Sertraline for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews

• Boris...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 1, 2020

"Sertraline has saved my life. I am diagnosed with Type 1 Bipolar Disorder and have severe bouts of depression and anxiety. Having taken sertraline for several years now, I would advise anyone starting treatment with this medication to be aware that your depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts might become much more intense in the first week or so. This was certainly my experience. However, hang in there! It will pass! Your mind is playing tricks on you. I noticed positive mood lifting effects and a reduction of my anxiety within 2 weeks. Please keep taking your mood stabilisers/anti-psychotics alongside sertraline, however, as I’ve made the mistake of taking it in isolation before and I triggered a manic episode."

• SJano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2019

"I have bipolar and I started Sertraline 25mg first week moving up to 50mg week two. I’m currently on day 6 of taking it and I feel fantastic. But scary enough I feel exactly like I do when I’m in my manic phases but with more impulse control if that makes sense. I have had little to no negative thoughts. I wake up feeling okay. I am able to fall asleep without the voices in my head overpowering me. I feel good. I haven’t experienced any of the side effects I was warned about. I’ll update again once I get on my full dosage."

• ShesG...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 18, 2020

"I’m female, 34 years old - Borderline, Bipolar, Major Depression Disorder. I’ve been on and off 50mg Zoloft for 10 years, only went off for a few months total to try other meds of all sorts (antipsychotics, lithium, other SSRIs, benzodiazepines) - always came back to Zoloft. It’s just the one that works for me. 50mg - no more, no less. More than 50mg makes me manic. I occasionally need Ativan for anxiety attacks. Zoloft doesn’t make any of my mental illnesses disappear. It’s just takes the edge off (Quite well,) and helps me cope and not fly off the handle. Without them I doubt I’d be here today! I have recently developed tremors and I believe it’s the Zoloft. But I can deal with it. I won’t probably ever stop Zoloft unless I need to for some serious adverse reaction or something - I can’t go back to life without it. I can’t be that unstable person anymore and I can’t handle the withdrawals either."

• yoda
• December 22, 2016

"I am 42. I don't really have a diagnosis but after our 3rd child at 37, something changed. What I would describe as "a mood disorder" stopped me in my tracks. After a lifetime of ups and downs and seasonal depression, I finally got help. I have always been creative, days of high energy and an eventual crash. I've been a parent since the age of 17, so it seemed normal to run on empty. I am obsessive, compulsive, mind racing, loving, over bearing, and extremely defensive and emptional. The lows have helped inspire passion and the highs have kept me motivated and driven. I called my OBGYN after several months of extreme symptoms. Panic, paranoia, emotional break downs...etc. Zoloft saved my marriage and my life. 50-150mg over 4 yrs."

• coys
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 31, 2019

"I switched meds to setraline , after 3 weeks , started to feel the clouds were lifting. I had a major depression my psychiatrist switched me from vortioxitine to lithium & sertraline. Have been on it before , I am starting to feel as though I can concentrate , and meet people, during my depressed faze I withdrew from going out and avoided friends, stopped working took 2 month off sick. Be patient , this drug is my lifeline."

• Bella
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 16, 2021

"23 yo female with BPD. Been on Lamotrigine 200mg and Cymbalta 120mg for years but the cymbalta became too sedating. Switched to Zoloft 50 mg a month ago and unleashed TORTURE. Seemed to work initially, less fatigue and more motivation, so increased to 100mg but I became ravenously hungry and gained weight instantly. Dropped back to 50mg and it got bad. Couldn’t fall asleep and my panic attacks, irritability, and mood swings came back. Suicidal thoughts returned heavily. Got so bad that a few days ago I called my husband while he was at work feeling like I was about to overdose on my medication because the mental anguish was unbearable. I felt literally insane. And I could go on for pages about the anger, the lashing out, etc. Stopped taking it today. I know two people with bipolar disorder in which the doctors prescribed Zoloft and it screwed them both up so bad. I want to believe this is a good drug but doctors seriously need to be more careful with its use in bipolar patients"

• Big...
• March 14, 2015

"Unbelievable change had no idea why I felt the way and why my actions were not normal , but normal for me. I am bipolar and the Zoloft is just letting me function better and I can be a real dad not a part time , my family talk to me. Getting this control back has made work an whole new thing. I love my job now and have got tools to help me with situations. I have also become a lot more creative and finish every thing I start and my memory and arithmetic are 2nd to none which is very important in my job. I am so happy, my family are happy. I love not being up and down and all around and confused. It is a life saver for me. I hope every one gets the help they need. My blood pressure has also come down and I also write too Cheers"

• Ken...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 29, 2015

"I'm 26 and had been on the Zoloft for about 13 years at a low dosage for depression and social anxiety disorder. However in August I had it increased to the highest dosage I had ever been on. I subsequently incurred depression, suicidal states, vicious angry mania, irrational thinking and mixed states, almost another evil personality. It turns out I was misdiagnosed with severe depression and not Bipolar Disorder. It's been reported that antidepressants like Zoloft can make symptoms of Bipolar disorder worse. It was a very bad way to find out you're Bipolar and even worse that the medication you take is causing you to be worse. It had worked for me for about 12 years, with no weight gain, nor sexual side effects."

• aano
• December 21, 2020

"(50mg/day) It made a huge difference for me! I was in severe depression and anxiety before I started and it made me feel again. The first week is hard with very severe anxiety, but hang on, it's worth it! Now when I have a difficult time, I have the mental energy to deal with it. It gave me back who I am as a person. I still get very low, but it happens way less and lasts only 1-2 days. I didn't gain any weight (even lost some because of having energy to eat healthier), the only side effect is night sweats 3-4 days/ month, clear, water sweat, making me very cold and itchy, having to shower and change clothes at 3am. It isn't as bad as it sounds though. I also have vivid dreams and remember them a lot more, which is actually pretty cool. Doctors were very dismissive of me restarting sertraline (took it for anxiety previously), but I eventually convinced them, because for me that wasn't a big risk, and had good experiences with it beforehand, so stand up for your opinion."

• north...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 27, 2016

"I'm diagnosed as Bipolar I since one year and an half. Since then, I have tried many medications (almost all available on the market) some anti-psychotics and antidepressants. By far, Zoloft is a miracle drug for me. I had lost all hope to ever feel happy again one day. But this medication finally do the job. I have more energy, a lot less of anxiety, I can focus on the tasks that I want to accomplish in my life. I have tried previously Prozac and Wellbutrin but they didn't do anything to me. Never give up, finding the right medication can be very long, but when you find it, it worth it. The medication kicked in after 3 weeks of use."

• woodra
• August 11, 2008

Zoloft (sertraline) "I use Zoloft for my depressive episodes due to bipolar disorder. I have unsuccessfully tried about fifteen other anti depressants in the past. Zoloft works wonderfully! With Zoloft, it doesn't take long for my depressive symptoms to fade. The only side effect that I experience is the complete loss of my sex drive. It is very common with SSRIs. Fortunately, I talked to my doctor about it and he prescribed Periactin to take with it. Periactin is very effective at addressing the issue."

• Bonera
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 3, 2017

"Been on it for 16 years now. Was on 100mg daily but change of lifestyle and reduced this to 50mg about 15 years ago. About a year ago I weaned myself off the medication (over a period of 3 months) but bipolar began to manifest itself to a point that I resumed the 50mg dosage. I am not aware of any side effects of my medication, but do appreciate the overall feeling of well-being and contentment that was not there during my recent trial of not taking medication."

• Male_...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 2, 2014

"I was prescribed with sertraline a few years ago for MDD and bipolar disorder. Even tough it took some time to produce positive effects, sertraline was, indeed effective (especially when combined with bupropion and escitalopram). The mood variations disappeared, depression decreased. From the negative side, it produced a decrease in libido, and an extreme decrease in creativity. If you are a composer, a painter, a writer, etc, you should, in my opinion, expect a possible and very pronounced decrease in creativity during the its use. The temptation to interrupt the treatment for the benefit of recovering the creativity should be strongly resisted."

• A6XBB
• June 9, 2015

"This is by far the best medication of about the 5 I have been tried on Doesnt make me feel like a zombie I agree with others tho I do experience slight rapid cycling and I have got myself into a financial pickle lately over spending but to be able to control my anxiety and my compulsive behaviour really has helped me to feel "normal" again"

• Ashle...
• January 7, 2017

"I take this medication at 50 mg. once daily for the least severe form of bipolar depression usually the mild type. Additionally I take it for social anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, and the the slightest degree of obsessive compulsive behavior or thoughts due to anxiety and stress. It seems to also help with my emotions during Premenstrual Syndrome linked to depression. Zoloft has helped a lot. I also take Ritalin 20 mg. twice daily as part of the treatment, not to mention that I have suffered ADHD/ADD symptoms, too. Not a miracle drug, bit it works well giving me a lot of relief in my symptoms."

• Spoiled...
• July 28, 2018

"Suffered anxiety/depression all my life. I am bipolar 2. Last year I first tried sertraline 25mg. I bridged from 37.5mg venlafaxine to 25mg sertraline and after 3 weeks of withdrawal/ side effect, it started to work! My friend got me into apple cider vinegar (ACV) for good health. Silly me found out that eventually ACV rendered sertraline ineffective after a few weeks. In fact it started making everything worse again! I discovered the world of amino acids, 5HTP, St. John’s wort, adaptogens, nootropics, etc and tried medicating thru that. Lasted a good year before I found myself spiralling out of control again! Doc put me back on sertraline 25-50mg. Developed suicidal ideation and wanted to check myself in hospital, quit my job and let the world fall on me! I stopped taking this after a week and feel better. I highly recommend you look up over/undermethylation if you are experiencing mental illness, it has a HUGE play in your health! Can help decide what natural supps and pharmas will work best for you. God bless!"

• Wyndr...
• March 31, 2011

Zoloft (sertraline) "I was originally prescribed Zoloft for depression, but in 6 months I had a severe manic episode and was diagnosed Bipolar 1. Now I take Zoloft with other medicines. I would not recommend taking it alone if you may be Bipolar. I like that I have very few side effects and it does help with anxiety and compulsive behavior too. One problem is no sexual desire, I feel like I am neglecting my boyfriend."

• crazy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2014

"I've been on sertraline for about 6 months now and I have started to notice I am much more confident in social situations and outside the house. I suffer with Bipolar 2 and anxiety and often won't leave the house because of this anxiety. My social anxiety is much better on sertraline compared with other SSRIs. It has made getting to sleep more difficult, but I tend to take the tablet mid-afternoon which helps. It's had no effect on my trichotillomania and not a huge effect during my depressive periods. The mood stabilizer lamotrigine has been a better antidepressant."

• emily...
• September 9, 2017

"I just begun taking this medicine for bipolar depressive/ borderline personality disorder and the result is a sore throat hot face no emotion other then sad. I possibly have erratic mood changes and not sure of many questions people ask me. It takes a little while for me to find the words to answer."

• Absurd
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2019

"Started 25mg sertraline in the morning, about 2 weeks ago. Only negative effects I can recall were feeling tired and almost too relaxed at times, messed up stomach, along with on and off headaches. My doc then upped the dose to 50mg. Yesterday, on the first day taking 50mg I felt extremely tired, fighting sleep throughout the day. Later in the evening I developed quite possibly the worst headache I've ever had. Tylenol and ibuprofen combo eventually soothed it, but it was unbearable. Mostly in the front and right side of my head. Throughout the night I kept waking up sweat covered. Woke up with a slight headache, feeling all around hungover with no interest in food. Even coffee made me a little nauseous. Really hopefully this medicine will work and be worth these awful negative effects. Going to continue..with Tylenol on n hand at ALL times. Work prefers I continue giving it a shot, and I get a boost of confidence from these forums they hopefully all will be good in the end"

• Shazzle
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 21, 2023

"I have been taking Sertraline for about 7 months, and overall, I have noticed several positive effects. My mood, especially low mood, has improved, and I am experiencing fewer episodes of suicidal thoughts. I also have better control over self-harming behaviors. While I have had success with other medications in the past, the positive effects of Sertraline seem to be lasting longer. On the negative side, I have experienced sleep disturbances. I have struggled with sleeping patterns for many years, but since starting Sertraline, I have noticed increased difficulty falling asleep. There are more days where I struggle to sleep, which sometimes results in crashing and sleeping excessively for two or three consecutive days. I have also noticed a decrease in my appetite and subsequent weight loss. Although I needed to lose some weight, I am watching this closely as I have a history of fluctuating between a lower appetite and binge eating. Therefore, I am still evaluating the impact of Sertraline on my appetite and weight."

• Crazy...
• October 25, 2011

"I've just switched from venlafaxine to sertraline (four week switch-over) because the former was affecting my sodium levels. However I've only just stopped the last of the venlafaxine last week and am on 100mg. POSITIVE EFFECTS: not depressed, not dead. NEGATIVE EFFECTS: moderate manic symptoms (four hours' sleep in 24, talking and laughing too much for others' comfort, easily distracted, spending money like water, intolerance of quiet and calm). However it could be that I'm just on too high a dose for my sensitivity to the medicine and I haven't done anything dangerous nor lost insight like I can do on other medicines."

• Depre...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 1, 2015

"I lost medical coverage 1 1/2 years ago and had to quit my Sertraline. Remember folks, all of our chemistries are different, so different anti-depressants will work for some but not others-you have to keep searching for what works for you. I tried Prozac, Lithium and Wellbutrin-all made me feel worse. But Sertraline works for me. The only thing is, like many things, it loses its effect after prolonged use. So I am about to get back on it after almost 2 years of non-treatment. I am looking forward to the results again which will last 2-3 years then dry out again, and start again. Another vicious cycle included in depression ..."

• zolof...
• September 26, 2008

Zoloft (sertraline) "Zoloft's been a life saver for me. I've been stable for over ten years. I've had to have my dose adjusted but that's part of life. It hasn't made me manic, knock on wood. My friends and family are a huge support. I take my medicines as directed, and I don't use alcohol or other drugs. No serious side effects. My doctor's also very careful. I get upped or lowered slowly and he watches me closely. The only hard time with Zoloft was running out. I did get withdrawls."

• Kwink...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 19, 2016

"I was diagnosed Bipolar with severe depression, ptsd, and anxiety in May of 2015. I have been suffering since childhood. I used to have racing thought, nightmares, suicidal thoughts, extreme highs and lows within minutes, etc. I can now be around family and friends without screaming, deal with traffic and go to the grocery store without having a mental breakdown. The first couple weeks were rough but wore off after 3 weeks or so. I have been on it since May, 2015 at 200mg a day. Lately I have had horrible migranes and nausea and don't have any motivation to find a new job."