Sertraline for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Ella
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 11, 2018

"As someone else stated. This drug saved my life. I would probably be in a psychiatric ward if I hadn’t started sertraline when I did. I have had only two short bouts of anxiety since I started taking sertraline a year and a half ago, I feel normal again. No side effects, just happiness."

• Lodgesa
• October 6, 2019

"After suffering with anxiety and depression for years, it finally got so bad that I could barely leave the house. I quit my job, and used to spend day after day just lying on the sofa getting worse and worse. I was reluctant to take any sort of medication at first, but thought there was no other option, so off to the doctor's I went, and they recommend Sertraline. I started on 50mg. Had the usual side effects of feeling sick, headaches, but no more anxious than I already was. After a couple of weeks they passed, and I started to notice a difference in how I was feeling. My mood was lifting and slowly I started to do things I hadn't been able to for a long time. I did up my dose to 100mg, and now I've gone back to work, socialise with my friends, and generally feel so much better in myself. It's not a miracle drug by any means, but it does keep me on an even keel, and I now enjoy my life as I should do. No plans to come off it either. If it works then why change it? "

• Anxiety...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2024

"Stopped Paroxetine because of its bad sexual side effects. My GAD and OCD hit again and had me back to the hospital. I was given Hydroxyzine for sleep, which helped. The doctor gave me sertraline, which he raised up to 150mg over the course of 10 days. Effects of the medication started discreetly from day 7 and progressively increased. My sleep got better; I was able to walk again without having the fear of fainting. I could enjoy my time with other patients, get back on my fitness journey, and my mood got better. I went from 10/10 devastating anxiety and hypochondria all day to around 3 to 6/10, which is an incredible relief. Also, make sure to pair this treatment with CBT and regular physical activity for the best results on your anxiety. Sexual side effects are nothing like Paroxetine, and lack of sexual drive is manageable with CBT and Maca. Considering that with severe and debilitating GAD and OCD, my romantic and sexual life was severely impaired as well. Sertraline WORKS."

• Maddie
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 20, 2023

Zoloft (sertraline) "I've been a person with high-functioning anxiety for a good portion of my life, but in February of this year, my anxiety reached its peak. I was having anxiety attacks that were lasting for days. I had high blood pressure, constant nausea, trembling, racing thoughts, racing heart, and wasn't able to sleep After my third major anxiety attack in 3 weeks, I finally sought help from my doctor. I was prescribed Zoloft (25mg) and Propanolol (20mg). The first week was very bad. All of my previous symptoms were amped up. If it wasn't for the reviews on this site, I would have stopped. But I've pushed myself to keep going and I am now almost 4 weeks in and feeling a lot better. I still have issues. My biggest one is the tension in my jaw which gives me headaches. I haven't been taking Zoloft for that long so Im holding out hope that this gets better. My advice to anyone starting Zoloft is to keep at it, even if you don't notice anything right away."

• brend...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 12, 2014

"I have been taking Sertraline for 6 months due to anxiety and mild depression. I am a naturally happy and outgoing woman, but due to pressure and high expectations, I guess, I started feeling anxious and sad all the time. I used to feel chest tightness, rapid palpitations, and fear of failing or not doing well in life and eventually becoming a failure. I remember I used to get horrible headaches on a daily basis and even stomach issues. Mind you, I even had a colonoscopy and endoscopy done due to the severity of the digestive problem, although the results were okay. Also, I had insomnia and fatigue. I must confess that all those terrible 'symptoms' went away once I started taking this medicine. My mood has improved, and I've noticed that I am much happier."

• Han
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 1, 2021

"I’ll preface this by saying I struggle with severe anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, and mild depression, I tried sertraline when I was 14 at a low dose for 4 years. I then tried other medications as I didn’t feel like it was working. After around 10 medications that sucked, at age 21 I went back to Zoloft. I now take it at 150 mg, and it’s great. I feel like a new person. I can talk without much anxiety or overthinking. I just say things, which is new for me. I laugh genuinely. I feel my range of emotions more strongly instead of being numb. My disturbing OCD thoughts and obsessions have reduced significantly, and when they’re there, they’re easier to handle. I used to think about death constantly. Now I barely do and it doesn’t bother me as much. I still have anxiety, but it’s easier to deal with. I’m very glad that I decided to try it again. Plus, I have almost no side effects. I’ve been in therapy too but I believe that Zoloft contributed a huge amount to my improvement."

• GPman
• August 22, 2013

"I started Zoloft 3 weeks ago, very skeptical about how effective it would be for me. My anxiety was through the roof every second of the day. I was also taking Ativan 1 mg twice a day to be able to function. 3 weeks later, I am a new man. The first week will be tough as I experienced nausea and completely lost my appetite. Lost 10 pounds in a matter of a week and a half. Trust in the medicine and let it work its magic. I am currently tapering off Ativan because Zoloft is doing its job."

• VIXtar
• January 6, 2015

"I am on day 16 of 50mg and I am starting to feel the benefits. The first few days I had heightened anxiety and low mood, headache, jaw clenching, no appetite, tummy upset but this has now passed. I still feel a bit anxious every now and then but I can actually now think positive thoughts and think about the future, which for the last 4 months I was a nervous wreck. I couldn't go out, I couldn't move off the sofa, I couldn't eat (lost 4 stone in 2 months). My anxiety was so bad I thought I would be better off not being here. I didn't want to see or be around anyone from the way I was feeling, but I can now see light at the end of a VERY DARK tunnel. It took me 3 weeks to pluck up the courage to take them and I'm so glad I did. THEY WORK!"

• Ckera...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2016

"After at least a year of worsening anxiety, I tried essentially anything I could think of to manage it, but resorted to something I never wanted to: medication. I started off taking 25 mg once a night before bedtime and it made me have some really vivid and bizarre dreams (I probably dreamt more in the past month than I have in the last three years combined) and kind of felt like I hadn't slept at all the next morning. The day after I started taking it, I felt Really exhausted and depressed. The second day I felt almost manic but every day after that, I've felt amazing. No sickness to my stomach at thoughts that used to rule my life, and I've got so much more energy. Give it a shot and keep in mind that it can take a few weeks to help. :)"

• Girl
• December 19, 2019

"Xanax worked for my GAD until a stressful situation raised my anxiety. My psychiatrist recommended Zoloft, I was afraid but I agreed to try it out because I was barely functioning. Due to the side effects, I wanted to start on the lowest possible dose. I started with half of a 25mg pill for two weeks, so 12.5mg. Then I went up to 25mg. I stayed on that for 3 weeks to get my body used to it. I then upped the dosage to 50mg and that has been my sweet spot. I'm still on the Xanax, the 2 meds are working to keep me calm. My advice is to start at the lowest dose to minimize side effects. You may find a low dose of just 25mg works for you. I would also recommend finding a generic that works for you and sticking with that. For me, the CIPLA generic works the best and I have my doctor write CIPLA ONLY under the comment section of the script and I then take it into my pharmacy and let the pharmacist know that particular generic works for me and I stay with that one brand."

• EvieB
• March 28, 2013

"I was prescribed sertraline 50 mg a day for my general anxiety and depression. I was reluctant to take it, but did so, only kept the dose to 25mg. At first, I felt so uninspired and tired, but also saw my anxiety levels go down and my mood go up. Suicidal thoughts decreased dramatically and I became much easier to get along with; no more getting all worked up over minor issues, less intense and hyper-reactive to every little thing. Less worrying and fretting. Huge increase in ability to focus/concentrate, especially ability to read again without my mind distracted and reading the same sentence over and over. Initially gained 9 lbs, but lost it all and with a diet plan. I'm thankful for sertraline."

• Steph
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 8, 2019

"I was put on propranolol (beta blocker) for panic disorder but after a few weeks it made my blood pressure and heart rate really low so the doctor suggested sertraline 50mg once a day. The first week I experienced increased anxiety, hot flashes, sweating, dizziness, feeling stoned at times just really strange. I started having panic attacks again which I had not had for a month. I also had this weird thought that I had physically hurt my flatmate the night before but I imagined it (paranoia maybe?) It was stressful but the doctor told me it would get worse (the anxiety) when you start taking this medication, before it gets better so I stuck it out. Omg I'm so glad I did! The 2nd week I realised I felt relaxed for the first time since I can remember. All the side effects were gone. I was able to think about other things other than my impending doom. I'm on the 3rd week now and I almost feel completely back to normal. They say 6-8 weeks to feel the full effects"

• Jenni...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2023

"I was prescribed Sertraline for bad anxiety, which had hit me after a series of events in my life (pandemic, job stress, traumatic experiences). I no longer felt able to cope and was suffering with spiralling, catastrophising thoughts that crippled me. I started on 50mg and I will admit, for me, the first 6 weeks were hell. I kept reading reviews on here telling people to stick with it and I’m now here saying the same! Please persevere and give it a chance to work! (You’ll notice quite a lot of the negative reviews are from people who didn't make it past the initial 6-8 weeks). I am on week 11 now and have agreed with my doctor to increase my dose to 100mg as I feel I just need that extra lift to rid myself of the lingering anxiety. These tablets won’t make your life perfect or promise you zero bad days, but they have absolutely helped to pull me out of the horrible place I was in."

• glh
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2016

"I have to say I was terrified of taking meds. I didn't know what was going on with me. I had been feeling awfully for about 8 months. I finally went to see a doctor and was diagnosed with anxiety disorder. I feared medication, but my doctor talked me into trying it, and I'm glad I did. I will say there are side effects, but just keep taking it; they will pass. I've been on Zoloft since June 1st of this year, and I feel so much better. So if you're terrified, don't be, it's worth a try."

• emily...
• February 3, 2017

"I highly recommend anyone suffering from anxiety to try this drug. I am 19 years old and in my second year of college, and I started experiencing anxiety attacks. My anxiety got to the point where I did not want to leave my apartment and was affecting my daily life. I did have a few side effects the first few weeks, but now I feel like my normal self! Highly recommend!!!!"

• Adam
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 25, 2024

"My doctor prescribed me 25mg of sertraline for generalized anxiety a month ago. After about 8 days on 25mg, I experienced some initial side effects such as a slight increase in anxiety and nausea. However, I suddenly started feeling much less anxious and generally happier. It was at that time my doctor increased the dose to 50mg. On 50mg, I felt the anxiety increasing each day until after 2 weeks on 50mg, I started having panic attacks. I myself reduced the dose to 25mg and immediately the anxiety went down again. I informed my doctor about this, and he reduced my prescribed dose back to 25mg. So far, it has been good; it has been a week since the change, and I'm definitely feeling way better than I did prior to starting sertraline. I still experience some anxiety but not at the scary levels that I was feeling previously, which made life seem not worth living. I feel optimistic and happy to be alive again. There is a lot of information online that will tell you that less than 50mg per day is of little use, but for me, 25mg seems to work, and 50mg makes me feel worse."

• Fishi...
• December 5, 2016

"I have dealt with severe panic attacks for over ten years recently they stepped up in intensity to the point of hospitalization multiple times. I was originally given buspar and worked for about two weeks and then my attacks overwelmed the meds. I recently met a doc that put me on sertraline, the first two weeks were very rough due to the transition but then I woke up one day with a literal smile on my face. I take it in the morning cause I have insominia without the med and have no side effects besides a prolonged effort to finish during sex, and a decrease in appetite. This med is what has brought me back to the person loved ones know and miss."

• Faylynn
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 14, 2015

"My 16-year-old daughter began this medication in October, and it has been a blessing for her overwhelming anxiety. She is now able to function normally. She has joined the swim team at her high school and began taking piano lessons. She is getting out and spending time with her old friends and making new ones. Prior to the medication, she was so anxious that she could not speak in class or raise her voice above a whisper outside of our home. The anxiety she experienced prior to the sertraline was completely debilitating. She is getting talk therapy, exercising regularly, and eating a balanced diet along with taking the medication. I was initially very opposed to 'drugs.' Now I feel I denied my child necessary medication. Don't be afraid to try it!"

• Sam
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 1, 2024

"I had a really bad experience on sertraline. The side effects were horrific and the med didn’t help with my anxiety and depression. I stayed on it for 5 years because I thought there weren’t any other options. I’m finally on a better SSRI for me - fluoxetine (Prozac) - along with 2 other meds, a med combo which got rid of my anxiety and depression completely and helps me manage my life a lot better. The main complaints I had on sertraline were weight gain, worsening anxiety, and hyperactivity, all of which my new meds seem to have handled. Would not recommend sertraline to anyone."

• Joe
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 27, 2019

"The medicine works well but you need to be patient. I started 25mg ten weeks ago and the first 4 weeks I had side effects (Nausea, fatigue, sweating and sleep issues). At 6 weeks I noticed my anxiety was greatly reduced and almost completely under control at 8 weeks. So the medicine seems to have worked well for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 11, 2012

"I am on 150mg of Zoloft (Sertraline) daily. It has been a lifesaver. My GAD is under control, and I am enjoying life to the fullest. Gone are the days of constant worry and irrational fears. I also experienced few side effects as well."

• Steve...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 1, 2017

"I've now been on sertraline for over 8 months. These 8 months have been some of the best months of my life. I no longer wake up filled with dread, but rather I feel vitality to get on with my day. My grades at university have improved as I feel more relaxed and able to focus. I have made many great friends and had plenty of good times. That being said, it is also crucial that you do more than just take the drugs. Getting plenty of exercise, eating healthily and meditating also helps, and of course going outside! Although some of the side effects can be frustrating, I find them well worth it compared to a life without the medication. For anyone suffering from anxiety and reading this, go see a doctor, there really is a way out."

• Anxio...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 19, 2016

"I'd struggled with anxiety all throughout my 22 years of life, and it started to get quite debilitating the last 6-10 months. My obsessive thoughts started to get uncontrollable to the point where I felt like I was in a trance/not there almost always. My psychiatrist suggested Sertraline and after hearing all the horror stories of the initial anxiety I was quite scared. I started on a quarter of a 50mg pill, so 12.5mg. I've been on it for over a week now and already my symptoms have improved immensely. Surprisingly, I haven't had any negative side effects at all (apart from a loss of appetite). I have control over my thoughts and they are rational again. I'm already feeling like my old self. Give it a go, goodluck!"

• creamy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2019

"This has transformed my like. I have suffered from panic attacks and anxiety for 25 years. I now feel like a new person loads of energy and dare I say really HAPPY. One point though the first 3 weeks were the worst. But once through that my life has turned around. In the first weeks I thought of coming off them because I felt terrible I’m just so grateful I stuck it out."

• Z1212
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 20, 2023

"Sertraline is a God send. I have dealt with anxiety since I was a kid. I've tried many medications, therapy, CBT, etc. and while therapy and CBT are absolutely amazing, Sertraline was the beautiful cherry on top of the cake. It has changed my life, literally! I didn't even realize I could feel this light and relaxed. My once overthinking frazzled brain is now quiet and calm. Don't get me wrong, I still get worries and stressors but they are manageable. Prior to taking sertraline, it was like an avalanche of emotions, thoughts, and fears that would drown me but now it's a wave that I can just ride. Sertraline I cannot and will not stop taking because of how effective and safe it is."