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Original poster

Starting Sertraline - help

69 replies

Charlock · 16/03/2023 17:18

Hi,

I'm meant to start Sertraline today. I'm feeling horrific and terrified, terrible intrusive thoughts, anxiety and low. I've been on Citalopram and Fluoxetine before and the early bits were hell. I've got 25mg tablets but wondering about even cutting them in half. I can't cope with extra on top of how I'm feeling. Any advice? X

OP posts:
HouseFullOfChaos · 16/03/2023 17:29

Sertraline gave me my life back. My best advice is to take it after food, I get awful tummy issues if I have it before food. I started on 25mg and now levelled off at 100mg. 25mg is really low, try it, it could really help. Good luck OP

katmarie · 16/03/2023 17:31

Hang in there for the first couple of weeks. It's rough at first but it will make a difference and the side effects will ease off. They did for me and the meds made a world of difference for me.

ClaraBourne · 16/03/2023 17:33

I'm due to start this, got the tablets but have had a bereavement. I'm worried how it will affect me. 🧐

I hear positive things though. I just want to take the edge off the anxiety.

HeBeaverandSheBeaver · 16/03/2023 17:38

I started in 25. The doc gave me 50 but I halved them.

I loved it. Had very
Mild nausea first week but it was fine if I ate. Now no nausea at all.

Head felt a bit fuzzy for a week and arms felt a bit heavy but honestly it was fine

I felt so much happier. Was able to eat and sleep again and wasn't in a spiral of doom all the time.

Makingamess4212 · 16/03/2023 17:49

Sertraline is amazing.
You feel like sh*t already, so things can only go up from here yeah?
Try them!

Original poster
Charlock · 16/03/2023 17:51

Thanks @HouseFullOfChaos Doc was going to start me on 50 but I asked for 25 and even worried about that.

Thanks @katmarie so glad they helped. I feel I'm barely holding my 💩 together as it is and don't have capacity for the worseness. Found going on Fluoxetine horrendous but you can't really start on lower dose with that with it being capsule, so hoping starting lower with this will help.

@ClaraBourne sorry for your loss.

@HeBeaverandSheBeaver that's great. I don't care about physical side effects, it's mental I'm scared of.

OP posts:
Original poster
Charlock · 16/03/2023 17:52

@Makingamess4212 I know!!! Paralysed with fear.

What if I took it after dinner then went to bed.

OP posts:
cleowasmycat · 16/03/2023 17:56

I take 150. Really has helped me and wouldn't be without it. Persevere, first couple of weeks aren't great but then it's fine.

Original poster
Charlock · 16/03/2023 18:07

Thanks @cleowasmycat

Can I ask you and others what you took it for?

OP posts:
Timeandtune · 16/03/2023 19:27

My DS has been on it for a year now. Absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to him.
He has cut down gradually to 50mg ( from a high of 200).
He didn’t notice any side effects but felt it took 4-6 weeks to see an improvement.
He then went through a phase of “not needing them “because he felt so much better . We had to persuade him to not just stop suddenly.

Original poster
Charlock · 16/03/2023 19:36

@Timeandtune thank you, that's great for your son and must be a relief for you. Was it anxiety/OCD he took it for?

OP posts:
Timeandtune · 16/03/2023 19:46

It was actually for depression. He was seeing a therapist for anxiety and the therapist felt his depression was actually the bigger issue and referred him to his GP

Glitterstars · 16/03/2023 19:49

First week is tough but just ride it out as does get better quick I’m on 50mg

Willowtre1 · 16/03/2023 19:52

It has helped me a lot, I take it in the morning, mid morning after cup of tea and something to eat. I took it late in the day to start with and if affected my sleep. Good luck x

SnackyOnassis · 16/03/2023 19:54

I'm in a similar boat OP, I had been on them for three years, came off and have decided to go back on earlier this week as it's all getting a bit hard again. I'd recommend taking it with food, and if you struggle with sleep take it in the morning as they do often cause insomnia in the first week or so. It's a tough first week (although I've gone straight back on to 100mg so might be a bit more intense) but oh my god it's so worth it once you're through. Your brain is just...quiet. There's space in there that was full of clutter before, and you don't have to fill it back up. It's so worth sticking with.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 16/03/2023 19:55

I had previously taken 150mg and came off it. In the first lockdown my anxiety was awful so I started back on 25mg. I felt horrendous to start off with. My anxiety was that bad I called 111 as I was just staring at the wall and crying but it settled down and now I'm fine. Thinking of coming them off them now but they really helped me.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 16/03/2023 19:56

I take mine first thing in the morning and was advised to do that

peeweechigs · 16/03/2023 20:06

I started yesterday, 50mg, I've felt a bit shaky this morning. But I know I need them

debbiewest0 · 16/03/2023 20:14

my pharmacist advised to take them at night for the first two weeks to avoid the side effects/nausea etc. then swap to mornings after two weeks. That advice worked great I found

Original poster
Charlock · 16/03/2023 20:19

Thanks everyone.

@peeweechigs and @SnackyOnassis if you want to check in here as we go on that would be great.

@SnackyOnassis starting on 100mg ... I was thinking of cutting my 25mg anxiety so bad. Too hard so I just took it. Why are you starting so high if you don't mind me asking.

OP posts:
Original poster
Charlock · 16/03/2023 20:24

@debbiewest0 thanks for that, I think I will do something along those lines too. I did mean to take it earlier in the day but only got the courage up after dinner. My sleep has been terrible anyway.

Does or has anyone taken them for ocd/intrusive thoughts?

OP posts:
SnackyOnassis · 16/03/2023 21:13

Charlock · 16/03/2023 20:19

Thanks everyone.

@peeweechigs and @SnackyOnassis if you want to check in here as we go on that would be great.

@SnackyOnassis starting on 100mg ... I was thinking of cutting my 25mg anxiety so bad. Too hard so I just took it. Why are you starting so high if you don't mind me asking.

That was the dose I was on previously and the GP advised that I go straight back onto it - I did ask about working my way back up to it but he said it'd be fine!

Good luck and I hope it starts making a difference for you really quickly with minimal side effects ❤

Original poster
Charlock · 16/03/2023 21:28

@SnackyOnassis thanks. Tbh if you can tolerate it then you'll be feeling better sooner. Problem with starting on 25 is it'll take me longer. Hopefully I will feel able to increase soon. Keep in touch. X

OP posts:
Original poster
Charlock · 17/03/2023 09:53

Well first night bad insomnia. Feel like I've not slept. Then upset tummy this morning. Par for the course I guess. X

OP posts:
katmarie · 17/03/2023 12:12

I had terrible insomnia the first two nights, and for the first two weeks my anxiety was all over the place, I remember at one point sitting on the sofa just paralysed with it. But the insomnia eased after the second night and the anxiety settled down significantly after the second week. Once I started it, tapering up was fine, it was literally just the first couple of weeks that were rough.