Hi, it is my 4th week on 50mg. Sertraline is my 3rd antidepressant since May. Mirtazepine made me sleep, put weight on and more depressed, Venlafaxine (still weaning off) has helped me to come out of suicidal state but made me feel really tired, groggy, game me insomnia and hasn’t really helped enough with depression and caused terrible tinnitus. So far SERTRLINE has only caused insomnia, but I have managed to fall asleep without any sleep aids like antihistamine or benzo. I know these meds take ages to work but I am really hoping SERT will help. I have been only existing not living since MAY. Has anyone been in the same situation when SERT wasn’t the first antidepressant?
Sorry I dont have a helpful answer but it sounds like youve been through hell. I hope you feel better with time. 4 weeks is too soon to tell with Sert really (8-12 really :/) but make sure you stay in touch with your doc especially if suicidal feelings return. Wishing you the best : )
Loads of people seem to feel much better around the 8 week mark. Everyone is diff. Dont think sert is working for me personally.
you are not alone. i have tried prozac and lexapro which didn't help i am on pristiq 50 now two weeks tomorrow and 2 days on mirtazapine to sleep. i have horrible anxiety which never ends.
sertraline worked for me over 20 years then pooped out.
hi Ala yes I have. I was on citlopram for 6 months (not the first time) and it didnt work so have been on sert for the same time as you and although not out of the woods yet all I can say is the imrovement is vast. still up and down, headaches and upset stomach which is also causing palpitations , I am still on 25mgs , going to give it 2 more weeks then decide to up to 50 or not. so scared to rock the boat so to speak now that I am a lot better. we just need to be patient, which I know is hard, cos been there done that lets move on now
Hi Sue, is your depression improving?
yes it has, I am still not happy but I am not sitting on a bus with tears in my eyes for no good reason, although if you live in the uk using public transport can make people cry 🤔, I know this medication is better suited to me then the last one was, just a question of finding right dose and waiting
That's good. I have been on Venlafaxine for 3 months with very minimal improvements and just didn't feel right..hazy head most of the time, could not sleep at all without other meds for sleep and developed severe tinnitus. Sert at least is not making my head foggy and I don't feel tired all the time and can sleep in my own. Now it's just waiting game and the right dose.
Are you still taking Mirt?
yes 3 days 15mg and pristiq 14 days at 50mgs
stay strong ala and I am sure by christmas we will both be dancing on tables, or at least doing a little shuffle round the tree x
That would be great to feel better by then... I saw my doc and she would like me to continue on 50mg for another 3 weeks and slowly wean off Venlafaxine. If I feel a bit better hit still not fully, she will increase my dose to 100.I hope you are also improving! x
glad you are feeling a bit better, baby steps and you will get there. your dr seems to be one if the sensible ones in understanding about switching, I had a fairly good day yesterday, lets see what today brings, have had lower back pain last couple of days, do not know if it its meds or not, we do seem to blame anything and everything we get on the meds when it maybe just life. have a good day and try and be positive x
Hi Sue, my mood was slightly better yest afternoon so it helps to lessen anxiety and sleep better. However this am I feel very tensed and my mood is very low. My mornings are still tricky because I have been ill for a food while and I worry will I ever recover and what if my depression is treatment resistant... I think once my mood picks up more, these thoughts will go away. I am glad you are doing ok. x
What was the side effects when you first started sertaline, thank you do you get bad dreams
if you are having glimmers of feeling a bit better in the afternoon/ evening then I would not worry about being resistant, there is a patient in my surgery and she is med resistant and none of the standard ad's worked for her she had 24/7 symptoms. mornings are always the worse for a lot of people, they were for me but it is not an indication on how the rest of day will be x
vivid, weird dreams but not bad or scary do not worry about them they will go away, if you take your meds at night maybe switch time you take them, may help?
Dear Sue, could use some advice. i was treated with sertraline for 23 and it worked great for severe anxiety for 23 years than pooped out a year ago. tried prozac for 8 weeks and lexapro for 4 weeks now on pristiq for 2 weeks at 50mgs and remeron 15 for sleep I am worried of being drug resistant. i take .5 klonopin in the am because the anxiety is worse in the am. how long is a fair trial to work. Do you know anyone who has tried ketamine drips for bad anxiety. i do see a psychiatrist for therapy and drugs and i know she would not approve of ketamine
Thank you Sue! You seem like you know what you are talking about... I don't have any side effects now in Sert so I hope it's a good sign! xxx
how long have you been on sertraline now? I tried it a second time after it pooped out but didn't work now 2 weeks on pristiq and 15 0n mirtazapine. are you getting anxiety at 4 weeks in. does it take 8 weeks