Experiences with setraline

[JSquared]

Two weeks in to my prescription of Sertraline. Due to move to 50mg tomorrow, after starting on 25mg. First week I feel numb, very cloudy headed but now feel loads better, much happier and less anxious/paranoid.
Worried about the weight gain aspect but will start an exercise regime in the new year to hopefully help that.
My anxiety is definitely easing barring one night where I was awake all night convinced someone was going to break in to my house (don’t listen to true crime podcasts before bed, kids )
So far I’m really glad I started taking it, but will monitor how I feel/any side effects

 

[HoneyBee29]

thank you, did you find you still have really bad symptoms or were they okay if you don’t mind me asking ?x
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can I ask what symptoms you had if you don’t mind?

Also if someone could tell me how soon the symptoms start that’d be great. I have really bad anxiety especially health anxiety.

what I will say though, headaches, restless, bad sleep, lack of appetite and brain fog i experience now so I suppose it can’t be that much different

I’ve been on 100mg for a year now but started on 50mg at first was on it for about 6 months before and then upped the dose. The only side affects I really had was fatigue, and a bit of a headache and sweating. I’m on it for depression & anxiety. My side affects didn’t worsen when I increased tbh but the only side affect I can’t stand is the sweating especially in the summer months. Also used to take it in the morning but now I take it at night as I found taking it during the day it made me really tired and drowsy I take it at night about an hr before bed, but some people it keeps them awake if they take it at night, affects everyone so differently.

 

[swimming]

I’m thinking of asking my gp to put me back up to 100mg. I’ve gone from 50 to 100 and now back down to 50 (3 weeks ago) and I thought it was working but I am noticing I am more panicky, feeling nauseous, crying more etc etc. I only switched from 100 to 50 because I could not handle to extreme sweating. I feel it’s a catch 22.
I’m just feeling so overwhelmed and a bit frightened by life! I’m a lone parent to a 2 year old boy and my day starts at 5am at the moment it’s all just a bit much

 

[aidil]

I feel like I’m constantly napping right now and have zero energy after a day at work! I’m wondering if my vitamin D levels have taken a hit with the darkness and that coupled with the meds are making me a zombie

 

[swimming]

I moved up to 100mg after a month on Sertraline and I’ve not looked back! I was still worked up and not sleeping well on 50mg and then the clouds just lifted after the dose increase. You might get a bit of emotional blunting initially but it improves after a week or so Stick it out! I hope you feel better soon lovely x

Aww thank you so much!! Yes I’ve had awful insomnia on 50mg, and when I first started it I felt very numb. Almost like I was having an out of body experience. So I’m a bit nervous about the increase but I will stick with it and ride the waves until I’m feeling more like the old me! X

 

[levitating]

Took almost six months but i'm FINALLY seeing/feeling the benefits of being on this, makes putting up with the side effects so worth it. Could've worked a bit quicker but better late than never

 

[theghosttown]

I went from 50mg to 100mg quite quickly. I am suffering with terrible tiredness and brain fog. But I have decided before I look into switching to take some vitamins and see if it improves.
I also get the awful sweating but the last two nights haven’t been too bad. Apparently vitamin a can help and I’ve recently started taking that. Most likely coincidence though.
Other than that I have had little side effects apart from the off upset stomach and nausea! My ocd and panic had completely subsided which is worth it x

 

[swimming]

So I bought some magnesium tablets today from Sainsbury’s after I was informed they are meant to be be good for insomnia and restless legs. Both of which I am suffering from so badly right now. It can’t hurt to try it!

 

[unidentified]

I would definitely discuss it with your GP! You sound exactly like I did before my dose change. I also started on 50mg but still had my poor days. More anxiety attacks rather than full blown panic attacks which was obviously an improvement but still not enjoyable! I was bumped up to 100mg after six weeks and noticed a huge improvement. It did come with the side effect of feeling a bit numb (see my post above) but I’m fine with that if it means being panic free!

My GP also puts through propranolol for me to keep in my pocket during the day. I’ve not had to use it too regularly but it really helps when I have an acute attack. Just helps level you out before you start spiralling!

Same here. I wasn't having panic attacks but I couldn't control my mind in personal stressful situations. I do feel completely numb to things that would usually be making me very ill which I'm not sure is a healthy thing but it is definitely better than the alternative. I think being aware of it is a positive as it maybe means in time (I've only been on it 4 months and 100mg 2) then you learn to manage feelings better as a whole meaning you feel less numb?

 

[Vivian124]

I used take it at night and my dreams were wild and sometimes disturbing it's like it goes into the deep recesses of your mind. I switched to taking it on the morning and they've completely calmed down now.

 

[aidil]

Praying for you all with the sertraline sweats this week I’m a puddle.

 

[Veilside]

I was on sertraline 50mg a few years back for anxiety, they helped a lot although I put on weight. Could’ve been the tablets or lockdown and indulging in bbq food and alcohol.
I’m currently now on day 5 after needing to go back on them as I have so much shit going on, sons health is declining, husbands health isn’t great, need to be able to support my other two children through all of this. I’m just really struggling with the side effects, my appetite is non existent, the thought of food make me gag, trying to eat little bits here and there but nothing substantial. Making sure I’m drinking plenty of water throughout the day as that’s all I can tolerate. The feeling of dread that comes over me throughout the day in waves is awful, Head feels a bit woozy and headachy, also on my period so that helps I know I have to push through these side effects, I need to persevere.
I have requested some anti sickness tablets from my Dr who is going to call me tomorrow to discuss this, I just want to be able to eat and not panic at the thought of food.

 

[newaccount2022]

On 100mg… really don’t think I’m seeing any sort of difference. The dose is big but not even having side effects and getting paranoid they gave me fakes lol… I’ve never had an anti-depressant that worked. Maybe I’m just destined to be this way

 

[boomska]

I spoke to the doctor today and I’m back on 100mg of sterilise! And I’m so excited to feel better and handle life again.

 

[unidentified]

I think I need to go back on it. I can feel the rage building again as I get frustrated with the little things, definitely made worse by getting ghosted recently. Times like this I am missing the numb feeling sertraline gave me.

 

[Savewaterdrinkgin]

I was the same as you and scared to take it, but in the end I just went for it and it was fine. Some people do get side effects, but they go eventually. I was lucky in that I wasn’t affected although it didn’t make any difference for me for a couple of months so I was close to giving up. I woke up one day feeling relaxed and realised I hadn’t had a panic attack or anxious feelings and knew it had finally started working. I’m now on 150mg a year later as it did seem to wear off and stop working. If it doesn’t work for you then you can request a different one, but they do like to keep you on it until it has time to work. The best advice I can give is to not overthink it or worry, you deserve to feel at peace and this is a step closer to that x

 

[JSquared]

I think I’m going to make an appointment with my GP and see if I may need to start something like Setraline but I don’t know if things are bad enough for me to take it.

I’ve had the lowest year of my life and I struggle to get through most days and I’ve developed anxiety. I countdown until I can get into bed at night and I hate that my daughter can see me looking sad.

I know it’s stemmed from heartbreak but I’m not sure if I just need to suck it up and get over it on my own.

I thought I wasn’t ‘unwell enough’ for antidepressants but it’s honestly the best thing I have done for myself. Talk to your dr and see what they say. My dr suggested it, I originally said no and then after a few weeks asked about how antidepressants worked etc when I wasn’t feeling better.
Never be afraid to ask for help x

 

[HoneyBee29]

I was terrified too. And it wasn’t easy for the first fortnight, but when I swapped to taking mine at night instead of the morning it was much better!
I know it’s a cliche but they’ve given me my life back.
You’ve got this!
And you can as said above you can swap if you find they don’t suit you.
My worst symptom in 3 years - I sweat a lot more but it’s a trade off I’m willing to make to calm my brain down.x

I know everyone’s different but its crazy to me that ppl can take it at night as when I tried switching to taking it at night it kept me awake all night wasn’t able to sleep till like 3am so swapped back to taking it during the day. Mad how different it affects everybody. I still sweat badly in the summer months and been on it 4 years. That’s kind of my only symptom.

 

[theghosttown]

I am 3 days into taking 100mg at night (was on 50 for a while). And I laid awake last night with my heart racing, knots in my stomach and i constantly feel that something bad is about to happen.

That is the absolute worst feeling. I really hope it doesn’t impact my sleep. I’ve managed to get through it relatively unscathed so I’m hoping my dosage increase doesn’t hugely impact that.
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I’ve been on Sertraline for a couple of months now and I’m only now getting the night sweats and bad sleep

Speak to your doctor for a review, you should have seen some improvement by now so Hulu may need your dose tweaking or a new med x

 

[Youre a wizard Harry]

i was on 50mg for about a year but noticed i was starting to feel bad again so i am now on 100mg. i’ve never been properly diagnosed with ocd but i have pretty bad compulsions and my brain feels like there are very dark outcomes to these. since taking sertraline i no longer get them. i also used to pull out my eyebrow hairs which i barely do anymore.

im 18 now and started taking it (age 16/17) because i was feeling very depressed and did not know how to go about daily life and being a person anymore. my mum had been desperately trying to get me through to a doctor who would listen for a very long time and it took a very serious breakdown and last straw for them to offer medication to me.

ive noticed that i often have random waves of nausea and now i can fall asleep randomly during the day (it was impossible for me to nap before). i also have very vivid dreams at night, to the point that very often i struggle to distinguish between what happened in a dream and reality. i also think in general i have become better in relation to social situations and other people. but im not actually fully sure if these things are due to the sertraline or are just coincidental and due to me naturally changing as a person which is frustrating- particularly the nausea, social parts and feeling more tired...

i can fall asleep heavily during the day but can’t fall asleep at night until 5:30am. great when you have online lessons at 9!

overall i think i do feel happier, but unfortunately i can’t say it has really helped my anxiety. i still feel anxious every moment of the day and dont think i’ve ever properly had a feeling of ease

I have vivid dreams too, every single night at the moment! Seems to be a common side effect.