sertraline, how long before it works?

Hi Annmarie, its nice to talk to people with similar experiences as myself and I don't personally know anyone who has or is suffering with anxiety so although I have family etc to speak to, none of them really understand I came across this forum this morning and I'm so glad I did as at last I am talking to people who know what its like!

Its nice to read that you are all feeling better with Sertraline, can't wait till it starts working for me!!

Xxx

I suffered severe depression from Xmas onwards, I ended up going on Mirtazpine at the end of January, it

Seemed to work great at first and then I dipped, my doc then added in Sertraline as I was also now

Suffering anxiety, I have only been on the 50mg Sertraline dose for 4 days and am already impatient

Waiting for the anxiety to dissipate. Have still got a general lack of interest in nearly everything. Want to feel

Well again. Someone give me some hope.

Christine. Xxx

Hi Christine, I started feeling the blahs out of no where from end of Jan through March. I do have a lot of stress. I am a single mom working two jobs and running around like a " rat in a wheel" then bam! One week I was having really bad shortness of breath. I went to the ER' and then has all kinds of test done. Heart was good but I was very anemic. Doctor started me on Iron 3 x day. However I still felt blah. That's when I decided to go to see my shrink who then prescribed Zoloft 50 mg. I started taking it about 9 days ago.. So far the first week I was very jittery/ hot. Somewhat anxious. I went down to 25 for about 4 days and then back up to 50 mg. I have periods where I feel ok and anxious.. I feel as though it is starting to work. My only prob is weight loss, decrease appetite and middle insomnia. I fall asleep but wake up solid after about 4 hrs. I also want to add that in 2009 I took zoloft when u had knew surgery bc I was very depressed. I did take it with klonopin every night and I don't remember the jitters. I took it for 3 months and what I can remember is that I felt back to normal right away. Coming off it was very easy... I weaned myself by dropping the dose 25 mg every 2 weeks and then even slashing that in half. Only side effect massive night sweats for about 1 to 2 weeks and then normal.. I was also sleeping about 8 hrs a night. And was off zoloft up until now 2014 ( about 5 yrs) give it sometime.. Don't be afraid and if u can take it with an anxiolytic like klonopin, Xanax, Valium. Don't be afraid bc I felt the same and I am fine. I took about o.25 to 0.5 of klonopin for 3 months straight once and has no prob coming off it. Now everybody's body is different but please ask you doctor and keep a positive attitude.. I was so fearful of any and all medications .. I think that you will be fine and just give zoloft time.. Best of luck!! Hugs

Hi Christine,

Wanted to you ask you I have had experience with Zoloft too and needed it after my boys were born for postpartum.. Went off of it after my first and almost went off after my second was down to 25mg and my dad died suddenly and was having panic attacks. They tell me to take the ativan until I am at the right dose but dont' like taking ativan with fear I will get addicted. I do take it at night to get good sleep and sometimes during the day not everyday, even though i could use it I guess what I am asking how often did you take the klonopin and was it hard to come off of it? I don't like taking meds either but was having a hard time with the anxiety and had to go back to work and the kids. Thanks AnnMarie

stick with it mate i have been taking 50 mg for 3 weeks .i had terrible side effects from them so i took 25mg

twice a day that was better.

now i take 50 mg twice a day and i feel normal again.

i did see a hypnotherapist he talked to me an adviced me and put me under i feel brilliant now it had taken 5 sessions with him not bad for £300 . if your thoughts are getting you down then you need to see a expert to get the emotion out of you, and replace it with positive stuff , your mind is like a garden. you plant things and it becomes nice and colorful .if you don't weeds will grow . so you have to tell your self every day things are

going to get better ,you are more positive even if you dont feel it say it to your self .

Hi Jenni,

  I started generic Zoloft 13 days ago.  I was having bad depression and anxiety has always been with me.  I worry constantly especially about my daughter , who is 30 but single and lives alone.  I get myself into panic mode when I can't reach her and always fear the worst.  Anyway, I was pretty much forced to retire last January and then my husband had to stop working due to 2 bad hips.  I have slid into a totally immobilized person.  So far Zoloft has had only  slight effect but mornings I am nauseous and anxious and feeling weak and shakey.  Wondering if you saw any improvement as time went on.

jenni42789,

I see it has been about 7 mo. since u have been on the medication. How do u feel now? I hope terrific? I just start week and half ago. Still struggling so would appreciate an update on your situation. Thanx, christel1967

Hi Jenni,

I have been taking Sertraline for about 2 1/2 weeks now - it's 11/19/14 today. I started with 25mg on 11/1/14 and it definitely "knocked me down a peg" for the first 4 or 5 days. I seemed a bit anxious, probably more because I worked myself up a bit about it. Not ridiculously worked up, but just a little angst as I was not used to the feeling it gave me. After 2 weeks of being on 25mg I seemed to tolerate it pretty well.

Just this past Saturday (11/15/14) I upped it to 50mg as prescribed. I thought that maybe since I was already on the 25mg and tolerated that just fine, that I would not really see much for side effects. Although not really terrible, I definitely saw a little more side effects. Not so much on Saturday or Sunday, but on Monday (2 days ago) I started to feel a bit of nausea and last night I felt pretty run down. It has definitely made me lose the will (or stupidty...lol) to fight or argue about meaningless things - which is one of the reasons why I asked my doctor if prescribing me an SSRI would help me with my anger due to my inability to seem to be able to deal with my current stress levels.

For a couple of years now I have not felt like myself. I have been anxious more than I have ever been before and depressed. I remember I used to be able to snap myself out of that feeling, but now I feel like I need help to do that. Aside from the few side effects that I am feeling now, the way it is starting to make me feel seems to be heading me in the right direction.

I wish you and everyone on here luck with everything. Hopefully in a couple/few weeks I will be able to tolerate the "sert" even more and can continue to benefit from the intended effects of the med. Just trying to be patient as I wade through the semi-zombie period that this med seems to be making me feel like.

I've just started taking this today after suffering in silence for the past few months with anxiety. I feel like I'm going crazy at the minute with crazy thoughts of losing my nearest and dearest. How long do you think it will take before this starts to work ? Thanks xx