Will I ever get to sleep on sertraline??

Hi there,

Just posting after a pretty well sleepless night I just feel constantly wired and I can't switch off. I am on my second week of sertraline now at 50mg after a week of 25mg. I was put on it after my anxiety symptoms progressed to depression. I can definitely feel a lightening to my mood and moments of positivity of the future but I am obsessing about the lack of sleep. I take it in the morning, I deal with the side effects ok in the day but then the anxiety sensations and twinges hit me at night and I cannot switch off. I've been given zopiclone for my sleep but I was warned not to take it every night. Even with that I wake several times.

I wasn't sleeping well at all before I got prescribed the sertraline. I think one anxiety attack too many at night left me unable to switch off. But now I feel like I could deal with the mental health issues if I could just get some proper sleep help!!!

It would be great to hear from others on the insomnia issue as my biggest fear is exhaustion now.

Your not alone. I was put on 100mg straight away and had good sleep for 2 weeks but now back to normal for me where im only getting 2-4hrs sleep a nite as just wide awake and yes exhausted during day. Doc has now told me to take 150mg feel a lot calmer in myself aa to not too much worrying about things and still get bad days and yet to still have a good nites sleep. They say it takes a while to get in the system and perserver 6months and should be alright. Will see how it goes. Hope you will give it time too and maybe keep daily record how your feeling and times you wake up to see if there is a regularity.

Thanks Cheryl,

I know it's early days at less than two weeks in but when you're sleep deprived, sole carer for two children and working part time every sleepless night really takes its toll and heightens the anxiety of exhaustion.

I am keeping a daily diary but as for recording the times I wake I'm not even sure I get to sleep...

It does help to know I'm not alone though

It would be good to hear how anyone else manages the insomnia too.

Thank you!

Hi clare

My sleep at night is almost none existent and if I do I wake with terrible headaches, I started on 50mg of sertraline 5wks ago but after 2wks I had to change to fluoxetene due to the side effects, it's got to the point where I keep falling asleep for brief sporadic periods throughout the day the lethargy is doing my head in just can't get motivated to do anything.

Try not to worry too much and get things done that need to be done to tire yourself out, I was like this for first 2 weeks now on my 4th week and I'm bloody exhausted like it's totally shifted, you will sleep again soon!

I definitely found sertraline in wk 2 was the worst insomnia period for me and to make it worse I was keeping my GF up with the constant fidgeting in bed, I've point blank refused sleeping tablets from the doctor. Best thing I can recommend is the grab a book and read until u drop, I personally haven't read in yrs but thought I'd give it a whirl with varying degrees of success but anything is a bonus ( oh and don't read from a kindle or tablet it needs to be a book bright lights stimulate the brain)

I'm on week two and just totally wired and exhausted. I'm trying to limit the sleeping tabs and I'm doing all the natural things to promote sleepiness so I suppose I just need some patience. It just feels like I've forgotten how to switch off and it's the focus when the anxiety hits :-[

Thanks Luke

I just need patience and rational thought which kind of goes out the window when you're exhausted :-\

Honestly Clare I was just the same, I'm usually a lethargic person due to anxiety depression and I loved the fact I was wired for first week then it took its toll in week two I was in such light/ horrible sleeps not even sure I slept. And now I'm exhausted again, like Paul said reading is really good! Don't panic you will sleep again I know it's horrible but I and I'm sure many others were the same just try not to over analyse x

You will sleep. It will take a while but it will happen. Your brain chemistry is changing at the moment and it will settle down. Hang in there.

Ages ago I was on a different Anti Depressant (Seroxat) and quite a high dosage at that.  I also had Zopiclone as one of the 4 medications I took for my Depression at the time.  It didn't do me any harm at all.  It was great as it retrained my brain to sleep which is what I needed.  I was on 10mg for a month then I cut it down to one every 2 nights then one if and when I needed it.  If you've got them do take them as they will help even on a temporary basis to get you the much needed sleep.

you will sleep again . ut just takes a couple more weeks at the most.

its awful i know. then the night sweats happen for a few weeks.

then all rmthat goes away and slowly sliwky you get your old self back.

just hang in there, try not to worry if u dont sleep well u dont sleep, thats the way you have to think of it.

but eventualy you will.

xxx

Thank you for the reassurance everybody. Must keep the positive mental attitude and power through now.

Hi I'm on week 2 and for the last couple of nights have had no sleep,which is making me feel a bit down will my sleep pattern go back to normal?

If it makes you feel any better I did not sleep the first few weeks but now after eight weeks I sleep fine !

How did you get through those first few weeks Michelle?!

I'm working and single mum to two kiddies so I have to function rah!

Hi,

Just wondering if you had any success with sleeping? Or if anyone else has?

I'very been taking 50mg of sertraline for 7 weeks now and I haven't slept properly for about a week. I just cannot sleep at night and in the day I'll fall asleep for a few hours. I'm going back to work on Monday (been off for Christmas) and absolutely dreading it because I won't be able to sleep in the day and I just don't know how I'm going to manage. I've just started taking antibiotics for a chest infection I've had for a month, so being ill may be a factor in me being awake.

Sorry for the long message at ridiculous o'clock. When I first started taking sertraline my sleep improved! I've been reading and drinking honey and lemon (for my throat!) for two hours and I'm still wired!!!

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi weeclare, I know it was a few months ago you posted but just seeing how your getting on with sleeping and the sertaline? 

Ive been on sertaline for 2weeks today, 6days on 25mg and 8days on 50mg.

ive had side effects and not sleeping is one of them plus the heightened anxiety.

hope your doing ok? 

Hi BK03 and Michelle,

I just wanted to let you both know that for me the ability to sleep definitely returned to normal and hopefully it will for both of you. It probably took about 6 or 7 weeks for the sleeping to settle and I took the zopiclone for about the first month.

I'd say generally it's taken the 4 months and now I feel like I have pretty well clicked back to my old self. I wouldn't want to tempt fate and post a big success story yet but I've been told I can consider coming off the meds 6 months after you feel better so my ambition is to start weaning off in June - fingers crossed! Part of my incentive is the other side effects which include not being able to drink any alcohol.

I wish you both the best. Keep the hope, stay positive and remember how you want before the troubles because you can get back to there