Sertraline for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• 0x0plc
• July 12, 2019

"I have suffered with anxiety & depression for over 30 years. Due to past events I've recently suffered a breakdown & tried numerous medication. Mirtazipine made me into a zombie & I put on 20 pounds. This to me was pure poison & did nothing for me but make me drowsy, ache & become more depressed. Then came Duloxetine...day 4 and my heart rate was so fast I was close to passing out. I stopped taking them & my heart rate returned to normal. Then came from what I can only describe as my saviour.. sertraline. Within days of taking it the ‘Black cloud’ felt like it was lifting. Within a week or so the fear & dread in the pit of my stomach was no longer there. What I couldn’t usually deal with, I could now tackle. Don’t get me wrong, It isn’t a 100% cure, but I am beginning to see the light again. I’m not as emotional, I feel more together than I have done in years, with absolutely no side effects, no weight gain, no headaches, with a more positive outlook."

• Bentley
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 14, 2019

"Been on sertraline for 4 months now, my mood and anxiety has vastly improved, back at work now & coping with the days. Started on 50mg, did have headaches for about a week but they have subsided now, GP upped dose to a 100mg as was still having some bad days anxiety wise, lot better now, did have headaches again when dose upped. Can’t believe this medication has given me my old self back"

• Lala...
• July 5, 2015

"I have been on Zoloft for about two months the lowest dose and have had wonderful help on it with therapy! I had severe panic attacks daily , depression and I had withdrawn from life and fun! I am improving daily and see the light again but I believe you have to do your part with therapy and find the triggers to the anxiety to truly heal but this medicine has helped me get out of the dark place !!!"

• 1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2022

"I have been on sertraline for 10½ weeks now, 2½ weeks at 50mg and 8 weeks at 100mg. This drug is amazing, though the initial side effects can be rough (increased anxiety, insomnia, hand tremors, nausea, headaches, bruising more easily). The worst for me were the anxiety uptick and the insomnia but my G.P. gave me clonazepam (0.25mg twice daily or as needed). I used the clonazepam for about 6 weeks on and off and they were a great help. The side effects are only temporary so, please, hang in there. Give sertraline time (at least 8 weeks) to build up in your system before deciding whether to continue, or not. I am so glad I constantly read and re-read the positive reviews on here when I was battling through the first few weeks. I feel like a different person now. Anxiety practically non-existent, I am calmer, more able to cope with stress and generally happier all round. This medication made me realise that God can, and does, use "big pharma" to help people with chemical imbalances."

• Buzzty
• November 11, 2016

"Started this with very low hopes of it doing anything after my last two experiences with anxiety/depression medication. Fluoxetine ruined my life, Escitalopram made me feel awful, so i expected sertraline to do the same. I was very surprised when i started it on 25mg that i had no issues, no nausea, upset tummy, dizziness, nothing. After some time i was feeling less anxious but it still lingered so my doctor allowed me to up the dosage to 50mg and my anxiety was pretty much completely gone besides the odd few days, however it didn't do a whole lot for my depression which i discussed with my psychiatrist and the dosage was upped again to 75mg and then finnaly 100mg, currently on 100mg every day and i feel great. It might work for you."

• Catho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 6, 2022

"I struggled for twelve months with severe anxiety and it got so bad that I ended up with moderate depression too. I didn't like the thought of going on medication and tried everything to heal myself ‘naturally’. I meditated daily, ate a healthy diet, read endless self help books, took magnesium and fish oil supplements, practiced mindfulness…. You name it I did it! The final straw was a weekend away to our favourite place. Normally being there took all my anxiety away but not this time. I had a panic attack and spent all week crying. The next day I made an appointment with my doctor who prescribed me 50mg Zoloft. Day 12,13 and 14 were the hardest with increased anxiety and diarrhoea. I visited here daily to read the encouraging reviews. Day 15 everything changed, a calm came over me. From then on it continued to get better. By week 5 I felt completely well. Don’t suffer unnecessarily! There is help"

• McPhyl
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 30, 2017

"Since my twenties I would have anxiety from time to time. In 2003 my mother passed away and my anxiety came on to the extent that I thought about suicide. My Dr put me on Sertraline, a packet to start 12.5mg, 25mg, and then 50mg. While the first 2 or 3 weeks I still had some anxiety, and for maybe a month or so my emotions were flat, eventually I felt normal again. I can even drive on the interstate without fear after years of struggle. I have been on Sertraline for 14 years now, and although I still have some issues with sleep, I feel normal most of the time. It takes a few weeks for your body to adjust, so hang in there if you can."

• Kirstin
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 28, 2017

"I have not found that I have any side effects from this but I notice a huge difference in my mental health. Actually, my boyfriend wasn't really a believer in antidepressants but when he saw the change in me when I started taking these, he completely switched sides. Some people really do need them. I'm so glad I got on this, I feel so much better."

• zoloft
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2021

"I’ve always had anxiety, but the pandemic really pushed things over the edge for me, to the point where I spent my days completely nauseous and throwing up multiple times a day. It was absolutely horrible. My first SSRI was Celexa, which made me hallucinate and cry constantly. Cue Zoloft. I had almost every side effect in the book, and I scrolled these reviews whenever I was miserable in bed to get hope that one day I would feel better. Trust me, the day will come. I didn’t realize how much anxiety affected me. I now take 200 mg after a long process of adjusting the dosage and I feel fantastic. Life will have its ups and downs, but Zoloft makes it manageable. I’m only giving this 9/10 because yes, the side effects can be insane. I had to have emergency therapy sessions because I felt so horrible sometimes. You can do this."

• Max
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2021

"I started taking 50mg Sertraline just over 2 weeks ago due to suspected panic disorder and generalised anxiety. The first few days were strange, I felt wired and couldn’t sleep barely at all and kept clenching my jaw, had a bad case of the runs too. This levelled out pretty quickly however (about day 5) and now I feel much better, I felt a noticeable difference by a week and now into my second week my anxiety is near non-existent, I was shocked how quickly it made a difference for me. The first few days were scary though but I tried exercise to get me through it. If I carry on feeling this way then I highly recommend sertraline for anyone suffering from the same, that being said it is different for everyone."

• ANerv...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 3, 2015

"I started sertraline 4 years ago and it has honestly helped my GAD so much! I still get panic attacks from time to time but that's my mind running away with me, and I'm only on the lowest dose of sertraline. I wouldn't have the confidence that I have today without this drug, and I certainly wouldn't be a good mother to my son, I would have no doubt been a depressed mess. This has helped me see that there is a life outside of GAD and depression, no matter how hard it is to find...keep going. It's there."

• Nicole
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2022

"I took approx 12.5mg for 2 weeks and then upped to 25mg last week. I felt like there was no way out before, I had suicidal thoughts and feelings, panic attacks, rushing thoughts. For the first 10 days I had horrid side effects, but 3 weeks on life is easier. I still get some mild anxiety but it is early days, and it lasts about 5 minutes, however I smile now, I can clean and cook, I’m patient with my son, I laugh more, I catch myself smiling and it warms my heart. I’ve always had negative reactions to meds, so I weaned in gently, and fought through the hard 10 days and now I’m so happy I did. I feel like a human! I get bored due to not being busy fighting my anxiety!! I thought nothing could help me, I was too far gone, no meds could help etc..but here I am, I am alive and living and not just surviving! Please don’t give up. Sertraline can save lives, I wish I started it sooner. I’m in a refuge so had support from staff when it was hard at first, please have support for the first week or so"

• Inu-kam
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2019

"I have suffered for anxiety and depression for many years. I tried sports and therapy for a couple of years but my symptoms came back often. My Sunday blues were horrific and my separation anxiety destroyed my days. I found myself ruminating on the same thing over and over and becoming always more anxious. It was a month ago when my husband told me that it was time for me to get medical help because I was jeopardizing our relationship. We took the decision together and we sort  help. I was put on zoloft 25mg for a month and now increased to 50 mg. My first 3 weeks were terrible especially the first two: dizziness, dry mouth, insomnia, heat flashes in the middle of the night, no sex drive and erection, no climax. But now, I feel so good. I feel I can concentrate and I am not sad. I am also taking 25 mg of tradozone when I need to fall asleep. I wish I had started Zoloft in my teenage years!!’"

• NW uk
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2021

"If your feeling depressed and anxious..if you feel very emotional and cry a lot and are worrying your having a breakdown and your reading this to hear from others before you consider sertraline all I can say is if you've reached this point you need help and this medication will calm your mind and make you finally feel relaxed and less anxious. I've been on 50mg for 5 months now and felt better within a few days of starting them. Sleep was different to start with...dreams and woke quite a bit but got to the point where I enjoyed the deep sleep in between waking and waking feeling very refreshed and relaxed. Just stick at it. The calming focused feeling has really helped me during a stressful part of my life and its helping me think clearly and make important decisions. At 5 months now and I'm going to lower the dose and start taking 25mg a day."

• JAS
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2019

"Started with 50mg then moved to 100mg. Side effects initially were poor - greater anxiety, sleep disruption, fatigue, dizziness, feeling super down, generally feeling unwell, socially very quiet, etc. etc. After about 14 weeks I have had no anxiety for about 9 days and feel pretty normal. I think this is the effect of the drugs and not of talking therapy. I am happy to continue taking them as I can lead a pretty normal life which I couldn't for about 6 months. However, you have to stick with the initial unpleasantness."

• Anonymous
• July 6, 2016

"Thank you guys for posting your experiences on here. I have been suffering with anxiety out of no where for the last couple months. It wakes me up everyday and I have a hard time sleeping. It's been so bad that I literally was so sick I was vomiting for a week. I struggled with the idea of taking medicine out of fear of being dependent on it. After reading everyone's experiences on here I got up the courage to try it. It's crazy but I started taking it 2 days ago and I feel a sense of hope like there just might be another side to it and I will feel like myself again. Thank you"

• BuzzL...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 16, 2022

"Yes initial side effects are horrible. I had the lot! The worst one being increased anxiety which made all the other symptoms feel even worse. But don't let this put you off, they DO pass and the end result is so worth it. This little pill literally saved my life. For the majority it takes 4-8 weeks to get going on the right dose. I didn't feel better until I reached 125mg. We're all different. Hang in there it all gets better x"

• Kris
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 22, 2022

"After quitting lexapro suddenly without weaning off, due to it causing intense episodes of psychosis and anxiety and suicidal thoughts after a few months of use, I was in an even worse place than I started off with. Constant nasty feeling inside, paranoid, extremely nervous, panicky, very suicidal, just fed up of having to deal with the intense dread and fear every day. After a few months of this suffering, I finally said I need to go to the doctor to see if there is anything she could do, she said sertraline would be a good option to try. I was terrified of medication due to what lexapro did, so I didnt take the sertraline until 3 days after it was prescribed. When I took it, my own paranoia sent me into a horrible state of anxiety ,ended up in emergency department. Long story short, after an absolute grind and mental battle, My anxiety is almost non existant. Honestly unbelievable. Try it, if its not for you, try something else.something will work. Best decision of my life :)"

• Kbowz
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 28, 2017

"I started on sertraline in April. I have had lifetime high functioning anxiety but an early menopause resulted in me having acute severe anxiety. I felt like I could not go out of the house. It was absolute torture. Today I gave a 3 page speech in front of 100's of people. I have my confidence back. It has been a rocky ride and I am still having bad days but my mind is clearer and I have not had a panic attack for a very long time. 2 weeks in I thought this is making me worse. I got a rash, teeth clenching and had vivid dreams but I hung on (not easy) and with support from friends who had suffered too I retrained my thinking. Sertraline gave me space to do that. It is not a quick fix and you have to put the work in too and BELIEVE in recovery."

• Anonymous
• February 16, 2016

"After suffering from GAD, insomnia, and depression symptoms for almost a year my doctor and I finally agreed to try Zoloft. I had taken trazodone, amitriptyline, and escitalopram separately and in combination without prevail for this long period of time. Sertraline is much more tolerable than escitalopram so far and has allowed me to be myself and enjoy everything about life again. It has also been very helpful in treating premature ejaculation. If you are having trouble sleeping, worrying needlessly, and suffering through everyday do not hesitate to find the medication right for you. These medications may take much trial and error, but can be a lifesaver. I hope this is helpful to you, as other reviews have greatly encouraged me!"

• Aemik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 22, 2022

"I had anxiety since 2018 Last year there was severe anxiety and panic attack. My symptoms were hyperventilating, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, weakness , heart palpitations, I could not stand the smell of food, shaking , etc Dr gave me 50 mg sertraline for 2 weeks and my anxiety became worse. I took 100mg and after 6 weeks on 100 mg I noticed lot of improvements finally after 12 weeks on 100 mg, I was completely healed and my anxiety symptoms were gone I took Zoloft ( sertraline ) for 9 months and now I have stopped taking it. I rate this medicine 9 out of 10."

• Natal...
• August 1, 2017

"I have been on Zoloft for almost 5 months and I can honestly say it has saved me and and made my life brighter in so many ways. I was really struggling with GAD and panic attacks for about 3 years before I began and was struggling to cope, which felt very isolating. Zoloft has made me more feel more at ease, I feel more productive and motivated every day and far less irritated and impatient, to just name a couple of the benefits. I wish I hadn't waited so long to start (I was afraid of side effects), but I'm happy to say I'm feeling so much better. The side effects are difficult, I won't lie, for me they lasted about a month. I mostly just felt tired and spaced out and not very hungry. They do disappear however and it's so worth it."

• Bon
• January 19, 2018

"I suffered from panic attacks in June 2016 then GAD came after with my depression, It took me almost a year before I sought help from the doctor. When I did he recommended me Zoloft started at 50mg for 7 days then 75mg for 14days and I'm now on 100mg week 6. The first month is pretty up and down, It does take at least 4 weeks to start feeling the meds working. Now I'm on week 6 and I really do feel like my life is coming back and I'm not worried or having negative thoughts as much. I can do things again I never thought I could. Zoloft is an awesome med just hang in there for a few months it sure does work."

• Lisaj...
• July 13, 2017

"I started sertraline 50mg nearly a year ago, I was very stressed constantly! Shouting at the kids for silly things, I hated myself and was always looking at the stuff I didn't have!! Very moody and miserable and this started affecting my relationship! I went to the doctors and she gave me sertraline, I did not have any side effects other than a unsettled stomach for a week or so. I started seeing improvements in the first week! It completely changed my outlook on life and I am so happy now and can enjoy the simple things in life again.. would highly recommend this drug!"

• ALC
• May 5, 2019

"I’m currently on Day 4 of Sertraline which I was prescribed it for anxiety and being that I may be trying to have a baby soon, my doctor said this drug is one of only a few “safe” for pregnancy. I know it’s early but I spent the first night I was prescribed this medication reading horror stories about the early side effects and my experience was not bad at all. I was nauseated the first day with a weird feeling in my jaw, but nothing debilitating. Day 2 woke up with a headache, but no more nausea or jaw issues. The headache subsided as I started my day. Day 3 woke up with a headache again... also went away pretty instantly as I started my day. Day 4, felt absolutely fine. I’ve had no issues sleeping either. I know it’s early but like I said, some of the initial reactions here are pretty horrific. Overall, I feel pretty great having it only be 4 days in. I feel lighter and like my mind is not racing as much as it used to. I look forward to see how I feel in a few weeks."