1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Sertraline

4th week on 50mg

Posted , 4 users are following.

lauren56079
lauren56079

Hi, 

So I’m into my 4th week (yesterday) on 50mg sertraline. The last few days I’ve felt a bit more depressed than what I did last week. Is this normal or is it worth going back to the GP to up my dose? The intrusive thoughts are still lingering too. 

I feel better than what I did 4 weeks ago but nowhere near 100%. 

Thanks x 

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Kate32457
    Kate32457 lauren56079

    Edited

    Hi Lauren, the first time I was on Sertraline I was on 50mg for 8 weeks. I found that weeks 1 & 2 were horrific, then week 3 I felt pretty good. Then weeks 4,5,6 and even 7 I felt worse again. Not as bad as the beginning but still lots of anxiety. Weeks 8-10 I felt ok - able to go on holiday but still had some lingering anxiety. Week 10 I upped to 100mg and this is what got me back to 100%. I would stick out 50mg as long as you can, it is really normal to have ups and downs especially within the first 8 or so weeks. I know that isn’t what you want to hear but I thought i would share my experience to show it is totally normal. 

    • lauren56079
      lauren56079 Kate32457

      Posted

      Hi Kate. Thank you for your reply, your experience sounds like mine! Last week I felt okay and this week starting week 4 I feel like I’ve gone backwards! I am going to stick to 50mg for the next 4 weeks as I’ve just started a new box and I’ll see how I am on week 8. 

      It’s so draining isn’t it - I just want to feel better. Did you get more side effects when you upped to 100? 

      Thanks x

    • Kate32457
      Kate32457 lauren56079

      Posted

      It is absolutely exhausting! Waking up every day hoping to feel better but realising you don’t is very distressing. But we are all in it together! The first time when I was on Sertraline, i didn’t get any additional side effects when I upped to 100mg as I did this at 10 weeks so it was well in my system. This time, as I know 100mg works for me I have upped to this on the 3rd week and so I have had increased side effects, mainly increased anxiety. If you wait out to 8 weeks and decide you want to up the dose I don’t imagine you will get many additional side effects but everyone is different x
  • Money7
    Money7 lauren56079

    Posted

    Hi Lauren, this is completely normal in my experience and others that I have read.  I am 8 weeks and two days on 50mg, an it is just now settling into my system.  I would suggest that you do not increase until you hit the eight week mark.  There will be a lot of ups and downs with this medication.  It's the slowest acting SSRI.  Doctors are so quick to up the dose and don't give this medication enough time to work. You have to remember, this isn't an aspirin, this is a medication that changes your wiring in your brain.  So it takes time and patience.  If you can, hang in there for another four weeks and see how you feel.  If you do decide to increase, I would increase by 25mg at a time, rather than 50mg directly to 100mg.  Best of luck xoxo

    • lauren56079
      lauren56079 Money7

      Posted

      Hi. Thank you for the reply! Did you get worse in week 4/5? It’s so debilitating isn’t it. I must stick it out for at least another 4 weeks I think before going back to the GP! X
    • Money7
      Money7 lauren56079

      Posted

      The first week was actually not too bad for me.  Could be the placebo effect, also, I didn't have any physical start up effects like nausea.  My sleep and appetite improved by week three, but my anxiety sky rocketed around week four and five. After that, there was a series of ups and downs.  The downs were debilitating, yes, I agree with that! Try and stick it out, week eight is the light at the end of the tunnel.  That's how I got by, by reading these forums and reminding myself constantly that this won't last and it's only a few more weeks until it kicks in. 

    • lauren56079
      lauren56079 Money7

      Posted

      Thank you! These forums are really helping me too! X
    • Lolita40
      Lolita40 Money7

      Posted

      That is a great post Money!

      It gives hope.

      I was at 4 weeks and a half ( first at 25 and the rest at 50).

      Wasnt feeling good so thought that a decrease at 25 would be better. So I decreased a week ago but I think I should of stick with the 50. Feel headaches, anxious, some palpitations since few days and dizzy. I also have body aches.

      Dont want to play yo yo either.

    • Money7
      Money7 Lolita40

      Posted

      Hi Lolita, this is an interesting medication.  When you start, the first eight weeks feel like a long string of ups and downs. For the first several weeks, I felt this medication was not for me.  From the beginning to the eight week mark, I felt like I was emotionally bipolar.  One minute I would feel great,  like the medicine was working, the next I was completely broken.  However, I found that the longer I took this medicine, the less this happened.  I'm eight weeks and three days today, and am starting to feel leveled out.  My mood is more stable as well as my emotions.  It doesn't hurt to start low and go up as needed.  Just try to give each dose a full eight week run before upping the it.  

    • Money7
      Money7 Lolita40

      Posted

      Hi Lolita, this is an interesting medication.  When you start, the first eight weeks feel like a long string of ups and downs. For the first several weeks, I felt this medication was not for me.  From the beginning to the eight week mark, I felt like I was emotionally bipolar.  One minute I would feel great,  like the medicine was working, the next I was completely broken.  However, I found that the longer I took this medicine, the less this happened.  I'm eight weeks and three days today, and am starting to feel leveled out.  My mood is more stable as well as my emotions.  It doesn't hurt to start low and go up as needed.  Just try to give each dose a full eight week run before upping it.  

      (spelling mistake on previous post and it bothered me lol)

    • Lolita40
      Lolita40 Money7

      Posted

      Yes you are right!

      I upped my dose a between 25 and 50 today.

      For me, its more that I feel zombie or kinda stone like.

      And dizzy by the end of the day with anxious feeling inside my body.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.