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sertraline, how long before it works?

Posted , 74 users are following.

jenni42789
jenni42789

Hi, I was prescribed sertraline on thursday for anxiety, Ive suffered with it since I was 11 after my dad's sudden death, I used to have panic attacks regularly as a child. I'm now 25 with a 4 and 2 year old and its began to get worse, my 4 yr old is in pre school and I get really anxious about school runs, I turn down invitations to any sort of social situations as I panic so much. I sit and worry about all most anything and it gets me really down, I just want to be worry free and able to enjoy these precious years while my children are little! Anyway I have taken 2 tablets so far (50mg) and ive had all sorts of side effects, shaking, feeling cold, nausea, teeth grinding and ringing in my ears. These I can deal with if it doesn't go too long... just wondering how long before they start to work? Just want to feel normal again sad

2 likes, 162 replies

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  • karen76207
    karen76207 jenni42789

    Posted

    HI, I’ve been taking Citilipram for about 15 years but I felt it wasn’t working anymore. 5 weeks ago I stated taking Sertaline 50mg but after 2 weeks I’ve Up it to 100mg. I’m now starting week 6 but I’m still feeling worse than ever. I just want to be normal again and do fun things. Can anyone advice me for n whether I should continue with them? 🙁

  • leanne60897
    leanne60897 jenni42789

    Posted

    Thank you all - I'm on 50mg and this is the start of week 4 for me and I can't tell you how much better I'm feeling already! I'm so much more positive about life in general and now me and my partner have decided that we love each other too much to throw everything away so we are back together and moving forward slowly - we still aren't living together again, but seeing each other as much as we can. We're going to have a fresh start, sell our house and buy another and with me feeling in a much better place and dealing with my past issues I'm hopeful we can have the wonderful future we always planned for. If I'm honest I think this was the kick up the backside I needed to seek help and deal with the demons that have haunted me for the past 10 years or so. Thank you all x

    • noor08738
      noor08738 leanne60897

      Posted

      Hi dear ur post helped me alot in ving a positive energy,i m on sertaline 25mg for past 6 days n my condition is worse now I ll take 50mg of it hope ao I ll feel better and look towards my better future

  • noor08738
    noor08738 jenni42789

    Posted

    Hi I m feeling the same I m vng a 3 year old son n good loving husband but unfortunately I m feeling very much depressed and vng negative thoughts I m on seeta line 25 from past 6 days and now I ll tak e 50 mg of it,hope so I ll b alright,and I believe I it ll start working for u also gud luk hugs
  • Kells123a
    Kells123a jenni42789

    Posted

    Hi started 50 mg about 3 weeks ago. Im sleeping, eating going out about my daily life ect. I still have stinging aniexty on my head, also get head fog when I go out, then it clears up. Does this get better in time. Its so frusturating. All I can do is keep going till meds kick in, how long will that be..
    • meg20356
      meg20356 Kells123a

      Posted

      Hi Kells

      I started the tablets because of depression. Don't know if different for anxiety. Started on 50mg but after a month or so, not much difference and gp upped it to 100mg. Very quickly felt fantastic then low again. Gp wanted me to persevere and see if it levelled out. After a couple of weeks, dropped very down again and stayed there so gp upped it to 150 a couple of weeks ago.

      Have been a lot less down and some really good days. So still up and down a bit but nothing like the extremes of before. Am persevering because bad days are much fewer and not nearly as bad and don't want to increase again.

      Good luck. Maybe try another week or two then speak to your gp? My side effects have been relatively little regardless of dose, so don't worry if you need to increase. Hang in there.

      Meg x

    • Kells123a
      Kells123a meg20356

      Posted

      Hi meg, thank you, brain fog gone now phew, now on my 5th weeks, had no side effects really, just a bad headach. Now i have diarrhoea, not wartery, tiny tummy ache. Doctor said its a bug, otherwise I would have had it from the start. Im not sure, but hooe it settles. I hate it when I worry and I go into that horrid depresstiom/aniexty feeling then get upset. Hope that gets better too. Im such a worrier. People say give it time..
  • meg20356
    meg20356 jenni42789

    Posted

    Have ended up stopping sertraline. Loved it once it kicked in - on 150mg - then started having terrible diahorrea (spelling?) Almost inconteinent some days at work. Dropped does back to 100mg and things settled for a few days then back it came. Down to 50mg - same thing. Settled a few days then back again. Why, WHY after all these years have they not come up with something with NO side effects? so now off tablets. Taking omega 3s and 5htp and trying to make sure I do something physical every day - walk, wee boogie, something to lift endorphins. Doing OK - but (in 50s) back to absolutely awful nights sleep. I do miss the lovely, sleepy nights I had on it. Oh, and I came off facebook, try and stay off other social media (definitley lightens mood being off that - I read, bake, knit etc.) and I pwered down my tablet and put it away. Instead of spending eveings surfing internet, I am looking around for other things instead and now have some time to do them. 

    Good luck to all fellow sufferers. Hang in there. Much love. Meg

  • br43104
    br43104 jenni42789

    Posted

    Hello  I was on Sertraline a few years ago and thought I was doing better so weaned off of it (seeing I’m not alone in that😉wink. Really thankful these posts are still here, didn’t remember it being this rough to adjust last time. I’m on week 5. I started with low doses and increased each week to 50mg.  Only 1 week at 50. I’ve noticed some eyelid twitching and vaguely remember having this for a few days last time. Has anybody else experienced this? It’s so hard to know sometimes if it’s side effects, anxiety itself, need higher dose or too much. Thank you all for sharing your experiences this has helped me more than you know these last few weeks.

  • chris66781
    chris66781 jenni42789

    Posted

    Hi Jenni

    I am speaking from my own experiences with anxiety and stress.I have been to hell and back!My doctor prescribed sertraline for me 50 mg 1 per night.I have found this gives me a proper nights sleep and i enjoy the drouzy solid conk out.I think with good sleep and a positive outlook the worries shrink a fair bit and also i am able to function better.However i do not like my dependency and the core problems cannot be slept away.I wish you the very best it sounds like you have a lot on your plate.

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