Setraline: how quickly do side effects kick in?

[Notascoobie]

Hi all

i have been prescribed setraline after a year of, what I now realise is PMDD, which got especially bad last month, leading me to realise it was time to ask for help. Doctor has prescribed the meds alongside therapy. BecAuse of the initial side effects, she has suggested I start taking on a Friday so I have the weekend to deal with the worst of it.

but… I have work on Friday, with an important meeting. If I take it on Friday morning (25mg), am I going to be on the loo with loose bowels by lunchtime?

Sertraline seems to be a wonder drug for many people.
I think I took it for about 2 weeks before the dreaded diarrhoea began. After about another 3 weeks I had to admit defeat. Too embarrassing to not get to the loo in time more than once.
However, you may be fine & I hope you are!!

I’ve been on it six weeks today.
I’m on it severe anxiety.
I started low, 25mg. I do have the occasional bout of diarrhoea, which I have the GP permission to take up to 8 Immodium/ loperamide tablets per day. (I’ve never needed to take that many!)
I am seeing good results, I am not 100%, but a far cry from where I was over the summer (housebound and a complete wreck!)

You had to give up setraline because of the diarrhoea?! Oh no! Must have been really bad.

Yes wait to the weekend. I had a bad tummy and felt nauseous and dizzy almost immediately. I switched to taking it at night too.

I had to give up after 3 days as the diarrhea was horrific.

I was on all sorts of doses of sertraline. Never had a single stomach issue other than some nausea when I got to a v high dose (250mg ). Lots of people take it without it being an issue at all.

I never had diarrhoea on Sertraline. Or remember hearing about it being a side effect!

I felt light headed on it early on and it did make my anxiety much much worse for about 4-6 weeks. But then I came out the other side and it gave me my life back!

Why not taking it after your meeting eg late afternoon?

after meeting hadn’t even occurred to me! So exhausted at moment. Might give that a go. Guess that could lead to insomnia first night but rather that first night than diarrhoea during the meeting!

I used to take 150mg every day for maybe 2 years without any associated diarrhoea at all.

I do remember feeling a little light headed and "spaced out" each time my dose was increased but that soon settled.

I was on 50mg and only side effects were a couple of days of mild nausea at first and then ongoing dry mouth. Otherwise it really worked for me!

I felt bad almost immediately, on 25mg I felt spaced out, dizzy and very very anxious (more so than normal). I couldn’t cope with the side effects (health anxiety) and so didn’t take another tablet.

I've been taking it for 5 months and haven't experienced diarrhoea at all. I also switched to taking it at night as it made me feel nauseous and shaky if I took it during the day. My GP warned me it would be worse before it got better and that was spot on for me, but now I wish I'd asked for help sooner. I feel like me again after years of stress, anxiety and not finding any joy in life. Good luck and hope it's positive for you too!

Side effects started almost immediately for me;
nausea & loss of appetite and lasted for about a month.
Migraine the first couple of days followed by horrendous headaches for about a week.
I didn't get the awful diarrhoea thankfully.

An update in case anyone else finds this post down the line…
3 weeks in and so far negative side effects have been minimal. Slightly sensitive gut and indigestion for a few days but that was it. Also quite drowsy but think that’s the kids rather than the meds. Feeling so good though already. Thought it would take much longer by my goodness - I feel like the me of 2 years ago is back.

OP, that's great news. My advice is don't rush to come off sertraline if it works for you. I was on it with minimal side effects for over a year, and it saved my sanity. Enjoy your new mental health ☺️