On prescribed Lustral (sertraline) 50mg side effects?

[JustBeingMe]

Hi I been prescribed this medication as I have severe anxiety and panic attacks. which is mostly brought on through a phobia of being sick or getting sick.

I have finally plucked up the courage to go and even pick it up from the pharmacy only to get home and read the leaflet. The side effects are major and I am even more scared than I was before. Now sitting here thinking why oh why did I read this.

Before the GP gave thee to me I had asked her many questions she assured me I would be ok but according to this leaflet this is major and if it makes me sick thats an anxiety come on for me. I currently am having CBT only had a few sessions as my therapist seems to always be on holiday so not seen to much of a change just yet but he seems to think im making some progress. Due to this anxiety and fear I dont go out much I always was out and about doing things and a happy go lucky person with a job. This just came out of no where and now im not the same person that brings me down a lot.

Im wondering what side effects you have had with these pills and how long they last and more so did they work? Kind of freaking out now i want no side effects but I guess all meds come with them

Not going out and not being about to be social is effecting many relationships in my life and i am very aware of my thoughts and feelings.

Thank you all in advance any help advice and guidance is muchly appreciated and needed.

[Hidden]

Hi & Welcome

I have never personally taken these meds but I know plenty of members that have & when they see your post hopefully they can give you some positive feed back

I do know I have a meds fear & I wish you had posted before you read the leaflet that you were about to because I would have said Oh don't !!!

All meds even vitamins now have to list every single side effect that anyone reports but it could be just 1 in a 1000 that this has happened to & I know maybe you will be sat there thinking well I might be the 1 but the odds are you wont be

Take it a day at a time

Tell yourself for today I will take a med & if I don't feel like it I wont take one tomorrow , that way it may help you to feel in control & take the pressure & anxiety from you that reading the leaflet has triggered

Try & remember the words of reassurance your GP gave you

Let us know how you get on

Love

whywhy

xxx

[JustBeingMe in reply to Hidden]

Hey, thank you for your reply I am hoping someone will comment soon who has taken these and have experienced them. I always say to myself I will try anything just to go out the house without this fear / anxiety but now I read that its like its heightened by 100:/ I actually regret reading it. Pills are hard for me to take anyway if I can avoid them i will but my dr believe I just need a little pick me up and push. I am wondering if someone on here has had anxiety and that stopped them going out and if these helped them to go out cos thats all i wanna do get out this house and be me again

[Hidden in reply to JustBeingMe]

Hi

I suffer with agoraphobia , so I do know what it is like not to get out

I have been on a waiting list to see a physiologist as I felt this is what I wanted to do

I will do a post & see if I can find any members that have taken this med & will reply on that part for you

xxx

[Libbyd88 in reply to Hidden]

Hi. I know this reply is from three years ago but if you read this can you tell me how you overcame your agoraphobia as I've just been diagnosed and have been prescribed beta blockers and lustral 50mg and am due to start tomorrow. Thank you.

[thomson1898]

Hi

I haven't taken these myself but my mam has been on them for over a year, she now takes 150mg a day.

I'm happy to say she has had no side effects & finds them helpful. I know there are a few on here who take them, they seem to be one of the better meds.

Mam has had problems with her stomach in the past & it's not long since she stopped taking medication for it. One of the symptoms was vomiting but she has had no problems with the sertraline, hasn't upset her tummy at all.

Hope that helps

x

[Whitebear]

Hello

I was prescribed Sertaline last year. I was suffering from panic attacks and depression, and although I found them OK, and they did calm me down a lot, my main side effect was struggling to get out of bed in the morning. My GP recommended I take them before going to bed, as I was having trouble sleeping as well, but they really made me sleep too heavily and a bit headachy (like a low tension headache in the back of the head and in the neck), and I would wake up in the morning feeling drowsy. Battling to get up every day was a real problem for me, as my problem was work-related stress and I kept being late for work and they had absolutely no understanding or sympathy. My dose was the same as yours - 50mg. I didn't experience any other side effects, no nausea or sickness, and if I hadn't felt so tired I would have carried on with them. Eventually I stopped taking them, but because I was still suffering from the panic I went back to my doctor and was prescribed Citalopram instead.

Side effects will differ with people - some people will not have any problems and I think that they usually prescribe the medications first that are the least problematic. If you have voiced your concerns to your GP I am sure she will have considered your concerns when deciding what to prescribe. Maybe you could start taking them and do what I did - keep a diary of anything unusual you notice. You might not find any difference in your symptoms for the first 10-14 days, and you might have no side effects at all, but the GP or the pharmacist will always advise you if you go back with questions or concerns.

Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

[JustBeingMe]

Thank you all so much. I always said I will try anything to get over this. The GP told me to take these in the morning instead of at night. I just want to be able to go out again and pick my self up. I have more anxiety than depression the only time I feel real low is when I been in for a few days none stop or we have nice weather it reminds me how I used to be thats the only low time i get because I know its due tot the anxiety and phobia. I voice a lot to my GP and she did assure me these will pick me up but then silly me read the leaflet. Def a no go for people with phobias. I appreciate all your help and advice. More stories and guidance from fellow sufferers and people on Sertraline please still comment. thanks all xx

[Libbyd88 in reply to JustBeingMe]

Hi. Did these tablets ever work for you?

[hairyfairy]

I tried sertraline for panic disorder a number of years ago. It was useless for panic, & gave me stomach issues as well, so I stopped taking it.

[Hidden]

Hi, I have been on Sertraline 150 mg daily for a long time, the only side effect was a dry mouth. I try not to read the contra-indications of tablets, as they all have them. I would recommend you try them, I started on a lose dosage.

I hope this helps. xx

[miarose]

I havant taken these meds,but my two sisters are taking them,they had no side effects atall,no sickness,no panic,one of them takes it in the morning,the other one takes it at night,cause it makes her tired.but the difference in them is unbelieveable, I phone them every day,and there always laughing and full of life,50mg is what they take...hope this helps i have a med phobia and havan,t got round to taking them yet..but i,m seriously considering it...love Miarose xx.

[bec23]

Hi there, I was put on these meds and I didn't bother reading on then as my doctor told me there were no side affects on day 4 I was a total mess could hardly move with out spinning I lost all my colour in my face couldn't eat, sleep or anything I went back to doctor and he told me to stop taking asap it then took 3 days for them to leave my system once that happened I started on quetiapine 25mg they help relax me and alao help with sleep. I would not recommend sertraline to anyone in saying that everyone is different. Hope this helps and you feel better