1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Sertraline

Sertraline 50mg side effects..

Posted , 11 users are following.

heatmh
heatmh

Hello..so after about 2 months of hesitation because of the worry of sixe effects, I finally decided to take my first dose yesterday.. The first 3 hours were great, I kept busy cleaning and doing laundry then I sat down to take a break and read a bit..I noticed my eyes had a hard time focusing on anything and I also started having a panic attack..The panic attack came in waves, I'd start to feel better than bam it'd come back and that happened a few times. I called my psychiatrist office and was transferred to a nurse's voicemail.. I also started to feel a pressure in my head and a heat sensation in my head, I started getting nauseous, and stomach upset ..I started to freak out. It was just me and my 3 kids at home so I had my oldest child rub my back and I surprisingly felt a little better. Then I held my youngest childs hand and felt the panic, nausea and stomach cramps subside.. I felt the pressure in my head, jaw tightness and hard time focusing throughout the rest of the night and had a hard time falling asleep. Woke up with a slight headache, but the worst of the side effects only lasted an hour yesterday.. Needles to say because of the one bad hour I am terrified to take another dose!!! And I have still yet to hear back from my Dr office and it's been over 24 hours..even tried calling them again and got transferred to a nurses vm again.. Everything that I've read people seem to take weeks to not have side effects.. How does everyone cope with the side effects while taking care of a family or working???? I'm at a loss as to what to do and if I should still take them.. Doesn't help that my Dr or his nurse isn't calling me back.. 😞 any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

2 likes, 29 replies

29 Replies

Next
  • fancy_fun
    fancy_fun heatmh

    Posted

    so sorry to hear you had such fast, severe reaction to the sertraline..it is not a medication for the faint hearted..sadly most MD don't prepare their patients for the side effects, the increases and the final tapering..would help to tea search the medical sites to become aware of the advantages and disadvantages of this medication..good luck..hope it helps
    • heatmh
      heatmh fancy_fun

      Posted

      Good morning, thank you for your reply! You are right about not being prepared by the Dr. Funny thing is I did do research before I started taking this med just to prepare myself..so I was aware of some having side effects. That's why it took 2 months to take the first pill.. I expressed my concerns with my psychiatrist and he said I had nothing to worry about and I shouldn't have any problems.. I want to stick it out because I know the benefits would outweigh the side effects, but just knowing what to do to get through the side effects without thinking I'm going crazy is the hard part. If I'm at home I'm not too concerned, but if I feel these side effects and I'm at work I'm not sure what I'd do.. there are times I work alone so that's a tough one.. Thank you again for your response!
  • vanessa90617
    vanessa90617 heatmh

    Posted

    all sounds very normal. I would do things that would help calm me. Mine were long walk listening to pandora a relaxation radio. Lying in my room as still as possible listening to the music. Or sitting outside in my "relaxation chair", as my kids called it. They just new that mom needed that time. plus my husband was a big help and distraction for my kids. Another thing that got me thru was taking my Ativan (benzo). I could not have gotten thru without that. My doctor was helpful in constantly repeating that it takes time and those symptoms are normal. He also said to not fight the panic attack. To go ahead and take an Ativan if I felt it coming on. Lastly, hearing other people that had gone thru it telling me that it was going to get better and will get better was helpful. I had to hear it several times a day. And guess what? It did get better. 😊 It just takes time. and that's hard to hear, I know.
    • heatmh
      heatmh vanessa90617

      Posted

      Good morning, thank you for your reply! It's good to know that it is normal for those side effects and that they won't last forever..I skipped yesterday but will probably start to take it again today because I feel that I could benefit from this med. I hope the Dr's office will call me back today, knowing there is something to take to help get through the inital side effects is reassuring, so if they call I'll have to bring it up to them! I think I'll be ok at home dealing with these side effects especially if it wasn't an all day thing like the first day I took it, my husband is off for the next 3 days with me so that'll help to, I think my only problem will be having to work with those side effects..The Ativan that you take, does it make you drowsy? Thank you again for your reply!
    • vanessa90617
      vanessa90617 heatmh

      Posted

      It does not make me drowsy. It just helps take the edge off. When I first was in Zoloft I would take 1mg Ativan. It takes about 20 mins to start working but it lasts 4-6hrs. Then I went down to .5mg Ativan. I only take more if I'm not better within 30mins of taking it.

      Do the behavioral therapy stuff too. It really does help.

    • heatmh
      heatmh vanessa90617

      Posted

      Thank you, I will be trying that soon. I've seen my psychiatrist 2x and go back 7/12 for my first therapy session. With everything I have faith it'll work out.
  • karen45008
    karen45008 heatmh

    Posted

    Hi I'm on day 9 of sertraline and I had all those side effects for the first 6 days ,feeling ok now ,a slight headache in the morning but that's it 
    • heatmh
      heatmh karen45008

      Posted

      Good morning, thank you for your reply! What mg are you taking? Also for the headache what do you take? I usually take excedrin migraine but noticed it has aspirin so found excedrin tension headache and it only has acetaminophen and caffine.. Wondering if that's safe to take?
    • karen45008
      karen45008 heatmh

      Posted

      Hi. I am now on 100 mg of sertraline ,and take paracetamol for the headaches 
  • analiesa58341
    analiesa58341 heatmh

    Posted

    Hi I have completed my first week and gone through simular but I must say after day 6 I was feeling much better I too have children but tried my hardest to shield them from the side effects I used breathing techniques and the pink elephant visuals it helped me

    • heatmh
      heatmh analiesa58341

      Posted

      Good morning, thank you for your reply! I'm glad to hear you felt better after 6 days! My oldest who is 16 knew that I qas taking a new med cor anxiety so that he could just keep an eye on me but otherwise my two younger children just thought my back was sore. When I felt the panic come on I made sure to go in my room or outside. I did try the breathing but that never seems to help, not sure what the pink visual is? That's one thing I wish mt Dr office did was give me some things to do to calm myself if I have a panic attack..sadly I've had to read more about it on the internet. I read something about the 5 senses, like 5 things you can see, 4 things you feel etc..not sure of the order but wondering if that has helped anyone?
  • Mynameisalyss
    Mynameisalyss heatmh

    Posted

    I'm so sorry to hear you went  through this. In my opinion, I do not think you felt the side effects so suddenly. I think you were worrying in the back of your head which triggered panic. Sertraline is not a fast acting drug. It actually takes days for you to feel it. I started at 25 mg and I did not feel it / get any symptoms for a week.

    I would consider seeing a therapist. They are on call 24/7. Well, mine is anyway. Whenever I have anxiety I shoot her a text or call her no matter what time it is.

    I suggest staying on the medicine. But getting a fast acting medicine like xanax to help cope with the start up side effects. Thats what I did and it worked well for me.

    • heatmh
      heatmh Mynameisalyss

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. That's what I thought too, I know sometimes when you think something bad is going to happen, it will. But I kept myself busy with cleaning and sat down to read a book then it just came on. But it's possible in the back of my mind that I was still a bit worried. I have had 2 appts with the psychiatrist and will be going back on 7/12 for my first appt for therapy. I hope that'll help too. The nurse at my Dr office finally called me back this AM and I asked about something to take if I do have bad panic attacks again or even if I should continue on with the sertraline, she has to speak with the Dr and get back to me so we shall see. Fingers crossed
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      May I ask what you are diagnosed with? I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. I once took a xanax for the first time and I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. It works well.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      May I ask what you are diagnosed with? I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. I once took a xanax for the first time and I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. It works well.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      May I ask what you are diagnosed with? I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. I once took a xanax for the first time and I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. It works well.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      May I ask what you are diagnosed with? I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. I once took a xanax for the first time and I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. It works well.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      I am not sure what you have been diagnosed with. I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. When I took a xanax for the first time I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. Despite all of the side effects for the first few weeks (nausea, dizziness, lost of appetite, a bit of increased anxiety) It works well.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      I am not sure what you have been diagnosed with. I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. When I took a xanax for the first time I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. Despite all of the side effects for the first few weeks (nausea, dizziness, lost of appetite, a bit of increased anxiety) It works well. I started at 25 mg for two years I was just increased half a dose. Now I am on 37.5.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      I am not sure what you have been diagnosed with. I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. When I took a xanax for the first time I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. Despite all of the side effects for the first few weeks (nausea, dizziness, lost of appetite, a bit of increased anxiety) It works well. I started at 25 mg for two years I was just increased half a dose. Now I am on 37.5.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      I am not sure what you have been diagnosed with. I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. When I took a xanax for the first time I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. Despite all of the side effects for the first few weeks (nausea, dizziness, lost of appetite, a bit of increased anxiety) It works well. I started at 25 mg for two years I was just increased half a dose. Now I am on 37.5.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      I am not sure what you have been diagnosed with. I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. When I took a xanax for the first time I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. Despite all of the side effects for the first few weeks (nausea, dizziness, lost of appetite, a bit of increased anxiety) It works well. I started at 25 mg for two years I was just increased half a dose. Now I am on 37.5.
    • Mynameisalyss
      Mynameisalyss heatmh

      Posted

      I am not sure what you have been diagnosed with. I have panic disorder so I'm constantly thinking the worst. When I took a xanax for the first time I had a panic attack thinking of all the things that could go wrong. The panic soon stopped thanks to the xanax. I say stick with the medicine. Despite all of the side effects for the first few weeks (nausea, dizziness, lost of appetite, a bit of increased anxiety) It works well. I started at 25 mg for two years I was just increased half a dose. Now I am on 37.5.
    • heatmh
      heatmh Mynameisalyss

      Posted

      I was also diagnosed with panic disorder and social anxiety. My Dr office called back and wanted me to not take anymore of the sertraline and to keep my apt 7/12..so I guess we will see. Good luck to you all here!
    • vanessa90617
      vanessa90617 heatmh

      Posted

      I'm glad you are going to see your doctor. Let us know how it goes.
Back to top
Next

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.