Sertraline?

[robbief24]

Hi. Can anyone describe how they feel after taking Sertraline for a period of time. I've been on it for just over 4 weeks, 50mg for 3 and 100mg for 1 and I don't notice any mood uplift. Do I need to give it more time? Thanks

[Gjkas]

My Husband has been on Sertraline for about 12 months. For the 1st couple of months he didn't feel any different.

But then we both noticed that he wasn't getting so uptight about everything. It's not a miracle tablet, but he thinks that it is helping him now.

I was put on Sertraline, but only took them for 2 weeks because I was having Nightmares after starting taking them. I

am on a lot of other medication,, so perhaps there was an interaction with something else that I was on. ???

We are not all the same, what works for one person doesn't always work for another. But if you're not getting any bad or worse feelings since starting them. I would stay on them a little while longer.

They take a little while to kick in.

Take Care

[hypercat54 in reply to Gjkas]

Nightmares are a common side effect of sertraline and I get them. The med helps me a lot though so I consider it a good trade off x

[Gjkas in reply to hypercat54]

It wasnt just the nightmares that put me off taking the Sertraline.

The one morning I came out of the bedroom and a young woman was coming out of the bathroom.

I didn't recognise her,so i asked her who she was. She put her arms around me and said, IT'S OK,IT'S ONLY ME. .

Well it was only my Daughter in law.

I see her every day, but that day i just didn't recognise her. It was like i was Spaced out all day. So that was that.

My phsychiatŕist told me that they are one of the best tablets for depression and with less morning dizziness .

Wish I could take them.

Im glad that they're working for you. x

[Hidden]

Efficacy and response time to sertraline versus fluoxetine in the treatment of unipolar major depressive disorder.Randomized controlled trial

Suri RA, et al. J Clin Psychiatry. 2000.

Show full citation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Few studies have compared the treatment efficacy of the 2 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors sertraline and fluoxetine.

METHOD: A randomized, single-blind, parallel-group study of 10 weeks' duration comparing the efficacy of sertraline, 50 mg/day; sertraline, 100 mg/day; and fluoxetine, 20 mg/day, was conducted in 44 psychiatric outpatients with DSM-IV unipolar major depressive disorder. Antidepressant dosages were doubled at 6 weeks for subjects who had not achieved remission. Primary outcome measurements included the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale (CGI-I), with scores of < or = 7 on the HAM-D and < or = 2 on the CGI-I representing a positive treatment response, i.e., remission.

RESULTS: At 4 weeks, significant differences in rate of positive treatment response were noted, with 0% for sertraline, 50 mg; 46% for sertraline, 100 mg; and 31% for fluoxetine, 20 mg (p = .023). At 6 weeks, positive treatment response rates were 21%, 43%, and 31% for subjects taking 50 mg of sertraline, those taking 100 mg of sertraline, and those taking 20 mg of fluoxetine, respectively, with treatment groups no longer differing significantly from each other. In subjects for whom antidepressant dose was doubled at week 6, response rates at week 10 (4 weeks on increased dose) were 40% for sertraline, 100 mg; 43% for sertraline, 200 mg; and 55% for fluoxetine, 40 mg.

CONCLUSION: Subjects taking sertraline, 100 mg, and fluoxetine, 20 mg, demonstrated an earlier treatment response compared with subjects taking sertraline, 50 mg. For patients without a positive response at 6 weeks, an increased antidepressant dose resulted in remission for a substantial proportion of patients when assessed 4 weeks later.

PMID 11206600 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/1...

[Hidden]

Ive been on 50 up to 100 mg of sertraline daily for around 2 yr. I cannot tell a huge difference but my husband can. I have a horse that I ride in good weather. I can tell Im a much more confident rider when Im on sertraline. I no longer have a death grip on the saddle horn if the horse trips, lol.

[lillyofthevalley37]

They don't measure your serotonin levels before they prescribe sertraline ( sertraline will increase serotonin levels in your brain )

But if you aren't deficient in serotonin I don't see how sertraline can help depression

I think serotonin levels should be measured before they dish out SSRI drugs wily nily bc they can do permanent damage

Sorry I haven't really answered your quedtion have I

[NWGal]

I took Sertraline for a long time. It takes some time to see the benefits. SSRIs are okay but I needed something in addition to really help my treatment resistant depression.

[Momwhocooks]

It’s been 3 months on 100mg, and I am far less anxious about things. It took time. You’re lucky if you’re not having side effects, I had trouble adjusting to the increased dosage— nausea, exhaustion.. . I gained weight on it as well, I think because I have an appetite again.

[Ardraven]

At least give it another week since the dose increase. If it isn't causing you problems and you can without any trouble then give it another 3 weeks. It always takes me 2 weeks before feeling any effect from a higher dose of sertraline and up to a month before I get the full benefit.

[20_Adhder]

They say it takes 4 to 6 weeks but actually it's 8 weeks.

My advice is unless there is an urgent thing or a nasty side effects that lasted for 3 weeks and more, never stop an antidepressant untill you finish 12 weeks and had no relief at all