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bad experience with sertraline

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suzybear
suzybear

just joined this forum and hoping that im not the only person feeling scared. i was prescribed 50mg sertraline last week for anxiety/depression and decided to break this in half to take it as 25mg instead as was afraid of side effects. i took it before bed and following morning got up and started  feeling a bit dizzy then suddenly had dioreahh followed by fast heart rate felt very hot and clamy. felt scared following by feeling anxious and uncontrollable vomiting for almost an hour on and off feeling really shaky. also feelings of confusion. .if anyone gets the worst of side effects i feel its me ! i went straight to doctors and he said its very rare hes had anyone saying of these side effects. then prescribed me fluxotine 20mg, explained im still wary of taking something else and could it be a lower dosage like 10mg to start but he just said they dont have the line to break in half and from the look on my face replied i dont have to take them which wasnt very much encouragement for me really. im feeling very apprehensive to take the fluxotine now. its very scary experience with these bad side effects. has anyone else suffered these effects and moved on to take another ssri ok ? 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • LBC
    LBC suzybear

    Posted

    My husband started Sertraline just over 3 weeks ago . For at least the first 2 weeks he has the side effects you describe but if I'm honest probably worse it was he'll like he was dying !! I had read lots of websites ( not let him ) and this forum and knew that this could happen and just held him while we persisted and battled thru it . Anyway they started to go on week 3 and I could tell the tablets were starting to work just really little things I'd see maybe one thing a day coming back that was him before the anxiety started . Don't get me wrong he's still not 100% day 25 today yesterday had a brilliant day but today woken up and not so great . I would say try battle thru them if you can and it will get better . Our doctor didn't give him any diazepam to begin with and at about day 11 he was so worked up I had to ring the emergency doctor to come out and he gave him some 5 mg to take if he needed just to get thru the side effect stage and days if he needed them . They can only px 7 as you can become dependant on them but he might need one one morning then not for another 4 days . It is a living hell and I feel for each and every one of you and those supporting you like me as it's hard for us too but we love you and know you will get better

    • suzybear
      suzybear LBC

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply. sounds like your husband has really had a bad time with side effects and very lucky to have your support. im a little worried with these side effects as i also live on my own and i can imagine it is much more comforting to have someone with you . i take my hat off to him battling through these side effects as they are not very pleasant at all! i didnt think its right myself and that why i went straight t doctor as a result of vomiting. there are different tablets out there which you might not get all these side effects so think this is why dr gave me a different one. so think ill pluck up the courage to try this fluxotine now and fingers crossed the side effects wont be so bad . thank you for your very kind words and i will let you know how i get on :-) 
  • GodsServant
    GodsServant suzybear

    Posted

    Suzy, your side effects from sertraline is more common than you think. From personal experience, I switched from ssri to Prozac (fluxotine) from one day to the next day and had the craziest side effects ever. This was when I got back on this med second or third time. I would recommend you continue with sertraline to give it more time. Switching meds mean that you have to deal with all new side effects of the new med and also the potential interaction of the new med with the old med still lingering in your system. Whenever I am on a med, unless the side effects are so adverse it feels life-threatening, I usually stick it through to give it sometime to see if the med is indeed not the right one for me, and who knows if the side effects of the new med will be any better. I hate to start all over because it usually means longer time for the med to make me better. The horrible side effects of sertraline will subside. Hang in there. Xx
    • suzybear
      suzybear GodsServant

      Posted

      Thankyou for your reply, i understand what you are saying with sticking with the side effects but personally it felt unbearable for me. i didnt think it was normal to feel that ill. i still havent touched the new meds given to me (fluxotine) i know i should start to take them but feeling anxious about it still thinking of the worst that could happen. i had only taken the one sertraline tablet that made me feel ill and felt like it knocked me sideways and was only 25mg. havent taken anymore xx
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