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Sertaline side affects

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kathy_06966
kathy_06966

Hi there fellow 'sufferers'  can anyone give me any advise/assurance about the side effects namely diarrhea?  In seventh week of sertraline  1st 3 weeks 50mg  with no problems  doc switched me to 100mg and within 2 weeks started to experience bad diarrhea which in itself made me feel anxious  frightened to eat or go out anywhere and as this was what was making be feel anxious in the first place was very alarming. Went back to docs who lowered my dosage back to 50mg and although there is slight improvements (after 1week) am still having diarrhea.  can anyone tell me if they have experiened the same   will it eventually stop or am I stuck with this as long as I am on Sertraline.  Have my son's graduation in 3 weeks and am getting anxious    any comments or moral support extremely welcome

0 likes, 18 replies

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  • shell58234
    shell58234 kathy_06966

    Posted

    Hi this is normal for sertreline I was the same. I would take 75mg 50mg is fast. Take normally 6 weeks to kick ill. Try not to worry. Make it worse
    • kathy_06966
      kathy_06966 shell58234

      Posted

      Thanks shell  have just contacted my doctor's he has now put me down to 25mg  so am really hoping this will sort it  . Are you still taking it and how long was it before everything settled down for you 
    • shell58234
      shell58234 kathy_06966

      Posted

      Hi 2 years now, but you need is gave it time. It took 7 weeks be side effect to go. I started at 25mg for 2 week then up it 2 50mg then so on. The higher dose was 200mg but that was to much so I drop to 150mg with in 2 weeks I was feeling human again. All about finding that right mg s for your body every one is different. But you may feel s,,, but believe me you will be ok. Look at no more panic website that help me. Knowing I won't the only person feeling like a wired o .. but we int alone and you will get there.
  • julie1111
    julie1111 kathy_06966

    Posted

    hi i am on serterline. not experienced any diarrhea thankfull im on 50mg ..have u found u have lost weight with all this diarrhea.. very interested as i gained weight on mirtz and just wondered..thanks julie
    • kathy_06966
      kathy_06966 julie1111

      Posted

      Hi Julie   yes I have lost weight  about 4lbs in 2 weeks   dont know if its the diarrhea or the retiscence to eat   am feeling hungry  but everything goes straight thru  !  Doctor does know  have got to do another stool sample although last one came back clear so dont know what he is looking for.
    • julie1111
      julie1111 kathy_06966

      Posted

      hi kathy thanks for replying :-) i have heard sertrline can cause diarrhea. sounds like its the drugs side effect have u tried anything from the chemist to stop diarrhea! 
    • kathy_06966
      kathy_06966 julie1111

      Posted

      Well I asked the Doctor if I could take anything to help stop it but he advised against it  I have bought some Dioralyte but I am going to ask the doctor if he can prescribe me anything to help   It funny though coz the reason I am taking Sertraline is for anxiety that start when I had a bad experience on a ferry to France  had terrible food poisoning and ever since have had a sort of phobia  and the very thing I get prescribed to help me  gives me diarrhea lol !!!
    • julie1111
      julie1111 kathy_06966

      Posted

      lol thats no good! ask the doctor for something! is sertraline helping you besides the diarrhea, no wonder u feel the way you do 
    • kathy_06966
      kathy_06966 julie1111

      Posted

      Not sure really, cant get past this diarrhea thing yet   but I will try and persevere with it  thanks for your support and time  I really appreciate it
  • reasoning51
    reasoning51 kathy_06966

    Posted

    I'm on Citalopram and have problems with my tummy / diarrhea through it too. It is common side effect of SSRI's as most of your seratonin is produced in your gut, so taking medication to stop it being absorbed is going to create problems until your body adjusts to it.

    I am now on week 10 and would say in the last week i have noticed a lessening of these issues so is a case of hang on in there and hopefully your body will adjust also

    • kathy_06966
      kathy_06966 reasoning51

      Posted

      Thank you reasoning   there are sooo many wonderful people on this site even though we are all going thru similar things its great that ther e is so much support and good wishes    All the support is reallly helping me I suppose Ive always en a worryier  and tend to blow things out of proportion and this leads to me being more anxious and this in turn exascerbates  the diarrhea 
    • ninjagoth
      ninjagoth kathy_06966

      Posted

      Hi Kathy

      I am on sertraline 50 mg for 8 daysa  with minor side effects. Thakfully no diahorrea but do get mind indigestion with the tablet I found taking it with food helps. 

      In your case the dioralyte is good to replace the lost electrolytes from your system. Also go to your local food shop and ask for acidophilus tablets - they are a dairy free source of natural gut bacteria and can help boost your own gut bacteria. They can help some people they have worked great for my brother who used get the runs any time doctors gave him antibiotics as a child. 

      I have used them when having an upset stomach and found they work. But also follow the good advice from the others and keep in touch with your doc. Unfortunately we are all different and our bodies deal with medication in different ways. 

      All the best.

  • tracey55941
    tracey55941 kathy_06966

    Posted

    Hi,

    I also had severe diarraeha when I went up to 100mg. Couldn't keep food or water in for a few weeks, ended u being referred to a colonoscopy they were so concerned but it siddenly improved. Bear with it, the 100mg made a big difference to hw I was in myself.

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