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Sertraline or fluoxetine?


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I was prescribed setraline in November. First time ever I had asked for help with meds for my anxiety/ocd as it was the worst it's ever been and I have had it for almost 40 years. At a similar time as taking the medication I found this site which really helped me understandmy ocd more. By January/February I was feeling much improved but I am not sure if it's the drugs that helped or the insight and advice from here but I certainly felt better. I have stopped taking it now but may start again as I still suffer at times. I had no side affects.

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I agree with PolarBear - medication is different for everyone. I'll just say that medication really helped me and I hope it helps you too! :) Both of Fluoxetine and Sertraline are common among people with OCD and some respond better to one than the other and it's okay to try both! Don't be disheartened if it takes a little while to find the right fit or dosage. :) 

Fluoxetine wasn't a good fit for me but Sertraline was. Others have found the opposite. Both are great treatment options. :D

 

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I have just taken my first dose of fluoxetine this morning, after many years of trying to fix this myself I finally admitted that I need more help.

I was extremely apprehensive about taking this as well but it has to be worth a try.

Only time will tell if its the one for me.

I hope it works for you.

 

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5 hours ago, WinnieWoo said:

I have just taken my first dose of fluoxetine this morning, after many years of trying to fix this myself I finally admitted that I need more help.

I was extremely apprehensive about taking this as well but it has to be worth a try.

Only time will tell if its the one for me.

I hope it works for you.

 

Hope you find it helpful, WinnieWoo! :)

And @To orangey for crows hope it works for you, too! :D 

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I tried sertraline first and it made me worse but I’ve heard it helps some people so it definitely just depends on you. I’m on fluoxetine now and I’m definitely better than I was, I can’t imagine coming off it now but hopefully one day I can ? when I was finding which medication worked for me the withdrawals for me weren’t the best so I’m a bit worried about coming off them one day but it’s not unbearable 

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Just to pick up on @thistooshallpass1996 post

 

I have recently (past 3 months) been reducing my OCD meds very slooowly. 

Touchwood, things are okay, apart from horrible withdrawal symptoms from Venlafaxine/Effexor, such as nausea/dizziness/vertigo. 

I know we are all  different, but if given the option of different meds, then try & choose those easiest to come off of. I know  1 or 2 in particular are especially difficult!

 

It is a bit of a balancing act, but I hope all goes well for those just starting out!

 

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@felix4

What are you reducing down from and what are you on now if you don’t mind telling me?

I remember when I was on 60mg, (citalopram I think) and I wanted to switch over because I was getting some side effects (not painful or unbearable, but I was getting up like up to 4 times in the night for a number one which was annoying me)

when I did the switch, I just stopped the medication dead with the permission from a doctor. I found that after a few days I had an upset stomach and my anxiety levels were stupidly high. I would never recommend anyone stopping dead, always taper off to let your body adjust to it. It didn’t feel like the medication was doing anything but trust me, it’s constantly working. 

The anxiety was bad and I felt like I was relapsing. It went on for just over a week and then eventually levelled itself out. I try not to switch medications now because of that reason, but I don’t need to anyway since fluoxetine is working for me at the moment. What works for one person may not work for another so just bear that in mind 

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26 minutes ago, thistooshallpass1996 said:

@felix4

What are you reducing down from and what are you on now if you don’t mind telling me?

Hi, I was on 5 mg of aripirazole, which I have reduced down to 2.5 mg a couple of months back with the use of a pill cutter, & more recently, I reduced the venlafaxine by 1/4 from 75 mg  down to 56.25, & another 1/4 within the last 2 weeks, so now on 37.5mg, & it still early days. I plan on sitting it out on this dosage for quite a while, & potentially until my next 6 monthly psychiatric review.   

Since 2003, I have been on very high doses of citalopram, fluoxetine, clomipramine, & then venlafaxine, so I know this is going to be a long drawn out process. 

 

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@WinnieWoo how are you getting on with your medication?

Thank you for the replies all.

I’ be been on sertraline for a week now, it seems to be helping. Ups and downs but I think overall it’s helping with the psychical symptoms, that dreaded nervous feeling has calmed down somewhat though first thing in the morning it’s still there.

Early days .......

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@WinnieWoo how are you getting on with your medication?

Thank you for the replies all.

I’ve been on sertraline for a week now, it seems to be helping. Ups and downs but I think overall it’s helping with the psychical symptoms, that dreaded nervous feeling has calmed down somewhat though first thing in the morning it’s still there.

Early days .......

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