Sertraline side effects!
Posted , 6 users are following.
hi all,
I have been on sertraline for 14 days now but still getting horrible side effects. My anxiety is still really heightened and my health anxiety is off the charts. The last two days i haven't been able to relax one bit and just feel like i am going to be like this forever. I get palpitations which then make me panic and i can't stop thinking about them and also getting short of breath. I'm starting to feel sertraline is making me worse. I was told it can take 4-6 weeks to feel the real effects from them. Just want to know if anyone is going through the same.
0 likes, 12 replies
Lemonie53 james49527
Edited
Hi James, I am in the same boat as you and it is so hard, isn't it? I took Sertraline for several years and generally got on well with it. However, chronic insomnia led me to speak to the GP about trying something different. He suggested Mirtazapine and I took this for 9 months. Although it helped me sleep, I felt so groggy every morning, I struggled to get out of bed and my work performance suffered. After discussing this with my GP, we agreed I would restart Sertraline (50mg) and I have now taking it for 11 days now. The past 4/5 days have been absolutely horrendous, culminating in me ringing the GP in a panic yesterday with severe anxiety. She prescribed Diazapam and I've taken a few of these as well as some Propranolol. They helped minimally but I awoke at 4am today in the worst panic I have ever known. Rang the NHS 111, was passed from pillar to post between a few different mental health services and finally spoke to GP at about 9am. He says I will get through this, to stick with the Sertraline and increase Diazapam. The intention is only to take Diazapam short term to help alleviate the side effects of re-starting Sertraline. I have taken anti depressants for many years but have never experienced anything like that..... Thinking of you....we will get through this
james49527 Lemonie53
Posted
hi,
yes it is very hard, i was on citalopram for 8 years but they started to be less effective in january and i was put on mirtazapine, which i had to stop as couldn't handle the side effects. I'm now day 15 of sertraline and still feel awful. I am constantly getting palpitations and shortness of breath and just feel like its never ending. Thinking of you too as i know how hard and scary it is.
james49527
Posted
what side effects are you having? i get palpitations, shortness of breath and acid reflux/ stomach problems.
Lemonie53 james49527
Posted
Horrendous anxiety and panic attacks that last for hours. No appetite and I usually love food. Crying a lot ðŸ˜
james49527 Lemonie53
Posted
i have been having panic attacks too which then leads to anxiety being there constantly all day that then makes it hard to function for the rest of the day. I've also lost 9kg in the last 3 weeks due to my loss of appetite but that has slowly improved the last couple of days. I think the sertraline has heightened my anxiety but hoping in the next week it starts to improve. It is really hard atm the moment but you will get through this a stronger person. I'm here whenever you need to message.
james49527 Lemonie53
Posted
how are you feeling today?
Lemonie53 james49527
Posted
Hi James, I'm so sorry for not replying sooner. I've had a pretty awful few days. Things came to a head a few days ago and I ended up in A&E. I have never felt so awful in my life and although I knew it was panic rather than a heart attack, I couldn't see a way out of how I was feeling. The extreme panic attack lasted about 4 hours and the hospital gave me more Diazapam and essentially told me I am having particularly bad side effects to re-starting Sertraline and it will pass.....but who knows when. Since then, I have woken every morning at around 4am in an absolute panic that I can't shake off, no matter what strategy I try. I feel a bit better by about 10am but far from my usual self. It has been a rough few days and I am praying for better days soon.. How are you?
james49527 Lemonie53
Posted
hi,
i honestly don't feel any different, i have had a couple of okay days but its only usually a few hours where i am feeling okay. I am now thinking off stopping the sertraline as not getting enough benefits. The side effects are just setting my anxiety off too much.
sarah44404 Lemonie53
Posted
hi. i know this is an old post but i was just wondering how you are now? ive been on and off sertraline for a few years, with my highest dose being 100mg at one point. i remember having side effects such as headaches and feeling tired, i also had internal vibration feelings but they all wore off and i really felt the benefits of sertraline. i eventually came off them and was off them for over a year when my doctor put me back on them because my anxiety got bad again. i was started back on 50mg and almost instantly the side effects hit me. i was only on them for a week and had to lower the dose to 25mg. i had really bad dizziness, headaches, chest pain, no appetite, constantly tired, shortness of breath, increased panic attacks...so after being on them for 20 days ive stopped. im on the 3rd day of withdrawal now and im still getting the dizziness, this is worrying me the most. my doctor has put me on fluoxetine instead but im too scared to try them because of side effects. can you offer any advice from your own experience of side effects?
ForestHawks james49527
Edited
Hi James,
Hope you are feeling better and the worst of the side effects have passed.
Stick with it...
It took about 10 weeks before l started feeling better.
sammyhad1986 james49527
Posted
Hi, Ive been on sertraline for about 6/7 weeks now and i keep getting constant muscle twitchers. Did anyone else experience these?
steffy13917 james49527
Posted
my health anxiety was through the roof when I started. it took eight weeks before my first good day.
have been on it two years now and doing well. it takes time, but it's a widely used and very safe drug, with well reported side effects and lots and lots of patient and doctor experience with it.