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Is this normal?

Posted , 6 users are following.

Bee1010
Bee1010

Hi, I’ve been on 50mg for 3 weeks now (week 4 starts on Friday). Week 1 was awful, all the side effects. Week 2, things started to settle down & I felt much more ‘normal’ but this week I’ve had side effects again with new ones thrown into the mix. I’ve had nausea, upper back pain between my shoulder blades & between my chest like indegestion pain, headaches & now this morning diarrhoea (sorry for to much information) is this normal for side effects to come & go & for new ones to appear?? Will they all eventually stop?? 

I’m taking sertraline for health anxiety so all these new side effects are sending my mind into over drive 😔

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • laura36585
    laura36585 Bee1010

    Posted

    Hi bee.   Yes these are all totally normal with this med.   try Andrews salts for the nausea, drink lots of water if you are having diarrhoea.   It will get better and calm down just try and ride it out xx
    • hope78780
      hope78780 laura36585

      Posted

      Hi, Laura, 

      Im 21, started Zoloft 5 nights ago. I'm 25 mg 4/5 nights, but I'm supposed to start 50mg tonight. My anxiety is through the roof and my pure o thoughts are really bad right now. Worse than before I started medication. I've had no appetite and I'm starting to wake up with with an upset stomach! 

      Is the rise in anxiety and pure o a side effect?? My doctor said people feel best about 4 weeks after starting but I'm feeling pretty upset. 

    • Bee1010
      Bee1010 laura36585

      Posted

      Thanks Laura. Some days are better then others but the diarrhoea this morning just completely threw me. Thank you for the advice x
  • Hoopz
    Hoopz Bee1010

    Posted

    Yes..All normal. I went through hell until I reached 150mg. I've even been for a colonoscopy cos of my bad bum. It's a side effect..side effects are so horrid sometimes with this med. I had everything and almost gave up so many times. But I am so glad I kept going. 50mg is a very low dose. Some people stay at 50 because it works for them but generally people need to go up. Have you had your bloods checked.? I was vit D deficient. This can cause anxiety fatigue depression ..I was surprised when I googled it. Please see doc as I think you will need to increase and keep going ...if I can do it then you can . Incidently I'm back at work ...back shopping...picking grandson up from School etc etc ..im not 100% yet...the tinitus is ringing in my ears as I write this. Good luck and keep posting

    🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄

    • Bee1010
      Bee1010 Hoopz

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your encouraging words! It’s just what I needed to hear. I’m trying to focus on the fact I’ve done 3 weeks & each week will get better. I shall definitely ask my doctors regarding getting my bloods checked. Thank you again x

  • Kat23tracy
    Kat23tracy Bee1010

    Posted

    Hi Bee,

    I started on 25ml for a month then increased to 50 about a week ago.  I had all of the side effects you had and I’m pleased most of them have gone away. Also, upping to 50ml was easy, maybe because I was on 25 for the first month. I’ve had nagging headaches off and on, but most all other issues really have faded away. I just went off Ativan and really struggled with that, was only on it for a month, but heart racing and scalp tingling drove me mad. Wonder if anyone else  had bad Ativan withdrawl after taking it for such a short time.?!?Hang in there, now that I’m only on Zoloft, I’m feeling myself again and each day more of the blinking side effects just go away. I had the chest and tummy thing too, it stopped. Best wishes for calm nights. x kat

    • Bee1010
      Bee1010 Kat23tracy

      Posted

      Thank you so much Kat, you don’t know how much that has reassured me. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me. I keep telling myself I’ve done 3 weeks, I can do this!! X
    • Hoopz
      Hoopz Bee1010

      Posted

      I had loads of side effects...

      Sweating

      Bad bum

      Lying on bed staring at the ceiling for 4 days listening to my tinnitus

      Exhaustion to the point where I couldn't do anything

      Headaches

      Brain zaps..feels like a wasp zapping into your head

      Increased anxiety

      Dry mouth

      De-personalisation..feeling like I'm not real and everywhere looked strange

      Palpitations

      You name it ..I had it except for nausea and teeth grinding

      BUT IT HAS ALL GONE ( more or less)

      Please stick it out..you will get there and the side effects will have been worth it

      🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄

    • hope78780
      hope78780 Hoopz

      Posted

      Hi, Hoopz! I just started Zoloft 5 nights ago. I'm 21, and this is my first time ever trying medication and I will also be starting up therapy again next week. 

      I've noticed a total spike in anxiety levels and pure o thoughts. No appetite (it's hard to even try to eat) and my head feels like there is constant pressure. I'm just feeling so out of touch with myself and I know that my OCD thoughts were not this terrible before I started the medication last Friday. 

      I should also mention that I'm currently on my period... Day 3 of 7 and I wonder if this is adding to the side effects. 

      Please give me hope to carry on! I know so many people have said the first weeks are the worst, but I'm trying to keep positive! 

    • Hoopz
      Hoopz hope78780

      Posted

      Hi Hope

      Everyone is different. Some people get no side effects at all! It would seem though at first sertraline magnifies your original symptoms and then throws in some more.

      Always take med at the same time every day

      Drink loads of water

      Cut down on coffee especially at night time

      Try to eat especially breakfast

      Practice deep breathing

      Try to laugh..watch some good old fashioned comedy

      If you can't sleep ask the doc for phenerghan. It's an anti histamine and won't leave you drowsy the next day

      Write a to do list every day and try to cross stuff off!

      Most of all remember it's just your mind playing tricks on you.

      Keep reading and posting on here

      You will feel better soon

      🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄

    • hope78780
      hope78780 Hoopz

      Posted

      Thank you so much! I'm having some trouble but I'm going to keep going. ?? I know that in the past, without treatment I was able to get past some stuff but this time with medication and therapy I hope to heal soon. 

  • kerry56645
    kerry56645 Bee1010

    Posted

    Hi Bee,

    Yes it will settle down and as you say your health anxiety is working overdrive. Keep going one day at a time you will get there I’ve had the following side affects, 

    Nausea

    Tremor 

    Itching

    Sweating 

    Jaw clenching

    Vivid dreams 

    Feeling like I have drugs in my body ( when I first started taking these ( took about a week to subside 

    Trouble reaching orgasm - that wasn’t great

    Weight gain

    I don’t have any symptoms now other than the weight gain ! 😂 x 

    • Bee1010
      Bee1010 kerry56645

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply Kerry. Words of encouragement definitely keep me focused & reassured. 

      If you don’t mind me asking.. regarding the weight gain, do you feel the tablets have changed your eating habits or haven’t you changed anything & still gained weight? This is a worry of mine. X 

    • kerry56645
      kerry56645 Bee1010

      Posted

      I have gained weight but then I have changed my exercise habits, therefore in all honesty I believe my weight gain is due to my lifestyle and food choices and also not being churned up with anxiety. Don’t be put off, for me the positives far out weighed any negatives, I’m going to start reducing my dose at the end of August with a view of coming off the drug and see how I am just being me again. This drug changed my life I’ve been on it for nearly 2 years now and don a full circle of desperately needing help, couldn’t even think about coming off it, to now wanting to come off the drug.... it works for me and I hope things get better for you x 
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