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Sertraline effect on sleep, interested in your experience...

Posted , 5 users are following.

tammy1234
tammy1234

Before sertraline I had the odd bout of insomnia but not like this...

On sertraline I have no trouble falling asleep usually around 10 pm, the problem is the quality of sleep, it is either light and restless or I get blocks of sleep with periods of waking for an hour or so.

The last month or more my head is so heavy in the morning that it’s harder than ever to get up....I force myself to get up and then the heaviness begins lifting.  It has clearly reduced my motivation.  

Treatment history since Jan 2018 - 25mg x 10 days, 50 x5 week’s, 75 x 12 days, 100 x 4 weeks....now 75 x 4 days 

I want to give the 75mg longer and see if this heavy head lifts.  I’m thinking it may be dose related.

The fatigue does not affect me during the day- just the morning but is very intense and debilitating.  Can’t do much in the mornings.

Appreciate your thoughts/experiences....

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • lynn260
    lynn260 tammy1234

    Posted

    I have come off Sertraline in the past 10 days. My head always felt foggy but now it feels waterlogged and I have head pressure. I also have some nausea. I suffered bad insomnia before taking this drug. The sleep improved but changing the dose affects sleep. I also found that I dreamt more on the meds.

    Personally I prefer to be off the meds as my head has not felt right taking them. I just hope the head fog now improves.

    Good luck..

    • tammy1234
      tammy1234 lynn260

      Posted

      Thanks Lynn,  I’m going to stay at 75mg for a month and see what happens- may even go to 50mg.  I’d the situation doesn’t improve I may wean off it too.

      I think most people suffer some withdrawal but it generally dissipates.  

      Best of luck to you.

  • PopWop
    PopWop tammy1234

    Posted

    Can you ask your doctor for mild sleeping tablets?  That's what I did, he also recommended warm milk or hot chocolate before bed. Worked for me (most nights)!

    • tammy1234
      tammy1234 PopWop

      Posted

      Hi PopWop,

      I should have mentioned that pre- sertraline we tried amitriptyline 10mg and it worked some nights.  Gp suggested I continue the amitriptyline with the sertraline so I have done that all the way through.  I’m going to make one change at a time starting with the dose reduction and see how it goes.  Thanks for your advice, this forum is so helpful!

  • caron11455
    caron11455 tammy1234

    Posted

    Like PopWop I always have a warm milk before bed!

    I also use a lot of lavender sprays and candles!

    Xx

  • joanne19909
    joanne19909 tammy1234

    Posted

    It does sound dose related if you're body is used to a dose and then it gets changed it can cause an imbalance setraline can cause sleep problems but they usually dissappear when do you take the medication

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