Sertraline 50mg 9 weeks in - positive story

I spent a lot a lot of time when I started sertraline trawling the internet trying to find stories of people that it worked for so I thought I would add my story in case people found it helpful.

I started sertraline for anxiety 9 weeks ago today as my anxiety had worsened due to lockdown. I was on 25mg for the first 6 days then up to 50mg.

For about the first 4 weeks I had lots of side effects. The anxiety was definitely worse, and it was not unusual for me to end up sobbing on the phone to my parents more than once a day. I felt nauseous, dizzy, headachey, almost no appetite, couldnt sit down to eat, metallic taste in mouth, dry mouth, confusion, foggy head, total exhaustion and for a couple of nights each week very disrupted sleep. I was shattered but found that when I lay down to sleep or nap I was very twitchy, sometimes experiencing huge jolts and restless legs. Fortunately I have a very supportive employer and was working from home due to lockdown (although having these symptoms completely on my own was difficult) so I just did as much as I could for work. Thankfully a friend of mine had taken it before and she told me to imagine that it was like the sertraline was clearing out cupboards in my mind; initially everything looks a lot messier but if you hold on and keep going it tidies up.

About three weeks after taking the first pill it was my birthday and I had three good days in a row where I felt in a positive mood and was sleeping well. There was no light switch moment which some experience when I suddenly felt amazing but I had kept a diary and realised I had started to have more better days despite still having ups and downs. I still got very frustrated at the down days but others helped to reflect back to me that I was improving.

At just after 7 weeks, having made slow but steady progress I had a dip. I was very tearful and anxious for a couple of days, didn't sleep very well and felt like the physical side effects which were mostly gone by week 4 were back again. I was convinced I was back to square one! I called the mental health practitioner at the doctors and spoke to the GP who told me to keep going for another two weeks. The blip only lasted a couple of days and now at the start of week 9 I am doing well again.

Sertraline has certainly been a massive rollercoaster but it does work for me. It does its job and has taken the edge off my anxiety nicely which have given other things like exercise, tapping and counselling the opprtunity to work.

A few things that have helped me:

When my appetite was next to nothing I kept easy to prepare and eat food in the house: instant porridge, greek yoghurt with honey, smoothie in cartons, babybel, frubes, toast with peanut butter. I ate like a child but it meant I was at least getting some nutrients in without too much stress.

I made myself drink water and went for a walk as often as I felt even vaguely able to - it helped every time.

I read the accounts of others on this website to give me hope and tried not to google every symptom

I made sure that I spoke to people about how I was feeling. Those people deserve medals!

I kept a daily record of side effects and feelings. It helped to see little improvements.

I used headspace, yoga, C25K. I took vitamin D supplements.

Most importantly I reminded myself often that feelings pass and I would be ok. I read a thing that recommended adding "for now" at the end of statements about how you are feeling (eg I am really worried... for now) to

remind yourself that it will pass.

As I said I'm still only 9 weeks in but I wanted to offer some hope that it does kick in even when it feels like it won't! It's just rummaging in the cupboards in the meantime.

good luck!

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