Sertraline support

[BrickSnail]

Hi all, I'm on day 4 of sertraline and the side effects have been absolutely horrific. I've gone through so many old posts on this but was wondering if anyone was currently in the same boat so we could support each other?

I’ve been on Sertraline for about 8 months now and the whole ‘it gets worse before it gets better’ was definitely how it went for me. But stick with it and honestly after a few weeks you will start to feel the benefits of it. What time of day are you taking it? I found taking mine in the evening is best because then I sleep through most of the physical side effects

Thank you for your response. I had started with morning time around 9am but today I'm switching to bedtime in the hopes I can sleep through some of it. But despite not having a tablet since 9am yesterday, I'm still a mess. I've got really severe nausea, no appetite, jelly legs, extra anxiety (which is what I'm taking it for). I'm literally clinging on to hopefully feeling better by the end of week 2.

My anxiety skyrocketed as well but honestly about 2 weeks later it had settled. It’s grim, but definitely worth it. Try changing to night and see how it goes!

Thank you, I really appreciate you saying that and definitely trying at night

Hi op
yes, stick with it for the first few weeks. I had this in the beginning. It dies take a good few weeks to build up in your body and start working x

Do you remember how long it took for your side effects to ease off?

Oh op the start sucks but it will get better I promise.

Litterally on day 14 I woke up and didn't feel quite as shit. Then it got gradually better and better and now I feel totally normal.

How much are you on?

Thank you for this! That's the countdown I have in my head but also the thoughts of another week of this is a killer. I'm willing to stick it though

You can do it you badass 😁

I've started on 50mg

I'd definitely give yourself at least 6 weeks on that.
I went up to 75 after 4 weeks.
Unfortunately this resulted in severe diarrhoea for weeks. But I did have IBS anyway.
I went back to 50mg and that worked well.
Obviously that's just me.

You'll hear so many different stories and experiences and the only thing I can say is give yourself time.
X

About 2 weeks

Hi I did take sertraline 50mgs , at the start I did feel like stopping as felt so ill for a number of weeks but persevered and honestly it was the best thing that I could have done . I have now been off for a year or so Good luck it really was life changing for me xxx

I think I was lucky. I started on 25mg for 2 weeks and had no effects so then went up to 50mg. No side effects and it sorted me out.

Is there a possibility of decreasing to 25mg for a couple of weeks and then doing 50mg?

I am on week 2 and feel so much better. I also started to take it before bed time which helped eased a lot of the symptoms (especially the nausea). But I do feel a lot more tired than I did before taking it. So that may take a bit more time to settle. I also missed two days as half term just threw me and I did end up with really bad headaches.

That's really good to know thank you for sharing, it gives me hope for next week as this has been a massive struggle

Thank you, I have heard of the dodgy rum from it. It has irritated mine as well already at 50

Maybe try 25, you've only been on it a few days. Some people manage fine mentally on smaller doses.
As you're experiencing tummy problems, maybe 25 could ease you into it.

Room for another one? I’m on day 4. Not sure how I’m feeling at the moment, I’m also on weight loss jabs so not sure which feeling is attributed to which. I feel a bit shaky and have bouts of tiredness but otherwise ok. I take mine at night and wake up at 4am on the dot but again, is that the sertraline, who knows.

Do you mind if I ask what dose you are on? Are you having any intense nausea at all?

I’m on 50. A bit of nausea at times but then I don’t know if it’s the jabs as I’ve moved up a dose and took it around the same time. I’ve been prescribed it for anxiety not depression.

I was really reluctant as I really didn’t want to go down the anti-depression medication route (as I’m not depressed) and GP’s have been trying to punt this on to me for a while, whereas I rely on occasional diazepam but they’re reluctant to prescribe that now so I relented and here I am.

Mines for anxiety too, which it has also increased. I'm giving it another week and hoping for the best but it's been really horrible. The constant nausea is killing me off. Hope yours stays mild

Hi all, @BrickSnail, i know this post isnt new but wondered if you have an update a few weeks down the line? Im on day 5 (only 25mgs) and feel terrible.

Oh love, how are you coping with it? I did see your post but didn't want to respond with woe! I spent two weeks on sertraline. I was prescribed 50mg but I dropped myself down to 25mg and had a call scheduled with the doctors after two weeks (this was meant to be two weeks of 50mg). I told her I was still having horrendous side effects and she said to come of it and I could try a different antidepressant if I wanted to. I chose not to ask tbh I'm just too scared. The sertraline, even at 25mg gave me terrible side effects for the two weeks I was on it. I couldn't sleep past 3 am, waking with racing anxiety spirals. I was waking nauseous every day. My appetite went completely on the 50mg but came back a bit at 25mg though I still lost 2/3 kgs of weight. People say to give it a few weeks but after two weeks solid of side effects, I couldn't take it anymore, it was worst than the original anxiety and there was no relief/improvement. I've seen spoken to someone else who has started at the same time and they were fine with no issues.