Sertraline side effects - need reassurance

[SewingIsMySuperPower]

I started taking Sertraline on Saturday (25mg) for anxiety. I'm really struggling with the sife effects.

I have absolutely no appetite at all. I've hardly eaten anything since Sunday. When I do manage to eat, I then feel really nauseous and was actually sick yesterday. So I'm exhausted and tired all the time.

I was sleeping well before I started taking it. Now I get to sleep OK, but wake up 2-3 hours later and can't get back to sleep. Which is compounding how tired i am. I obviously have no energy to do any exercise which is what is recommended to try and combat the insomnia.

My mood is also worse. I'm really down and the unwanted and intrusive thoughts I've been having (not about hurting myself or anything) have been much worse and I'm really struggling with that.

I knew it would be worse for a few days, but someone please tell me these side effects are going to go away soon. I'm not sure how much longer I can cope with them. 😢

They do go away. It just takes a bit of time for your body to adjust. For me it was totally worth it. Are you taking it at night or in the morning? I take mine at night as it helps me sleep

Hey lovely!

I was on sertraline when I was diagnosed with depression after a tough few months and it took a good two weeks or so for me to get over the side effects. Keep going with them, trust me it takes time and I know its awful but in a month or so you will feel so much better.

Are you working? It might be worth seeing if you could possibly be signed off work, so you don't have to have anything else to think about and can just focus on feeling better and have lots of restful days.

Sending you lots of love ❤️

Hi both. Thank you for responding so fast. I take it in the morning which it said was recommended if you want to avoid insomnia.

I've been signed off for 6 weeks now. I was reluctant to take any medication initially. Really wish I'd done it at the start though as I'd hopefully be feeling much better now!

I really empathise.

It made me nauseous for the first few weeks (and still does if I don’t eat when I take it) and really affected my sleep to start with (like you, wide awake in the middle of the night) and I was thinking “what’s the point if it makes me feel worse?”

It all settled after a fortnight or so.

I feel sooooooo much better on it though. Totally life changing for me.

I hope it works for you too x

Maybe try taking it in the evening. It definitely helped my sleep when I started taking it in evening instead of morning x

Hi op
I started taking it last Wednesday (same dose), like you for anxiety and also panic attacks.
It does take a little while to kick in and getting to sleep was also an issue. Over the last couple of days though I have felt quite a bit better in myself.
I've been taking it last thing at night for the last evening or two and I think that works better for me, so maybe try that?

I used to take mine at night but then insomnia kicked in, so I now take it at lunch which has helped

2 weeks. Just get through it day by day. Make no major decisions. After 2 weeks you will start feeling better day by day

It was about two weeks for me - and I had bathroom issues.
Took it for about six months to help me through a really difficult period of time.

I would recommend taking it straight after breakfast if you can make yourself eat something. Going off and on sertraline is really hard. 🙁 Things will settle, though.

Hi. Were you taking it earlier in the day before that? If so, did you have any issues the day you switched to taking it at night? Already taken it today, but considering trying to take it before bed tomorrow. Just wondering if that long gap might cause an issue? X

Thank you everyone for your messages. It has made me feel better and more reassured that I will feel better eventually.

I think one thing I'm really struggling with is 'intrusive thoughts' which have really kicked up a gear since I started taking the tablets. Combined with the lack of sleep and not eating, it's making me feel like I'm going mad x

When I first started it years ago, the intrusive thoughts and panic attacks got worse for a couple of weeks. I was lucky I had no physical side effects though.
I am on 200mg now. A very high dose!

Hi op
Yes I was taking it earlier in the day before switching. I did wonder about the relatively long gap between doses but I didn't notice any particular issues with doing it.

Everything you describe sounds normal. My ds is on sertraline for severe ocd (intrusive thoughts) and he felt like you described when he started - stick with it. He's now on the highest dose and it's been life changing - he is happy and 'normal' - and can put his intrusive thoughts into perspective. Feel free to pm.

25mg is very low dose.

How are you getting on - I just started mirtazapine and had some difficulties with side effects . I also have insomnia . Ask your GP for some sleeping tablets just to get you through this difficult bit . They are commonly used in this way .

Hi OP. The first two weeks are awful but they've been life changing for me. It's like there's a lid on how much my anxiety can peak and I just get nowhere near that. I just can't seem to get too worked up about much and I'm enjoying life so much more.

I was taking them at bedtime but had insomnia and awful lethargy the next day (could barely get my head off the pillow and had to drag myself on the nursery run before coming back and sleeping til lunchtime). I now take them at about 5pm and sleep much better. Also really craved diet coke which was weird. The tiredness for me lasted much longer so, like you, I needed signed off work for a good while. I was napping every day for weeks! So much better now and honestly worth the difficult bit in the beginning.

Hi all. I really appreciate all your comments.

After a very rough Christmas morning (lots of intrusive thoughts, crying, general anxiety, etc), I forced myself to play a game and go for a walk with my husband before we had Christmas dinner. I felt so much better when we got back from our walk. I actually ate my dinner (pretty much same portion as my 7 year old niece, but it was good to eat!). I slept better too. And yesterday was a good day. Managed all 3 meals (very small) and another walk.

We've been at my in laws and they have been absolutely and utterly amazing. Kind, patient, supportive and I feel extremely lucky.

We're currently on our way home and I admit I'm a bit anxious about going backwards once we're back to 'real life'. I'm also not deluding myself that I'm not going to have further 'attacks'. But it's been nice to feel calmer and to actually be hungry!

One of my fears was that the intrusive thoughts wouldn't go away when I started feeling better. But I'm happy to report they did. And I think that has helped a bit too. Knowing that those feelings do go away when my mood improves feels a bit like a shield?

And all your comments have helped to remind me that I'm not alone xxx

Hi OP. So glad you've been able to get some relief and enjoy yourself. I think even recognising that you've been able to do these things, that you've enjoyed yourself and that you've got lots of support goes a long way towards a positive mindset. Don't put any pressure on yourself. Some days, when I was first off, I just didn't want to do anything so slept and ate rubbish. Other days I felt motivated and would go to the gym or for a coffee to read a book then felt guilty for that but all the ups and downs are a normal part of recovery. Just take your time and do things you're comfortable with then once the medication settles down, things will start to feel more balanced.

Stick with it - it's a rollercoaster but it will eventually smoothen out. Try what works best - taking it at night vs morning - maybe afternoon even. Hand hold! Also Citalopram made me very very odd - Sertraline started to work after a bit of trial and error.

Glad you had a good day! The "fear of the fear" is horrible isn't it. Are you also getting CBT?

I take 100mg and I'm fine! They do say it takes 6-7wks for tablets to start taking effect. The way you are feeling at the moment is part placebo and part side effects. You are expecting them to kick in straight away which they won't. Just try to eat sensibly, exercise and put them at the back of your mind and don't focus intently on them for now

Side effects are normally a 2 week thing. Most of them will have vanished by then and if you're still having them after 6 weeks they probably won't go away and you should try a different antidepressant.

When I started in Sertraline, it made me feel very sick for 10 days. I couldn’t eat properly and it was horrible swallowing the tablet each day, knowing how sick it was making me. However, the sickness stopped and it has really helped me. So happy I powered through! Wishing you all the very best.