I am only on 50mg of Sertraline and feel great - having suffering from anxiety, stress and depression for as long as I can remember, I now feel as if my life is completely different.
But my sleeping is very odd. I am not stressed, but I often wake up at 5am - maybe once or twice a week.
But then, even if I have a couple of early nights, I am frequently exhausted by 945pm. Last night I was watching a film and fell asleep by 930 and slept until 725am. That is not uncommon.
It is a question of balance. My wife is convinced that I am ill again because of the early mornings (which I used to do nearly every day when I was really ill) but I feel fine... apart from being totally exhasuted a lot of the time. I am wondering whether to stop them to stop my wife worrying.. but I feel better than I ever have!
If others have had a similar experience of tiredness and fatigue I would love to know.
I am glad the sertraline is working for you. I suffered with terrible tiredness for weeks, maybe even a couple of months when I first started Sertraline. I would fall asleep in the afternoon and then sleep a whole night and then sleep in until 10am but over time it became less and less. If I ever increased the dosage the tiredness returned temporarily.
I also wake every morning at 5.30 7 days a week whether I goto bed at 9 or 12 it's weird but I suffer with GAD and once I wake cannot get back to sleep due to severe anxiety I am currently only on day 3 50mg but have been on 25mg 7 days and I can honestly say I feel like sh*t dizzy weak legs have to keep sitting down just hope they kick in soon ive been on these in the past and they didn't alter my sleep pattern or make me this weak I guess as we get older our system is more sensitive to these meds hope things improve for u
I had started ohn 50mg, then increased to 100mg and also found similar sleepiness, but with the increase to 100mg I never really seemed to get into REM sleep without some sort of other drug - it was horrible, twitchy legs at night, tired during the day but not able to sleep at night. This was the main reason I wanted to try to get off the sertraline.. but of course the question then is why I was on it in the first place and has counciling and learning been enough for depression symptions to not come back? Time will tell. At the present time I've worked my way down from 100mg to 50mg and now 25mg and I seem to have best of all worlds in that mood is good, sleep is good, and not tired during day anymore.
Everyone seems different though, but at least you know it is possible to find some sort of happy medium at some point (though if you have just started then maybe a little more anxiety-free time is better than a little extra sleep).
How long have you been on them mark? I am on week 7 of them and althogh better still anxious at times and since being on them my sleep is terrible! Better than at the beginning but still not good and I am on 50mg too. Have also broken out in loads of spots!!
I've been on 50mg for a few months now, and have to say I've felt a lot better on them. However, sleep is a bit of an issue. I experienced bad dreams to start with, which left me feeling tired when I woke, but even though the dreams have improved, I still feel tired a lot during the day.
I tried to balance out my blood sugar by regulating my diet but that hasnt made much difference, so can only assume it is the desk job and sertraline.
Sometimes I have a nap when i get in from work but that can spoil my bedtime sleep routine and again I'm tired the next day.
I'm not sure its worth me coming off them though as I feel happier and more stable. I guess only you can decide what is best for you.
From my experience 50mgs is a great dose that doesn't get rid of symptoms, but keeps them at bay. I wouldn't worry about your sleeping pattern... It's fine, and a damn sight easier than dealing with anxiety/ depression. Stay on your sertraline. When I'm going through a period of disturbed sleep. I just pop myself on nytol for a couple of weeks.... Seems todo the trick. I would defo say on sertraline though.... I've been on it now for a couple of years.... And I'm staying on it!
Hi there I am in to my eighth week of Sertraline, 4th week at 75mg first 4 at 50mg and my sleep is still exactly the same as you. I fall asleep okay now which I didn't for the first 4 weeks but I still wake up at 4.45am most mornings. I was on this med about 3 years ago aswell and I remember after a few months it all settled and I was back to normal with sleeping so hopefully that happens for both of us. At least you are feeling better thats the main thing.
I am taking 50mg of Sertraline and I must say that I feel a lot happier but the tiredness is killing me. I have the most vivid dreams and I wake exhausted. My husband tells me that I cry out loud (sometimes with tears sometimes without) or laugh and talk. I eat a well balanced diet and exercise regularly but find I am exhausted.
I know this response is a year after you've posted this but thought I'd give you my input. I have been on Sertraline for almost 2 years due to severe anxiety and panic attacks. I had CBT, hypnotherapy and many psychiatrists but nothing worked until I used Sertraline! When I first went on them I only had side effects for 3 days. This included feeling naseuous, having constant headaches and feeling drowsy.
The only downside to these tablets is that I'm severely tired constantly. As in I'll wake up at 10am but be shattered by 2pm and have a nap so then I can't sleep in the evening. However, recently I have slept during the day and managed to sleep during the night as well but I am still tired when I wake up.
On the information sheet in the box it says that it is commong in 1 in 10 people therefore it is VERY common.
I have been on sertraline for a couple of months now and I too seem to be constantly exhausted throughout the day no matter how much sleep I get. I was wondering if there was any hints or tips you have found that perk you up or give you more energy during the day?
My fiancé has recently started taking Sertraline. We read in another thread that some people took sertraline in the morning instead of at night, and it solved their problems with sleep patterns and tiredness versus taking it before bed. So when my fiancé started taking it, he decided to take his daily tablet in the morning right after waking up.
Although he is sometimes tired, he hasn't had trouble sleeping like some people mention, and I wouldn't say he's any more tired than he was before he started taking it.
Just something to consider, although if you're taking it at night now you might need to ask your doctor the best way to adjust the timing, as you don't want to shock your body by altering the amount in your system at any given time.
Just wanted to share my experience of being on Setraline. I am a 33-year-old man from Holland and it took me quite some time before my GP was convinced enough to put me on Sertraline, along with CBT in parallel. My complaints were anxiety, stress, highly self-critical, quest for perfection and a general lack of purpose in life ultimately being diagnosed as clinically depressive. I have a family history of mental issues on my mother's side.
I have been on the drug for well over a year and a half. I started with 50mg for a couple of months, which didn't seem to be enough to suppress the negative moods. The first week was horrible with nausea, diarrhoea, drowsiness, unpredictable behaviour (esp. temper issues). After two months my GP increased the dosage to 100mg which seem to help but it took me close to a year to feel somewhat better. In conjunction with this I also went for counselling with a psychologist, which helped me open myself up to my problems of which I was always in denial. I started to feel better gradually and then my mother passed away quite abruptly. My father's behaviour became erratic and I couldn't have any positive influence on him owing to my own issues. As a result there was a lot of friction and I fell off the cliff back into the abyss. I am still on 100mg, still in touch with my GP, but he assures me with time I will get better and that I should not lose patience. It's been over 6 months and, if anything, I feel quite hopeless. In fact, I have got pretty bad symptoms from Sertraline and I feel very, very tired. I can't seem to get enough sleep and even if I thought I'd enough sleep I feel drowsy all the same. It's scary because I'm beginning to feel fall asleep at the wheel. It's okay if I get killed but I am worried I might kill someone else! I am going back to the GP next week to get this addressed. Sertraline, while good in the initial period, has now become a curse. I am wondering if it's actually making my life even worse. I don't seem to have any energy left in me (I'm 33!) for anything. I hope it's just a phase and that I can ride this storm.
Sorry for the rant. Please be wary about SSRI's and their side-effects.
C, your message really stood out to me and I felt a need to reply. My husband, also 33 started taking sertraline approx 6 months ago starting with a 50mg and a month ago to 100mg plus the GP has now discussed upping it to 150mg which we are unsure about.
My husband suffers from anxiety and depression and is currently unable to work mainly due to the tiredness (he drives all day)which he is convinced that he is seriously ill with another disease to explain his tired state.
He wakes up early in the morning but feels sick a lot at this time, and by lunchtime he is shattered and struggling to keep his eyes open. After a few hours sleep, still has no energy and is ready to go back to bed from 7ish which he fights to stay awake. I am very worried about him and try to do as much as I can to save his energy.
Sometimes just walking around the house, he can sit/lie down in various places as he doesn't have any energy or his legs feel weak.
His mood has improved since on the medication however due to the sickness, this puts him off taking them. He is extremely agitated in the evening and needs a hobby to distract him, help with his aggitation however he doesn't have any movitation to do anything. He does has mood swings and is usually then so exhausted that he can't remember it.
I can't bear your comment about your driving and it doesn't matter if you are killed. It does!! I'm sure that you have many people around you who care about you! You are important. I do understand about how you feel about hurting others though :-)
My husband also sometimes misses a day or two of the tablets due to sickness and mainly due to the fact that he feels so bad on them. Have they made his life any better since taking them?! It's very very hard to tell when you feel so drained all of the time.
Please take care, everyday is different and mental health is more in the news now than ever. Life is much more stressful than it used to be!! And we put too much pressure on ourselves! My issue is that I don't know what to do to help him and there just doesn't seem to be the support out there (we are in the UK).
We will get through this and come out the other side!
I am really sorry your husband is having issues with Sertraline. The high dosage of 150mg takes a huge toll on the body, I know, but at the same time the GP would have weighed its benefits against the possible side-effects. However, I am not convinced we need to be drugged so badly that our mind feels at ease. My wife has been such a huge support in this tough period that at least the effects of the medication doesn't get me so frustrated. Your husband is lucky to have a caring wife and I'm sure with time he will start to feel better. I feel that mental issues are sidelined with disdain and most people I have met are just in denial and "hope" that they will turn the corner by hook or crook. Trust me, it takes a lot of courage to accept we have mental issues and the fact that your husband is seeking professional help is making you complete half the journey to recovery already. What I feel important along with the medication is physical activity - stroll, running, jogging, etc. That will most certainly help bring down the stress levels. But please do not skip the medication. Initial phase is tough but it will get better and your husband will see the light at the end of the tunnel - of that I'm sure! Some people need days, some need weeks and some (like me) need months! Don't worry. It's just a phase.
I would suggest that if you're feeling tired, instead of lounging on the sofa or in bed, you could:
- go on a walk/run
- go shopping
- do your favourite hobby
- bake
- meet up with friends
^ that and more. As long as you are kept active it is fine. When I worked full time over summer I wasn't even tired because I was kept so busy. Now I'm back at university I'm shattered constantly because I'm so bored.
Hi Warren, it appears you posted awhile ago, but I have had almost the exact same experience. I started taking 50mg a little over a month ago, and increased to 100mg a couple weeks ago. I have always had trouble sleeping, but have been so drowsy during the day and then unable to sleep at night.
Since it's been a year, I'm curious what happened. Did you continue to have trouble? Did the sleep/tiredness get better?
Let me know. I'd really love to hear how it has played out for you.
I've been on 50mg Sertraline for Eleven weeks, and I've noticed I yawn a lot and feel tired if not sometimes drained. Even if I've slept for Seven hours.
anooying side effect that one isn't it. if i had to choose, i would certainly choose tiredness over depression/anxiety, but that so it's still annoying being tired a lot
i think the problem for some (including me) is, if you have depression and taking ssri's, when you sleep at night you tend to spend more time in REM sleep instead of the deep restorative sleep. you can tell when you wake after not having enough deep sleep and too much REM because u wake up tired, and stay tired! and if you try to sleep more, it often wont help because you may just spend even more time in REM sleep..
i havn't found a solution to this issue and it's a pain looking around the internet for answers because it appears that nobody has one!
but still, i keep looking around for something which will give me more deep sleep and less REM.. hopefully one day i will find something!
