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'll also add that the first week is extra horrendous, I went to a very dark place with it as it caused such bad anxiety. By the second week I was at least able to rationalise a bit that it was the medicine causing the 3am anxiety spirals for me. I also found that it knocked me out so used to take it in the evening around 8 and would sleep fairly solidly from 9/10 until the anxiety spirals at 3.

Thanks for the update, Im so sorry it didnt work for you. Im feeling a tiny bit better this morning (day 6)

That's great! I hope they work out for you x

Thanks @BrickSnail. I do feel better today. I know its a bumpy road though and completely understand those aggressive anxiety spirals. Id rather have anything physical over this! Hope you are well now

Found this thread so useful. Thank you pps. I hope reactivating the post, people who have had success continue to post. It is such a support in the early days, when it feels it has to get worse before it gets better.

I am 13 days in - 5 days x 25mg and now 8 days x 50mg. I can see people advise day 14 can be a turning point with the initial escalation of anxiety and depression.

I wonder when I can consider I have reached day 14? Total number, that includes the initial 25mg and now 50mg? Or from the point I started on 50mg?

I feel so grim. I don’t want to feel I have to power through. That’s the thinking that has resulted in the need for the medication.

TIA

I think you need to be on the 50 for a couple more weeks before you feel much better. Hopefully you’ll feel better before then. Are you also having therapy?

@Lizzbear thank you for posting.

“Another couple of weeks.” Sounds like I’m in the trenches now.

I have had a shed ton of talking therapy in the past. I’m drawing on those experiences to keep myself steady now.

When pps advise ‘look after yourself’, realise definitely need to, and value having a workable daily routine.

If I need to give the medication another couple of weeks, I will go easy on my need for naps during the day, and just expect small local walks.

I think it’s going to take real focus to get the benefit long term.

This is a really interesting thread but I wonder if any of you knowledgeable guys can please help me.

My 31 yr old DD has severe learning difficulties and only has the speech of a toddler. She was put on Sertraline for high anxiety back in October - 100mg daily. She is only a tiny thing but, after starting the drug, she put on 1.5 stones in 7 weeks plus her behaviours and aggression were off the scale.

We managed to get the dose cut to 50mg finally at the end of February but despite her appetite having dropped she still doesn't appear to be losing weight and, although her mood is generally good during the day, when she wakes up first thing in the morning she is horrendously aggressive, banging doors, attacking people, throwing things etc. until we can calm her after a few minutes.

I appreciate it's a long shot but can any of you relate to this at all and what is happening when she wakes and why the big weight gain? We have another appointment with her psychologist in April and we are thinking of asking to drop her to 25mg. Any thoughts on this at all?

Any advice really will be appreciated.

Not sure why she’s put so much weight on so quickly. But it does affect people differently. I hope you get a solution soon, it sounds difficult for you all!!

Let me know how you get on over the next week.
all the best x

Thanks. @Lizzbear Will do.

hi @BrickSnail, i was on sertraline a few years ago after a bad time in my life, i can't remember the starting dose but iirc, i ended up on 100mg.

the initial side effects i had were: pain and pins+needles in ring and pinky fingers of both hands, a headache that i can only describe as there but not there and perhaps worst of all, a sudden and unpredictable feeling of cold air blowing up my anus followed by almost clear diarrhoea that inevitably soiled my clothes due to the lack of warning.

i was put on it in dec 2023 after fighting with the dr since may and trying to make her see i needed antidepressants rather than beta blockers, due to the fact that amongst many other problems and stresses, on the night a much loved elderly auntie had died, my favourite cousin went to her bedside without picking me up on the way or telling me she was going then had the audacity to call me and cry. that was the initial reason i wanted it and the tip of the iceberg.

the only help it gave me was calming my famously quick temper, however it made no difference to my sadness or my view that life was pointless and underwhelming. i would cry with no tears which i have found anecdotally common.

i also went from a size 8 to a 12 and developed a lot of belly fat, my stomach went from concave to protruding. i have been on venlafaxine since spring 2025 (round about that time anyway) and i dread to think about ever having to come off it, it's made a world of difference to my mental state.

i didn't write this post to put you off of sertraline, i just thought i'd share my experience. medication isn't one size fits all, especially where mental health is concerned, i'm sure some people feel about sertraline the way i do about venlafaxine.

i truly hope sertraline helps you massively, but if it doesn't, please go back to your gp because there's plenty more ssris out there and snris too.

sending best wishes

Hi! I hope you don’t mind me popping in to this thread.

Im on day 14 of Sertraline 50mg, a direct switch over from Citalopram 40mg. I feel so low and the fatigue and nausea is a killer!

Hi. Maybe leave it a bit longer but could you switch up to 100mg Sertraline. How were you on the citakopran?

I had the horrible side effects initially but it did help. I was on it for a long time, years! Gradually the dosage was increased as the effectiveness wore off. I think it helped but wasn’t amazing.

I didn't realise this thread was back in action! I'm glad its giving more people advice and support.

Unfortunately, I gave up after 2 weeks after discussing with my GP. I couldn't take the side effects and the increased anxiety from it and that was at 25mg! I think I will eventually try a different SSRI as it did, like someone else mentioned, actually help my quick temper. Though it numbed everything really (except the anxiety I was on it for 😂). It's a tough road and much respect for those who've stuck it out and improved.

I’m sorry you had a tough time with it too.

I had an appointment with my GP today and she suspects I’m not in a high enough dosage, going from Citalopram 40mg to Sertraline 50mg and so has increased
my dosage to 100mg…so we’ll see how that goes! Another review in two weeks.

Been feeling quite nauseous, tired and vague today, low and anxious, particularly at night and on waking.

I’m increasing from 50 to 100 but found some 25mg the doc had prescribed a while ago, so starting on 75 and going up to 100 next week!!
keep posting and I will too.

Hi all. Just checking. I started on 25mg for 5 days. Now day 11 of 50mg.

Physical symptom - feel sedated.
Psychological - still deep dips of low mood or anxiety.

I asked ChatGBT what ‘micro’ or subtle indications to look out for. Response

Early positive shifts (often faint, not dramatic)

1. Slight reduction in emotional intensity

• The edges of anxiety or dread may soften a little
• You might still feel low, but less sharply overwhelmed

1. A bit more mental “space”

• Thoughts may feel less crowded or urgent
• Slight pause before spiralling thinking kicks in

1. Small improvements in baseline functioning

• Getting through the day may feel fractionally easier
• Tasks don’t feel quite as impossible (even if still hard)

1. Body-level changes

• The physical anxiety (tight chest, buzzing, sinking feeling) may ease slightly or come in shorter waves

1. Tiny glimpses of neutrality or steadiness

• Not happiness yet—but moments of “this is manageable”

I remain hopeful, and don’t expect a quick fix with Sertraline. Intend to stick with it for the six weeks.

i would very much recommend an snri instead of ssri as i said i'm on venlafaxine but there is other ones too. they are the newest "generation" of antidepressants and seem to work better for anxiety, especially venlafaxine. i didn't realise this was an old thread, i was so hoping you would have a better result than i did and get some relief. why don't you have a chat with your gp and tell him/her of your experience with sertraline and that you are keen to avoid the same issues with side effects, but need something to help the anxiety? please do let us know how you go, if/when you get different meds. best wishes

Now Day 14 of 50mg. I think I am feeling a change/reduction in the intensity of the physical feelings of anxiety. My mood still feels flat. Though I seem to be able to tolerate that with some sense of acceptance rather than fighting it.

Sounds like it’s beginning to work for you, I’ve upped from 50 to 75 and am feeling more anxious, but I believe that’s due to the increase. Am going to stick with it for a few weeks 😗

@Lizzbear we need to hold our nerve and stand our ground 😉🌱💙

Day 20 (day 14 x 50mg) - had a flash of positive hopeful thinking which I hope is suggestive of the cumulative impact of the medication, and hope will increase over the next couple of weeks. Yesterday was a deep dip.

That’s good to hear you’ve had some positive feelings x