Sertraline start up side effects

Hi everyone...I have a friend currently taking 50 mg of Zoloft for manic depression and Ocd. I also suffer from both of these illnesses yet I take Prozac. She has indicated to me that for the 3-4 weeks that she has taken it, she feels ‘weird’ and has trouble sleeping, etc. I told her that I understand both of these feelings but that I would ask those of you taking this drug how long these particular side effects last. I tried sertraline a year or so ago and it didn’t do much for me. Not even sure the Prozac is but eventually something has to work. Thank you,

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Dear Returnronormal17,

I am on sertraline 50mg twice a day. The first week I suffered severely with all the horrible side effects like nausea, loss of appetite, chattering teeth, low blood pressure, headaches, etc. I quit it for about two days but my anxiety was getting the better of me so I decided to immediately start the process again and I am happy to say that it is helping me significantly. The best part is that I don't suffer with all those side effects. I manage to sleep soundly as well.

In my experience the side effects subsided after about a week. I honestly was in a very bad state but I am much better now thanks to the medication.

I wish you and your friend everything of the best.

Regards,

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Thank you. Are you taking it strictly for anxiety? My friend also suffers from Ocd and manic depression...as do I. I am glad you are better.

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I was diagnosed bipolar.

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Thanks again...I think bipolar and manic depression are pretty much the same....or at least that is what I have been told. Do you have ruminating thoughts? If so, has sertraline helped?

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Yes, it was called "manic depression" before but now is termed "bipolar".

I used to constantly be stuck in a negative rut in my head, pushing me to believe that suicide seemed to be the only way out.

My thoughts were always negative and that used to just bring me down in all aspects of my life. I noticed how well I am now. I can study and I'm more productive at work. I also relate better to other people, I used to be very temperamental and irritable all the time, it used to make me absolutely intolerant when it came to dealing with people. I can also focus on my future goals without any setbacks getting to me

Even though I am on the medication, I have gotten myself into routine, where I figured out what I like doing and what makes me happy, I do whatever it is daily. It keeps my mind occupied and when I succeed, it gives me proof that I am not all that useless. It's part of my healing process where I don't rely entirely on the medication because I am afraid for when the time comes when my body is immune to the medication and I slip back into the negative rut. Basically I am using this period now when I am nice and calm to train my mind to keep going on that way.

It's a lot of hard work, but we have to try every possible constructive way in which we can help ourselves lead a better quality of life.

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I try every hard to keep sane.

I also have done stupid things when I used to go through periods of mania, excessive shopping and taking on too many tasks that used to leave me overwhelmed and that's when anxiety used to kick in. The manic periods used to make me irrationally ambitious, so I identify with you and your incident of six months ago. I was not aware that I had a genuine health issue that could be treated. I was very much in the dark when it came to mental health.

Last year I had major depressive episodes, I was on Epilim500 in addition to Serdep, but after six months I gave up because the medication was very expensive.

However, going forward I just want to try my best to be better. I was in utter despair earlier this month. This site and the kind souls on here are also very encouraging.

Maybe get your friend to also join this site, because we understand and are very considerate towards each other.

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Don't be too hard on yourself, your brother has forgiven you and the fact that you regret the incident means you're a genuine human being who takes responsibility for their actions. You have to forgive yourself now.

A very good author to check out is Dr. Claire Weekes.

Personally I have also done stupid things to people in the heat of the moment, most often it was my mum and dad on the receiving end of the rage. They are very patient understanding people though and have forgiven me for all the mean things I have said and done. I also forgave myself, though I am not proud of the way I treated them, but I realised it was my illness governing my life.

This also affected my relationships with potential partners, they would just disappear from life my completely.

You're not alone, we all have some sort of event that we were involved in that may not be the same but it creates the same feelings of despair that we all are familiar with, equalising us through experiences that are unique to each of us respectively.

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Yes, sure.

[Rosco49]

Hi, I really feel for your friend and yourself, it is so hard trying to find what works to feel better and even if you do, it usually has these unpleasant, (sometimes disturbing side effects). They do generally go away after a week or two as others have said, but it's hard to keep that in mind when suffering. I am surprised your friend is taking prozac also, (I didn't think that was advised, potential for Seretonin Syndrome and so forth). I have recently just started back on Sertraline after a year or so and even at 25mg am still getting unpleasant side effects, so I can only imagine how hard that is. I wish you both love, balance and healing.