got prescribed sertraline 50mg but I am worried about taking it ?

[jayp12345]

hey today I got prescribed sertraline 50mg but I am worried about taking it ?After reading the side effects online and finding out I can't just stop taking them I need to keep taking them has really set my anxiety off and don't know whether I want to take these tabs.Is there anything I can take that I can just have as in when my anxiety flares up (as it isn't all the time it only happens in certain situations) I have had rescue remedy but don't think I have had it long enough for it to keep in my system.I want something I can have as in when because I wanna be able to drink alcohol etc any advice would be great

[Victims]

sertraline ….ive been on 200mg for 2yrs i didnt think it was that long but gp said lol..ok too much reading will make you paranoid I never had any side effects but im comming off it now as not working…..my head hurts,im anxious,tired,feel sick so commin off it isn’t brill lol im sure u will b fine talk to you gp about your worries ok

[Chippy2018]

Hi, I understand how you’re feeling. In fact, I asked for help on this forum about them myself! 🙂 I was nervous about starting 50mg of sertraline too about a year ago and to be honest I did have side effects for a few weeks; nausea, headaches, fatigue. You need to keep taking them so your body has time to adjust and to build up the hormones that you may be lacking. That’s what my doctor said anyway.

I was also prescribed beta blockers, which reduce the adrenaline released when you get anxious, and they helped me a lot, but they caused me a lot of fatigue and breathlessness to begin with. I was prescribed a beta blocker years before (because rescue remedy has never worked for me) to help me get through an important presentation and it did help, so maybe this could be something that you could research and discuss with your doctor.

I know it says you shouldn’t consume alcohol whilst on sertraline or the beta blockers, but I’ve been able to have one small glass of wine once and a while and I’ve been fine. I’ve read that the alcohol will limit the effect of the medication, but you have to be sensible and make your own judgements about that.

There’s of course all the other things like guided meditations, positive affirmations etc, but I’ve found that you have to put work in for the long term for them to start helping, and I know that sometimes you just need something to get you through some situations whilst working on the anxiety in the long term.

I hope this helps, but just remember that it’s your life and it’s your choice. There are people and resources online that can help and you’re never alone. As others will tell you, everybody is different and will react differently to each medication. The side effects don’t last forever, and the sertraline might help you a lot, like it has for me. Think about the positives that could happen, that’s what got me through.

If you need more advice, please ask. Sorry for the essay 🙂

[jayp12345 in reply to Chippy2018]

thank u appriciate it !! Xx

[timbits123]

Hi Jayp12345: It's not a one-off drug, if that's what you are looking for. I started taking the pills to address persistent depressive disorder (PDD), which does what it says on the tin - anxiety originally wasn't one of my issues, I should highlight. I stopped taking the first SSRI I was prescribed (Citalopram) because it made my head fuzzy, although it helped moderate my mood. I moved to Sertraline, but it had the opposite effect on me: clear thinking, but didn't help my mood much.

It doesn't take too much research to learn that going-on, or coming-off of any SSRI isn't fun, although there are always exceptions, I'm sure. I also understand that you would be in a much worse way if you stop cold turkey - that warning is consistent as I did my research. I didn't experience the going-on side effects, probably because I was just swapping out from Citalopram. Once my vet reduced my dosage to zero gradually over four weeks, it took me another eight weeks to get it out of my system, which is at the long end of the expected window, I understand. If you're lucky you'll have none, but I think the average is two weeks. It wasn't fun: I had small panic attacks (which wasn't part of my condition previously), and because I wasn't used to them, it kept me housebound until they stopped. Mentally, my thinking was confused and foggy, but as the weeks went by, it clarified. I was also a bit cranky and couldn't sleep much - but when I did, I had the most vivid dreams! Physically: as I developed a twitch in my feet, hot flashes and sweats which have gradually subsided: I have booked a visit to the Neurologist to see if he can figure out why.

I'm with you on the prospect of having to take pills for a long time: it doesn't make sense to me to take a pill that masks your problem so you can try to work it out (if that is the goal) - Human nature being what it is: we'd always take the path of least resistance, which would lead to a dependence on the pills, rather than do the hard yards for peace of mind .

You can drink while taking Sertraline my GP said; and I did; it was fine.

Good luck!

[On_The_Mend]

Hey jayp12345 - I’m 46, UK man and I’ve been taking Sertraline for a year as prescribed by my GP for anxiety and depression. It’s the first long term medication (mental or physical health) I’ve ever taken and it’s changed my life. I understand your reticence to take long-term medication, but it has been super-effective at helping to manage my anxiety. To reassure you, myself and a friend who take Sertraline drink alcohol and it hasn’t had any adverse effects for me or my friend (note - I don’t recommend drinking booze of course, as it’s bad for your health!).

Sertraline has given me the “headspace” to really evaluate my life and values - I have had super-effective counselling during the last year and Sertraline allowed me to really take on the counselling rather than slipping back into my old anxiety-dominated ways.

The side-effects I’ve experienced from Sertraline are limited, but worth sharing:

When I started taking it, it disturbed my sleep for about a month, but quickly wore off - I would wake up in the middle of the night feeling disoriented in a slightly “trippy”, “buzzy” kind of way, but never distressing.

Trigger Warning! Next paragraph discusses intimate Relationship details!

Another persistent side effect is slight reduction in sensation during sex - no erectile dysfunction at all, just a slight, but noticeable reduction in sensation. Both side effects are UTTERLY outweighed by the benefits for me however.

All the best on your journey my brother. You’ll find what’s right for you- your anxiety will convince you otherwise, but anxiety is an idiot, so don’t listen to it!

[Hidden]

I too was prescribed this medication, and I am scared to take them. I just don’t do well with the side effects.

[ItsJP]

I’m 21 got bad anxiety too I started on Sertraline it really helped for about a month or two but then it slowly stopped working and I been changing ever since I been on a few ssri’s snri’s mirtazipine and Trylics mirtazipine helped but it gave me a lot of fatigue and I was sleeping lots, I’m back on Sertraline atm but changing because of side affects but trust me when I say if your sexually active I would be very careful that was a main side affect I was unaware of but it’s happened now so it’s either coming off them for me or finding one that don’t affect all that 😂 but I been on them nearly 2 years and feel abit better the anxiety still there but manageable hope this helps.

[Heavenly888]

Hi Jayp, I take sertraline and it is a very good medicine for anxiety and depression all of them has side effects some different with a lot of people but I know friends whos taken it and not really had any bad side effects I know from my own experiences as I've been on it for over 10 years that the longer your on different meds the stranger side effects you can have and the higher the dose can cause side effects like eating more putting on weight forgetfulness but the most important thing is that it makes you very relax 😌 and not so anxious it give you whoo haaa moments, try not to worry there are less side effects on the lower does xxx

[Nonnapaula]

I was on Sertraline for 12 years without any problem. My doctor has now put me on 30mg of Mertazapine which I think is also okay - I have panic attacks due to my PTSD. Good luck.

[jayp12345]

decided not to take them and try something else

I got calms lavender 1 a day tablets less side effects etc nkt taken any yet as i haven't needed to but feel the closer I get to work the more I will have to take them x