side effects of sertraline

thank you yorkshire! am so jitery and anxious its unreal! feel like am going nuts! did u suffer like this and do u have any tips

Yes that sounds very familiar! I also couldn't sleep and just felt utterly crap. 

What worked for me to ease it was getting out of the house and getting distraction. I was so lucky to have a very supportive family and for the first couple of weeks I spent time with different members just hanging out with them; just to have company and distraction and leave my house! 

Also remember this isn't forever, for the first couple of weeks anxiety will probably be on and off. Remember if you feel anxious in the morning, that doesn't mean you will feel anxious for the day, it may only be for the next hour. 

It will get easier, like I said the first few days are the worse and you're over halfway through that! 

These have really worked for me - lots of life events had made me feel anxious(including health anxiety) and I also had mild depression. I ended up having a break down whilst waiting for results (not medical). Sertraline took me back to being me, I finished counselling and accepted things and like I said, I can now come off them!

thats great yorkshire thank you for ur info! i suffer from GAD but usally i get mild attcks that i can deal with and just take a diazepam tablet and it helps! but last sunday i went footy training after a few drinks the night b4 and on the way home i had the most violent attack ive ever had! i lost all feeling in my hands and had to pull my van over and flag someone down for help! a nice couple took me home but ever since then i feel scared to get in my van thinking its gonna happen again! been so anxious for 5 days now been terrible! i take half a tablet in the morning and half at night do u think thats fine doing like that cos i took 1 whole tablet and god i felt rough! thanks again for talking to me

I would go to a chemist and have a word with a pharmacist, or ring a chemist. I have found them so much more helpful then the doctors on how to take these. 

Try to not put off driving your van - have you any supportive family or friends that can go for a drive with you? Try face the anxieties. I know its hard, I had a couple of panic attacks within a couple of weeks before I started these and I avoided going to see the people who's houses it had happened in for weeks! Then it was a big deal when I couldn't avoid them any longer and had to see them. I'm fine now tho!

Have you had any counselling or CBT for your anxiety? I would highly recommend for long term. Anxiety is so awful to live with. 

ive been given forms to fill in by the doctor for counselling! my mum is supportive but she going away next week which is making me feel worse cos il be on my own

I'm so pleased your mum is supportive - it really helps! Don't worry about her going away, you'll have hopefully started to feel better by next week. 

Hi m8 just been to doctors again cos I was in a right state he now put me on oxzepam. Its like diazepam but these tablets are only for panic attacks where diazepam is a muscle relaxent that does help anxiety. Feeling much better now I got some tablets that will calm me down thank you for all ur support and am here if you ever want me

No worries at all! Msg if you need any more advice :-)

Hi Yorkshire just an update side effects are going and oxazepam is working brilliantly but does make u feel bit groggy and feeling sick in the mornings but when it kicks in it makes u so relaxed u can hardly lift ur head off the pillow lol but such a feeling! Hope ur well

Morning Pinky

I'm so pleased you're feeling a bit better and that the other medication is helping! The first few days really are the worse. 

There may be dips in mood/anxiety over the next few weeks, but please don't be disheartened - especially if you've been feeling good for a few days. Just remember it doesn't last forever! It took 8 weeks for them to properly work for me - but nothing was as bad as the first few days. 

Have you been out in your van yet? Are you feeling better about your mum being away?

I'm good thank you :-)

Hi Yorkshire I went round the block in my van felt a bit nervous! Am not to clever on concentrating at the moment cos of the pills but I'll get there I went for a walk around the block felt ok just bit uneasy on my feet. Am coping ok at the moment with mum away I got ppl down my road that said I can sit round there if I dont feel great and plus my bro said he pop round and stay if need be. Got proper lock jaw from these pills tho but soooo much better no anxiety. Hope ur well

Hi julie ive been on diazepam for years and doctor said take them with the sertraline to help with the side effects but I feel so anxious and up tight such a terrible feeling. Thanks for replying

hi sorry you feel like that.. have u spoke to gp ? why did they put you on diazepam sorry to ask but i want to remain on diazepam and wondered what i could tell gp as they are doing me the world of good i feel great on them have my life back i can do the thing i once couldnt. x your welcome u will be fine give sert time x

hi julie ive just got back from the doctors cos i was in a right mess this sertraline stuff is killing me lol! my doctors put me on diazepam cos of my anxiety! dont act desprate for it and say they help u in ur hour of need if ur out and about! diazepam is the best drug out there am only on 2mg but sometimes when i feel proper down i take 2 tablets and its brilliant! i just say to my doctor that having diazepam in my pocket when am out is my safety net and they seem to give it to me all the time! they give me 3 repeat priscritions then i go back and they give me more! hope this helps

thanks for you reply at the moment im taking 2x2mg each night its great i wake full of engry and going to groups something i couldnt do before with out anxiety my moods are great night and im sorting all the things out that ive put off through depression! could i tell him this i do hope he agrees they suit me i know he will try and put me off but i want them so i can do all these things to get well ..so helped kevin x

u gotta tell him its the only thing thats helping u just dont act desprate lol just say u use them when u need them and dont take them every day only in exstream occassions! try not to take them every night hun just take one when u feel anxious dont get into the habit of taking every night for the sake of it

thanks kevin x i was given them to get me off zopiclone the sleeping tablet that is now a class c drug so most people have to come off them so was told by gps to take 4x4mg a night for 2 weeks then they dropped it to 3x2mg for two weeks then so on till its stopped! i havent been taking 4 or 3 anight only 2 he doesnt know that lol but i do need them to sleep as coming off zopiclone is hard after 10 years on them i was on 7.5mg a night . i am learning to sleep with out zopiclone diazpen dont knock me out but i feel happy and sleep if makes sence.. so what could i say lol x 

lol