Experiences with setraline

[theghosttown]

I’m picking up my prescription for this tomorrow, reading about the side effects hear making me more anxious
I’ve got an event a week tomorrow, have the bad things usually phased off by a week in

No, I’m afraid not. To be fair they probs won’t have set in. But for me I had the shits for over a month.

 

[Sglodion]

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!

Thank you I have propanolol as well but I don't really like it as my blood pressure is on the low end of normal anyway and it makes me feel a bit weird - like I need to loosen something around my neck even when there's nothing there, IYSWIM. Still better than panic attacks obviously so I take it when I have to. Sometimes I wish it was the 60s and I could find an obliging doctor who'd prescribe an endless supply of valium no questions asked

I'm glad your dose change helped sort things for you. I've just had my best few days by quite a way, so I might give it the full six weeks to see if 50mg is enough and speak to the GP at the end.

Yes, definitely! That’s exactly how I feel. I think it makes you very aware of how irrational your thoughts were pre-medication as you can see that life is exactly the same whether you’re worrying about things or not so there’s no point wasting time panicking… or at least that’s how I hope I’ll feel eventually when I come off the meds!

In my case I could actually see that my thoughts were irrational before gettong treatment, but it didn't really help because it still felt like the things I was worrying about were real, even when intellectually I knew they couldn't be. The medication feels like it helps me see things more clearly so that my perception of the world is in line with my rational thoughts, if that makes any sense?

 

[charlied0106]

Hi everyone, glad I found (well, searched lol) for this thread. I've been prescribed 50mg today and after reading the mammoth leaflet with a million side effects I have to admit im feeling pretty wary. Im off to read the thread from the beginning, but hope youre all doing well

 

[StillLucilleBluth]

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

For me the 50 to 100 jump was a game changer. 100 agrees with me and makes a big difference. It took about six weeks after the increase to settle. But it was so worth it. Stick with it and I’m sure you will feel so much better soon! X
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Also… I’ve been on it for a year now. I don’t want to come off it. I didn’t think about it until a physio I saw made a comment about how a year on it is a long time. Now I’m wondering?! But my doctor never said I need to come off it so I’m personally thinking I never will.

 

[no-no]

That really resonates with me!! I was prescribed it in my teens and I really didn’t bother with it or take it properly. I’m now on 150mg having started on 50mg. There is zero point starting on any lower in my opinion. You need to persevere for what feels like eternity but after about 6 weeks you should be through most of the side effects. I suffered awfully with a bad stomach, extreme tiredness, severe night sweats and thirst. I’m not going to bullshit you and say that it’s a bed of roses to begin with because it’s not. But I am now on 150mg and my life is SO much better. I still get night sweats a few times a week but it’s so worth it x

Thank you I’m glad you’ve found the pros outweigh the cons, I guess I won’t know until I try. I do want to start maybe in the next week as my OCD is very bad at the minute (to the point where I think the tablet will give me an allergic reaction). I avoid taking painkillers or anything so it’s a hard pill to swallow not literally.

 

[Vivian124]

Had any one ever experienced excessive sweating on it? Kinda like hot flashes

 

[aidil]

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?

Yes, definitely! That’s exactly how I feel. I think it makes you very aware of how irrational your thoughts were pre-medication as you can see that life is exactly the same whether you’re worrying about things or not so there’s no point wasting time panicking… or at least that’s how I hope I’ll feel eventually when I come off the meds!

 

[goldengyal]

Not sure if this is Sertraline related or not so thought I’d post here to see if anyone else has experienced similar.

But basically I get suuuuper tired and feel unwell, like how you feel when you’re about to come down with the flu, but then as soon as I eat something I’m instantly better and full of energy. Could just be normal blood sugar dropping but how unwell I feel seems a little dramatic for it to just be that.

 

[pimplepopper123]

If you're still feeling anxiety then definitely increase! I started on 100mg and then went through some horrific things and the tablets just weren't cutting it. My Dr increased me to 150mg and then up to 200mg...what she told me was the best piece of advice i've ever got from a psych...my mentality was that if i'm on 200mg then it means 'I must be really crazy/anxious' but she told me that the mg isn't reflective on how anxious someone is. Everyone is different....25mg may work wonders for some and they have exactly the same levels of anxiety as you or I. It's all about finding the right dose for you and finally after nearly 2 years i'm in my sweet spot!

 

[expectopatronum]

Has anyone experienced really crazy vivid dreams whilst taking this? I’ve been taking them for 3 months. The dreams were WILD at the beginning then stopped but have since started up again even though my dose hasn’t changed. I spoke to my GP and she said she’d never heard of this happening before

 

[HoneyBee29]

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?

I actually sweat a lot since starting it as well, I’ve been on it a year and still do, constantly sweating

 

[theghosttown]

I wonder if it could be down to me taking it on an empty stomach. I take it at about 6am on an empty stomach and then after I’m drinking 3 cups of coffee and then have lunch.
I feel absolutely catatonic today. So so so tired with a weird anxiety and a bit agitated. I was absolutely fine on it until the weekend when I drank too much and it absolutely floored me!!!

 

[RandomAlpaca22]

Hoping someone can help with this!

I was on 100mg, from 50 and then back down to 50 and the balance was okay.

howvere this past week I STUPIDLY let myself run out of tablets and then couldn’t get to the pharmacy.

got them now and started taking one again last night after approx 4/5 days without any.

I am really suffering today and I don’t know if it’s a delayed withdrawal or something.

I am SO short tempered. Stomach feels like I’ve been donkey kicked, no appetite or desire to eat. Walking so slowly I’m like a tortoise and occasionally feeling faint and dizzy. My stomach is in bits too. And my toddler is pushing every single button in my well-being he can find. I just want him to go to bed so I can sit on the sofa in silence just staring at the wall spaced out.

hoping these things will go away once the medicine has worked it’s way into my system again. But I hate this

edit: I also have crazy restless legs and feel that cold shivery sensation when you’ve got a fever and cold

Sounds like your body is struggling to adjust to going cold turkey for a couple days, straight back onto 50mg tablets.

I was on sertraline back in 2021 (no longer on any form of SSRI anymore as it turns out I am not depressed, I have BPD ) and I would just immediately KNOW if I had forgotten my meds the day before.

If this happens again where you run out, when you start taking them again, cut the tablets in half for a few days and take a half dose. I had to do this several times with various diff SSRIs just to get my body accustomed again

 

[Jmx]

I ran out of my prescription last Friday and I’m super dizzy today and my heart is racing. I need more asap.

 

[theghosttown]

For me, I knew when it was working for two reasons: 1) I didn’t feel tearful all the time and 2) I could just get on with living life and not be endlessly ruminating and fixated on the things I was unhappy about.

Stick with it - for me it took a while but it’s so worth it. X

Agreed, I’m on 100mg now and I feel like a different person. Its taken about 4 weeks and it seems to have levelled out no I am luckily still able to experience emotion, but in a completely rational way. I went through a period of emotional blunting which did pass. I still am suffering with night sweats and tiredness but it’s with it for the normality. I used to have extreme paranoia, panic, I would ruminate on things and have extreme moods. It’s defo lifted. Stick with it xx

 

[catchinguphere21]

Has anyone increased from 100mg to 150mg? Did it have a noticeable effect? I seem to have had a bit of a decline after being on 100mg since March. I have lost absolutely all motivation, focus and desire to do anything. I occasionally get the odd fleeting suicidal feeling and I’m feeling anxiety creeping back in.
I’m definitely going to get a medication review sorted asap but I don’t know whether to push for 50mg increase or 100mg increase?

I had the same feelings after increasing from 50 to 100mg. It just didn't agree with me at all, I felt my mental health was declining so I approached my Doctor two weeks ago and I asked to come off sertraline, so we are weaning off , and introduced another. My head feels a little bit clearer . Definitely less anxious . It was taking over my life. Everyone is different .. it agrees with most people

 

[Hairraiser]

I want to come off the sertraline.
I don’t know if it’s making me feel more miserable tbh.
I ache all over everyday, I sweat a lot, I feel cold, my bones ache, I have zero energy to do even the most basic of things, I have a short fuse & get very frustrated over the most silliest of things.
I never used to be like this before. I thought maybe it was the flu but this has gone on a few weeks now.
I just want to feel happy & content

 

[itsnotmereally]

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

Hope it helps you. It’s quite literally saved my life.

Most of the above for me, weird sweaty legs (especially at night), restless legs, clenched jaw, vivid dreams, dodge memory… most started in a couple of days and lasted between 1/2 weeks. I still get the odd side effect and my memory is shocking but it’s better than the alternative for me. Xx

 

[Nfylt]

I stared on 50mg and the side effects started that day. Took it at 8am and by lunchtime I felt a wave of sickness and was really sweaty. Day 2?I had really twitchy hands. It did freak me out a bit but it wasn’t unbearable. On day 5 I swapped to taking mine before bed instead of in the morning and I found that really helped with sickness.
3 months in and no side effects at all for me.

hope you’re doing ok!

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

 

[aidil]

mine is my scalp and face

Same! Never without a sweaty upper lip and forehead these days And my back too! People keep asking me if I’m going through menopause early