Sertraline - my 8 week story
Posted , 130 users are following.
Today is my 8th week on 50mg of Sertraline and unlike a lot of people once they start to feel better, I thought I'd try and give a little encouragement to help you hang in there as it REALLY is worth it. I also struggles to find many people on this 'start up' dose for any length of time so this might help you...
So after the fourth week I felt CRAP. No improvements and just this feeling of helplessness and worthlessness. I would break down at the smallest thing and felt incredibley insecure and unsure of myself.
I kept reading these online forums of people who started feeling better between weeks 4 to 6 and wondered if it was ever going to happen for me...
It literally wasn't until the beginning of the 8th week that I started turning a corner and the anxiousness started to fade and I found myself able to concentrate on something other anylising than how I was feeling. Tasks that I used to enjoy have become worthwhile again and I can honestly say I'm 85% back to my old self.
Right, now side effects: I have been feeling very tired, had lose stools until recently and my sex drive has tailed off somewhat and am having some difficulty orgasming although sex is good but just less often. I also seem hungry ALL the time but I'm fairly active so no weight gain...YET!
So to sum up, this drug takes AGES to work and you'll dispair and find yourself reading all sorts of forums and chats as to the timescales involved, but in my opinion it really is worth continuing for up to 8/9 weeks before increasing the dose or looking for alternative mediction.
I hope you start to feel the benefits soon and I'm happy to chat with anyone with any questions...
Take care,
Rich.
26 likes, 273 replies
Gingerwest richard30560
Posted
Been on sertraline seven weeks, feeling better, but today I feel so down.
peter23284 Gingerwest
Posted
Hope you feel better by now. The improvement comes in windows of days. I have experienced this myself the past month. I felt very bad and could not believe it would ever be over - but now it is.. so hang in there.
peter23284 richard30560
Posted
I have started Setraline some 4 months ago. 25mg for 8 weeks, then up to 50mg and now on my 9th week. And yes, also for me the medication has finally kicked in - at least the nasty depressive feelings and anxiety are gone. What a relief. It happened through windows of 1-4 days, in weeks 6 and 7.
But now I feel very tired throughout the day - and this has started some two weeks ago. Also still suffering from light-headiness and occasional headaches which have been a side effect from the start. Is somebody experiencing the same? Will it fade-away or last? I am now thinking to wait another month and then go back to 25mg (pff, but that is a journey on itself).
dectec2000 richard30560
Posted
hi Richard
i know this post is old but it really did help me today, i am 4 weeks on setraline and even with the fact im better than i was i still dont feel 100% and was starting to think the drug was at its best and getting upset, until i read your post that it was not until 8 weeks you started to feel better
regarding side effects i go to bed at 10:30 but always wake at 4:30 and toss and turn till 6:30 and i was a great sleeper before i went on tbe meds for anxiety my question is does this pass eventually and also wondering dod you make a full recovery and eventually come off the drug after sone time as wondering what your experence coming off was
thank you again for your post
dectec2000
Posted
Hi there i started on 50 mg and after 4 weeks no improvement when i upped to 100mg the side effects hot a little stronger and my gp told me just to stick it out another 4 weeks to let the higher dose start to work
i done that and now im feeling great again and side effects i bearly notice
and i feel like im 95% bk to my self and the higher dose still will keep working for another 6 weeks to be at full strenght
if you up to 100mg and after 5 more weeks on the 100 i would think you need another med, either way you should go bk to your gp to discuss how you are feeling , my gp gave me sleeping tablets and zanex till i got over thecdide effects now i am off all of these and feeling happy and calm again, dont be afraid to go to your GP ever week to discuss as thats what i did
jacqui666 richard30560
Posted
hi Richard
I'm 8 weeks in today. 50mg. found it so hard and keep thinking I'm going to ask doctor later to change meds.
I've had so any side effects from numbness feeling like a zombie. jaw clenching , teeth grinding, terrible insomnia then sleeping silly hours like 5am till 1pm. then it's a vicious cycle. I'm tired and wanting to hide from everything and everyone. at 6 weeks I had one day where it was like a switch and I was buzzing and full of energy and I thought, YES they a
re working only to find 2 days later I was back to laying in bed and watching box sets on Netflix so I dont have to think come sleep timely mind us in over drive. I'm starting to think I'm nocturnal. week 7 brought the tears. and I mean floods of them.
is it really going to get better now I'm getting into week 8. I really dont want to up my dosage and wondering if I persevere or change medication.
jacqui 4.30am still awake
dectec2000 jacqui666
Posted
Posted a moment ago
Hi there i started on 50 mg and after 4 weeks no improvement when i upped to 100mg the side effects hot a little stronger and my gp told me just to stick it out another 4 weeks to let the higher dose start to work
i done that and now im feeling great again and side effects i bearly notice
and i feel like im 95% bk to my self and the higher dose still will keep working for another 6 weeks to be at full strenght
if you up to 100mg and after 5 more weeks on the 100 i would think you need another med, either way you should go bk to your gp to discuss how you are feeling , my gp gave me sleeping tablets and zanex till i got over thecdide effects now i am off all of these and feeling happy and calm again, dont be afraid to go to your GP ever week to discuss as thats what i did
jacqui666 richard30560
Posted
thanks dectec2000
im 8 weeks today. dont know if I could stand another 4 to 6 weeks of side effects if my dose is upped. I'm off to see my gp today. not slept all night and feel rough. also scared to go on sleeping pills too.
I will let you know how I get on. thanks
dectec2000 jacqui666
Posted
i was on sleeping tablets for two weeks and then tappered down and am sleeping now, short term they are no harm to get you through another teo weeks if you sleep well that willhelp you
as i said i would take a zanex 500mg when i get up at 7 am and then at 6 am for a week then the next week i would break in half each tablet and take 250 mg twice daily , and then after another week id only take them if i was struggling and then i noticed i did not need them and are now sitting in the medicine cabinet at home , everyone is different and you have to find your dossage 100mg worked for me but it took 3 weeks after i upped it , i hope your doctor helps you as mine really helped me and line you i had fear of taken other meds but they got me through the hard parts all them side effects you talk about i was the same it was the worst few weeks of my life but now its working and im coming bk to my self, sometimes i have read if it is not working at 8 weeks its time to adjust the dossage , when i upped the meds it was then i started to feel better few weeks after. only a doctor who is qualified can really answer your questions as all our bodys are different, but let me tell you this i was with my doctor a week ago and i wanted to try a different antidepressent and my GP told me to give it another two weeks before switching, so i did and within 5 days the side effects got less and less and i started feeling less worried and confidance started to return . i hope you get sorted and feel better soon, dont give up and you will get better it just takes time to figure out what works for your body
m70646 jacqui666
Posted
i was the same, and went on sleeping tablets every other night, so i knew that if all else failed the following night i would sleep .
do not give up , you have come so far, focus on the small things and feel achievements in what you have accomplished ❤❤❤❤
jacqui666 m70646
Posted
thank you all for being so supportive.
saw my doctor last Friday and have been taken off sertraline and been put on fluoxetine. I only weaned over 5 days one day sertraline then skip next. funnily enough the days I didn't take sertraline I actually slept through the night. so now on fluoxetine 20 mg and will see how they work over next few weeks. the best thing is i have slept for 4 nights on the trot and feel better already. I'm having cbt therapy too so that might be helping also for the first time since December I actually feel positive. Even joined a book club ( on my own not knowing anyone) and was proud if myself. it was good. not about the book club it was about meeting new people getting out of my bed and having a cuppa and natter with new ladies. I also went swimming too and did 17 lengths. not bad for no exercise in 18 months. I wish you all well . forwards and upwards as they say. good luck xx
chris80549 jacqui666
Posted
Hi Jacqui
Glad your feeling better, well done for having CBT and Fluxine is working for you. And joining your groups , lovely to hear your enjoying life again.
I noticed my sense of humour came back.
Dont panic if you get odd stressful days ride it, the next day probably be gone.
You may find you wont come to this group so often you will be so busy enjoying life again, but if occasionally you can pop on and offer support to others that would be great
That's what I do, if one pops up in my emails I feel I can help.
Good Luck for the Future
jamie18874 richard30560
Posted
hi richard
im so glad ive seen you post this! im coming into my 4/5 week now and im still at a standstill! my biggest struggle is tiredness and cant get up in a morning, but ill keep going and hopefully ill start seeing progress
cheers j
dectec2000 jamie18874
Posted
Hi Richard
they say it actually only starts working at 6 weeks, but for full effect it can take 3 months , i was on 50mg but just not enough my doctor said for anxiety 100mg would be correct and if its depression and anxiety it can go to 150 depending on tolorence of side effects
keep going i was tbrough this 15 yests ago and i took 3 months till i felt bk to normal 100% and i stayed on drug 14 months and then reduced gradually , i was 14 years free from anxiety and depression . there is light at the end of tunnel but remember that the sickness has a way of making you feel it wont get better but it will you just have to keep fighting and regualr to GP even if its just for reassurance , wht i do to know its working is i look back to when i started i was 7 days a week bad, and now i have may e two days that are hard, but its getting less each week , its horrible that in irder to get better we have to get through all the side effects , its a catch 22 . keep going .
Gingerwest richard30560
Posted
Hi I am in my twelve week on 50 mg sertraline, feeling low and anxious first thing in the morning, get better as the day goes on, not sleeping well, but not feeling tired in the daytime, do you think I should get my dose increased,kind regards Colin.