I have been taking 50mg of sertraline for anxiety for 16 days and the side effects are still really bad. Sweating, hot flushes, headaches, nausea, waves of anxiety and panic, running to the loo and generally feeling awful. The doctor doesn't know if this will settle or if I have Serotonin Toxicity so they are unsure if to take me off them. It seems a shame to be three weeks in and to have to now try something new. I have never felt so bad. Has anyone had a similar experience??
Sertraline - How long do the side effects last?
Question posted by Joanne888 on 18 Oct 2014
Last updated on 12 August 2023 by Kismet6
40 Answers
Kismet6
12 Aug 2023
Hi , I have been taking Sertraline for 22 days and have the exact side effects , except the anxiety and trembling last fro 5am til late at night , I have asked my Doctor how long this will last and she couldnt tell me , I can hardly function
alcon1502
20 April 2023
Does any people in this group can says any positive comments about sertraline. I’m been on 25 mg 3 months and want to up 50 mg.
Veronica 56
19 Oct 2022
It's my 6th day on sertriline. During the night I woke up feeling calm no anxiety and panic. Woke up this morning it's through the roof panic anxiety intrusive thoughts I feel I'm going crazy please tell me it will get better I'm on 50mg I'm also tapering off mirtazapine 15mg at night
Helen2022
2 May 2022
I’m on day 21, 50mg increased to 100mg a week ago. The side effects are horrific and I don’t know if I can continue with the meds. Constantly nauseous or vomiting, insomnia, sweats…..it’s just awful and no signs of letting up.
Catholicmom
2 May 2022
Did you have these side effects on 50mg or just when you increased your dose to 100mg?
Helen2022
2 May 2022
Yes but not as bad, I could still go to work, now I can’t. I’m thinking of stopping the tablets, I’m so I’ll.
Helen2022
2 May 2022
Thank you for answering, I feel alone with the nausea
Catholicmom
2 May 2022
From my own experience, and I am not a medical professional, it took roughly 5-8 weeks for symptoms to settle and to feel better. I started off at 25mg and on day seven moved up to 50mg, that was when my symptoms started. For me it was insomnia, diarrhoea and a funny tummy. By six weeks all those symptoms resolved.
I am always surprised when doctors increase the dose before allowing the 4-8 weeks that it normally takes for the medication to work. My doctor reassessed me at the eight week mark once She could see that the medication was working.
It sounds as though the jump from 50mg to 100 was too much for you to handle. If it were me I would ask my doctor to reconsider taking me back to 50 and allowing time for it to work before making any more adjustments. With the 25mg tablets availability it might be easier to jump to 75mg if 50 is not helping.
Are you taking the tablets at night? I found the insomnia was worse when I did that so switched to lunchtime. I also do much better taking them after a good meal rather than on an empty stomach.
There is the possibility that sertraline is not right for you but again I would say it is best to continue for the 4-8 week period before making a decision. In saying that if your doctor is concerned about the symptoms he might suggest otherwise.
Helen2022
2 May 2022
I take them in the morning. Had an hours sleep last night. Just in my dressing gown all day. I’ve lost nearly a stone in 3 weeks because I can’t keep any food down. I will be ringing the Dr at 8am when they open tomorrow after the bank holiday. It’s no way to live like this. Thanks for your reply, it does help.
Catholicmom
2 May 2022
The side effects are unpleasant and it doesn’t seem fair that something designed to help you can make you feel so unwell in the first few weeks. Read the reviews here, many people experience similar side effects and for most it does past. I wish I could fast forward you a few weeks in order to show you the brighter side.
In the meantime if you can get some magnesium powder and add it to a glass of water before bed it is a good, natural sleep aid. Sending virtual hugs to you. Let us know how you go with your doctor
OHMYGIRL
5 April 2022
My doctor started me on 25mg for a week, it was perfect. No side effects. Even started to feel my mood becoming better. I switched to 50mg that 2nd week. OH MY!! It was terrible. Migraine for hours, anxiety increased. I took 50mg for 2-3 days and my doctor switched me back to 25 mg. No migraines. Anxiety isn't as bad. My mood is better. I'm not ruminating as much. I'm in my 3rd week, so I'm looking forward to feeling the full therapeutic effect. I've taken Prozac, and a few other antidepressant drugs, and never felt a major change. Zoloft so far is great. When I was on the 50mg I was going to try to stick it out, but it didn't seem worth it if I'm so miserable, but my doctor said not everyone needs the higher doses. Zoloft is good so far!
ereihs
22 Dec 2021
I just finished my 1 week of Zoloft at 25mg... just started 50mg 2 days ago... I was on Prozac for 3 weeks and I was having body sensations, palpitations etc... I hated it so they switched me to Zoloft... I have been getting the body sensations and a lot of anxiety. I am riding through it but the palpitations scared me, Cardiologist said I was fine after wearing a heart monitor... all the things I am reading are reassuring... this is what these SSR's do... they gave me lorazepam in case I have a sever attack... I hope the Zoloft works because after years on Lexapro, a few weeks on Prozac and now Zoloft I am getting to the point that I'd rather stop all this stuff.
Beefcakemama
4 Nov 2020
I’ve been on sertraline for 4 months, I’ve been experiencing numb feet. Does anyone have these symptoms?
NellyBee
7 May 2020
I’ve been on 25mg sertraline for 3 weeks and the side effects are horrible for me. I wake up with bad anxiety, hot flashes, and very nauseous. I can’t eat anything.. My anxiety is at its highest it’s ever been. My dr wants to change me to Prozac but I’m very scared that the outcome will be the same.
Bigboy1974
7 Nov 2019
Can anyone give me insight i have took sertraline for a month but wasn't really consistent at first but right at a month i got a high fever that lasted for 6 hours .then 5 days later night sweats im still dealing with for going on 5 days.i went to my doctor and she told me to stop taking it. I have fear of other health problems happening and uneasy about doctors appt today. And im wondering have some else had these problems
Edinburghlass65
1 July 2019
I have been taking sertraline 100mg for about 3 months now and I feel worse my sleep is terrible I have terrible tremors in my legs and arms dizziness sleepy no energy and more its awful, I'm now cutting down and getting put on something else fingers crossed it works
Harrilily
9 May 2019
Hey I'm 36 and been on them for 2 week 100mg the first week was great now I feel the same as u I feel live I cant breathe my backs hot cant sleep cant eat anxiety right eye has blurred vision
Maxim220
12 March 2019
I was taking 100mg of sertraline and that made me feel exactly how Your describing it. So my doctor switched me to the 50mg sertraline and I only had side effects the first day I took it. So I would maybe ask for a lower dosage.? This is my 4th anxiety medication they prescribed me. Sometimes you just have to try new meds to see which ones work but you have to be patient it takes time.
Jam771
7 March 2019
Wish I had a more positive response for you but it took just over a month for a lot of the systems to go away. It worked well for me, I stopped taking it this past Oct. What didn't go away was drowsiness and a little bit of a sexual side effect.
Everyone is different but I was not at your level during the first month. Wish I could say stick it out but I'm no doctor. From what I was told the first couple of months are tough but I needed to be patient.
I started at 25mg then 50 and eventually 100mg. I was tappered off in Aug last year though Oct when I stopped.
Best of luck and take care!
elliek69
7 March 2019
Well I'm so pleased to read these messages as today I finally completely broke down and begged for help. I started on sertraline 5 months ago and struggled every day. It has helped my depression but I'm crippled with anxiety and panic attacks. My psychiatrist added in quetiapine to help with anxiety but it has given even more side effects. I am also type 1 diabetic and when my anxiety is high my blood sugars rise drematically. I've had such a bad week I'm almost housebound and have no quality of life anymore as I can't do anything on my own. I've lost all my independence and today I called my cpn and told her I can't go on. I said I want to come off sertraline but I'm terrified of becoming even more anxious.. I've been given some diazepam to help me just now but I feel so desperate frightened and hopeless.
I describe myself as experiencing anxiety but it is more like absolute terror. I'm trying to hold on but I feel my life is so awful just now I just don't know how much I can take.
Arodue
7 March 2019
Many people are misdiagnosed for anxiety when all they need is to get a endoscope for a stricture, which is closing of the esophagus. A person may also experience back pain with the symptoms of anxiety or panic.
Related topics
hyperhidrosis, headache, anxiety, panic disorder, nausea/vomiting, hot flashes, sertraline, side effect
Further information
- Sertraline uses and safety info
- Sertraline prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Sertraline (detailed)
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