Been given sertraline
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi
Today I was given sertraline to start taking by my doctor, 50mg a day
After coming home and reading about it and reading all the horrible side effects that can come with this drug I am scared to start taking it and not sure if it is worth starting
I am not badly depressed and a lot of the time I do feel ok, other times are worse when I do feel low and worthless but I'm not sure if maybe kalms for example will help me better because it isn't all the time I feel like this
Please help don't know what to do !
Leanne 
0 likes, 18 replies
ciara_44423 leanne91044
Posted
Hi Leanne
Have you taken antidepressants before?
Do you suffer from suicidal thoughts from time to time?
I am in the process of coming off them as the last 18 months being on them has been a very difficult time dealing with the side effects.
I have taken different antidepressants over the last 15 years and for me they were not the best and made me worse.
If you haven't been on antidepressants before I'd recommend going back to the doctor and explaining that you are worried about the side effects. In my experience the others I've been on have been nowhere near as hard to deal with but I can only say this as my own experience. I now know since being on them they are not for me.
If you suffer from suicidal thoughts which I have done I do recommend going on medication as they do help with these thoughts I just wouldn't necessarily started anyone on Sertaline to begin with.
Hope you get the help you need
Ciara
leanne91044 ciara_44423
Posted
I haven't took antidepressants before this is the first time which makes me even more scared as I have never took anything like this before
And yes I do, not a lot of the time and most of the time I don't but when I do feel low and upset yes the thought has gone through my head
I have an appointment with the doctor in 4 week as she wanted to see how I was getting on after taking the tablets so if I decide not to take them I will tell her at that appointment I was scared to do so
Xx
ciara_44423 leanne91044
Posted
It's def a scary thing when you haven't taken medication like antidepressants. I wish my doctor had of explained to me how bad the side effects get.
My situation is slightly different because I've been through alot of these antidepressants so I can now cage what works and what does not and Sertaline certainly hasn't. I feel that for your first time the side effects could be scary given you don't always feel severely depressed or anxious. Though because you do feel so low at times I wouldn't wait for 4 weeks to see the doc again as you could be doing with some help so try to get an appointment before that.
Always be honest with how you feel with your GP, yes they are trained hopefully on mental health but at the end of the day every person is different and react in different ways so do and say what's right for you.
This forum is great in getting information as you can read everyone's different experience and it will give you that extra encouragement and confidence needed.
Let me know how you get on and feel free to ask me any questions xx
leanne91044 ciara_44423
Posted
I was maybe thinking about making another appointment with a different doctor and maybe getting a second opinion about it
I feel a lot better reading stuff on here as I now no longer feel like I'm alone about this and there is other people in the same boat, it's also nice to speak to people who understand how you feel ! Xx
claire86168 leanne91044
Posted
Hi Leanne
i was prescribed 50mg of sertraline from my doc on Friday just gone. After spending the whole of Friday night googling sertraline I was to scared to take it.. I know it's something I needed to do as for the past 8months I've been to the doctors a ridiculous amount of times with illnesses I've convinced I've got (they told me I haven't).. I've also tried reiki, kalms, self help books, apps, counselling (I'm still going to counselling).. Anyway Saturday morning i decided to take it and just take whatever might happen, I split the tablet in half so only had 25mg, as I'm thinking let it get in my system slowly..
leanne91044 claire86168
Posted
I've also been to the doctors before with illnesses I think I have! And the doctor today actually recommended counselling so I am going to start that, but as the waiting list where I am is quite long she gave me these to try in the meantime.
I was also going to cut the tablet in half and ease my way in to it but even at that I'm scared!
When I've took kalms before ( i started taking them because I had a driving test coming up and I would get worked up about it) I felt they actually helped me, I felt slightly more positive and felt I wasn't worrying as much, I don't know whether to just begin them again until I can get councelling
michelle71710 leanne91044
Posted
Hi Leanne, I'm currently on sertaline. Been on it 36days and I'm not going to lie it was hard but I got through it. This drug takes between 6-8weeks to start working so you need to give it time and don't give up if you fill worse and don't feel better, you will. My dr wanted to start me on 50mg for a week then up 100mg but I was to scared too even through I'd taken sertaline a few years ago. So I split my dose in half and took 25mg for 6days, by day 5 the side effects started, you may be lucky and not get any or few, don't let it put you off. Then I did 19days on 50mg. Dr wanted to put me on 100mg so I did 75mg for 6days then I've been on 100mg for 5days so far. I've had some ok days in between. My dr did say I would feel worse before getting better and my anxiety has improved since being on them. This forum has been a life saver for me, never used one before. Everyone is very supportive. Stay positive and if you want to chat I'm here. Also has your dr given you anything extra incase you get any side effects? Xxx
leanne91044 michelle71710
Posted
Yes my doctor said at first it might be hard when I start taking them, which I'm also scared of because right now at this moment in time I feel ok I don't want to feel really low tomorrow if I do take it ! She never gave me anything incase of side effects ..
I might start to take kalms again (when I took them before I did feel more positive and slightly better ) until my app in 4 weeks and when I go let her know I was scared to take them. I am going to start councelling but as the waiting list is long where I stay this is why she gave me these tablets until then! I'm just really scared as I've never been on anything like this before
Thank you xx
michelle71710 leanne91044
Posted
Maybe make another appointment with your GP for 4weeks and see if she can give you anything to take along side then and tell her that your scared to take them too she may come up with a different solution. I don't think you'd feel low straight away, it's the other side effects. I got heightened anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite, dry mouth, nausea to name a few which started around day 5 but you could be a lucky one and get nothing or very few. Every person is different but it's upto you if you take them or not. If you do decide to take them, go for the split dose to start with and take every day as it comes, stay positive xxx
leanne91044 michelle71710
Posted
Yes I have a appointment booked for 4 weeks anyway so I'll keep that appointment either way what I decide to do.
How long did you side effects last for?
Side effects like insomnia worry me as I have no trouble sleeping just now I actually get really good sleeps so to maybe not be able to sleep worrys me too
Yes take every day as it comes and stay positive always !xxx
michelle71710 leanne91044
Posted
Yes keep that appointment anyway but if you decide not to take them go back and see your GP.
The thing is you may not get that, everyone is different. I've spoke to people on here and they sleep great still. It just depends on the person. If your worrying about all the side effects it'll make it worse, as that's all you'll be thinking about.
Mine started around day5, lasted around 1-2weeks. I'm just really tired at the moment as upped my dose to 100mg 5days ago but it has helped my anxiety so far, I'm still not myself but it's definitely improved xxx
leanne91044 michelle71710
Posted
Yes that's true , I could be one of the lucky ones and not have any side effects! But I am just worrying and thinking the worst of it just now , which is what I do with mostly everything in life, so with that being said I might half the tablet and take it tomorrow then next week take the full 50 just to ease me in to it xxx
leanne91044 michelle71710
Posted
Also, when would you say is the best time to take it? I don't know whether to take it first thing in the morning, later on around 5 as this is when I finish work every day so it'll be the same time every day, or night time ?xx
michelle71710 leanne91044
Posted
Yes that's what I did, split my tablet on each increase. Do what you feel is right for you and try not to think about the side effects, even though I know it's hard.
I take mine in the morning before the school run so about 8:30 ish. It depends on you really. I don't think there is a best time to take it, if your going to get side effects you'll get them no matter what time you take them. I know some people on here said that if taken at night can keep them awake but I've never took it at nighttime so I wouldn't know where as others have taken it at night to try and sleep through the side effects but again it's upto you, I just think if your going to get side effects it doesn't matter what time you take them just try take them around the same time every day xxx
imelda16796 leanne91044
Posted
Hi Leanne, I can only tell you my experience. I found it very difficult to start them as the side effects were dreadful, When i got used to them i felt fine, but when i started coming off them again the side effects were just like staring them again, i hadn't expected side effects coming off them so my advice would be if you can do without them, don't start, wish you good luck in whatever you decide. I actually feel the need of them now and again when i feel low, BUT when i think of the side effects, i decide no, but as you have mentioned kalms i think i might try them.
leanne91044 imelda16796
Posted
Do you mind me asking what side effects you got taking them ? And when you came off them ?
That is also another thing that scares me, is how I'm going to feel when I come off them! I feel that as my anxiety/feelings are not the worst I don't want to take this medication and it actually just makes me feel worse, I find a lot of the time speaking to people, and especially people I don't know helps, and I feel I'll benefit from the councelling I'm going to receive a lot when I start it !
When I took kalms I feel they did help me, not a massive different but I did feel more happy and relaxed and more at ease which was nice x
michelle71710 leanne91044
Posted
I've been on sertaline a few years back for anxiety and panic attacks and they helped me so much. I felt that good I was forgetting to take the tablets and ended up just stopping them, cold turkey, (not recommended) but I was fine no side effects and I was happy and back to my self then August just gone the anxiety came back due to personal circumstances bringing with it depression too so I'm just hoping the tablets work just aswell. It's a long process but helped me last time xxx