50mg Sertraline...should I increase?
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi everyone...I'm a newbie
This is my first time on an ad. I started by just taking half a tablet (25mg) for the first week - had a touch of diarrhoea, few v bad headaches and a couple of spots on my eyelid but persevered. Then I went and had my first real panic attack in week one of 50mg so my gp gave me 10mg propranolol to take alongside the Sertraline.
So tmrw will be the start of week 5 and as I've had a bad day yest, I'm wondering whether to go up to 100mg, my gp just goes along with whatever I suggest really so it's my call. My CBT counsellor implied 50mg was v low.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated...feeling very down about it all.
Xxx
1 like, 6 replies
gingemac1977 kikidee76
Posted
yes, 50mg is the starting dose, but if you've been on them for 5 weeks and haven't felt any benefit then you should maybe think about increasing, i also started on 50mg 10months ago and i'm now on 150mg and i'm doing good on that dosage. i was where you were to start with panick attacks, general anxiety and terrible depression, i have none of those any more, the only time i'm a bit off is when i'm due on my time of the month and i don't think i'll ever get a cure for that!! :-)
Sertraline has been amazing for me and really changed my life, my relationship and my thoughts, before i used to get racing thoughts and my mind used to go up the wall. i was up and down all the time, had terrible mood swings and was just never happy with my life, sertraline has changed all that. usually takes 6-8 weeks for sertraline to settle down into your system, but it affects everyone differently with various side effects and for others non at all. i've had the dicky tummy only a few times, but suffererd from the headaches/migranes alot, but that's all settled now, loss of appetite and weight loss too, but that has also settled down. keep posting with updates, would be nice to hear how your getting along, take care :-)
kikidee76 gingemac1977
Posted
It's so hard to say whether or not they're helping me. Altho I've lived with anxiety for yrs, I never truly had a panic attack until my first week on 50mg Sertraline But there has been really good days too. The propranolol helps with the physical side of things (tho not completely) but i am only taking 10mg at a time. But it can still get so scary even when it's all in the head.
I suppose i'm torn between sticking with the 50mg for a bit longer as i'm in the middle of the 4-6 weeks phase so maybe it hasn't fully kicked in yet or to go with 100mg now to just get going on that whole period of readjustment.
After yrs and yrs of putting up with this and resisting medication, I soooo wanted (and thought) this may be my saviour. (I did try Prozac once yrs ago and lasted about 10 days on it cos i hated the feeling it gave me - numb/detached).
Having a young child makes it so much harder too (even tho I adore her) but getting her to and from school has now become an issue for me. I've also been going thru premature menopause since i was 36 (2 yrs ago) and got made redundant last yr.
Sorry to go on.....I just want this to work soooo much.
xxx
gingemac1977 kikidee76
Posted
kikidee76 gingemac1977
Posted
think i may alternate between 50 and 100 over the next week with a view to upping to 100.
im so happy it's working for you and you had the tenacity to keep reviewing it with your gp. aw a baby will be so good for you - apart from how wonderful they are in their own right and the happiness they bring, they demand we take our minds away from ourselves ;D
xxx
gingemac1977 kikidee76
Posted
kikidee76 gingemac1977
Posted
Does make sense tho what u say re: alternating, I did think it was a bit sporadic myself. Hmm, will try the 75 I think, just for a week or so then bite the bullet and go to 100. Was thinking of also trying it before bed now too. I've been taking it first thing and I kind of feel a peak around 6 hrs later, which is a bit uncomfortable so would rather it peaked whilst I'm asleep...unless of course it wakes me! All trial and error I suppose and worth the faffing!!
Thanks for your advice and good luck with the baby making
Xxx