Sertraline side effects

[uma5608]

First time posting for ages, so be gentle!
Had a rough few years with every ache and pain fuelling my health anxiety and subsequently had lots of prodding and tests. 3 months ago I began loosing weight unintentionally. Lost over a stone in 3 months. Alongside this I have a recurring right flank abdominal and back pain..convinced it’s something sinister. I suffer with acid reflux so have been on omeprazole for about 12 years! The gastric consultant sent me for contrast Ct scan which I had last week Tuesday.
Gp blood tests came back fine except for high cholesterol and slightly raised ferritin.
I ve been an anxious mess so gp put me on Sertraline 19 days ago, …. But my worry is I’ve had so many side effects since stating Sertraline. ..super anxious, shaky stressed, then a lot of abodominal pain over stomach so they doubled my omeprazole!
I’ve had tingling jaw and jaw ache, general body tingling all over last few weeks then about half an hour ago I had a funny turn, sat down but felt a wave of heart racing and like a hot flush then was shaky for about 5 minutes!! What is going on.?? I am 54 so am aware menopause causing these things but the Sertraline is really bothering!!
docs keep saying stick with it but this funny turn has really scared me! Called the gp and they said keep a record re this turn and tell gp at review on Thursday!

seriously thinking about just stopping the Sertraline! Anyone had these kind of side effects? Have they been constant and bad? Do they ease?

is it worth it or should I ask to swap to another one?

help loosing my bloody mind, so anxious now ��

[Lencoboy]

I've been on Sertraline for almost 12 years now and haven't noticed any major side effects.

[uma5608]

Thanks, I don’t suppose you remember what it was like at the beginning? I m only 2 and a half weeks in and the gp said to expect some stuff, just seem to have everything on the advice sheet ��

[Lencoboy]

Thanks, I don’t suppose you remember what it was like at the beginning? I m only 2 and a half weeks in and the gp said to expect some stuff, just seem to have everything on the advice sheet ��

Obviously different people can be affected in different ways, but I don't recall anything untoward nor out of the ordinary happening to me personally when I first started on said med.

Perhaps it was sheer pot luck for me in the sense that I managed to escape any (obvious) ill-effects from it. And if any ill-effects have actually happened to me at all over the past 12 years, they must have passed pretty much unnoticed.

[uma5608]

Thanks for your response much appreciated, I will chat with gp later this week ��

[Carnation]

My other half has been on sertraline for about 10 years as well. The only side affect is an occasional vivid dream but I have those sometimes and I'm not on meds.

[melie1818]

I have awful side effects with sertraline. So much so I keep coming off it which obviously isn’t the answer. For me I get headaches, nausea, diarrhoea or/and constipation, pains to the right side of my belly button, bleeding between periods and dizziness. I get tingling as well but not just on the medication but I think that’s down to the anxiety. Hope you’re feeling much better soon, it takes me a good few weeks for the side effects to settle down. My doctors just tell me to stick with it.

[uma5608]

Thank you, that’s great that they work well for him, I ve heard lots of people get in with them.

[uma5608]

How interesting about the side effects you have had, I have had a right side of belly button pain, central stomach pain and nausea and tingling too! My gp is staying stick with it too but I m not sure to be honest as my omeprazole has been doubled to 40 a day to manage the side effect. I was hoping to come off the omeprazole!

stay well lovely thanks for your reply, x

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Sertraline made me feel so anxious, I couldn't function. I spent a week in bed with sweating, shaking, unable to keep my eyes open because they were so tired all the time, but also unable to sleep. Nausea, unable to eat anything. Feeling weak. It was awful! I stopped them after a week and never looked back!
Check the Sertraline subforum here as well. It can make you feel absolutely awful, but if you can stick with it they are supposed to make you feel better after about 6 - 8 weeks. I just couldn't last that long on them.

[Fishmanpa]

I've posted this here before. After my 1st heart attack and triple bypass, I suffered from some depression. I went to therapy and was given Zoloft (Sertraline) in addition. The only side effect I had was loose bowels but that resolved in a month or so. I was on it for 6 months then weaned off. Its interesting that, besides that one physical symptom, I didn't feel much different. However, those around me noticed a difference, I was more positive and like myself so I guess it was working along with therapy and the self help techniques I was taught. Those lessons and techniques have served me well since then and as challenging as it can be to discipline yourself to do it, they do work.

If you've ever seen commercials for medications here in the US (I don't how it is nationally), The pharmaceutical companies spend 90% of the commercials on the potential side effects of the drug and it's done in a monotone voice and spoken extremely fast. I get that they have to disclose the legalities but man, some of the side effects are death for goodness sakes! :huh:

The reality is much different. There can be serious side effects from prescription meds as well as OTC meds. The symptoms may vary, but the chances of severe side effects are slim to none in reality.

I found my symptoms resolved after a month or so and the benefits far outweighed the negatives.

Hang in there, things will calm down and the results will be worth it.

FMP