so desperate to feel myself again .

I've heard mixed things about it. Things like
It doesn't work
It makes you feel worse
It only work on a really high dose.

I just want to hear peoples experiences on it please .

Yes, for me it really does.
I started off on 25mg and then went up to 50mg.
No side effects at all

I started on 50mg 6 days ago and already feel so much more relaxed and haven't had a panic attack since starting them (use to have anywhere from 1-5 panic attacks daily) best decision I've ever made. I've had no side effects either.

I'm on 100mg, I would honestly be dead without it. I feel like myself only human, which I hadn't felt for a long time. I wish I'd had it 20 years ago. Life would have been very different.
I don't have any side effects but I take it in the morning or I find it hard to fall asleep

@Meadowsalways yes very normal I think. I'm only 2 and a half weeks in so still waiting for better times, but have started/stopped other ADs before and its always 2 steps forward 1 backwards at the start in my experience. I've also found mornings are the last bit to get better. A good sign that you've had an evening feeling more like yourself! Hang onto that!

Yes I had this same thing until I went to 100mg and that got rid of it all. 50mg is a starting dose i was told x

I'm onto week 2 of 50mg. I was starting to feel a little calmer and then 2 big life changing things came along and I've been spiraling ever since. I have a review in a couple of weeks so hanging in there.

50mg helped but I was still waking up with anxiety, then a few days after upping it to 100mg the morning anxiety stopped x

I had it and it made me feel doubly suicidal. I had to get off it to save my life. The detox was like being encased in concrete. Never again.

The flies/dots I'd be concerned that you could have pre-eclampsia. I had the same when I was pregnant and it turned out to be just that.

So interested to read this thread as I have a box sitting in my fridge. I did start taking it as I was prescribed it by specialist at UCH because I have vertigo condition - PPPB - which may be partly caused by anxiety. I read the ''instructions'' which said ''do not take with grapefruit juice''. I had not noticed any effect from the medication and had several grapefruit waiting to be eaten, so stopped taking it but will try again soon after reading here.

My dose was upped after around 10 days I believe. Perhaps call gp and ask x

I’m just over 3 weeks in (One week on 25mg and just over 2 weeks 50mg). Had a very churny stomach when increasing to 50mg and stomach been quite unsettled but no other side effects and didn’t make my anxiety worse- unlike citalopram which I had to stop after a couple of days because of the panic attacks! Also been sleeping well which is a relief as was worried about insomnia. I do think it’s starting to make me fee, a bit calmer now. Still have the same worries but they haven’t been spiralling the last few days and feel calmer.

@Meadowsalways that doesn't sound like a terribly helpful comment from the doctor? It's a bit early to talk of other medications. Have you had any glimmers of feeling less anxious? My psychiatrist always says he likes to give meds 4 weeks, but would expect a few breakthrough moments of feeling better before that, even if just for half an hour. Try not to be demoralised. It's so hard I know. Also have you got any diazepam or similar to help get you through this bit?

@Meadowsalways I think it's definitely too soon to say that it's not. I'm not counting my first week at 25mg really so I'm saying I've done a week at 50mg and 9 days at 75mg. I woke up feeling as awful as usual today but managed to have a shower and get out of bed and have just in the past hour started feeling a bit less horrible. That churning anxious feeling in my stomach is reduced slightly. I think you are a few days behind me aren't you?

I loved how I felt when taking sertraline! So calm, relaxed, nothing phased me. I think I'm going to start it again in a couple of weeks, as it really made me able to concentrate on things whereas the procrastination levels are really at the max right now.

I took it a couple of years ago and I think it did work but I completely went cold Turkey and got off it, and although I still struggle especially after kids, I think it was the right decision for me.