Your experiences with Sertraline? (generic Zoloft)

[CactusFlower]

I started Sertraline (50mg) this morning, my psych prescribed it to try. I would be interested to hear about other's experiences while taking it. I'm not on anything else at all except a calcium supplement. I did take fluoxetine (generic Prozac) about 20-some off years ago for clinical depression, but it was only for a couple months so it didn't do much back then.) I'll be checking back in with my psych on the 8th to see how it's going and she's apprised me of the potential effects. I'm also one of those people who completely reads the pharmacy sheet when I get something. Just curious, what was it like for you?

[Kizzie]

I know this is an old thread CactusFlower but I just started on Sertraline a couple of weeks ago at 50 mg, then was bumped up to 100 mg yesterday for really bad, ongoing anxiety.

I personally have had a rollercoaster of a ride with it which is apparently quite common with this medication.  Everything I read from other patients is that you have to stick it out because once it kicks in and the initial symptoms abate (nausea, increased anxiety, insomnia, etc), it's excellent. 

How did it go for you?

[CactusFlower]

Hey Kizzie!

That was the first med I was on. I know the first two I was on had to be changed because of the side effects and I'm trying to remember what the second one was... I wanna say Sertraline was the insomnia. It never abated and made it worse since sleep dysfunction is a problem in fibromyalgia.  The second med, I believe, was the side effect of the... I'm blanking. I don't remember if it was temperature dysregulation or something else. Sorry. Currently, I'm on Nortripyiline. It's reduced the anxiety a wee bit while I'm in the car, but that's about it. It also has a side effect of constipation, which I have to take bisacodyl to alleviate. (generic Dulcolax) I'll scroll back through my journal and look up that 2nd one, then come edit this if I find it.

Edit: the second was escitalopram (generic lexapro) and that one was the insomnia. the Sertraline was the excessive sweating. Hope that helps.

[Kizzie]

Sorry to hear you're having the same problem as me trying to find a med that works.  It's a big part of recovery for some of us and is not easy to find what works.   

[Mathilde]

It caused hypomania or mania. I had an artificial high. And impulsive behaviour that was uncharacteristic to me. I lacked guilt or shame. I was promiscuous.

I very quickly stopped and the doc agreed.

After stopping I felt very bad about the things I did on sertraline. Very ashamed.

Not a good fit for me.