I was on it for about 10 weeks. Worst thing I ever took. It wasn't that I wasn't even feeling better, if anything it was making me feel worse. Switched to Lexapro about a month ago and am seeing a definite improvement.
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First time I experienced real emotional blunting this weekend and it was weird. I’ve not had any extremes in emotion (both happy or anxious) for a while and been fine with that as anything is better than panic attacks. But I had a few things happen with a friend the other day that really made me want to cry…. But I just couldn’t physically cry? It was bizarre. Like I had a lump in my throat but no tears would come out. And then I ended up feeling worse as there was no release from the emotion so just felt like I was stewing all day.
Anyone else experienced this?
Anyone else experienced this?
I have been on 50 mg of Sertraline for just over 20 years….I’m 40 now and it definitely keeps me calm. I’ve zero side effects.
I've been on 50mg for three and a half weeks for anxiety and it's definitely improved things - I don't feel like I'm in a state of constant panic anymore, not taking sleeping pills every night, on really good days I feel quite hopeful and a bit like my usual self even. I was having horrendous intrusive thoughts and while I'm still fixated on the same stuff that was triggering them, it's not debilitating anymore. But I'm still having panic attacks (although less frequent) and days where I skip meals because I'd rather just get home from work and go straight to bed, and I'm finding it difficult to think about the future at all, which makes it hard to motivate myself to do the things that would help me feel better in the long term.
I'm not sure at what point I should be getting back in touch with my GP to talk about dosage etc. Is this likely to be a case of waiting it out a bit longer to see if things continue to improve? I've been on sertraline before but stayed on 50mg and felt a lot better pretty quickly, but that was for a different issue. Just don't want to go through all the hassle of making an appointment if she's only gonna tell me to carry on and come back in a few weeks.
I'm not sure at what point I should be getting back in touch with my GP to talk about dosage etc. Is this likely to be a case of waiting it out a bit longer to see if things continue to improve? I've been on sertraline before but stayed on 50mg and felt a lot better pretty quickly, but that was for a different issue. Just don't want to go through all the hassle of making an appointment if she's only gonna tell me to carry on and come back in a few weeks.
@aidil Yes, I hardly ever cry these days. But I can still cry, if a beloved person or pet dies.
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?
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!
I hope you do. I have no plans to ever be taken off it which is a massive U turn for me as I was alway dead against it for myself. Never others which is typical isn't it. I would rather be on it for life than feel as I have done my whole life.
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.
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?
Reading this made me feel better as I have also been thinking I never want to stop taking mine. If I was lucky enough to ever be pregnant obviously I’d have to, but the chances of that are slipping away, and other than that I have zero desire to try life without medication again. It makes me sick to think how much of my life and energy has already been used up feeling sad and worried.
The couple of close friends who know I take ADs have said things (in a very well-meaning way) like “well hopefully you’ll only need them for a short while” and I used fo feel that too, but now I’m like girl, you can prise them out of my cold dead hands!
Oh good! In glad to have helped. Sharing experiences definitely helps. If we were to need any other meds for life we wouldn’t question it but there’s something about SSRI’s that makes people think they must. We take it because of a chemical imbalance. I don’t stop taking my inhalers because I’m feeling better and haven’t had an asthma attack in a while
Sertraline is what they recommend people try switch to when you’re pregnant so don’t worry there and never ever just come off it because you’re pregnant. GPS will sometimes try to get you off it in pregnancy but speak to any obstetrician and they will disagree (I know a few).
(I no longer take it as it didn't work for me but I was put on it specifically as a safer option in pregnancy).
Exactly!If we were to need any other meds for life we wouldn’t question it but there’s something about SSRI’s that makes people think they must. We take it because of a chemical imbalance. I don’t stop taking my inhalers because I’m feeling better and haven’t had an asthma attack in a while
And thank you for the pregnancy points too - that’s really reassuring actually!
Thank you for sharing this! Although I’m sorry it didn’t work for you, and I hope you got onto something that did afterwards?)
@StillLucilleBluth sadly I had to give some very non-safe ones a go in order to get back on track mentally. I'm three weeks into it. Hard giving up my baby dream for now but needs must.
Best of luck to you all. I'm still sweating like a pig even 3 weeks after coming off it!
Best of luck to you all. I'm still sweating like a pig even 3 weeks after coming off it!
Had a question for those with experience of sertraline... how did you know that it was working and how did you know whether you needed an increase or not? I've not long started it and find that I don't feel just as foggy, for want of a better word. I'm planning to give it longer to see if it has more noticeable differences in mood, but just interested in other experiences.
Also, the sweating is intense on this medication! Also finding myself tensing my jaw and gripping my teeth together. So bizarre!
Also, the sweating is intense on this medication! Also finding myself tensing my jaw and gripping my teeth together. So bizarre!
How long have you been on it? I've been on it twice for different things and both times the first noticeable effect was that it took the edge off my most extreme moods, i.e. full blown panic attacks became 'just' moderate anxiety. That took about 1-2 weeks to kick in, then over the next few weeks less dramatic things slowly improved, like having higher motivation and feeling happy on good days instead of feeling nothing. After about 5-6 weeks I felt practically like my normal self again. I had the same side effects as you but they went away after a couple of weeks.
Everyone reacts differently so the timescale is gonna vary but it can take up to 6-10 weeks to be fully effective. Anecsotally, most people seem to start noticing improvements around 2-3 weeks in so if you get to about 3 weeks and it feels like nothing's changed I'd speak to your GP about it, cos it could be that it's not the right medication for you and you'll do better on a different one.
Thanks for your reply.
I'm on week 3 but I started off with 25mg for 2 weeks and this is the first week I've taken 50mg. I feel like I'm starting to feel an improvement but I know it's still early days so I think I've noticed enough to stick with it. I think I'm already starting to question whether 50mg will be enough or not but I need to stop trying to second guess and give it time to work.
I'm on week 3 but I started off with 25mg for 2 weeks and this is the first week I've taken 50mg. I feel like I'm starting to feel an improvement but I know it's still early days so I think I've noticed enough to stick with it. I think I'm already starting to question whether 50mg will be enough or not but I need to stop trying to second guess and give it time to work.
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
Glad I found this thread. I’ve just been prescribed 50mg. I’ve got cancer and not coping well. I’ve had bad experiences with meds before, so very anxious about taking them if that even makes sense