I took sertaline 50mg as a first dose the next morning my pupils where very dilated I feel dizzy, sick no appetite and very ill I got sent home from work.
I have decided not to take this drug anymore as I have to work and can't be dealing with this from little I have read it sounds like I had serotonin syndrome does anyone know much about that or experienced it ?
Sarah, I'm a psychiatric nurse and that does sound like serotonin syndrome. You've been very unlucky to get it from such a small dose of sertraline and I think you need to see your GP asap and describe what happened. Certainly I wouldn't take any more, but you must talk to yout doctor about it.
Another medication can be prescribed, perhaps not an SSRI, as you seem to be sensitive to them - but again, your doctor will need to see you and decide what is best.
Hope you're feeling better now.
Chrissie
Hi, I haven't had a very bad reaction to sertraline so I can't advise personally but you my found the answer you need in this post on the sertraline forum
Best wishes
Thank you for your response
I saw GP on the same day and my GP said it is just side effects and it will pass and urged me to stay on it I don't believe the side effects would be that bad in 8 hours after taking first dose ?
Could it be that my serotonin levels in my brain are all okay and that this one dose triggered it and made it go to high ? ...
I thought this could be possible but I feel depressed so I'm not sure really if medication is the best thing for me I know there are newer antidepressants but if they are any better I do not know.
I'm not much better and it's been 2 days now going back to work tommorow and will take it quite easy it really was a horrible distressing experience and despite GP wanting me to stay on it I have decided not to as I can't deal with the effects espically when I have to be on the ball for 10 hours a day at work
im on week 3 of doing thesame dosage and i have the same symptoms plus increased anxiety, sleeplessness, no change in apetite though, but yeah the first few weeks have been tough but not any worse really than what i was before, yeah i feel rotten but this medicine is the only chance i have of feeling better so its not worth stopping, i cant feel much worse than i do already lol hope you feel better soon
I respect your decision to come off it if you dont like it but the depression cant be at the level of some other peoples like myself as the thought of not taking it is just not an option i have had this for a yar and lost a year of my life, i pray for the day where i can go back to being a normal 23yo guy doing the things i love to do, but we can only pray i suppose tak care
Read the link Gill has kindly put in her post.
I am shocked that your GP told you to continue taking sertraline after you had serotonin syndrome.
There has to be a way round this - could you ask for a psychiatric referral and see someone more qualified? Or is there a different GP in your practice you could see?
Until you are satisfied with a doctor's advice, hold back on the sertraline!
Ranger, Sarah had a serious reaction to sertraline. It isn't a question of liking it or not. Perhaps if you go to the link Gill has provided you will see what we mean.
I will thank you gill.
I don't think GP thought it was serotonin syndrome she thought it was just side effects . . Somehow I don't think it was just side effects as I don't believe side effects would be that quick to appear and that bad just on one dose
Gps aren't that good at my surgery and I would feel bad asking for refferel as they should know what they are advising but on this case they don't seem to
Hope you feel better soon, too, Ranger, and remember it takes 8 weeks to kick in and 5 weeks before the side-effects go away.
Chrissie
You could always change surgeries. it's your right to do so.
Thank you for your message
I have to say it's more anxiety then depression although some days the depression can get worse then the anxiety if you don't mind me asking what depression symptoms do you have ?
Have you tried exercise daily ...
I know this is good and can really help and it does help me
I don't know if you have to work or not
Yeah i have both aswell, it started off with bad chest injury which brought on the anxiety and then the depression which iv had for around a year, the depression feels like alot of things, constant fatigue, little sleep,no motivation, no concentration, feel like im in a daze constantly, general down mood all the time, sometimes mood swings, short fused, and the anxiety is always chest discomfort, chest pains, palpitations, and edginess, panic attacks whic are scary as HELL as they are so weird they give you this weird sense of depersonalisation/derealisation and tat you are going to dieso yeah this medicine is pretty mch my only option at the moment, im not prepared to try and put up with this anymore lol im not prone to depression or anxiety only this year so its hit me hard, and went untreated and gotten worse, and i did try excersise but i kept getting awfully anious about my heart rate which i know sounds crazy but its a weird side effect that has came with this anxiety lol thanks for the reply
yeah i just saw the way i worded that seemed a bit off, i didnt mean to sound dickish in any way, apologies!
I hope so lol its weird because i felt amazing for one day on like my third day of taking it then just back to the anxiety and stuff, strnge lol but ill cling on to the hope that in a few weeks ill feel a little better
Unfortunisly I can't because where I live there is only one surgery I am able to register with
I can't face taking the drug again due to the effects it had on me so I am going to have to cope pretty much on my own
It's ok ranger I understand things are tough for you and I really hope the sertaline works for you and helps you feel better again.
I am here if you ever want to chat.
You will, Ranger!
What you're describing is normal for people who are starting an anti-depressant. I think you'll be fine - just give it time!
Chrissie
Oh, Sarah, that isn't good enough.
Go to A & E and explain what happened. They will write to your GP and hopefully suggest a different med.
I can't believe that you're unable just to ask your GP for something different. You clearly had serotonin syndrome. I hate GPs who just brush patients off like this.
it is NOT a question of getting through the first few days of side-effects!!!
Does your GP even know what serotonin syndrome is, and how dangerous it is?
I think u will also be fine good luck if my body didn't react so much to it I would stay on it but it's to risky for me my GP has given me Diazepam to try and stop the effects of the serotonin syndrome seems to be helping a little bit can only take low dose as have to work as well