Sertraline side effects - reassurance needed

[wonderwomaninaus]

I've started taking sertraline for anxiety and panic attacks. I'm on day 3 and feel awful. I feel really wired and edgy and a bit dizzy. My jaw is clenching a lot, I feel a bit nauseous and the worst is, I can't sleep. Waking all hours of the morning and not been able to go back to sleep. The pharmacist said side effects will wear off, just wondered if anyone could share their experience with me and when I might expect to start feeling better?

Hi, I had the same when I started sertraline bit the side effects wore off quite quickly. What dose are you on?

I also felt awful the first day or two. Not being able to sleep isn't like me at all and I found it really hard, but it didn't last long. Definitely less than a week

Oh yes - about a week as I recall

Hi, I started taking Sertraline 2.5 weeks ago. Definitely felt weird for the first few days. Bit dizzy/woozy. Soon wore off though and I feel tons better now. So much brighter and less anxious. I’m taking 50mg a day xx

I found the side effects a lot when I took them (made me feel really sick/dizzy) but it worse off after a week or two. Then I started to feel a lot better.

I would suggest taking in the morning if they are impacting your sleep.

Try and give it a week or so more if you can x

Hi @wonderwomaninaus I'm on day 3 as well and feel the same. I've got mouth ulcers, woozy head and feel so spaced out. Really good to hear this will pass. Are you taking it in the evening??

@camperjam I started on 25mg which they told me to increase to 50 after a week. I'm now worried it will get worse again when I increase the dose. It's hard looking after kids etc but thank you, it's reassuring to know it won't last.

@PastyMuncher, it's wicked isn't it? They told me to take in the morning as it could affect sleep at night, but it has anyway. I felt upset before but no tears would come, felt very strange.

The side effects can be brutal at first but they definitely do diminish. I’m on 100mg now and when I started and then stepped up it was hard but now I’m 5 months in I pretty much forget I take it!

That's wonderful @Moon5 so glad they're working. I've been signed off work for a week and doc has given me Alprax (benzo) for when I'm at my worst. I try not to take them but most mornings have had half a tab so I can get through the morning. The mornings are the worst and I can usually cope well by the afternoon.

At first it can make you feel pretty awful, but it's well worth persevering, because once it settles, it can be extremely effective.

Expect some weird dreams. They can be a bit wild!

I felt absolutely awful for about a fortnight. Sick, generally weird and I hallucinated at night (it is listed as one of the rarer side effects). Doctor pushed me to stick with it, and it cleared and totally changed my life. I would totally recommend sticking with it, it gets better.

Some people get ringing in the ears. It's a minor annoyance and easy to ignore. It's a temporary thing.

Hopefully we'll be through this bit soon. I've got a job interview tomorrow argh. Hopefully my brain will work a bit!

I felt the same when i started on 25mg. Unfortunately the side effects came again when I upped to 50mg. They improved after a few days but it was a good 4-6 weeks in total before the side effects wore off and i felt the full benefits.

Reading reviews like this encouraged me to stick it out - and it was SO worth it! It changed my life, i wish I'd done it years ago. Good luck.

Good luck with the job interview @PastyMuncher, hope all goes well.

Thank you for all the lovely replies. I will push on with it I think. Think I've had low level anxiety for years and it just became too much this last couple of weeks, I could barely function. Hopefully the payoff will br worth it.

@Undethetree how long did you do 25mg for? Just wondered if this dose is enough to stay on for a while....

Hi OP,
I'm starting on sertraline on Wednesday/Thursday.
Ive been on Citalopram, but after a few years- no longer feel that it's working. I've had to reduce my Citalopram to 20mg for 1 week (was on 40 mg).
I'm dreading the panic attacks as I'm so panicky already.
It's helpful to read this thread.
X

Hi OP, I've been taking sertraline since 2016, 100mg.

I do recall having disturbed sleep and nightmares when I started taking it, but I don't think that lasted long at all.

If you've discussed these symptoms with your doctor / pharmacist and they have told you it'll stop, then I'd trust that they know these symptoms are common and I'd stick with it.

You'll start feeling the benefits of the medication soon!

Stick with it! The side effects will pass and you'll start to level off

I'm a nurse and it is common to experience side effects with Sertraline, including lower mood initially. It's important to take the medication at the same time every day and you are supposed to have a medication review within the first week, and same with any increase of dose and then one every 3 months thereafter. Hope the side effects ease off soon

There are honestly hundreds of threads started about exactly this with Sertraline - that should give you some confidence that it's so common! And most go exactly like yours with people reassuring it really does get better. You have to stick with it, can be days or weeks, but the fog starts to life and you get to be you again!

I was you almost exactly two years ago and I'm so glad I started Sertraline as it's given me my life back.

Good luck @ladybee2, hope it all goes smoothly for you. Panic attacks are the worst, try not to worry yourself too much, you may not get them with changing over meds. My panic attacks stopped on the first day but I do feel quite anxious, particularly in the mornings.