Sertraline Intense side effects...is this normal?

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hi guys, 

Im almost on week 3 of taking Sertraline 50mg, since day 1, my side effects have been pretty intense, where i experienced all the usual listed from dizziness to neausea, constantly feeling tired and sleepy and a complete loss of appetite. As the weeks have gone on, im not feeling dizzy or sick or any of the others, but im still very drowsy, feel completely spaced out and not myself, and still have a complete loss of appetite. Im a small built guy and on other pain medication, so maybe it effected me more as meds normally do. I rang the duty doctor on week 1 and he said if i can persevere with the effects then i should continue. I almost fee as im approaching week 3 ive got worse as i havnt left the house in days and im just constantly exhausted and fatuigued. One advice the duty doctor gave me when i spoke to him few weeks back was, one of the options I have is to cut the tablet in half and take 25mg, so ive started doing that but still feel awful? Can anyone help and give some advice on if side effects hit them hard and whether i should stick to this as im totally not me and almost feel worse energy wise! 

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    stick to it, it usualy gets worse before better.

    but ide carry on on the fukk 50 as otherwise it will take longer. yiu should feel better around 6 weeks mark.

    good luck.

  • Posted

    I am feeling the same way. Both my regular doc and my therapist said its normal and that we just have to ride it out. Are you dealing with morning anxiety as well? That's been hard for me.

  • Posted

    They all say to stick it out! Boy it sure is hard sometimes, but I guess that is what we have to do! I am on 20 mil of Lexapro and day 11, morning anxiety is rough to have to start the day with, but I hope things improve for us all! The psychiatrist that I deal with says you will feel worse before you start feeling better! Let's hang in together!

  • Posted

    Thanks guys! Im really sturggling to get motivated and do anything, I will defo stick it out! I have an appt with my doctor next friday so I will see what he says, but your right they all say the same to stick it out! I just dont want this to be the wrong one and that it doesnt suit me and that I have to start another! I just feel really really rough in the mornings and all day cant do much, but in the evening i feel better, and i dont eat anything till later on as cant stomach anything, but thank you for your responses it really helps knowing im not alone, as i feel really isolated and like a recluse! 
    • Posted

      These are definitely all normal side effects. I'm on week 4 and my appetite has finally come back this week and although I'm still feeling tired this will pass soon I'm sure. Just think of it this way, what is 6 weeks of feeling horrible when you will hopefully be back to normal very soon smile good luck

    • Posted

      Thank you so much this all really helps, today I finally left the house after days and went shopping and then swimming and I had something to eat as well so i feel better. Please keep me up to date and let me know if your tiredness wares off, im interested to see how every is doing, and im rooting for us all that we get thru this! smile 

    • Posted

      Hey Julie, 

      Thanks for asking, I went back to the doctor and he changed them, but funnily the day before I started feeling a lot more myself, and its almost like i came back to life. I am now on paraoxatine which is in the same family of meds, hes prescribed me with 20mg, but for the first 3 days half it to 10mg. So I am feeling a lot better and have started to eat a little better and feel more alive. I am still having the odd side effect but i think as hes completly reduced my dose and will build it up, i think this will be better, but until these new ones kick in not sure how il react but he said its all trail and error until we find the right one for me. He did state thou that the side effects should have eased, and that maybe these wernt the meds for me, given my lifestyle. Are you on them? 

    • Posted

      Hi abz

      Yes on sertraline 150mg

      Been on them 3 weeks

      But no life in me dr says that's the depression and to give it 6-8 weeks

      Feel numb in head and dizzy but dr said I have sinus and ear infection

      So on antibiotics too

      I'm glad you feel better x

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