Sertraline - Wow!

[phil1979]

I have taken 20mg of citalopram for several years now. I found that after a couple of weeks, the side effects dropped off. I don't think there are any now.

The sex thing, though. What I've found is that, at certain time of the day, I struggle to 'shoot the money'. It's not that I'm not interested.. the rigidity remains, things just seem to numb over, and I could go for hours, and ultimately give up. This is typically evening-based liasons. Should the action happen late morning, for example, no problems. I personally think it's related to daily testosterone peaks.

Either way, the other half doesn't complain, so it's actually not a bad thing really!

[Anthony Micallef]

I’ve been using Sertraline for nearly a year now. I started off on 50mg which helped for about 6 months and then I had to up it and now I’m on 150mg. I take mine in the morning after some food. Over the last few weeks though I’ve had a lot of diarrhoea but not sure if it’s do with the tablets.

I take them for anxiety and they’ve helped me a lot,. My mood has been a lot better and constantly up and down.

[Tobias Funke]

I've been on them for around 5 months, the side effects took a couple of months to go away completely, although I still get night sweats every now and again.
The sexual dysfunction was the most annoying side effect for me, but again it went away within a couple of months.
Stick with them, I'm glad I did.

[dhutch]

Derek Smith said:

I was on them my doctor almost made me promise to continue with them for six weeks....

I was going to see, seems off the doctor didnt talk about the side effects with you.

Obviously the 10min consultation window and huge burden of paperwork and workload is a barrier at times, but usually they manage to get over the important stuff even if at times in the format of an over-photocopied infosheet!


Daniel

[Flumpo]

rossub said:

PSB1 said:

For me, crazy, elaborate, almost cinematic dreams. Bladerunner in scale. Not unpleasant, no nightmares or disturbing ‘narratives’ in the dreams just really intense!

Awesome aren't they. I'm on Citalopram for anxiety and it's the same.

The detail in them is just incredible. Quite often have 'floaty' ones where I'm able to levitate about a foot off the ground, but still make progress.

I never remember dreams at all, usually once or twice a year. No impact from citalopram, bit I’ve taken some melatonin recently to help me sleep. My god. Vivid dream. I don’t like it!

[Fishlegs]

I hadn't noticed the dreams until this thread started, but you're all right. Absolutely bonkers dreams. Very vivid. I never realised it was the pills.

The yawning too. I do yawn more, but hadn't noticed until it was mentioned above.

I just yawned now because I typed the word yawn. Stupid brain...

[Tyre Smoke]

I've stopped taking them. The side effects weren't getting any better at all.

Every time I yawned (a lot) or sneezed I got a sort of headrush. And the constant feeling of too much caffeine and not enough sleep was getting me down, ironically enough. Then there was the headaches and nausea. In fact I had the whole lot except for the vivid dreams, but then I was hardly asleep either!

I have another appointment with my GP on Tuesday. If I'm honest, I'm very reluctant to try any other tablet for fear of the same effects. I think counselling might be a better option for me perhaps.

[Flumpo]

Tyre Smoke said:

I've stopped taking them. The side effects weren't getting any better at all.

Every time I yawned (a lot) or sneezed I got a sort of headrush. And the constant feeling of too much caffeine and not enough sleep was getting me down, ironically enough. Then there was the headaches and nausea. In fact I had the whole lot except for the vivid dreams, but then I was hardly asleep either!

I have another appointment with my GP on Tuesday. If I'm honest, I'm very reluctant to try any other tablet for fear of the same effects. I think counselling might be a better option for me perhaps.

This might sound silly, but have you tried meditation or walking in your own?

When you’re feeling st the last thing you want to do is be told to go to the gym.

But downloading a meditation breathing or YouTube when you can’t sleep might be worth a go.

[Tyre Smoke]

I'm sleeping much better since I stopped taking them. Obviously there is some residue in my system, but I really don't fancy taking a tablet with those effects again.

I've been trying to go swimming twice a week for an hour, for both 'time to unwid' and for my personal fitness. That helps.

[Olas]

MOBB said:

Oh and the brain zaps when you come off them :-0

Again not nasty but just weird

Oh god, I'd forgotten all about those horrible b@stards. Worst part of the whole experience was those 'zaps'


SSRI's are like shandy though, in that they're too weak to really do anything.
SNRI is a better class of drug, very effective in a very short term with little to no side effects. Everybody is different, consult your GP, all the other disclaimers, but I wholeheartedly recommend that you ask your GP about SNRI class drugs if you feel that SSRI aren't hitting the right buttons.
(all subjective comments based on personal experience. IANAD)

Edited by Olas on Tuesday 10th March 14:25

[Tyre Smoke]

Brain zaps?

[gregs656]

Tyre Smoke said:

I have another appointment with my GP on Tuesday. If I'm honest, I'm very reluctant to try any other tablet for fear of the same effects. I think counselling might be a better option for me perhaps.

Stephen Fry speaking about finding the balance of his medication, and how long it took for him and his Dr to find the balance, noted that even simple drugs like alcohol have wildly different effects on people. We could go out and drink the same amount and I might be a mess in the corner while you are just warming up to the party.

It is not surprising that the more complex drugs you are taking might not be working for you like they do for other people.

[markiii]

Tyre Smoke said:

Brain zaps?

the world gets turned up to 11, its like you have supersenses

[anonymous-user]

I've managed to pretty much come off of all of my mental health meds (was on quite a few) and taken a much more holistic approach, I've actually not felt this good in years

[Tyre Smoke]

MonkeyMatt said:

I've managed to pretty much come off of all of my mental health meds (was on quite a few) and taken a much more holistic approach, I've actually not felt this good in years

That's good to hear. Also my plan. Not that I'm adverse to taking drugs. If I have a headache I'll take a paracetamol. But Sertraline was really messing me up.

[Caddyshack]

I think the standard doses are way too high that the doctors give out. I believe you should try the min dose and go from there.

[ED209]

I’ve been on 50mg now for about 6 weeks. Seems to be working ok, my suicidal thoughts have gone.

[smithyithy]

I've been on Sertraline for about 18 months IIRC..

Started at 50, then 100, now settled at 150..

Talking strictly about its side-effects.. Generally I've been okay with it, I found that it does making falling asleep more difficult if taken later in the day, not in the same way that having caffeine before bed tends to give you a 'buzz', this is more like just not being able to switch off.

So I tend to take it in the morning now after breakfast, which has relieved the above, but sometimes makes me feel really lethargic, so swings-and-roundabouts

What I have found on a handful of occasions is it can make me sick if I take them on an empty stomach or right before a meal. Most recently I left the house in the morning having skipped breakfast, took the tablets just as I was leaving the house.. By the time I got to work I was in the rest room being sick.

As for the intended effects of the stuff... In some ways it's working, in other ways it isn't, but that's another discussion. Better than Citalopram though I'll say that much..

ETA: Also if I happen to miss a couple days for whatever reason, that tends to cause weird physical symptoms.. Hard to describe, kinda between tingles and trembles.. The Wikipedia page for these refers to 'discontinuation syndrome' and its effects, which sound about right. I don't particularly like how quickly they come on though..

Edited by smithyithy on Wednesday 11th March 11:24

[Derek Smith]

dhutch said:

Derek Smith said:

I was on them my doctor almost made me promise to continue with them for six weeks....

I was going to see, seems off the doctor didnt talk about the side effects with you.

Obviously the 10min consultation window and huge burden of paperwork and workload is a barrier at times, but usually they manage to get over the important stuff even if at times in the format of an over-photocopied infosheet!


Daniel

The doctor was great. He discussed the side effects. I'm not sure I listened all that intently. I was in a bit of a state. A 50:50 option of death or cure might have been tempting. There was a link on the paperwork included with the pills that explained a lot. I returned to the doctor after a fortnight, and then two weeks later. He seemed concerned and asked a lot of questions. By the second visit I was feeling a lot better, but not better, and a bit of dysfunction was not that much of a bother. I returned after some weeks and the dose was reduced and then a month later it was half what I started with. Problem solved.

I've nothing but praise for my doctor. He was a tremendous help. Phoned me at home once to check on me.

[anonymous-user]

Tyre Smoke said:

MonkeyMatt said:

I've managed to pretty much come off of all of my mental health meds (was on quite a few) and taken a much more holistic approach, I've actually not felt this good in years

That's good to hear. Also my plan. Not that I'm adverse to taking drugs. If I have a headache I'll take a paracetamol. But Sertraline was really messing me up.

Its taken me a while to come off of everything but I'm so much better now, the side effects were horrid, tired all the time, distant from everything, just really numb and massive weight gain. I'm now nearly 3 stone lighter after coming off and tweeking my lifestyle, diet and supplements.