sertaline

[wobelyjohn]

Hi does anyone have any experience with anti?depressants so far all the ones I have been prescribed have had bad side affects I am currently on sertaline the side affects make me feel sh one t, I keep geting told they will wear off but I don't believe them anymore does anyone have any experience with this poison sorry I mean I mean drug

[HarryB Administrator]

Hi wobelyjohn

I was a Staff Grade doctor in general adult psychiatry so have plenty of experience of anti-depressant medication.

All drugs/medicines have side effects. Not everyone will experience the same side effects and it is impossible to say which ones you will experience, if any. Unfortunately anti-depressants are no different. The added complication of antidepressants is it is impossible to know which one will suit a particular person as they all work in different ways and they take a minimum of 4-6 weeks to work. There is definitely an element of trial and error. I understand how frustrating all of this for you but believe me, the doctor will be as frustrated. They want to see their patients get better.

Side effects are miserable. Some will go away the longer you take the medicine and others won't. If your doctors are saying the side-effects you are experiencing will go away, I would advise to believe them and persevere with the medicine as long as you can. As I said above they can take a few weeks to work. It might help your depression. If you stop them you will never know if they would've helped or not.

Remember these are medicines that are prescribed to you as it is thought they will help make you better. No doctor would prescribe anything knowing that it will cause you harm.

Best wishes

Harriet

[PeteW]

Hi, I take sertraline daily along with amitriptyline and have done for many years. It does make me feel a bit groggy but that is a good thing for me as the more sleep I get, the better!

Whether you get on with drugs or not is a complete lottery. You just have to keep buying a ticket until you win.

Every drug has side-affects (e.g. the immediate side affect of alcohol is temporary ataxia). The only question with all drugs that you need to ask yourself is are the side effects acceptable to you or not?

[wobblybee]

Hi wobelyjohn😊

I persevered with Sertraline, and for me, it turned my life around. Since I was diagnosed in 2011 the dosage has remained the same, 50mg daily. There have been times when Ataxia has caused me to feel I should consider an increase, but somehow I've managed to weather the storm😏

Not everybody responds in the same way to the same dosage, or even the same medication. It's not an instant fix unfortunately. As it happens, my Neurologist recommended Sertraline specifically. 😊xB

[february]

Dear Wobleyjohn, I've been on Sertraline (generic of Zoloft) for about 20 years now, 200 mg per day, the clinical dose. I originally stated taking it for another problem, but one thing led to another, hence the 20 years. As Harriet said, it can take four to six weeks to work, which in my case was true. I don't have any bothersome side-effects now, but I did when I started taking it. My best to you...,;o)

[degarmo]

I have been on sertraline for two years now, and no side effects at the beginning or now. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

I do no when I don't take them my anxiety is much worse an d I feel very down.

[neta]

I, too, take 200 mgs of Setraline. Take it after eating a meal with some carbs.A shrink perscribed it and its rather popular. I have had no side effects but it does not make me wildly joyous. My shrink warned that can kill off one's libido.