Sertraline - scared!

[K1234]

After being fed up suffering from severe anxiety for years and having had CBT and still feeling awful a lot of the time I decided to try medication. I am absolutely terrified of feeling sick from it though. My doctor said I can take half a tablet (25mg) every other day and build up slowly to minimise any side effects but still feeling very nervous.

Has anyone one been on this and not felt unwell? Or what could you do to stop feeling unwell? My GP also said antiemetic wouldn't work because it's the brain function that causes it rather than in the stomach.

I so so badly want to feel better but I'm just so scared!

[catlynn]

Been taking it for years and have never got sick. I always take it right after breakfast. If I take it without food I get watery d but never n or v. Just take it with a meal and you should be fine. It has helped me immensely, hope it helps you too. I was like you and scared at first but I was feeling so badly I fought the fear and took it and I am very glad I did. I know it's hard, but remember how badly you want to feel better. You won't know if it helps unless you take it. Don't let your fear stop you! You can do it!

[XDark_MinxX]

You wont be sick, I was on sertraline for a while and i didnt have much side effects at all.
For a couple of days,you'll most likely feel a bit tired and thats it. But just remember this: just because a medication leaflet shows side effects that you might get, it does not mean you will get them. Especially for the scary ones like v****, the side effects are there as a safety precaution.

I have been on loads of different types of antidepressants, felt nauseous (because of the anxiety of taking them) but never v*****ed

So no need to worry!

[K1234]

Thanks both! I'm feeling less scared about it now, and trying to find remedies in case of nausea, partly to help ward off the anxiety nausea also!

[courtneykay]

I started at 25mg, I'm up to 100 now. When I first started taking it I did feel very sleepy/groggy, can't recall n*, but if I did it was very mild. My doctor recommended I take it before bed so the bulk of the side effects would happen while I'm sleeping.

[hannahlucyx]

I was started on 50mg but I was so scared I took 25mg to start with and worked up to 50

I took a 50mg the first day I was prescribed (on an empty stomach) and it made me feel awful, didn't v* though just felt groggy. So now I make sure to take it after food!

Don't worry! My doctor is fully aware of my emet and he told me he wouldn't give me anything that had the chance to make me s*. Good luck with it and keep us updated!

[K1234]

I'm due to start taking it this weekend and my mind is just going crazy over the what ifs! I'm soooooooo scared of feeling sick. I don't know how to be brave and do this!

[andee]

DO IT!!!! You won't get sick and in time it will really help you!!! I took it a long time ago and only remember headaches for a few days. AND, you can take an anti-emetic...not sure what your GP is talking about. But you won't need it, I'm sure. Take it with breakfast, same time of day every day. And don't think about it once you take it. A lot of the anxiety we think is from meds is more because we make ourselves anxious. Take care!!

[Felle]

Boyfriend is on it, he never felt s or anything. Just tired and bit of mood swings as he was adjusting. Xxx

[Dxxr]

I was on this for a short time but came off it due to me personally not being able to take any tablet bar the odd paracetamol I felt fine on it but as time went on I started to get odd stomach pains which I also got when I tried taking the contraceptive pill my doc says ive an intolerance to tablets so if they didn't make me s* I'm pretty sure they won't make a normal person s* ..

Please remember to take advice off your Doctor to slowly come off these tablets I was not told of the side effects of stopping them and stopped few days before I went on holidays! While on holiday I sufferered servere brain zaps and dizziness I didn't no wtf was happening to me

[K1234]

Still haven't managed to take it... I'm just so terrified of feeling sick! Argh!!

I just have have visions of me feeling sick all day and not being able to eat anything.. Which is bad as I'm just overcoming an eating disorder and don't have a healthy relationship with food yet! I honestly don't know what to do...

my my go said I can take as small amount as I want to begin with and I managed to cut it into 8 pieces so that is 6.25mg, yet I'm still terrified of a tiny little bit!!

[ah792]

I just got prescribed this also today and am worrying about the same thing! I don't have time to be feeling nauseous and I am absolutely terrified of vomiting -_-

[KaydeeJayde]

You wont be sick, I was on sertraline for a while and i didnt have much side effects at all.
For a couple of days,you'll most likely feel a bit tired and thats it. But just remember this: just because a medication leaflet shows side effects that you might get, it does not mean you will get them. Especially for the scary ones like v****, the side effects are there as a safety precaution.

I have been on loads of different types of antidepressants, felt nauseous (because of the anxiety of taking them) but never v*****ed

So no need to worry!

This is an important one to remember. Just because the leaflet says you might get a side effect, it doesn't mean it's inevitable. If only a few people got a side effect from their control group or test group when the medication was in its trial stages, they have to warn about it, basically to cover their own asses

[babyfairy]

i take 150mg every day and it's never made me feel sick as far as i remember -- but everyone i've talked to who has had n* as a side effect of antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds has never actually v*ed from it. you should be fine! if anything you're just making yourself feel worse by worrying about it so much. i hope you feel better and i hope it helps you.