Starting Sertraline - how was it initially for you ?

[Cr1987]

I have been feeling very down lately and plucked up the courage to go to the GP yesterday. I have been placed on the waiting list for talking therapy but also prescribed sertraline.

I took the first tablet yesterday and very soon after felt very sick and had sore cramping pains in my stomach.

I was working from home yesterday and managed to get through the morning but by the afternoon I felt faint and ended up being sick three times. I couldn’t eat all day and have just managed to pick at a slice of toast this morning.

I have rang the GP and they will be getting back to me at some point today. But I am scared to take another tablet as I felt so awful yesterday. Reading online it seems these symptoms may just be part of the process and they get better eventually.

can I ask what people’s experiences were with starting sertraline?

Felt really strange first few days like coming up on mdma but without the happiness lol. Jittery and sick etc. then I just felt so so calm and the world felt a better place.

Stick with it it gets better. Take them in the morning so they don't stop you sleeping as well xx

I'm on day 5. To me it feels like I'm on a massive mdma come down. Feel sick, not eating, waking up in the middle of the night.
Just realised I'm on 50mg but most people start on 25mg. I'm only going to have half today and rest of week as I've got a big week on at work and I can't do it feeling like this.
You have to power through the first couple of weeks it seems

Very tough start but a game changer for me so I'm glad i stuck it out.

My first 2 weeks were NOT good. I felt very very unwell and completely disconnected from the world. I didn't think I would be able to stick with it - it made me feel worse.

At week 3 I was much better, almost euphoric- it was a fantastic feeling. I remember walking the dog and grinning like a loon at the totally unremarkable overcast sky thinking it was the most beautiful thing I'd seen. 😁

By week 4 and beyond i was settling nicely into a much more normal me. But better.

To manage the sick feeling in the early days I actually found taking it at night worked for me. As it can affect sleep that might not work for some but it definitely made a difference to me.

Once I was used to it and side effects had passed i gradually took it earlier in the day until I was back to taking it in the morning again.

Well done for making the call btw. That can be hardest bit. We tend to put it off hoping we'll feel better by ourselves. That very often does not happen. Making the call to get help is so important. I'm kicking myself that I didn't do it sooner.

Oh and I was signed off work until the initial side effects settled. That was a must. I needed that time. Make sure to do as little as possible in the early days until you start feeling better.

I can't do that....I work for myself and have 3 long days in work this week then I'm away on Thursday overnight.....I simply can't do it with these side effects, I've spent today curled up in a ball shaking and gurning like a mad one. I've missed today's tablet so I'm going to have tomorrow's but only take a half dose 25 instead of 50). Don't know if that's sensible but I can't function with the side effects like that.

@Warmhome1

Ah, that sounds tough. Yep, I think taking 25 mg for a while is the way to go. Give your GP a ring and tell them struggling on the 50mg atm. They might write you px for 25mg tabs so you don't have to split the 50s you have.

You can stay on 25mg until you feel ready to increase. Keep in touch with GP, although, when it came to tapering up and down on sertraline, my GP was fairly blasè about it. A bit "Whatever you think yourself." 🙄😆

Good luck. Do what you need to to get by for the next while. I really feel for you.

Thanks for the kind words

Seems a bit of a lottery how it effects people