Sertraline Help

[floralye]

I have recently started taking Sertraline for my anxiety and low mood. I have read a few posts about others who have taken it but I’m wondering when you realised it was helping, or in what ways you felt it helped you?

[kenster1]

hi and welcome to you any new medication can take up to about 8 weeks before they start having an effect.during that time you may or may not experience some side effects but in time it should help you feel more at ease hopefully happier less anxiety/depression and better all round.

[Hidden]

People can do well on it. I couldn’t handle it I got panic attacks tried upping dosage same I had to stay on lowest dose. Coming off of it was harder than others I’ve been on. But others have had very good luck with this med so give it time it really does take awhile to adjust to this one

[Hollick]

It has been a bittersweet drug..I say this because, its helped immensely with anxiety but very little for severe depression, almost seems worse at times. Very surreal, here's what I experience...I used to have very bad 'morning anxiety' debilitating! Couldn't function. Now, its as if the morning anxiety has subdued a great deal, and I give credit to the sertraline, but this deep darkness looms, only in the morning, upon opening my eyes, and trying to get up. I say 'trying' cause I have to really push myself. Its freaky, I don't want to go back to that dark place, yet in the morning, it feels like I'm 'right there', all over again. Once I'm up & mobile, I'm alright, but wish it wasn't there when waking up. Like I said, it is so strange. It took a long time to kick in, please give it time. For me, a long eight months, and a very gradual, slow easing up of the anxiety. I need to talk to my psychiatrist. Also remember, sometimes 'our personal progress' can be difficult to gage? Ya know what I mean, you can't tell if your better or not, I think for most of us, there has been progress, but because we are so down, for so long, maybe we expect a lot more from these drugs? Here's a really good analogy for those of you old enough to remember 'the wizard of oz'? Remember the scene where Dorothy, right after the twister, is walking, all in black n white. When she gets to the front door of the house, zap! Technicolor, vivid colors all over, that's how I feel. Gray, dismal, black n white for the first while, then its as if the meds kick in, and everything becomes vibrant n colorful. Bizarre..I can do this, so can you!

[Storsie]

I asked to be switched to sertraline because of the anxiety component, but I have not seen an improvement. I actually have noticed more irritability lately and am wondering if sertraline is to blame. I've been on it about 4 months.

[Hollick in reply to Storsie]

yes, definitely, its the sertraline..upon starting any SSRI, and certainly sertraline is not immune to it, there will heightened anxiety, irritability, whatever, it sucks big time! it gets worse before better, its true..but if you get thru the thick of that, its worth it! horrible insomnia was the big one for me, lots of melatonin...I also could not eat, or sit still..I lost weight, only to gain it and more back. Its okay, I'll use that as the motivator to hopefully get me back in shape one day, better than the 'hell' I was stuck for to long..

[floralye]

Thanks for all the help! My doctor explained it’d take a while, I’m just hoping one day I’ll notice something that will let me know it’s working.