Sertraline for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• And...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 11, 2023

"Sertraline has transformed my life. I have complex post-traumatic stress disorder from childhood trauma, am often triggered, and have high levels of anxiety. In lockdown, life improved as I didn't have to deal with many people. I used the time to do trauma work (although I cannot afford trauma therapy). This really helped, but the introduction of sertraline has made a profound difference. I am calmer, much more able to take things in my stride, and feel more capable, confident, and competent. A bonus is my bowels are now regular. I have been on 150 mg for 4 months and am currently discussing going to 200 mg with my GP."

• Mus...
• December 6, 2022

"I'm taking sertraline for the 3rd time in my life now. I started in my mid-20s, weaned off, had to go back on in my early 30s, weaned off again, and now back on it again in my late 30s. This time I will stay on this medication and probably won’t be weaning off for the remainder of my life. This is an excellent medication for any type of anxiety disorder, including generalized anxiety and panic disorder. I take it now for PTSD, anxiety, and depression after having to face sexual violence. Thankfully, this med is a lifesaver. I take 50 mg. My side effects were nausea, headache, constipation, and slight insomnia, as well as an energized feeling upon starting the med and at any dose increase, which only lasted a week. The side effects are really not bad compared with other medications. As with any psych med, please give it a full 2 months to work properly before you make a decision on whether or not it’s for you. All the best."

• Rac...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 28, 2021

Sertraline "I have been on sertraline/Zoloft for 5 years. It has saved my life. I have experienced a lot of trauma growing up, especially through my teens. It wasn’t until my 20s that I was finally diagnosed with PTSD, and after being misdiagnosed with depression for years and treated with many other meds which never helped me, sertraline was a saving grace. I no longer go from 0-100 with my mood and episodes. I no longer have panic attacks. I no longer have suicidal ideation or attempts. It saved my relationship, and I have been a better mother. I am wanting to see my doctor to slowly decrease from 100 mg a day (I started on 200 mg) and eventually come off them completely. The only negative I have had is slight weight gain. I’m still healthy, but I have gained around 7 kg - I exercise and eat well. I’m not overweight, but I do struggle to shift the excess weight I’d rather not have!"

• MDA...
• October 5, 2014

Sertraline "I started taking it after my husband passed away; he had a cardiac problem, and I tried to unsuccessfully help him. I did call the emergency services; they tried but were unable to help him. After that, I could not get thoughts about the incident out of my mind, and I lost in excess of 50 lbs the next month. I was given Zoloft by my doctor, which did interrupt my 'panic'; however, I only took the medicine for less than one month as I couldn't think properly. I rely on my mind, my thoughts to process how I relate to the 'world' - I decided that being sad about the situation was appropriate and a normal response. In the eighteen years since then, I have not needed medication for depression - other things, yes, but not mood disorders. Thank you."

• Anonymous
• April 22, 2016

"I have been taking sertraline now for nearly a year. I was adamant I would never take tablets for anything psychological, but after confiding in a doctor about things from my past, I thought I had nothing to lose. I will never ever be able to envision just how much these tablets have changed my life. I didn't know people's brains actually worked so slowly! Mine had done over time for the last 30 years! Absolutely given me my life back :) Oh, no side effects at all, by the way :)"

• Are...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 29, 2020

"I started 25 mg sertraline 5 days ago for PTSD and feel a huge difference in a good way. I take it midday because it does give me a boost of energy. I feel much more calm, I haven't woken up in panic, which I was suffering from on top of being anxious, worrying, aches and pains, mind racing, heart racing, bad PMS, tangled thoughts, panic attacks in the middle of nowhere. Flashbacks still come but not as intense. (My 2-year-old passed away 2 years ago.) I fought as hard as I could to not take meds, but God spoke to me and said I don't have to carry these heavy burdens any longer. By His grace and His will, He gave me peace about trying these meds, and again I feel like I can finally function and hold a conversation and just enjoy life a bit more. Interesting, many say it takes weeks to feel the effect, but I felt the effect the day I started. I think for me, this is what my body really was lacking, so it's liking this med. I may update over the next few weeks."

• Dea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 1, 2019

Sertraline "I'm on day 5 of taking Zoloft. I have been sober for 8 months and recently diagnosed with PTSD for trauma that happened in my childhood. 4 months ago, my brother, whom I loved deeply, committed suicide, and it sent me spiraling into insufferable anxiety and depression. I have not been able to work, my social anxiety is so bad, and I am constantly afraid I'm going to die, especially at night when it's time to go to sleep. Driving gives me panic attacks, my throat closes, and my heart beats so hard and fast I can't speak or breathe right. So far, the medicine has not changed anything. In fact, my anxiety is way worse, I constantly have a knot in my chest, elevated heartbeat, and tight throat. The nausea is debilitating, I've been in bed most of these 5 days. I am starting to lose all hope, I was really hoping an antidepressant would help me."

• Pac...
• May 9, 2017

Sertraline "I'm a combat veteran with PTSD. My dose was 25 mg daily for 2 weeks, then 50 mg daily. I started out with severe headaches and diarrhea for the first 2 weeks. After that, the headaches went away. However, I started vomiting every night and morning. Not just minor vomiting, but exorcist-looking vomiting. Sometimes about a gallon. I would fill up my toilet pretty well. The diarrhea never went away. I was constantly dehydrated. After a few months, I couldn't take the side effects. Tapering off made my PTSD 1000% worse. I would have been better off not taking it at all. Before you start SSRIs, look up other people's horror stories. These things are worse than hardcore illegal drugs."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2022

"After recently being diagnosed with PTSD, my GP prescribed sertraline. First 3 days I was told to take half a tablet (25 mg), then after that, take one full tablet (50 mg) a day. The first day on the full tablet was not nice, felt horrendous and had all main side effects. This made me question if I should continue taking them. I went back down to 25 mg for the next 2 days, then back up to the full tablet. I can honestly say my mind isn’t half as busy already and don’t feel as if I’m on constant high alert half as much. All side effects now gone and feel quite calm. It is still early days, but I can definitely feel the benefit of sertraline. As lots of other people have said, just crack on with the side effects because they do settle down. Very best of luck to everybody who has taken time to read this."

• Eli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 5, 2022

Sertraline "I switched to Zoloft after many failed years of Lexapro. Last week I started Zoloft at 50 mg, this week I’m on 100 mg. I have severe PTSD that has gotten to the point where I literally can’t stop panicking no matter what, and I also have extreme mood swings. Even the short amount of time I’ve been on Zoloft, I’ve felt a noticeable difference in my mood. My panic is getting better, I’m not swinging from guns blazing to a depressed void. I have some side effects right now while I’m adjusting: been sweating and have a fluttery feeling in my chest (anxiety probably). But I’m really looking forward to next weeks and months on Zoloft!"

• Fre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2017

Sertraline "Only day three, but the physical stress symptoms are totally gone. To be honest, though, the physical tremors and the weird yawning are rather unnerving, but I am sure they will die down. I will comment each week for four weeks to update."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 26, 2021

"I was suffering from stress and panic attacks since Xmas 2020. I had been on mirtazapine for a long time, but it stopped working. My GP put me on sertraline 8 weeks ago. The first 4 weeks were very bad, but I stuck with it after reading so many reviews about the side effects. I could not sleep for a month. Now I am on week 8, I feel myself about 90% better. Please give this medicine at least 8 weeks before deciding to quit. I'm at work again after 3 months of being away from work sick."

• Mon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 19, 2023

"Wanted to share my story and give you a bit of relief. I've heard a million horror stories about them but after years of alcoholic abuse from my parents, I decided to give them a go as I was having suicidal thoughts. I would spew the second I opened my eyes as the anxiety of the day was too much. I couldn't sit still unless I could lay in a dark bed scrolling on my phone. I didn't brush my teeth, my hair, started self-medicating, stopped eating, started smoking and gambling, and everything else you can think of ruining your life! I first started on 50mg, which calmed me down after 2/3 days (maybe placebo as I had really high hopes for this medicine). However, after about 4 months, I increased to 100mg, which works like magic. The second I take it, all the 'background voices and thoughts' are quiet. Although it is really hard to feel real happiness, I would take no feelings any day over the thoughts and feelings I had previously."

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2021

Sertraline "Zoloft did not go well for me. I was taking 25 mg for only two days and couldn't keep going due to side effects. The side effects started with extreme nausea on day one, then diarrhea, heart racing. Day two was horrific, I fell asleep and woke up with heart racing, sweating, shaking, and dry heaving. I considered going to the hospital. I took a Xanax and a shower, and luckily it calmed down. I only had that one episode but continued to have the extreme nausea and heart racing into day three. I stopped taking it after the second dose, and the nausea has gone down significantly and I could eat a little. Definitely couldn't brave through the side effects. It truly scared me."

• Kwa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 14, 2023

"Please give this medication a chance. It has been life-changing for me. The weird thing is, I took it 2 or 3 times before and got side effects, but the fourth time I tried it, it was absolutely a game changer. Sometimes our minds are our own worst enemy when it comes to taking psych meds. Don't wait. Push through the negative side effects, trust me, it'll be worth it. I have PTSD, OCD, and ADHD. I take Vyvanse 30 mg and hydroxyzine pamoate 50 mg at night, and more if needed. I started sertraline at 25 mg, upped to 50 mg after one week, and now 4 weeks later, I start 100 mg tomorrow. I finally see the light. Most side effects were in my head. I noticed some intense tiredness for 2 days after each dose increase, but it levels out more and more every day. Start it on a weekend. I recommend taking it in the morning, as it leaves your system quickly as it builds up, so you may not get as much daytime relief starting at night."

• Cri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 26, 2017

Sertraline "I was put on Zoloft for PTSD. I took 25 mg daily for just over 3 months. It really did help my anxiety and allowed me to finish the school year. With Zoloft, I have been a lot calmer, and it really helped me with day-to-day activities. If you just started this medication and are experiencing side effects, hang in there! My first week made me very nauseous and gave me insomnia. The nausea lasted only a week for me. Even though it did wonders for my mental health, it gave me a lot of physical health issues, so I had to stop taking the medication. It caused me to gain a lot of weight in a short amount of time. Furthermore, it caused a slight bedwetting issue and very elevated liver enzymes. Good for anxiety, but my body didn't like it."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2019

Sertraline "The worst experience I've ever had. Zoloft made me so sick it was unbelievable. I had gastric disturbances, headaches, and severe ringing in the ears. I was only one tablet from 25 mg to 50 mg, and I became so sick. I had weird dreams, had to come off the medication. I had hair loss, chunks of hair loss, vivid, weird, extremely strange dreams. With all the other reviews that I've seen on it, why was I losing my hair? Why did I have every adverse effect, and my symptoms got worse? There was no benefit to this drug for me, only sickness and the worst dream experiences. And again, why were chunks of hair coming out of my head? I will never take it again and do not suggest anyone to take it, especially since I'm the size of a child. But once again, the prescriber only saw my age. Size needs to be taken into consideration when it comes to this drug, just like every other drug."

• Jef...
• March 7, 2017

Sertraline "Tinnitus that is constant. Loud all the time and gets louder occasionally. It drives me crazy to the point of wanting to get off Zoloft. I ask every doctor I see if anything can be done for tinnitus. The answer is always no. Is it this medication? Anyone with tinnitus will understand. I also have various problems urinating and sexual issues. Thank you for giving me this forum."

• dj...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 7, 2014

"This medication has been a Godsend for me. Since I have been on sertraline, my mood swings and anger problems caused by post-traumatic stress disorder have significantly been reduced. They still happen, but not nearly as often as before I started sertraline."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 21, 2019

"I have complex PTSD, basically a panic disorder. Sertraline caused the anxiety to get worse at first. I couldn’t eat very much. I felt very weird, experienced dark thoughts, but I noticed that certain days I felt better than ever. For the first four weeks, I felt like I had bipolar disorder. The anxiety was so difficult. I lost a lot of weight, but eventually, I started to see those good days multiply. Sertraline changed my life. Everyone is different. Just remember, if you’ve tried everything and sertraline is your last resort, but you start out feeling awful, give it time. Take something else like hydroxyzine to help mellow you out. Eventually, it will work. It has completely cured my premenstrual dysphoric disorder. It’s well worth the side effects for me."

• pts...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2017

Sertraline "MIGRAINE SUFFERERS BEWARE: this medication took my migraine condition to another level of pain and frequency. The worst part is that my doctor did not share with me that Zoloft can make migraines worse before I started the medication. I had at least 2-3 days every week that not only was I completely incapacitated by the pain of them (something typical with migraines) to the point that I could not go to class, but the vomiting and nausea were relentless. I lost 15 pounds on this medication after taking it for just 6 weeks because of the vomiting from migraines. I went to the hospital toward the end of trying Zoloft because of dehydration and the worst pain I've felt in my life from the migraines this caused. Be careful if you have migraines."

• Lea...
• January 18, 2019

"I was told at the onset that sertraline would take 5 to 6 weeks to take effect. I'm now into my 4th month, and it's been brilliant, but it did take time to start to see the improvement. I admit that it has made me feel quite flat emotionally. But it's much better than the anxiety, panic attacks, and visions that I had been experiencing. Also, that buzzing and lightheadedness that you experience at the beginning does go away."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2021

Sertraline "Took 25 mg for PTSD and panic disorder. I'm a 23-year-old male, I was put on the lowest dose because I didn’t want any terrible side effects. Even at the lowest dose, I suffered almost all of them. No appetite whatsoever. I felt disassociated from reality. My mood was all over the place, and I got hot flashes and tremors. They say to stick it out and it all gets better, but how is that possible when you can’t even function for three weeks straight? My advice would be to not take Zoloft. It’s just not worth it, I would rather have panic attacks and deal with them normally. I was insane on that drug, literally crazy."

• KMa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 27, 2019

Sertraline "I have PTSD and concomitant major depressive disorder from being a paramedic. My Dr. prescribed sertraline, starting off with a 50 mg dose. No noticeable difference. My dose was increased to 100 mg, which worked well enough for a while. Decreased intrusive thoughts/images, almost no olfactory flashbacks, no panic attacks. However, like most other people, my libido was completely wiped out, insomnia hit me hard, and I became incredibly paranoid, believing my husband of 23 years was cheating on me (he wasn't and has never). Unfortunately, it seems that my body has adapted to it, and my symptoms are coming back. I would say for me, it's an okay short-term drug (6-12 months) but definitely not a long-term solution. Other than that, there were no contraindications with my other medications (ivabradine, propranolol, flecainide, Celebrex, aspirin, diazepam, paracetamol SR)."

• Sco...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2020

"Severe PTSD, which affected my life quality for over 6 years. My mental health just got worse and worse. I started on 50 mg sertraline and after one week raised it to 100 mg. Plus points: I feel better. Takes away my bad thoughts. Takes the unbalance and racing thoughts away. Feeling relaxed and life got more taste. Minus points: Headache that fades after time. I eat first, then I take the pills or I'll not eat. Feeling sleepy after taking the pills for a few hours, but when I sleep and wake up, I feel better and better!! I couldn't have an orgasm in the beginning, but after a while and a few tips like good breathing, I can orgasm without having headaches anymore. Sure, it's a very good medication for people with PTSD. I am so optimistic about this drug. That's week 3 now for me."