Sertraline

Personally I don’t take it…….but I know several people who do. You would be wise to read the leaflet enclosed with the medication to determine possible side effects of taking it as everyone is an individual and they react differently.

I have taken it since the death of my husband almost two years ago. It has really helped me.

Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 was discussing anti-depressants and their physical side effects today.
I think it was about 1pm, so halfway through the show. You can listen on BBC Sounds.

After a very difficult few months I went to see GP whom prescribed Sertraline started taking it without any enthusiasm but it worked wonders for me after a couple of days I started to feel better . Dosage increased after two weeks then stayed 10mg for about 5 months then tapered down to nil no side effects so around 6 months of taking it and feel so very glad I did

I hope that it helps you .
I understand from a friend who takes it that you can't drink alcohol with it .
She says that it makes her mouth dry and drinks a lot of water .
Nausea and headaches can be a side effect .

I did take zispin for a while when I went through a very painful divorce and it really helped. I weaned myself off it very gradually. I do worry sometimes that anti depressants are easy for GP’s to prescribe when sometimes other things can help; counselling, mindfulness, exercise etc.

Thank you for your replies and for the reference to the Jeremy Vine programme which I will listen to.
I will encourage my relation to consider it.

My husband was prescribed it after a heart atttck caused by stress he said it was like getting his life back .No side effects that he has mentioned

I was prescribed this last year after many traumas. It's made me less jittery. No physical side effects but I had some side effects at first - panic attacks etc.

You can drink alcohol with it. I do. I asked GP and she said in moderation, as they always do.

As someone explained to me when I was hesitant about taking an anti depressant, all it will do is to bring you back to a level that will enable you to function normally so you can then lift yourself out of it; I had thought it would turn me into a zombie ( which I must admit it did for a short while because zispin does make you sleepy at first) but it was a bit like a springboard.

Its one of many anti-depressants and works differently for different people but HelterSkelter1, its certainly one of the best for least side effects.

Some anti depressants have a "Get up and go' effect, which isnt good for people with high levels of anxiety:

other antidepressants are prescribed for people who have depression with anxiety.

Most drugs taken for physical illnesses have side effects, sometimes worse. You live with them because it is the lesser of two evils. she people only need it for a short time, it gives the mind a break to sort itself out: others need them long term.

My advice is simply to google it. Go for the NHS website

www.nhs.uk/medicines/sertraline/

Dry mouth is very common indeed, you need to drink a lot of water.

I use Setraline and it took me several weeks to adjust to it. I felt nauseous and not very good and thought this is not for me, but I persevered . I am so glad I did. It gave me my life back and once it was in my system it made a huge difference. I did find the first few weeks were the worst and am glad that a work colleague had confided that she had taken them at one time and it took her weeks to adjust. It gave me the determination to carry on .

I took it for a while and it caused me digestive problems. The GP prescribed Citalopram instead and I find it much better. Both are SSRIs.

Changing was very easy - stopped the Sertraline one day and started Citalopram the next.

Thank you again for the replies. Very helpful.

I’ve been taking it for so long I can’t remember if I had any initial side effects but I am slowly trying to ween off of them, best place to check in the manufacturers or the NHS website

I have just finished about 10 years on various doses of sertraline. It was really helpful, once you get through the few weeks at the start. I did not have any issues with it and I came off it really slowly.

I believe it can take up to three weeks to work but after that is very effective. I volunteer with a women’s support charity and many of our members take this drug and find it a massive help.

Close relative has taken citalopram to cope with low mood due to chronic ill health. It really was very useful.
DH has also taken it for periods of depression. He has had to stay on it for extended periods. I have to say that I find it makes him tired and ‘flat’, with little energy or interest in things. But he feels that it does help with depression and gets him over difficult times.

I took Sertraline for many years and was on the highest dose. I weaned myself off it very slowly, over about 10 years. I had 3 deaths in the family during that time so I stuck at the dose level I got to at that point until I was comfortable to continue reducing.

I've taken it for years, with a couple of breaks. I think it balances me out so to speak. I tend to get anxious and on edge when I don't take it. I've had no side effects. It does take a few weeks to "kick in."

I had it a few years ago, but didn't take it for long as it made me have twitchy legs. When sitting down my legs were sometimes jumpy. Also I had hallucinations. Lying in bed I'd see things like cartoon type animated skeletons and other things moving round the room.

Peaseblossom is your sight deteriorating? If yes the hallucinations could be Charkes Bonnet syndrome. Lots about it on the internet.
My husband has deteriorating sight and has had similar hallucinations for quite some time. He didnt mention them as he thought we would think he was losing his marbles. But on reading about hallucinations his sound like CB syndrome. They come and go and are very common.

Sertraline is often prescribed when anxiety dominates. I have a relation who has had counselling and values it but it is Sertraline that enables him to be on top of things day to day. He intends to stay on it long term having struggled with anxiety for years.