Experiences with setraline

[AutumnGhost]

I started off taking it in the morning but I couldn't sleep so now I take it at night. I just feel like a complete zombie.

I had the same experience when I took it in the morning, however now I take it in the evening & instead I wake up in the middle of the night & can be wide awake for anything from an hour to a few hours.
I don’t understand how it makes me tired during the day but gives me insomnia at night when I actually need to sleep

 

[pimplepopper123]

So I’ve been on 100mg for almost 2 weeks now (was previously on 50mg on/off for months but never followed it properly cos a doctor wouldn’t see me). I’ve got bad PND following complications at my babies birth and his subsequent illness.

But how do I know if it’s working? Is it gradual?

Any advice or experiences would be lovely x

For me it took the full 8 weeks. It is gradual yes, you will notice that the bad moments are lasting less etc. Keep a record of how you're feeling and look back on it weekly - it helped with me to see the progress no matter how small. xx

 

[Dianne]

Did anyone have any experience of sweating a lot when on Sertraline? I literally wake up some mornings drenched in sweat, it's horrible! Did it ease after time?

Yeah, I sweated a lot. It was ridiculous! Literally beads of sweat running down my face

 

[aidil]

How’s everyone getting on? I’ve been on 100mg for about three weeks now and finally noticing a difference. I feel like it’s cut out any extremes of emotion so I don’t feel very anxious anymore but it’s also cut out extreme feelings of happiness. But for now I’m okay with that because I just want to get myself sorted and focus again!

My doctor prescribed propranolol to use alongside the sertraline when the physical side of things gets bad and I have to say it’s really worked!

 

[theghosttown]

For those of you that went from 50g to 100g, when and how did you decide to do that?

I went up after about 4 weeks. I felt absolutely no improvement. 100mg was an absolute game changer. Side effects were tough but they seem to be plateauing. Fingers crossed!!

Have you had any improvement at all?x

 

[elloelloello]

Hello everyone, just read through this thread and it’s making me really worried
I’ve been put on this for the first time in my life and I’m worried about the side effects. I know I need help. I have been suffering in silence with OCD, anxiety and ptsd for years now and I’ve finally decided to try and take control of my life/brain.
I’m worried about weight gain, my weight is one of the causes for my anxiety. And I’m already struggling to sleep with intrusive thoughts most bedtimes! Also really don’t want to lose my sex drive because it really helps my partner and I feel close, after two kids!

Please can someone give me their honest experience? I’ve started taking it today, feeling absolutely fine at the moment but very tired, but I had my baby keeping me up all night so that’s probably why!

I’m starting therapy again soon so I’m hoping that will help too.

Hoping this will be a life changer for me because I struggle every day and I’ve been to anxious to tell a doctor because I hate admitting it out loud.

 

[theghosttown]

Ugh same! I feel like I spend 50% of my week in the shower or washing my duvet covers now You feel so grotty when you wake up don’t you! Never even knew knees were capable of sweating till I started Sertraline 🥲

It only really seems to be my legs too!!!!! It’s so so weird.

 

[aidil]

I started on 50mg of sertraline 2 months ago, start my third month tomorrow. For the first 2 weeks I felt like I was in space, very spaced out, headaches, nausea and my eyes were bright red. This has very much eased but now I feel dead inside, I have zero emotion, I'm bothered about things but just feel like I can't feel anything. To go from crying every day to now nothing feels very alien to me. This is concerning me as I want to at least feel human. In terms of my mood, I feel better at least. I'm also struggling with my sex drive & being able to climax now which I've had no issues with previously.

Very normal symptoms, especially at the start! I felt exactly the same about two months in (think I posted on this thread worrying just like you!) but it did improve for me I used to get the feeling that I wanted to cry if something upset or frustrated me but my body physically couldn’t do it. It felt weird and made me feel all pent up as I had no release for my feelings! But now I can quite easily cry again! I definitely don’t have the full “range” of emotions still but that’s fine for me. I don’t mind missing out on ecstatic happiness if it means I also get to miss out the lows at the other end of the scale!

One thing that’s been bizarre for me is the effect Sertraline has had on my imagination! I used to be a terrible daydreamer (to the point where I’d call it maladaptive daydreaming) but my mind rarely wanders now. Very strange feeling for me!

 

[Saddlesoap]

About 5 days now, I wasn't expecting the side effects to kick in so soon.

I'm taking it at night now and just suffer through before I sleep, as taking it in the morning was ruining my day as I still have work etc.

I got better after about a week. I lost my appetite in the morning and couldn't sleep past 4am, but by 12pm I was ok again. Fingers crossed it helps you.

 

[aidil]

Everyone is different, it’s changed my life immeasurably.

 

[Chewingthefat]

The benefits out way the side effects for me! I sleep better on Setraline, I used to get terrible insomnia but now I’m out like a light!

Yes, you do feel a bit weird the first few weeks of taking it but try and ride it out, it gets better. Once it’s settled into your system I wouldn’t say I notice it anymore. Although I do feel a bit hot and sweaty a lot of the time and my memory has gone to shit!

I did put on weight but have managed to lose it by doing Keto which I also feel benefits my mental health!

good luck!

 

[VomitCulture]

I hated it, made me sleep 24/7. Fluoxetine worked a lot better for me.

Antidepressants have such a wide range of side effects and every person reacts differently to them, it can take a few tries before you find the right one for you but it’s definitely worth sticking with it until you figure it out!

 

[swimming]

So I’ve been on 100mg for almost 2 weeks now (was previously on 50mg on/off for months but never followed it properly cos a doctor wouldn’t see me). I’ve got bad PND following complications at my babies birth and his subsequent illness.

But how do I know if it’s working? Is it gradual?

Any advice or experiences would be lovely x

 

[itsnotmereally]

Who else is struggling in this heat with the Sertraline sweats? Feel like I’m going through the change

My sweat is sweating!

 

[Dianne]

Hello, new to this thread and new to sertraline. On 50mg. Is it better to take on morning or nighttime and why? Thanks

I took mine in the morning because it caused insomnia as a side effect for me

 

[Mysteryy]

I absolutely hate it. I've never been a sweaty person before but feeling beads of sweat on your top lip just isn't what I'm wanting!

 

[Mysteryy]

So in all honesty, it was a life changer for me but I've since switched to something else.

I had a lot of side effects like teeth grinding, sweating, dizziness, headaches and nausea. Nausea was only for A week after starting or increase. Sex drive was non existent and I did put on a lot of weight. I stayed on it for about 8 months as it gave me mood stability and decreased intrusive memories. As I felt more stable, I got Dr's advice and gradually came off it, which was similar effects to starting. My moods are horrendous now so going to start ant.

In short, I had a lot of side effects but knowing what I know now, I'd still have went on it for that 8 month relief to get stable to manage a switch.

 

[nothanksbabes]

I've been on Sertraline since last March and have suddenly developed insomnia... Last night I slept from 10.30pm til midnight and then was awake for hours, the day before I was nodding off at 5pm but then awake til after 4am. I don't understand why it makes me able to sleep at any time except night. I've never struggled to sleep before. When I do manage to sleep I have wild dreams.

The night sweats are also horrible and still going strong.

 

[aidil]

I absolutely loved sertraline whilst I was on it even though I found it a bit hard to sleep and had 0 libido (and it was very difficult to orgasm). It really did feel like a magic pill for depression and anxiety. For me it was definitely worth the libido issues.

But I started to get this crazy unexplained bruising all over my body within about a month of using it, like bruises the size of my palm, maybe around ten of them on each thigh. I went off and on it about four times and they would clear and then come back within a month of being on sertraline. I actually got scared I had blood cancer so I went off and had blood tests (all OK, just thyroid issues mainly).

I ended up permanently coming off it because of the bruising. I was worried whether it might be happening in my organs etc. too. I am usually very pro-medication and I don't scare easy. I guess I just wanted to say if anyone does get the bruising, consider whether it might be sertraline. it's extremely uncommon but thought it might be helpful to know. I would use sertraline if I didn't get these effects.

I’ve definitely noticed more bruising than I’d normally get since I started the tablets. I’m often covered in them anyway as I work with animals but I get plenty of unexplained ones on my legs now. Also been really struggling in the heat - feel so much more sensitive to it since I started taking sertraline cos they make me sweat even on a normal day!

 

[Rocknrolla]

Is anyone else struggling with the dreams?