I started taking 50mg sertraline almost a week ago for anxiety induced headaches and OCD. I started to get chronic headaches around mid October and after being referred to a neurologist, he diagnosed me with anxiety and prescribed me xanax to help deal with the headaches. He also scheduled an MRI just to be safe which turned out to be normal. The xanax helped a bit, but I decided I didn't want to become dependant and decided to seek a more long term solution to my anxiety. Went back to the neurologist and he prescribed me Zoloft. I was still having headaches and slight vision problems but after being on 50 mg for a couple days, I began having my usual chronic headaches accompanied by a strange sensation in my head when I breathed in. It's hard to describe. It's kind of like a rush of dull pain that intensifies as I breathe in. It's dizzying and unrelenting and seems to creep up on me as the day goes by, becoming the worst at night. The painful headaches have subsided slightly the past day or so, but this dizzying and unpleasant sensation has lingered and is becoming slightly worse. My head also feels full and seems to feel "fuller" when I breathe in. Has anyone else experienced this sensation and could it just be a side effect of the zoloft? Or could it be part of my pre-existing headaches, unrelated to the zoloft?
Weird headache/sensation: possible sertraline side effect?
Question posted by VikeKing on 14 Jan 2015
Last updated on 20 February 2019 by kimmihowardholst
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3 Answers
Hi there! I’ve just been upped to 150mg of Zoloft/sertraline and have been getting similar sensations.
The headaches at the top of my head and almost feels like I have sinus problems as it on and off hurts more and has a weird sensation when breathing through my nose.
All I can say is, I got dulled versions of these symptoms when I started on 50mg and can only hope I’m just feeling them stronger because it’s such a higher dose.
Stick it out. I was on 50mg for around a month before I started to feel back to “reasonable” normal health and felt barely any side effects.
It’s a new chemical that your body will take awhile to adjust to.
Hi there! I am sorry for your headache pain. That is the worst. So, your neurologist found no abnormalities? I'm on Zoloft 200mg (max daily - fun times!) for OCD & GAD. When I first started I remembered absolutely getting headaches. I'd talk to your doctor though... Seems you'd like to get rid of the pain, not intensify it. Zoloft & all SSRIS, in my experience, make one feel a bit "off" at first. If unpleasant symptoms continue please contact your provider. I wish you relief!
Do you have an idea of how long the side effects last?
Side effects vary from person to person. I'm not a medical professional but my doctor has always maintained that it takes around 3 or so months for the body to become accustomed to SSRIS & the like. Could be longer, could be shorter. For me, I got headaches wit Zoloft but moreso I got stomach pain. Now the benefits are outweigh the occasional side effect. Keep an eye on it & if your condition worsens or more bad side effects pop up, call your doctor or pharmacy.
For me personally I believe I was feeling markedly better / "normal" after about a month. But you have to give your body time.
It is very difficult to say what is causing the headaches as you say that they were occurring before you started the Zoloft, but Zoloft can have the side effect of mild headache. The headache from the Zoloft usually subsides within the first couple of weeks, if it occurs at all. You mention difficulty breathing and pain associated with it, could you have possibly developed a sinus infection in the last few weeks or so? What you describe suggests something of this nature.
Related topics
headache, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, sertraline, side effect, chronic, neurology
Further information
- Sertraline uses and safety info
- Sertraline prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Sertraline (detailed)
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