Does sertraline feel worse in the first week?
It takes a few more weeks for your body to get used to sertraline. Do not stop taking sertraline after a week or two because you feel it is not helping. Usually it takes between 4 to 6 weeks to feel the full effect. You might feel worse during the first few weeks of treatment before you begin to feel better. Examples of sertraline interactions include other antidepressants, phenytoin (dilantin, phenytek), and alcohol. It also interacts with blood thinners, ibuprofen (advil, motrin), and medications that can affect heart rhythm. Share your updated medication list with your prescriber and pharmacist.Medically reviewed by Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD. Last updated on Dec 3, 2025. Sertraline can make some people feel sleepy due to its effects on chemicals in the brain, especially in the first days to weeks of treatment. Others experience the opposite problem and develop insomnia instead.Within a few hours of taking an SSRI like sertraline, serotonin levels in the brain and bloodstream start to increase. However, just because the chemical changes are immediate does not necessarily mean that we feel an immediate effect. Even though our serotonin levels increase right away, our bodies need time to adapt.My depression began to lift around week 4 of taking the medication – I still have moments of feeling really low but I feel good enough to do my daily tasks, go to university and see my friends. Sertraline also has a few weird side effects.
How do you feel when you first start taking sertraline?
You can feel drowsy in the first few days of taking sertraline. This should get better after the first week or two. Side effects are more common when you first start taking sertraline. Many go away as you continue your medicine. If they don’t get better, or if you are worried by them and they are causing you distress, speak to your doctor or pharmacist about them.Alcohol: It is best to avoid alcohol while taking sertraline, as alcohol can increase the side effects of dizziness, drowsiness, and impaired coordination. Hydration and diet: Drink plenty of water to help reduce side effects like dry mouth and nausea. Eating a balanced diet can also help support your treatment.Dizziness is a short-term side effect of sertraline that usually doesn’t last longer than 2 to 4 weeks (and sometimes even less), but if you notice that frequent dizziness or lightheadedness lasts longer than 4 weeks, contact your healthcare professional to discuss a lower dose of sertraline.Stopping sertraline too quickly can lead to withdrawal symptoms like nausea, insomnia, and agitation. Withdrawal can start within a few days of your last dose and last several weeks.Key takeaways: Zoloft (sertraline) is a prescription-only antidepressant that treats depression and other mental health conditions. Some of Zoloft’s initial side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and trouble sleeping. These side effects tend to go away after the first few weeks of starting it.
Can sertraline worsen anxiety at first?
Yes, Zoloft can make anxiety worse at first, but the effects are usually temporary. A 2017 study found that about one in four people started on an antidepressant for either anxiety or depression experienced worsened anxiety in the first six weeks. The risk was higher for people taking a higher antidepressant dosage. Zoloft is also known by its drug name, Sertraline. Some antidepressants are prescribed off-label to prevent migraines. Zoloft is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. Zoloft is believed to work by changing the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain.You may also experience some side effects when you first start taking antidepressants, but feel them less after a few weeks. It’s up to you to decide whether or not the antidepressant has more benefits for you than any negative side effects.A 2017 study found that about one in four people started on an antidepressant for either anxiety or depression experienced worsened anxiety in the first six weeks. The risk was higher for people taking a higher antidepressant dosage. This early effect may be due to your brain adjusting to higher levels of serotonin.Zoloft (sertraline), a common selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, can take about 4 to 6 weeks of regular dosing to reach its full therapeutic effect for depression. The initial effects may begin within the first 1 to 2 weeks of treatment. Some patients may require a longer time period.Antidepressants can cause unpleasant side effects. Signs and symptoms such as nausea, weight gain or sleep problems can be common initially. For many people, these improve within weeks of starting an antidepressant. In some cases, however, antidepressants cause side effects that don’t go away.
Why does sertraline make you feel bad at first?
Many people feel anxious at first when they take antidepressants because of changes in serotonin levels. Talk to your doctor if the anxiety doesn’t get better; they might change your medication or give you something to help with anxiety. The first choice anxiety medications of many doctors are SSRI and SNRI antidepressants. Other anxiety medications include benzodiazpines, buspirone, hydroxyzine, and betablockers.
How quickly will you feel the side effects of sertraline?
Many of sertraline’s side effects may begin within the first week of starting it. This includes nausea, diarrhea, and dry mouth. Sleep changes can also appear early on in treatment. But most of these side effects should go away after you’ve been taking sertraline for a month or so (about 4 weeks). Nausea. The most common side effect of sertraline in clinical trials was nausea. About 25% of people taking sertraline experienced it. It’s most likely to occur when you first start sertraline or right after a dose increase.Before taking sertraline, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking the following medications or have stopped taking them within the past two weeks: monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors including isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue, phenelzine, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.Diarrhoea is listed as a very common adverse reaction associated with sertraline and occurs in at least 10% of people who start taking the medicine. If diarrhoea is severe or prolonged, microscopic colitis should be taken into consideration. See the latest PI documents for sertraline products for more information.The most common movement disorders induced by sertraline included tremor, dystonia, and akathisia. However, to the best of our knowledge, no previous chorea or hemichorea cases associated with sertraline have been previously reported.
Can sertraline cause vertigo?
According to the FDA, a small percentage of people who use sertraline may also experience severe dizziness and lightheadedness. If you feel faint, weak, or severely dizzy or feel changes in your heart rate after taking sertraline, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. You can feel drowsy in the first few days of taking sertraline. This should get better after the first week or two. If it makes you feel drowsy, try taking it just before you go to bed. Some people find that sertraline causes insomnia (difficulty getting to sleep), and disturbing dreams or nightmares.Psychiatrists should always bear in mind the possibility of the development of jitteriness/anxiety syndrome when prescribing sertraline. It should be noted that jitteriness/anxiety syndrome may develop rapidly after the initiation of oral administration of even low-dose sertraline.It usually takes about 2 weeks for sertraline to begin working, but sometimes longer. After around a week, sertraline levels will start to build up in your body. It takes a few more weeks for your body to get used to sertraline. Do not stop taking sertraline after a week or two because you feel it is not helping.Although many people worry about feeling sedated, insomnia is actually among the more commonly reported sleep-related adverse effects of sertraline. Controlled sleep studies and clinical trials show that sertraline can delay REM sleep, increase awakenings, and change sleep continuity.