Advice please: starting sertraline 50mg this thurs

I also tried going the natural route for the first 20+ years of my life.  Eventually I understood that Depression and Anxiety are like any other illness and sometimes you need medication to even you out.  You would never tell someone with diabetes not to take their insulin,  and the same goes for mental health.  The first few weeks are rough to say the least,  but it DOES get better!!!  I would start out with 25mg for a week and then move up to the 50mg after that.  This can help the start up effects be less of a shock on your system.  Start up effects usually last from 1-3 weeks,  but they are so worth it!  You can find many stories on here from other people who have gone through or are going through the start ups.  Keep reading the positive stories on here,  and you will make it through.  

Hi 

I am a 30 year old male. I went back on sertraline 4 months ago after coming off them and spiralling very low ( over 8 month period ) I went on a dose of 100mg per day which took 10 days for my deppression to ease, ( and I mean significantly) I felt so much better, After 6 weeks approx up to 150mg as I was still feeling a tad depressed . The side effects I experienced were minimal to say the least. This isn't a tranquilliser you shouldn't feel like a zombie. First 5 -9 days maybe felt a little heightened anxiety but nothing anyone can't get through. Sometimes this medication can take up to 12 weeks to work fully so stick with it, I know it changes people's lives on a daily basis. People sometimes make the mistake of throwing in the towel to early. You can do it 💪🏻 And I hope you reap the benefits 😊

Hello Chocoholic...

If this is your first time trying meds I would also start low at 25mg for the first week, then increase steady and slowly thereafter till you reach your therapeutic level. 

It can get abit rough at first, with various side effects  (but nothing you won’t be able to get advice on or share with someone on here - so don’t worry) but don’t expect a quick fix, results don’t usually start happening till you at least get passed the 4week stage. 

Just take it one day at a time and you’ll get there 🌹

Thanks everyone for replying, was so interesting to hear about other ppls experience on sertraline.

I would really like to start feeling better and I know it is not going to be an instant fix but I am definitely going to stick with it for as long as I can, I will probably be back on here once I start them to ask for more advice! 

Thanks a million 🤗 

Hello all, 

Not sure anyone will read this, I was planning on starting my sertraline today but had a meltdown and felt really scared so ended up not taking it  😳 I have decided I will start tmw and I will cut my tablets in half so I take 25mg for the first week(even though my gp gave me 50mg) because after reading lots of threads here I think it will be less of a shock to my system and hopefully it will mean I won't suffer from side effects too badly...🤷🏻???

I have one more week off work I am just worried that I may not act "myself" whilst on them and maybe even snap or come to blows with my boss as we work quite closely together and I have been under stress at work(have been looking for a new job for a month now)

Anyway fingers crossed I will start them tmw morn, I hope everyone is doing well on their meds too 🤗

Hi rose,

Thanks for the advice, I know the best thing is to communicate whether it be with family, friends or even here on the forum but sometimes anxiety can really be your worst enemy and make you close off to everyone which does make things worse. I think I will take the tablet and be waiting on guard to feel anything negative which isn't great but I suppose it is natural and hopefully I won't be as neurotic about it after a while 🤗

That was my plan, to keep some sort of journal logging how I am feeling and side effects, something to make me feel like I am being organised somehow and I can gain some sort of control if that makes sense?

I was thinking of going on 25mg first week then 50mg the second week or would you say that is abit of a big leap?

Do you mean cutting a tablet in three quarters for 37.5?

It's funny because I know I am suffering with mild to moderate depression and anxiety but since time has come to try my meds it's almost as if my brain is fooling in me to thinking I'm just "moody" and dont really have any "problems" and that I should just pull myself together. Just shows what your mind will do to get out of something it doesn't want to do 🙈Thanks for your advice 🤗

Regarding diazepam is that like Valium? I have tried V once and basically fell asleep,it felt great but I wouldn't want to take something like that on a regular basis😳 My gp seemed dubious about prescribing sertraline so doubt she would give anything else. I think it's cos she can see from my history I have never tried anything before so is wondering what has made me want to now...would love to try therapy and/or counselling again alongside the meds so I will keep trying with the NHS or maybe even look into some low cost private alternatives 

Hi all,

I have taken my first 25mg about 30 minutes ago, I have a question it might sound silly , but should I be making a concentrated effort to change my mood? I am almost always irritable (been like this for many years)and feel I am ready to bite anyone's head off and this was partly what drove me to the point of feeling i needed to take something. I think the irritability stems from anxiety/frustration am not sure . But now I am starting the mess I feel guilty as if I shouldn't be like this and I should v along an effort myself to feel better e.g. Go out for a walk,tidy up be constructive but I honestly feel I cannot do any of that ,right now I just want to sit at home and watch tv and not communicate with anyone . I never wanted to be someone who just relied on meds but didn't help themselves though 😳😓