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Starting out on 50mg sertraline...can I take one tablet in 2 half's? ?

Posted , 8 users are following.

ceri55550
ceri55550

Hi, I'm completely new to all this so any advice would be extremely grateful... I've been feeling somewhat down and disheartened over the past 12 months or so, mostly due to me having what I think is a panic attack when driving, one minute I feel fine then I feel an overwhelming sense of fear coming on, lips start tingling, fingertips go numb and thenot I feel a strange feeling that I'm about to pass out, this has been going on for well over a year now on and off, until recently that I just feel dizzy and lightheaded all of the time, with no break from it whatsoever, and the headaches I get sometimes are unbearable, always behind my eye and no amount of painkillers killers eases them off, after visiting my GPS this week she prescribed me sertraline 50mg but I'm scared of feeling worse than I already do, so instead have taken 2 half's over 2 days... I feel like my whole world is in lock down! My head feels strange, my heart is racing and I feel so depressed! My head feels like it's constantly spinning, not to mention the tiredness on top too... if afraid if I take themy whole I'll feel so much worse than I do now... someone please help! 😢

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • a-new-day
    a-new-day ceri55550

    Posted

    hi there is nothing wrong with taking them in 2 halves instead of all in one go, so no need to worry about that

    if you can put up with the start up side effects a little longer, perhaps in a matter of days to a week, they may start to ease down, and as the weeks progress, there is a good chance that all of the start up side effects will pass altogether

    so try to keep going, but if it does turn out to be too much, go back and speak to your doctor and jsut let them know that you are having a lot of trouble getting started on sertraline

    • ceri55550
      ceri55550 a-new-day

      Posted

      Thank you, think I'm happy to go ahead for a few days longer knowing I can take them in halves, I have a follow up appointment in 3 weeks time so am hoping they make me feel a little better by then 😊

  • Lucy.1991
    Lucy.1991 ceri55550

    Edited

    Hi smile 

    I had exactly the same fears as you when I was prescribed Setraline. I was prescribed 25mg for a week then I would increase to 50mg. 

    I delayed started Sertraline for over 2 weeks, my anxiety got the better of me, reading all of the side effects and horrible things, it made me panic. I talked to my friends and they said for me to just tell them when I started so they could be around to help. 

    5 minutes after swallowing the first pill, I was freaking out, thinking about all of the side effects. Thinking I was going to have horrible thoughts like it was warned. I knew then that was my anxiety as it was no way it could have got into my bloodstream that quickly :D Talking with my friends really helped. 

    The first week I had a lot of side effects, the worst was in the first couple of days, feeling like I wasn't in my body, it literally felt like I was on some kind of illegal high. I had everything going in the book. I went back to my doctors and she advised me to stay on 25mg for another couple of weeks (which is where I am today!) 

    However, my side effects have got way way better the past couple of days, only a bit of nausea/stomach problems. I don't feel "out of it" anymore, but I feel happier, calmer. My friends notice I laugh more and I'm not constantly worried as I was before. 

    I've accepted I may have to take this for the rest of my life, but if it works for me, why not? People with physical conditions take medication for their pain, often for a big part of their life. What I have is like a disease too, just not physically visible and I accept that. 

    For info as well, my sister is on Sertraline 150mg for three years, she told me side effects are horrible first month, but then your body gets used to it and they settle down. It gets worse before it gets better, but when it does, it is so worth it! This is what is keeping me going. 

    Are you at work or anything, or do you have time to rest at home? 

    • ceri55550
      ceri55550 Lucy.1991

      Posted

      Thanks Lucy, yeah I found they kicked in really quickly too, was quite surprised really as I didn't expect such a quick reaction to them, it does feel like I'm on some sort of illegal high too, don't feel like myself at all...and I've lost my appetite completely, I've read so many stories on here to stick with it and don't give up, I'm hoping that it's true that they do start to ease off as time goes on, I've 3 children so need to be alert for them and at the moment I don't feel that way, but I'm lucky in that my husband is there to see to there needs as well, I don't work but my husband does... I think at the moment it's early days and my anxiety has reached its limit... I just want to feel normal 😕

    • Lucy.1991
      Lucy.1991 ceri55550

      Posted

      You will feel normal again. I am still adjusting I guess because I go through good days and bad days, but my god, those good days are so amazing. Just being with my friends and laughing and enjoying my life again. 

      All of your side effects are totally normal, I had the same, losing my appetite, I was throwing up every morning for a week, and after every meal. 

      That is lucky that you don't have to work. Are the kids at school age? I don't know if this will be helpful for you, but I took my tablets at night before bed, and the morning I am dopey, but come afternoon/evening I feel miles better. So if the kids are at school you can afford to have a "dopey" morning and be more alert when they're back home. 

      I was very suprised too, how quickly side effects got me! Everyone is different it affects in different ways. If it does get too much though, don't hesitate to go back to your docs, ask them if they could put you onto a 25mg dosage to get started. Then you can increase to 50 when you're ready.

    • deetee81
      deetee81 ceri55550

      Edited

      Hi there hunny. I was so against medication and tried everything to avoid it but a couple of months ago i was at breaking point so i had no choice but to go on zoloft. Being super sensitive to medication, i only started with a quarter and increased quarterly until I was on a full pill. This took over a month. I experienced panic, nausea, dry mouth, head aches and diahorrea. Then all of a sudden one day i woke up and felt normal.agsin, happy and positive and no more anxiety or negative thoughts. I am also a mummy of two. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I promise! Please feel free to ask me any questions anytime. You have got this!
  • hans82434
    hans82434 ceri55550

    Edited

    Your heading in the right direction, and unlike myself when I started sertraline 14 years ago, you have online support at the onset of your adventure.  You will get through this.
  • ceri55550
    ceri55550

    Posted

    Thanks all... it's comforting to know I'm not on my own out there and there are many others on the same path, today seems to be a better day than yesterday although still feeling a little lightheaded, appetite is still down and have a few stomach cramps and only on day 3. I too avoided medication for months! Thinking I'd overcome it on my own, I tried to push myself into doing things telling myself I was stupid for feeling this way, but it seems that only made things worse in the long run, it takes a lot for me to go to my gp...if I can handle it myself I will, seems now tho I have to accept the Meds and help if I want to conquer this... I'm also booked in for an ecg with Dr before they send me for a further ecg over 24 hrs and an echo cardiogram... still not sure why although I suppose they have to explore why the palpitations are happening.

    • mm1995
      mm1995 ceri55550

      Posted

      Hi, I know this was years ago but how has the journey been since?

      I was on sertraline a few years ago, came off and then was great for about 2 years, but now have really bad anxiety again, maybe my fault for purely relying on medication and not on therapy techniques also.

    • aa28692
      aa28692 mm1995

      Edited

      hi mm

      maybe it would have returned even if you'd had therapy the first time in tandem with med. i have been on a regular "maintenance dose" of 50mg sertraline for many years simply to keep my moderate anxiety/depression that i'd had experienced at bay. but it still came back to bite! Now on 100mg and the anxiety has turned to depression again so am expecting an increase. i just think perhaps some of us maybe more predisposed to these conditions returning then others. All the best

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