1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Sertraline

Has anyone experienced night sweats with Sertraline?

Posted , 61 users are following.

katharine63063
katharine63063

I have been taking Sertraline for about 18 months now and I think it has helped me a lot. However, one thing I am now plagued with, which seems to have coinsided with when I started to take it, is night sweats.

I know that hot flushes are listed as a sdie effect, but this is FAR worse than this. I would say about 4-5 nights a week I wake up and I'm sweating so much it's like I've just got out of shower. It's totally gross!!!

My bedroom is not too warm and I don't feel too hot when I gp to bed. The Dr has done blood tests to see if anything abnormal shows up, but that's all OK.

I would be really interested to know if anyone else suffers with this. I don't want to come off it or change if it's nothing to do with the Sertraline, but it's become a real problem in my life!!!

Here's hoping neutral

2 likes, 91 replies

91 Replies

Prev Next
  • sedreka_78156
    sedreka_78156 katharine63063

    Posted

    I am having severe night sweats and they are horrible. I change my bed clothes at least twice and the funny thing I don't sweat normally even when

    I go gym. I thought I had a immune disease until see your blog thank you.

  • caroline19701
    caroline19701 katharine63063

    Posted

    Hi Katherine

    Yes I've got night sweats I'm on 100mg and nearly every night I'm soaked.

    Nearly each time I'm taking a shower at 4am

    I also get the sweats in day with doing very little.

    It's very irritating

    • linz99896
      linz99896 caroline19701

      Posted

      So glad it's not just me. When I get anxious I sweat even more! So unconfortable.

  • Guest
    Guest katharine63063

    Posted

    I did some research on this- apparently it's to do with the serotonin . Too much and it effects your body thermostat.

  • 4Real
    4Real katharine63063

    Posted

    Ive been on Sertraline for about a year going from 50mg to 100mg to 150mg and now back down to 100mg. I'm experiencing awful night sweating and difficulties getting out of bed. I work for myself doing a job that I love so the later is equally annoying

    The main positive the drug has brought is that I get relatively good sleep. Before it my depression was causing continual negative thinking through the night - this led to being exhausted most days.

    Im not sure if I should trying switching medications or reducing my dose further?

  • linz99896
    linz99896 katharine63063

    Posted

    I've been taking sertraline since January 2015 for ptsd. I have terrible dreams but seems the night sweats are terrible. I hate them with a passion but unsure if the doctorrent would be able to do anything about these? Taking the medication is the lesser of the two evils tho? Citalopram didn't work for me and proZac brought me out in a terrible rash which wouldn't stop itching on my head face back and stomach. Thought I was going mad. Sertraline seems to keep my emotional down days at bay.

    • Guest
      Guest linz99896

      Posted

      Hi there,

      I decided to come off the Sertraline as my sleep was so terrible, 4am waking for no reason. I talked to my Doc, and it was agreed to try Beta Blocker for my anxiety. I HATED THE BETA BLOCKERS,,,the feeling they gave was not natural to me....only did it once.  Meanwhile trying to come off the Sertraline- cut down to 1/2 pill- I cut it myself. I found that within a day at this amount, my weird nail bitting was back....so I immediately went up to 3/4 a pill. Here is where I am atm.  My waking is still 4 or 5am for no reason, but my anxiety is at bay. Sweats still there. I just sleep with a towel. 

      Because I was just diagnosed with ADD on top of my Autism, they will be starting me on Ritalin, and apparently it calms people with ADD. Not the general public - it has the opposite effect. So Im hoping that I can easily switch and it controls my anxiety.  

      I guess this is useless info if your not  a ADD sufferer, but I thought I would share neverthesss. 

      So as it stands, anxiety kept at bay in the day (altho my muscles are still very tight and I clench my teeth) and I sweat like a beast at night and wake 4 am. I usually fall back asleep 11am for like 3 hrs.  I am not working atm so its not so much a problem, but I can forseen problems when I gain employment. 

  • josephine88499
    josephine88499 katharine63063

    Posted

    I've been on it for nearly 3 months and am now on 150mg. These sweats are horrific!! Thankfully I'm single but I can't imagine if I had to share my bed with anyone!! As someone else has mentioned, mine were better while I was away skiing but I also suspect the alcohol was suppressing them.

    Increasing doses hasn't made a difference and there are no signs of them going away like the nausea did.

  • p14915
    p14915 katharine63063

    Posted

    i have been having this problem for the past couple of months, i have also been on sertraline for the same lengh of time, having looked it up it is very common to get night sweats from this medication. from what i have found Oxybutynin will stop these sweats, this does work better for women than men. i plan to ask my doctor for  this Oxybutynin on my next appointment.
  • Guest
    Guest katharine63063

    Posted

    A quick update.  I spoke to my doctor about meds to counteract the night sweats, and was told that it reduces seritonine. So defeats taking Sertraline to begin with. 

    So I gradually reduced my doesage to 1/2 50 mg tablet (cut it into 2) and now have no night sweats and the increased ( abit a smaller amount) of seratonine re-uptake.  Im still not biting my nails ( which is my marker ) and now no night sweats.

     

  • michael51693
    michael51693 katharine63063

    Posted

    I have been taking Sertraline 100mg since 21 November 2016 and have experienced night sweating for the pastr 3 months. I never suffered with this problem before taking Sertraline so it would appear they are the cause. I have tried sleeping without any clothes on and with only a low tog duvet but it is still the same. I also suffer with vivid dreams. They are also causing me to have bowel movements twice a day which is another side effect. But saying this they have certainly improved my life style and I find I am less anxious than I was, and for this reason I do not want to stop taking them. Hopefully an answer will be found!  
  • syndi80501
    syndi80501 katharine63063

    Posted

    My teen daughter has been on sertralune at 100 mgs daily and over the past few months sweating profusely during the night. Her doctor wont change her medication or dosage. Her twin sister is on the same medication with another as well and doesnt sweat but since being on the sertraline, she is more affected by heat where as in the past she was the opposite....always cold. I was constantly having her iron levels checked because I was worried about her being cold.........my daughter that has the night sweats has seen barely any help with her anxiety and depression. I go next week to discuss all this with the dr office........ugh
    • Guest
      Guest syndi80501

      Posted

      Perhaps another type of antidepressant will work without the night sweats. This is what I heard.
    • syndi80501
      syndi80501 Guest

      Posted

      That's what I am hoping now I have to batlle it out with the dr. But thank you. There are a lot of anti depressant meds out there too and where this one isnt working you would think he would want to dohat is best for her.

    • Guest
      Guest syndi80501

      Posted

      One thing that does help with my anxiety is good old fashion exercise. I used to run, now it's the cross trainer.

    • Guest
      Guest syndi80501

      Posted

      I also do pottery and keep an aquarium and go out for nature walks and watercolour paint. Anything to keep my mind in the moment and off thinking.
    • syndi80501
      syndi80501 Guest

      Posted

      She is 15 so she goes to therapy and has very few interests but sev er al medical issues so exercise ipesents a problem. She does short walks almost daily. Its harder when your not a mature adult. I dont m8nd her being on medication......I do mind the dr not doing what is in her best interest
    • syndi80501
      syndi80501

      Posted

      We have had this pediatrician for awhile and never had issues with him switching meds or giving me a hard time before.
    • charlsie03527
      charlsie03527 syndi80501

      Posted

      How did things with your daughters work out regarding the night sweats and heat intolerance? Did your one daughters anxiety ever ease up on the Zoloft?
Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.