1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Sertraline

Is this normal side effects?

Posted , 7 users are following.

pamela51740
pamela51740

I have been on sertraline 50mg for 1 week then 100mg for one week so far...my head won't shut up, still having panic and anxiety, I feel like im not here! I'm just a robot going through the motions. My brain hurts, my eyeballs ache...the thing that gets me the most is I'm stuck in my head and it feels like my thoughts are shouting at me in can't concentrate because of it!

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • ashleyrocks910
    ashleyrocks910 pamela51740

    Posted

    The anxiety got a lot worse for me before it got better.  I started to see very small changes at 3 weeks.  At 4 weeks I had some better days.  Right now I am having a couple low days,  but with Zoloft you start out with a bunch of bad days,  then start seeing moments of yourself during the day,  even if for only a few minutes,  then you start having some good days,  and eventually the good days start to our number the bad.  I am sorry you are having such a hard time.  I have absolutely been there 100%.  It is so hard to go through and something I wouldn’t wish on anyone.  Try and hang in there.  It’s awful, but it does get better. X
  • natd
    natd pamela51740

    Posted

    Hi pamela51740.

    Sorry you're feeling so bad at the moment. It WILL get better. I started on 50 mg and had all the side effects you describe. Luckily mine passed after around 4-6 weeks. I've not experienced the higher dose as I only upped to 75mg after 2 years. This medication seems to take up to 8 weeks to 'work'. Maybe your Dr could allow you to stay at 50 a while longer to see if you have some positives from it after 6 weeks say, before upping it 25mg at a time instead? The side effects seem less when doing a little at a time and gives the medicine time to work. Good luck. We are all in this together and although it feels like there's no way out at the moment, please bare with it. It does get easier xx

    • pamela51740
      pamela51740 natd

      Posted

      Thank you so much for responding Nat it's given me hope 😊

  • HopeNFaith
    HopeNFaith pamela51740

    Posted

    Hi there,

    I think 6-8 weeks is when you really start to notice the difference and feel more you. In the first 3 weeks I noticed small changes. You do get ups and downs but once the meds start working, you will have more good days than bad. Take it day by day and have faith. You will get there. X

  • Guest
    Guest pamela51740

    Posted

    I really echo what the others have said. Really try and hang in there. I’m on 150mg and it took about 5 weeks before I suddenly started to feel a lot better. Before that the the side effects were similar to yours. Take care 
    • ashleyrocks910
      ashleyrocks910 Guest

      Posted

      I hit exactly 5 weeks yesterday.  Yesterday was the first day I felt mostly normal.  I still had some anxiety and almost had a panic attack,  but mainly a good day overall.  Usually I am anxious all day and feel more normal in the evenings.  Did you feel more improvements in the weeks following?
    • Guest
      Guest ashleyrocks910

      Posted

      Yes definitely. I am in week six now and feeling better everyday. I don’t even have the morning anxiety now which I never thought would go.
  • wendy49444
    wendy49444 pamela51740

    Posted

    Hi, I started on sertraline 6wks ago. First 4 wks 50mg last 2 wks 100mg. This last week I have been extremely dizzy/light headed, week before very nauseas and horrendous headaches. Have to stop n just hold my head. Embarrassed as I'm a senior carer and deal with end of life patients. Also chest pains which is worrying. Spoke to pharmacist but told me talk to GP, spoke on the phone said see how it goes after another week! So frustrating as it works well for the anxiety but physically it's not good. Maybe 75mg will be just right!!!! Not quite at the 5..6wks point yet though. Does anyone else feel, um numb yet strong and thi gs that used to bother them ie.. .. Confrontation now OK

    • Guest
      Guest wendy49444

      Posted

      I found that every time I changed the dose upwards (before giving it proper time to work) the side affects returned. However in week 5 of the new dose theside effects  stopped and I feel much better. I wonder now if I had stayed on 100mg longer before increasing if that might have worked 🤷???

    • natd
      natd Guest

      Posted

      You saying that, my gp suggested I up to 100 from 50 but I chose to meet in the middle and instead just went to 75. Side effects were there for a week. I used 75 for roughly 4-5 weeks but the last 4 days have only been taking the 50 again.
  • armelle88733
    armelle88733 pamela51740

    Posted

    I am on week 4. I feel a lot better but still wake up in the middle of the night with a racing heart. I am better in the evening. I can’t wait to be back to normal. Take care.
Back to top

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.