Anyone take Sertraline? 50mg did it work for you?

Hi Bikergran - I have been on Sertraline for approximately nine years. It took at least six weeks before I noticed any improvement of my symptoms. I take the maximum dose of 200mg for anxiety and depression. It seems to keep me on an even keel and I am happy to stay on this dose for the long term. My daughter is a psychiatrist and she sees no harm in continuing with the prescribed medication!

I should add that 50mg was of no benefit to me whatsoever!

thanks for that Glammy

My personal experience and opinion:
I was prescribed antidepressants (think it was the same as yours) when I was going through a divorce. Yes, it does take a few weeks to take effect, if at all it does. I say this because, it did nothing for me . I am not a doctor but this is my theory: if your depression is due to 'circumstances', medication won't help, simply because the 'circumstance' is still there. Here self help is the only solution. Mind over matter,
However, if your depression is clinical, these medications will certainly help......give it a few weeks...if it's still not helping, talk to your Doctor. All the best bikergran xx

Its good to hear other opinions on medications.

Hi bikergran I was prescribed 50mg sertraline some years ago to help with ibs and it really did work! Following the death of my mum just over a year ago, I suffered from extreme anxiety and panic attacks - my GP (who has been amazing) raised the dose to 100mg. I really believe this helped me to avoid a total breakdown. I am fully able to function on this dose and feel fully in control. It took about 4-6 weeks for me to feel any benefit when I first started it. I hope this helps xx

I take it and struggled with the side effects at first but stuck with it. What a difference it has made to my quality of life. I had been having massive panic attacks due to an event in my past. These have stopped and I feel the best I have in years. Getting through the first few weeks was the worst for me as I usually refuse any kind of medication, but this time I realised that I needed something and I am glad that I did. I hope they work as well for you.

Many years ago I took low dose Seroxat and I felt better almost immediately. Only trouble was that it gave me very vivid dreams and I had difficulty distinguishing the dreams from reality. eg., I could congratulate someone on getting pregnant only to discover that I had dreamt it!

oh dear Humber I know I shouldnt ! but that made me smile.

Thanks for responses due for re call in about 3 weeks so will give it till then.

bfn off to work have a decent day all.

Hi Bikergran and any other users of Sertraline. Could anyone tell me whether this medication increases your appetite. My doctor was thinking of changing me from lexapro to sertraline but decided not for the moment because of this issue.
Would really appreciate any views.
Very best. Dawn.

Is is a recognised issue with sertraline please Dawn?

Bikergran a low dose is standard to start with. I am sure you will be advised to increase it soon. I agree 50mgs will not do much. I commenced on this after my Alzheimers diagnosis and take 100mgs which seems about right for me.

You may find people say these things dont work in certain circumstances, but common sense will tell you that whatever the cause, a little help up the ladder so to speak, will help you address whatever issues are at play. It has certainly helped me come to terms with a terrible diagnosis and enabled me to function better while I sort out POA's and so on.

.... and I am losing weight

Must say I have ! put weight in in a short space, I cant say its increased my appetite so not sure what the cause is.

Im hoping the doc will increase and not try and make me try something else, I don't want to keep switching medication.

Itake 150 mg. of sertraline and have not noticed any weight gain. I started off on seroxat 12 years ago after suffering a stroke then changed to sertraline 4 years ago. They have certainly helped me but did take 4 to 6 weeks to start working. Stick with it but I feel 50mg may be too low a dose for you. Check with your GP, good luck with it.

I’ve started taking mirtazapine 15mg, it worked for a while but now symptoms returning. Is this a blip or should I consider raising the dose. Sorry I know it’s a different drug from the one you are discussing but they seem to have much in common.

My GP started me on 50mg just to avoid the worst of the side effects, up onto 100mg at four weeks.

I tried sertraline several years ago but had to give up due chronic diarrhea. It certainly made me lose weight though!

Dawn, since I I've been on Sertraline, I have put on over a stone and seem to eat non stop all evening. I suspected it was the Sertraline causing it.

I thought it was me imagining my weight gain! But don't think it is...my work trousers are tighter, my uniform top is tighter and! my boobs have gone bigger!

I have started to walk to work and hope I wittle back down Also the Sertraline has done Nothing not a thing, so dissapointed with that.

Go for a check up in around 2 weeks time, been on it 9 weeks now so have given it a good try, not had any of the side effects(apart from this weight gain) only on 50 mg so maybe need higher dose. We shall wait and see.

Hi Sertraline users - have read the older thread and would like to post my comments today. My Dr started me off on 25mg for 3 weeks, then upped it to 50mg for 3 weeks, then again to 100mg. For the first few days of each uptake I suffered from more and more shaking, hands, arms and head, specially after breakfast and through the mornings, taking up to over an hour to come back. Afternoons have been generally very good. I was put back to 75mg and the shakes have not stopped. Have tried to work out what causes this. Have been advised
"it takes a long time". Am in my 12th week. Has anyone found it takes this long ?

Sorry but I tried it twice, did not do anything for me, then tried something else (another name for prozac) that didn't help either even after giving them all time to work( nearly 2 yrs all together)

So have given up looking for medication, I do have amitriptyline but it wasn't prescribed for depression, just for back /shoulder neck pain.

I started on 50mgs which helped at first but after a few weeks was put up to 100mgs which seems to do the trick more or less. No weight gain with it. Part of my problems are due to circumstances so as crazyH says that part doesn't change but am doing CBT to try and address that.

Merelina

I’ve started taking mirtazapine 15mg, it worked for a while but now symptoms returning. Is this a blip or should I consider raising the dose. Sorry I know it’s a different drug from the one you are discussing but they seem to have much in common.

That is a very low dose Merelina, the very minimum, it does work for some but most require 30mg or 45mg. Dont feel bad about going up to 30mg, 15 mg really is low.