Sertraline

[Choops]

Good morning everyone Has anyone here any experience of taking sertraline ? I have recently started taking them, and am not liking what they are doing to me or how they are making me feel. Would be good to compare to others experiences. Thanks xx

[Cookie72]

Hi chops yes I take sertraline, but I only have half a day, it's just enough to keep me going, how much do you take and in what way do they affect you,... Gentle hugs...Dee xx

[Choops in reply to Cookie72]

Hi, I have only been taking it a week and a half, but feel so dizzy, and like a zombie !

[Hidden]

Hi choops

Yes I take Sertraline, 150mg daily in the morning I recently chose to reduce the dose from the maximum of 200mg daily it helps to stop my head being so busy busy busy all the time so I can think straight

I've taken it for years (6) and don't think it helps me anymore or as good as some other medications might so am in the process of hopefully coming off it to go onto whatever the doc might suggest

You don't tell us how long you've been taking it for or what dose you take? What is it you feel and what is it doing to you because we cannot give you comparisons hunny

I can say though that it takes time for it to work properly the docs usually say approx 3 months unless there is a serious allergy or side effect. Any concerns that you have about medicines can be discussed with your local pharmacist as well as your GP they'll be happy to oblige you with answers and reassure you as well as we try to here Please don't just stop taking it chops speak to your doc first

warming healing fluffies for you choops

xxxzebxxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I agree with your feelings on this Zeb..I am on the organic Paxil..

over time, my head feels completely normal and it changed my

life as well..I am wanting to come off of it though just because my

goal is to be drug free..as I was cutting back, 2 times I had a panic

attack and my head got extra busy..so I know that I moved too fast in

cutting down..My doctor did tell me that the full benefits can actually

take 3-6 months..I was feeling the change by week 8...it was smooth

sailing for me by the 3rd month. and it just worked better and better.

But being drug free is the goal for me. XX Karen

[Choops in reply to Hidden]

Hi Karen, please could you let me know if you experienced any side effects when you first started the medication ? xx

[Hidden in reply to Choops]

Mine was prescribed for panic attacks...the amount of

panic attacks that I had increased by 4 fold during the

first 2 weeks but I knew that would happen...I also knew

that I was safe and wouldn't die from them...

My tummy was sickish, sometimes I threw up...but the

doctor told me to eat a big bowl of ice cream to solve

that problem..worked great but I don't eat ice cream much

so it was a short term solution...after 3 months, I could

down them without a single problem..my rheumy gave me

a prescription to really knock out the pain ...from exercising,

I think now but we didn't know that...it did change my perception of pain immediately...he tripled my dose...

it did change the perception of pain so greatly that I started

to run on my prosthetic knee...so I am grateful for that happening...I hardly ever have any pain what so ever...not yet

anyway...The insomnia and sick tummy almost made me

quit but I started taking it early in the morning...I slept okish..

This may still be my problem of not sleeping much, but I feel fine after 3 hours...I also lost weight as Paxil is known to do.

My energy was not affected...I never got totally spacy...I was

pretty even keel on the rest...Good luck...Thanks Zeb...it's

hard to get off of it, yes...=)

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

warm fluffies for you Karen its never easy coming off a medication xxxzeb

[Choops]

Hi Zeb. I have only been taking it about a week and a half, and am on 50mg until tuesday when my GP wants me to increase to 100 mg. The problem is I am feeling so rough; horribly dizzy, very dry mouth and tingly tongue and just pretty much like a zombie! I was already suffering with hot sweats, but since strating the medication these seem to have got worse, especially the palms of my hands. I think my problem is that I am on this medication for anxiety, however taking this medication causes me anxiety itself as I am constantly worrying about these side effects, and any other side effects I may get, so am therefore not really sur ehow much is my own anxiety and how much is real side effects !! All I do know is that at the moment these really aren't helping!! I have been off sick from work for 7 weeks now, and my employer is beginning to lose his patience, so really wanted to try to go back to work next week, (against everyones wishes, as they say I am not well enough) but certainly wouldn't be able to go to work feeling as bad as I do ! Sorry for long reply xx

[Hidden in reply to Choops]

Hi Choops

It is best that you speak to your GP about this or a pharmacist. I can't actually remember what they made me feel like as it was six years ago and like you I was put on it for anxiety, I had a breakdown, things are fuzzy from then anyway

I think stressing about work won't be helping you and could be the main causal factor behind it but again your GP/Pharmacist could tell you. You haven't really been taking long enough I think to say either way.

I know what its like when off sick from work and bosses get impatient, we end up going back to work before we are well enough to return and then a short while later end up sick again. Its best you ride it out and rest and relax hunny until you are well enough. It sounds like you have a good set of caring people around you suggesting the same If you look in the category symptoms/treatments you will find some of my relaxation posts I hope you feel up to giving them a whirl to see if they help, of course I can't guarantee that they will but nothing ventured nothing gained

Don't forget I'm not a medical professional so this is drawn from personal experiences

Let me know how you get on Choops and hope thing start to improve soon warming relaxing fluffies for you xxxzebxxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I am going to agree fully with Zeb that the pills will help but

there needs to be some behavior modification as well..

I needed counseling to learn to stop..I didn't cope well but I learned

to...Just very recently, someone helped me to change again...

I hope that you respond as positively as I did..the "mental help"

did more for me than Paxil ever did alone..I am confident that I

can safely step down further very soon with the medicine..

[Hidden in reply to Choops]

Serotonin uptakes do cause some to sweat buckets...

Dizziness meant for me to call the doctor for dosage reduction.

My anxiety was greatly reduced...

I know people that were off of work for 7 months while

getting down the correct dosage...There's nothing that

you can do except call your doctors...there are other prescriptions

available but you are on the favorite and were on the other favorite one.

You could need a fast acting xanax, it should stop the dizziness but it will

make you sleepy...so it's a horse a piece...=)

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I agree karen xxxzeb

[ellablade]

I took it for years and years and to be honest it never effected me at all. I never felt any different taking it so had no side effects at the start or when I stopped it.

[Dixiesdaughter]

Hi choops I also took sertraline for about 2 1/2 years. I was perscribed them for ptsd and anxiety/panic disorder. Side effects were very noticable for me for the first 6- 8 wks then they settled down these included; increased sweating, 'furry mouth' spaced/zonked out feeling, slight naseous in tummy when tablet was first taken. I no longer take this medication as after around 2 yrs I became tolerant to their use and they 'stopped' working for me. My gp recently switched me to prozac which for now are working well. My gp generally advises me to give antidepressant/anxiety type meds approx 3 months to start doing their work (as long as their is no severe reactions) if they are still causing intolerable/ unmanageable side effects after this point then she advises me to come back to discuss other options. Good luck with your meds fingers crossed they suit you.

[bettyb1]

Hi when I first accepted I may need help from medication I would start taking an antidepressant I would feel awful and stop but if you can ride the side effects out for a couple of weeks they do settle and can greatly improve symptoms and there are others that your body may react better to good luck x

[sue32]

I've been taking Sertraline for about 2 months, was previously on Citalopram. I can honestly say I don't feel any side effects from it!! XX

[Harleydavo]

I know this reply might be a couple years out but I just like to share my thoughts on Sertraline with someone. I have been on them for just over a week now and I am feeling twice as bad, it doesn't help when my employers are sending me letters threatening to discipline me if I continue taking time off. I wish they would go through what I am going through right now and see if they understand. I haven't left my house for 3 days now, my shopping is delivered to my door and even then I'm paranoid to open the front door to the delivery man.