Just taken my first sertraline

[LibbyL92]

I’ve been prescribed sertraline 5 times before and never managed to take even 1. Out of fear of getting worse before I got better.

I was given 25mg 6 weeks ago. It’s taken me 6 weeks to work the courage up (and rapidly deteriorate with my MH) last night was the final straw. The ruminating has got completely out of control. My head was feeling like it was going to explode. It was the worst feeling.

i’m starting with 25mg, doctors said to follow up once I’ve completely with potential to up the dosage.

im also on the wait list for therapy. Another 5 weeks to go supposedly.

please tell me I'm going to be ok? I feel like I’m in such a deep black hole with no point of return.

any successful stories? I don’t know what I’m expecting from this post. Please, any happy stories to share from taking this? Does it get better?

Didn’t want to leave you hanging. I have no experience but just wanted to say well done for taking the first step. Well actually the second step. You got help and you’ve started the treatment. I wish you luck and hopefully others will be along.

Good luck. I personally hated it, gave me awful night sweats. Therapy was a saviour. Have you tried any mental health charities near you for support? Some run groups and drop in sessions.

Well done for starting; it may feel like you feel more anxious initially but it will pass and hopefully it will help, especially alongside counselling. Keep communicating, things will get better with time and the right support.

It's helped me. 50mg.
Unfortunately I had a bowel reaction to it, when I increased to 75mg after 4 weeks, but I do have IBS.
I was so pissed off, it is a side effect. I decided to go back to 50mg.
The bowel thing calmed down after a few weeks.

I know someone who's on it who never had any bowel problems and no other side effects either.

Give it a few weeks, don't rush upping the dose.

25mg is very low tho so maybe see how you are in 2 weeks.

God I love being on sertraline.

I won't lie, the first week was difficult, but waking up on day 8 it was like my brain had been switched off. The end to the constant ruminating and catastrophising was revelatory.

I just feel like me, but me who can handle stuff and isn't a constant gibbering wreck of what ifs and worst case scenarios.

Sertraline user here. 200mg. Worked up to it really slowly. I don't take it for depression, I take it for rumination OCD. It's been a life saver. It took a few months to feel the benefit of it, but I believe for depression it kicks in faster. So if you don't immediately notice things getting better, it absolutely does, it just takes a little longer to tackle rumination.

I also get night sweats (like PP), which are worse in the middle of my menstrual cycle. But it's worth it now I can sit still occasionally without wanting to scratch my skin off to distract me from a thought.

My libido was affected each time I upped a dose, but it came back after I settled. I got diarrhoea when I upped a dose too. If I miss a dose I tend to find I'm quite anxious but that may be placebo. I can't cry. Haven't cried since I hit 100mg. But I feel joy and I laugh and I can tackle stuff I couldn't before.

Also, for rumination OCD they recommend getting to the full 200mg dose to have good effect.

good luck, I was reluctant to start but now I'd only ever come off them if they stopped working.

Try making a menu of the key things you need to focus on each day. Prepare carefully for them and tick them off when they are done. This will act as a stabiliser. Try to treat yourself to small delights and be kind to yourself as a reward for fulfilling your list. Repeat, repeat, and repeat again. Good luck.

I have a huge success story for sertraline! It saved my sanity and likely my marriage 5 years ago. I had dreadful PND after the birth of dc2 and I was a wreck. I’d had a lifetime of very poor mental health but I’d always resisted medication. It took a lot for me to give sertraline a try, but it really was a lifeline and I’m thankful for it every day.

I felt very woozy and a bit weird and high when I first started, but that soon settled down and I felt like my head was above water for the first time in my life. I had the huge benefit of a pal who’s a psychiatrist checking in with me over text - not everyone tolerates it well, and it can have difficult side effects. Read the leaflet, watch for them and call your gp if you think something is wrong. BUT…do know that it’s a really successful drug that’s well tolerated by many people.

Best of luck. I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough time of things, I hope this gives you some support and breathing space, and that you get a therapy callback soon.

OCD is what I suffer with. I had therapy 5 years ago. I did so well, but have really struggled again this last year. There’s lots of life stress around me atm and it’s defo triggered it and flared it all up again.

this feels like such a long road. I’m going I notice a bit of a positive difference with 25mg.. the thought of maybe working my dosage up to say 200mg, feels like such a long road.

in so glad they are working for you though. That’s really reassuring x

Thank you! I’m due to get married in 2 months. Feel like it’s ruining everything with me being like this.

in so glad to hear you have such a positive story. I’m proud of myself for biting the bullet and taking it. The thought of feeling almost normal does make me smile. Although hard to believe at the moment.

Could any long term users of Sertraline tell me does it make you hungry. Also does it help with sleep. Thanks very much for any advice from any user of this medication. 🙏

100mg here, possibly increasing. The first 6wks or so I was really dizzy and sick so I now take them at night. No side effects now. I take them for anxiety and depression. Literally saved my life and helped me get my anxiety under control to be a better mum. Only increasing as ive found they wear off around tea time. Good luck. Its a massive step youve taken. Took me around the same time to take first one.

Is the dizzy and sickness manageable?

glad to hear you’re feeling better! Really reassuring x

I’ve had CBT in the past. I may look into some local charities as I’m on a 15 week wait (5 weeks left)

Once I got into the swing of it it became manageable. I spoke to my doctor at the time who said to take it at nights instead of in the morning and to also try take it at the same time every day x

Adult child started on 50mg for anxiety, was in a bad state, i was seriously concerned about them. By day 6 I could see a difference. Only side effect was a bit dizzy a couple of times. Hasn't needed to increase the dose and now stable on it.

I started on sertraline 2 months ago and it’s been such a positive game changer for me. The catastrophising, ruminating, worrying voices have all quitened down.

the first few days I felt jittery, couldn’t sleep for a few nights and felt spaced out. However that was to be expected and it goes away quickly. Then a few weeks into the medication (I increased from 25ng to 50mg) things lifted. I feel so good.

downside is the sweating! So sweaty!
if it makes you have trouble sleeping then you should take it first thing in the morning.If it makes you sleepy you take it at night.

Well done, persevere and if you feel really really bad and think about self harm talk to everyone immediately, from 111 to family to GP.

I was terrified of it and so broke up my first 50mg tablet into tiny pieces. I took one piece and within about half an hour felt as if my brain was being given a hug. It certainly saved me from a trough of despair and anxiety. I have been on 100 now for more than 10 years. The only bad effect has been weight gain.

I’m sorry you are having a rough time and wish you all the best with your recovery.

Yep me on Saturday.

No problems except sight nausea. I haven’t rushed to take anything for it and was glad to sleep (well actually yawn sleep) for first time in 4 months on Saturday/early hours into Sunday.

Thanks to the medication giving me my life back after 4 months.

I didn't mean to make you feel like it was a long road, I guess it's just nice to know things will keep getting better. It definitely started to make things easier within the first month or so, and then it just got easier and easier with each increase.

The OCD thoughts are still there, but it just makes it so much easier for me to do the CBT stuff I need to do to get past them. They don't affect me any where near as much.

I think it also depends how long you've had ocd for, I had it for 25 years before I got treatment so those neuro pathways were really ingrained. I assumed that it'll never actually go away fully but I can live with it how it is now 🙂

I’d hit rock bottom and couldn’t function at all for all the thoughts in my head. It took about 6 weeks for side effects to settle mainly stomach issues and increased anxiety but it started quickly to give me space in my head. It’s been about 4 months now, I’ve finally started some therapy and I feel so much better. A life saver. Good luck the first couple of weeks were tough but then everything started to improve little by little and I’m enjoying my life again.

thank you for replying. How did you know you needed to up the dose?

Not at all! :) how did you know you needed to up the dose? I guess everyone is different.

I have heard it works really well with OCD so I am looking forward to feeling better eventually.

My friend went in it end said the first two weeks were horrendous but then it's been amazing

I have many years of experience with Sertraline and always following a crashing my MH. I have come off and started it 4 times I do believe. 3 times for crippling anxiety and once for depression and anxeity together.

the conclusion I have come to is I do not think I will ever stop taking it again. Starting it is too hard to take that risk.

The last time I restarted it (it was 4 years ago)

For me, going straight to 50 and staying there was all I needed so I didn’t taper up and make the side effects last longer.

For me starting it week one is awful awful awful. My sleep disappears, anxiety ramps wayyy up, jaw clenched shut, face sore, feel physically shaky, can’t get any peace but no energy to move, arms feel detached and tingly. I spoke to the doctor the last twice about how it affected my sleep and was prescribed Valium 2mgs and zopiclone 7.5 at night for sleep. This made the week significantly easier and I found with sleep and low dose valium taking the intensity out of it the physical feeling I could cope.

Do not struggle with lack of sleep in silence. most GPs know how hard it is to start medication like this and will try to help you through.

My intense symptoms only last one week. And then the drastically lessen the second week. By the third week I begin to feel calmed internally and it only goes up from there.

You CAN do this. I think one of the biggest mistakes people make with ADs is quitting in the first couple of weeks because they can be so treacherous. Don’t. Write down all the reasons you went to the GP in the first place, the constant struggles to cope you have been having and how they impact your life. Refer back to all of this for the first while to keep you going.

you will get better and life WILL be brighter and more sweet then you can imagine when everything calms down and you get over this initial hurdle. Cling to that.

I had to up my dose from 50mgs to 200 when I had PPA after my first baby. I am not in 75 msg and I think I could cope with 50mgs but will leave it at 75mg until I return to work