SERTRALINE SIDE EFFECTS | TIPS + my journey | Anti-Depressants

[@Megansjournal]

mini update in this vlog too! Linked below 🫶🏼 kzbin.info/www/bejne/haOxf3h6ipekhac 💙

[@stephanieC2]

So informative! Thank you.💓 Im on day 4. Fatigued and have physiological anxiety. Your videos give me hope. New subscriber.

[@DEBateBookz]

This is so informative!! Thanks for sharing your experience! 😊

[@Megansjournal]

thank you so much I’m so glad, and no problem ! 💓🌷💭

[@nicoler9522]

The exhaustion is a struggle. I'm on my first week at 50mg. I'm suppose to go to 100mg in a couple days. I started out taking it in the morning with breakfast but was needing naps during the day (I dont normally nap) so I switched to taking it at night. However, now I have trouble sleeping, restless legs at night, clenching my teeth more (it was already an issue). The nausea seems better but still having chest pain/tightness. Fortunately, I had taken some time off work to give myself a break and adjust to the meds. I don't think I'd be able to get through my regular 12hr shift like this. I'm hoping this passes soon.

[@meliora1985]

My weirdest symptom was esophageal pain. I never knew if I had chemically burnt my oesophagus or whether there was a spasm or cramp. It was excruciating and could last days. I could feel every time food/ liquid hit the "injured" part of my oesophagus. So painful.

[@Megansjournal]

Oh wow! Sometimes that can be caused by not taking it with water, was that the same for you or are you unsure of how that developed for you? I hope you’re in less pain now, and thank you for sharing💙

[@waleedkhd]

I’m taking Trintellix, I got better with it, however worried much about the withdrawal symptoms that may occur. Pray for me

[@Megansjournal]

I’m wishing you the best, look after yourself regarding those side effects. 🌷

[@samanthawilliams765]

Thank you ❤

[@Itspetespective]

Thanks for sharing ♥️

[@Megansjournal]

my pleasure 🌟💓

[@Zeri_of_neptune]

I started taking 50mg from today because of my depression and rj ocd lets see how it goes

[@Megansjournal]

good luck! 🍀🌷

[@Lmartinezwilliams]

Hi!! I'm a newbie subscriber and thank you for sharing everything 💕

[@Megansjournal]

absolutely! my pleasure, I hope it’s useful 💙

[@Lmartinezwilliams]

@@Megansjournal It definitely is!

[@angeliquecooper3629]

Such helpful content 🫶🏻

[@Megansjournal]

thank you I’m glad you think so!!💭🌷

[@AnnaMarieKee]

One month into my sertraline journey... Cant believe I caved.. always trying to be as 'natural' as possible but after the bereavement of my Dad & severely traumatic time, I decided I needed help. Symptoms being high anxiety, barely able to function, depression, irrational thoughts. I can honestly say, overall they're helping me a lot. Stabalises the wild mood swings. I had to ride out some side affects (still am) just upped my dose to 100mg to see how I get on. Definitely worth a try & you can always come off them if they dont suit. Taking good care of health, self, diet, water an essential ❤ Thanks Meg. Xx

[@samanthawilson1851]

How are you feeling now?

[@AnnaMarieKee]

@@samanthawilson1851 Much much better 🙏💚

[@NicoleMcGregor-w7y]

It is important to remember that you can’t just stop these drugs cold turkey. Over time the serotonergic receptors in your brain shut off and eventually disappear due to the effects of the drug preventing the brains ability to regulate serotonin levels. Those receptors can take a long to grow back or come back online and a slow harm reduction hyperbolic taper is recommended to reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms as up to 50% of those who take these drugs will experience withdrawal

[@AnnaMarieKee]

@@NicoleMcGregor-w7y Hyperbolic taper ? What do you mean?

[@NicoleMcGregor-w7y]

@ the harm reduction hyperbolic taper is where you reduce your dose by no more than 5-10% of your previous dose. Reductions in dose are spaced 4-6 weeks apart at a minimum and depending on how high a dose or how long you’ve been on a drug you may need to wait longer in between reductions as you need to make sure your withdrawal symptoms are stable before making further reductions. The lower the dose the more impact it has on the brain. I had a compounding pharmacy make a liquid suspension of Sertraline so I could come of the drug using smaller doses than what is commercially available. The Maudsley’s Deprescribing manual outlines tapering guidelines and The Withdrawal Project is a fantastic resource to guide patients off these drugs. Most doctors haven’t a clue on how to safely taper patients off these drugs. The standard advice is to just cut your dose in half for a few days until you reach the lowest commercially available dose and then stop. The worst advice is to take a dose every other day. Other great resources on this topic is Dr Mark Horowitz and Dr Josef Witt-Doerring. Both run tapering and Deprescribing clinics

[@mike7197]

Been on Sertraline for anxiety 100mg for almost 4 yrs. Slowly tapered myself off it about 8 mo ago with virtually no side effects, felt I was doing well till a personal issue 3 mo ago put me into the worst mental health crisis of my life with over the top anxiety and crippling insomnia. I went back on the Sertraline and my psych dr put me on Seroquel for sleep at 100mg on top of the sertraline. It helps with sleep but the side effects are horrible, always tired/exhausted and so dizzy it has me falling down, has my moods flatlined, no highs, no lows, no joy, no motivation for anything. I'm now slowly tapering off the Seroquel (several weeks)from 100mg, to 50, to 25 down this week to 12.5mg for three days so far and already having withdrawals, headaches, sweating feeling anxious throughout the day. Still on the Sertraline @75mg. Hoping things get better. Never had these issues with Sertraline. Unless you're schizophrenic stay far away from Seroquel, it will destroy your life.

[@JosueBello-l9w]

I am taking 100 mg of Sertraline, I started at 50 mg. I am very anxious let's see

[@Megansjournal]

Good luck!🍀

[@berry7590]

Did anyone feel worse on week 4 ? Worse like suicid*l ideation worse that weren’t a problem before

[@samanthawilson1851]

I think it's happening to me rn. I take it for panic disorder. Im on week 4... i'm a mess... how are you feeling now?!

[@JAMBRI]

When I came off these a side effect I had was a feeling of my head pulsing from side to side. Never again

[@anabeljordan5364]

This happens too me as well and I get the runs too 😰and I’m not hungry as much anymore too

[@aurish_garcia09]

Hi megan im from philippines..im on sertraline 25mg for almost 1 1/2months now..and my doctor told me to increase on 50mg..im really2 scared to take that 50mg coz 25mg at night giving me insomia..im scared of side effects again and i dont know what to do 😢😢

[@Megansjournal]

hey! I hope your increased dose helps, liaise with your doctor, and allow time to see if it helps, if not perhaps you can explore other medications with your doctor. you’ll be okay! keep going 🌸🩷

[@delviejohndelosreyes7105]

Hi, your body will get use to it. There will be nights that youll get insomia but its just normal side effect. After two weeks i went on 50mg. Im on my 4th week now and i am feeling like my self now.

[@ZylLeigh]

Hello miss Megan....im on sertraline for a a week and a half....i have those symptoms that u said but now the symptoms subside slowly....i just would like to ask when was the time that u could say u are totally fine while on sertraline?

[@Megansjournal]

hey! I was totally free of side effects probably 1.5 months after first starting them! :)

[@dalcydorman4059]

Did you feel better about fatigue as soon as you wake up in the morning? After taking sertraline?

[@Megansjournal]

I started taking them a little earlier before I go to bed (about 3/4 hours before I go to sleep) and I don’t feel the fatigue as bad.. but everyone is different of course. Good luck

[@samanthawilson1851]

how long for you guys?!?! i've been on it for 4weeks. 1 week at 25mg. week n half at 50 and now 75. im a mess!!! :( still not working. scared all the time. Waiting for 100mg

[@Megansjournal]

It took me a couple of months to feel the positive impacts, because your changing so regularly the dosage possibly it hasn’t had the chance to regulate yet for you? hope it gets better x

[@shannon4769]

You might need to lower dose and stay at it. You keep raising more and more causing more side effects. Your body can’t relax when it’s always changing the dose.

[@NicoleMcGregor-w7y]

You may be having an adverse reaction. I developed akathisia within an hour of my first dose. You feel like crap because there is too much serotonin in the synapse. Only about 1% of your body’s total serotonin is in your brain and these drugs have a downstream effect on your body as serotonin is responsible for gut motility, regulating urine stream, plays a role in sexual function-thousands suffer from PSSD from these drugs-serotonin also plays a role in sleep, digestion and blood clotting. Once on these drugs you have to wean yourself off SLOWLY to minimize withdrawal which for up to 50% of those on these drugs will experience and the withdrawal can be debilitating.

[@captainhonjonkirk862]

I started antidepressant like 3 days and Is it normal to have nausea everytime Im taking my pills after some hours my nausea is rising and I started to think I cant continue using them bc I dont want to have nausea Im tired even though It passed like 3 days but It was horrible

[@Megansjournal]

Nausea is normal! And it is definitely horrible! I hope it improves for you soon!🍀

[@dukemaui91]

💙

[@Megansjournal]

💙

[@trae74]

I tried 25 mg for 4 days and had to stop. It was giving me unbearable stomach cramps.

[@Megansjournal]

I hope you can find an alternative that helps soon!

[@kathylyndsey316]

Have you noticed any symptoms since stopping?

[@trae74]

@kathylyndsey316 no, they stopped when I stopped the meds. I'm now on 10 mg of lexapro. I take it at night because it makes me sleepy but other than that it's been working just fine.

[@kathylyndsey316]

@@trae74 Hi I was on 25mg for only 2 days and stopped immediately as I started to experience brain zap and zombied emotion and interaction with people around me. I freaked out when I found I was unable to cry which has since come back. It left me with heavier periods and sexual numbing symptoms that I didn't have before. I know. It was the sertraline as it stopped my period during my 2nd day of flow within hours of taking it and my sex drive and numbing also occurred at the same time. I noticed straight away as my sex drive normally increased during that time. My drive and sensation was altered. It seems to affect people differently.

[@NicoleMcGregor-w7y]

I experienced serotonin syndrome, akathisia, nosebleeds, insomnia, eye pain and blunted emotions with this drug. These drugs don’t address the root cause of anxiety or depression and the myth of low serotonin has been proven to be wrong. Very little of our overall serotonin levels are found in our brains and interfering with the levels of this neurotransmitter has many downstream effects and studies have shown that people who are on these drugs long term have worse outcomes and even the short term studies show that these drugs don’t perform any better than a placebo. The only reason why people feel ‘better’ on these drugs is because your range of emotions become extremely limited in a very short amount of time. Sertraline is one of the harder SSRIs to come off of. My withdrawals were brutal.