Sertraline. Not sure what to do

Posted , 5 users are following.

So I was taking sertraline for 3 days 50mg, the doctor said it couldnt be sertraline because it takes 2 weeks to affect which I dont believe because I have experienced something I have never had before. It was a nightmare. I went to work and I thought I was about to have a heart attack. My heart was beating really fast, I couldnt understand what I was doing and what was happening I left that day and went to emergency.. they gave me paracetamol and that's the end of the story. I stopped taking it straight away after that day. I am not sure if I should visit my gp... I mean I do have a bad anxiety issue but I dont want the medicine to kill me..

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    In my experience the side effects from the med can start right away. It's "normal" to have the horrible increase in anxiety when starting the medication, but it does get better. If your reaction was that severe maybe you need to try something different. I know when I went on sertraline last Christmas I felt just awful the very next morning. I felt sick, headache, dry mouth, shaking, racing heart, diarrhea. It was awful, but it eventually did end.

  • Posted

    I agree with Lauren. The side effects started right away with me also. I really wish doctors would educate patients on what happens to your body while waiting for it to work properly because it's very scary when you don't know that this is normal when taking them.

  • Posted

    I was prescribed sertraline earlier this year. The first day I was out walking in front of traffic on the main road. I was helped home and continued for another six day and hardly left my bed. My GP then said to come off it. My MH has deteriorated and I saw a psychiatrist today who suggested I give it another try! It seems to be the drug to push these days. Can anyone tell me if its better to take it at night? Thanks
    • Posted

      Hi, I have been on it for 4 weeks now and still having side affects. Stomach pains, gas, diarrhea etc. I do have to say the anxiety is better but with all those side affects anxiety still creeps up. I have been out on disability with this for about 3 weeks now from work because my anxiety was so debilitating. I take the Zoloft at around 4:30pm everyday with a snack and full glass of water. I was taking it in the morning which was a huge mistake for me, the nausea was awful and it made the rest of my day terrible. I just recently visited my doc and he seems very defensive of Zoloft and that my symptoms are more Gastrointestinal (unrelated) but I wasn't having them before Zoloft. Anyways my doctor is great and he tells me to stick it out because the benefits wil be great. I am currently taking 50mg and going up to 75mg at the end of November.

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