I've just been prescribed these, yet to take one yet as im not sure whether I actually need them, as tempting as it is to take them because I am depressed and not sleeping however this could be a temporary state, if it continues in a few weeks time I'll probably start to take them..
What sort of dose have they put you on, ive been prescribed 50mg daily, I assume that the lowest dose going? Have you experienced any negatives other than when your dose has been altered?
Thanks in advance
Most SSRI's will make you feel unstable in the first few weeks. I started at 50mg I think and anytime I complained about side effects, the doctor upped my dose until 150mg.
Side effects: I had a bit of trembling and diarrhea but it settles after a while. It always got worse when the dose changed. I also got quite paranoid at one point, I was worried I was heading towards psychosis but there were other factors towards this. I found myself craving tea and cigarettes a lot. Was drinking a lot, this is also when I stared to take GBL daily. I think sertraline has an effect on dopamine and could encourage addictive behavior imo.
I was put on sertraline because previously while I found escitaploaram (sp?) to be great for mood I found myself anxious in situations where I wouldn't have been before (queuing up to pay at the shop, things like that). I've found sertaline not as good for mood but better for anxiety.
Right now I'm feeling great but when I first went up to 150mg I made a suicide attempt. I think I knew I'd feel worse when they upped the dose and kind of wanted it :s I was going off the rails but I don't know if I would have done that if I wasn't on the medication. I was definitely unstable the dosage changed.
The doctor increased my dosage very quickly, this was before intervention from the psychiatric team. They agreed it was too aggressive, let me taper. I was supposed to quit around Easter but broke up with my boyfriend. I decided to stay on the medication, I guess its a bit of a crutch for me now. Right now things have never been better and I don't really want to mess with that.
I didn't feel like I
need anti-depressants but life is easier with them. At the same time now the dust has settled after the break up I would probably be getting on fine without them but maybe in a month or two I'd be run down and feeling shit again.
My advice would be to be aware of the mood swings and to try something else if its not working for you. It did take quite a while before I became stable on them.
Edit: I'm now taking 50mg daily