Setraline side effects- please help!

[Uk-83]

Hi Guys

I am suffering from a very rare form of OCD which is causing me great anxiety and bad sleeping patterns. (I won't mention what the OCD is as it's very much triggerable in certain people)

My doctor wants me to start on 50mg Setraline but I am concerned as 2 of the side effects are teeth grinding and tinnitus, which I suffer from already. Both are mild and don't really bother me at the moment but I am concerned at making either worse. Are either of these common side effects that you've experienced? These threads have a tendency to have replies from just people that do have the side effects but it would be great if people could respond if they didn't have either, this would give me more hope.

Thanks

[MrAndy]

i had increased anxiety on start up and disturbed sleep and sometimes got night sweats but they all faded away over time.I had no other side effects

[Uk-83]

i had increased anxiety on start up and disturbed sleep and sometimes got night sweats but they all faded away over time.I had no other side effects

Thanks for the quick reply. I am very anxious currently. Would you advise I start on the 50mg or would 25mg be better to start?

[MrAndy]

Thanks for the quick reply. I am very anxious currently. Would you advise I start on the 50mg or would 25mg be better to start?
im not a doctor but from experience of taking it I would start at 25mg for a few weeks then go up to 50mg.I would then revisit your doctor after being on 50mg for a few weeks for a med review.Hang in there the meds do work but take a while to kick in,you will be ok

[Uk-83]

im not a doctor but from experience of taking it I would start at 25mg for a few weeks then go up to 50mg.I would then revisit your doctor after being on 50mg for a few weeks for a med review.Hang in there the meds do work but take a while to kick in,you will be ok

Thank you. I feel lost at the moment and have no real hope, I can't see how the drugs will completely get rid of this horrendous anxiety/ adrenaline that is flowing through my body. But I guess I have to keep believing.

[MrAndy]

Thank you. I feel lost at the moment and have no real hope, I can't see how the drugs will completely get rid of this horrendous anxiety/ adrenaline that is flowing through my body. But I guess I have to keep believing.
they wont get rid of it 100% but will help a great deal,you should also try and get some counselling or therapy.I believe anybody can recover but you have to fight for it and be patient

[helena8888]

Plse don't loose hope, you will get better as most of us did. As Mr Andy said, it is better to start slowly. 50mg is a lot to start and you might experience some rough side effects. Plse talk to you doctor and see if you can start at 25mg.

[Devonchap]

I been on sert for 7 weeks - into 8 weeks now..

I got teeth grinding in teh first 10 days that went, and ringing in the ears - which i still get now....but neither severe enough to bother me.

my side affects pretty much all went on week 3 with a massive improvement coming from week 3 - 7.....

you have to give it a go, you have nothing to lose and the side affects are bearable. The worst is insomnia - which u may or may not get - but if you do get it then your doc can give you something to help you through that stage (zopiclone or something)!

[Uk-83]

Thanks for the replies so far. How do the SSRI drugs make you feel? Is it a bit like when you are drunk and everything seems much more care free?

[MrAndy]

Thanks for the replies so far. How do the SSRI drugs make you feel? Is it a bit like when you are drunk and everything seems much more care free?
no they are far more subtle than that ,they give you a bit more get up an go and stop you worrying so much,that was my experience anyhow

[Uk-83]

no they are far more subtle than that ,they give you a bit more get up an go and stop you worrying so much,that was my experience anyhow

Could you give me an indication of how much your anxiety decreased by? E.g 9/10 to start with down to 5/10 after the meds

[MrAndy]

Could you give me an indication of how much your anxiety decreased by? E.g 9/10 to start with down to 5/10 after the meds
10-10 to start 4-10 sometimes less after being on tabs about 3 months
people want instant results with meds but im afraid it doesnt happen in the real world,thats why doctors dish out high doses to try and get a quick fix.You are better staying on a medium - low does long term in my opinion

[Uk-83]

10-10 to start 4-10 sometimes less after being on tabs about 3 months
people want instant results with meds but im afraid it doesnt happen in the real world,thats why doctors dish out high doses to try and get a quick fix.You are better staying on a medium - low does long term in my opinion

Thanks Andy, that is a major improvement in your anxiety so gives me hope.

[MrAndy]

Thanks Andy, that is a major improvement in your anxiety so gives me hope.
you have to believe they will work if you focus to much on the side effects like many people on here do its a waste of time taking them.
you will be ok ,give them a go if they dont help you can taper off them slowly

[jimsmrs]

I've been on them for a while, was started on !00mg, then after a few months down to 75mg, now I'm on 50mg. These are a slow uptake..Please be patient with them otherwise it won't help your anxiety.

I'm having a small blip at moment, but that's only because of problems with my thyroid and the meds I'm on for that, which I'm assured will sort itself out!!!

Mr Andy is right...try to focus on the positives and not the negatives.

Take care

[State of panic]

The Zoloft helps with anxiety tremendously!!!! it's unbelievable how it calmed my panic and fears, but it takes time. Wish I would have started on 25 mg because the 50 mg start up was hell for me, way too much too fast and ai felt pretty sick for about three weeks. Anxiety and panic is a condition that requires more work than just taking a pill, you must seek counseling for it as well. I don't want to be a calm hypochondriac on pills I want to getto the source of why I suffer with these fears and thoughts.

[RosieLee]

I've been on Sertraline for 4 months now, after a change from Citalopram which I'd been on for years. I'm currently on 200mg and it's made such a huge difference to my life. It too a good couple of months to really feel the effect but since then my "fight-or-flight" reflex has been muted a huge amount. I also have tinnitus and grind my teeth often (have three broken teeth thanks to it!) but haven't noticed an increase in either of them since starting Sertraline.

As an aside, I also have bpd and, as a fantastic "side effect" it has decreased my urge for harmful behaviours as well! Definitely the best AD I've been on in the 20+ years I've been under treatment.

[Boydo]

I got few side effects when starting...... Morning nausea, slightly more bowel movement, dizziness, fog (which still get occasionally ) trouble in bed and my pupils kept going different sizes! Everyone different but hey ho they deffo work!!!!

[Uk-83]

Is this med something that I could in theory take for the rest of my life? There's no point in me taking this med if it helps for a few months then stops working as I'll be in an even worse place than I am now. So confused and scared guys.