How to swap time of day you take sertraline
Posted , 5 users are following.
I'm currently on day 7 of sertraline. Was on it before for a few years and had no side effects when I went on. This time side effects horrendous and worse in morning. Amplified my anxiety 500% Extreme panic, shaking, nausea, retching, obsessive thoughts. It's also waking me up at 6am without fail and unable to return to sleep.
Am taking around 9.30pm/10pm and thinking maybe I'd do better to switch to morning. Has anyone switched taking time and how did you do? Not sure if best to skip dose tonight and just take in morning or take both tonight and tomo morning.
So scared of making it worse and I need to go to work tomo as losing my job is one of my biggest anxieties...
Grateful for any help / advice!! xx
0 likes, 27 replies
TurtleTom emma66490
Posted
if you can get to sleep okie then take in morning only it is fine the half life to sertraline is quite high so the sertraline will still be in your body anyway.
i take mine anytime between 7am - 12pm depending on when I remember. if you feel bad do you have diazepam you can use for tonight?
emma66490 TurtleTom
Posted
Yes seem to be ok falling asleep, just wake up in a state. No diazepam unfortunately...doctor gave me 5x 2mg with the sertraline last Tuesday but used them all already! Don't know whether to ask for more or to tough this out. Don't want to get dependent or complicate my brain more with more drugs. Honestly dont know and can't think straight....
Thank you so much for taking time to reply, I really appreciate it. Did you have bad side effects first starting it too?
kerry56645 emma66490
Posted
Hi, when i first started i would take mine straight after i finished work so i didnt feel the affects so much during my working hours as i was hyper sensitive. just decide what time you want to take it and delay your dose to this time. then stick to the new time. side affects will subside, stick with it the positives far outweigh the negatives. it may not feel like it now but you give it 4 weeks and each week will get easier x
emma66490 kerry56645
Posted
Thank you so much for this. Did you not find taking it after work that the worst side effects happened when you were going to bed? My insomnia is already pretty bad. Going to try and take mine around 10ish today on basis that worst will kick in around early eve when maybe i can distract myself with a yoga class or something.
How long did it take for your side effects to subside? And thank you so much for replying, I really appreciate the it xx
kerry56645 emma66490
Posted
Hello,
for me i never had an issue woth sleep with serttaline eally its funny how it affects us all differently. before sertraline i didnt sleep approx 2 nights in the week. with sleep anxiety after taking it ive never had a problem. it just become less and less my mind was less focused on it and then i just forgot i was taking it 4-6 weeks maybe x
emma66490 kerry56645
Posted
Yes everyone has such diff reactions, even I am having a different reaction to first time round! 4-6 weeks sounds like a long way away at the mo but helps to know others took some time to find relief on sertraline too! x
Guest emma66490
Posted
you could try taking 1/2 your usual dose tonight at the usual time, then take the full dose in the morning; that will cover both this evening, and your new dosage time.
emma66490 Guest
Posted
Thank you so much for the response. If the 10am dosage time I'm trying at the moment doesn't work I may try that if i swap to after work /early eve like someone else suggested x
Potatoghost emma66490
Posted
hey Emma just checking in to see how you are getting on. hoping you're a little better than the other day x
emma66490 Potatoghost
Posted
Hey - thank you for checking in, have struggled to do much last 24 hours or so hence radio silence! Just felt so overwhelmed. Doctor signed me off yesterday until end of next week and had to put together a handover afterwards that was still pretty stressful, so paranoid still about losing my job but trying to remind myself the paranoia is also the anxiety.
My physical symptoms are a lot better - less nausea. Still waking up quite early / panicky but nothing near the terror/dread I woke up with last week. Now the challenge will be to keep busy, if I don't the intrusive thoughts and catastrophic thinking just circles round my head over and over - with the accompanying adrenalin surges which are horrid.
How are you getting on? Did you have a nice day with your son yesterday ? x
Potatoghost emma66490
Posted
I cant describe how horrible the adrenaline surges are. I havnt had them on sertraline as much but had loads on mirtazipine. my blood would run cold and would feel like it was turning to ice. and the feeling of dread comes with it uggghhh.
that's a good way to tell when things are getting better, when they start going.
I'm really sorry to hear you are still struggling and having anxiety I can imagine being signed off work is worrying and not helping the anxiety, but just take what time you need until you feel a little better about going back thats a good sign you arent waking up as panicky and not feeling as sick so hopefully the tablets will start kicking in a bit more soon x
it was difficult trying to pretend I was ok and not get too overwhelmed but I done it and it wasnt too bad so that's good x
I'm here if you need to chat or have any questions but dont feel obligated to answer if you are feeling too poorly.
just whenever you feel up to it x