Re: Sertraline for anxiety - nausea?
Originally Posted by
WorriedOlive
I have been prescribed 50mg of sertraline due to anxiety
Sigh! The recommended starting dose for anxiety is 25mg for the first week.
and took my first tablet at around 11pm last night. I have been up since 2am with dizziness and bad nausea where I’m on the verge of physically being sick. Is this likely to be a side effect of the tablets? Or just a coincidence!?
No, it is almost certainly the sertraline. Both dizziness and nausea are common side-effects of most serotonergic ADs (and of anxiety), not helped by the high starting dose. They are caused by the increase in serotonin activity. After a while the body responds by down-regulating serotonin synthesis and expression and the side-effects then diminish, but may return for a while after dose increases.
Luckily I’m on annual leave this week but I wouldn’t be able to cope with this nausea at work.
Ginger and/or vitamin B6 supplements may ease the nausea. If they don't ask your GP for assistance as this can be treated. I suggest you contact him/her anyway and ask for a prescription for 25mg tablets which will usually produce less severe initial side-effects than 50mg.
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The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.