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Can a change of dosage of anti depressant make you feel worse?

Posted , 3 users are following.

kat50
kat50

I've had quite a big change of dosage and I'm feeling very low at the moment.  

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • jo44371
    jo44371 kat50

    Posted

    Hi Kat - with any antidepressant the body needs time to adjust to a change in dose. I'm not sure if your dose has gone down or up, but either way feeling worse at the moment doesn't mean things are getting worse. A big change either up or down is more likely to upset your brain, so perhaps you could discuss with your doctor about whether the change needs to be more gradual. All the best.
    • kat50
      kat50 jo44371

      Posted

      Hi Jo, thanks for your reply. I'm on two different anti depressants both of which I don't think are working together so I've to cut down on one and have been put on a higher dose of another! Are you on any medication? 
  • rs93556
    rs93556 kat50

    Posted

    Hi Kat, 

    Yes definately. For me a change in dosage, either up or down, always has a big effect on my mood. Its bizarre that increasing an anti-depressant can make you feel worse, but that has happenned to me a number of times. Give it a few weeks, and be kind to yourself, and you will start to fell better.

    Best Wishes

    • kat50
      kat50 rs93556

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. As I said previously I'm on two anti depressants. One's gone up and one has gone down. I hope things start to happen soon. I wonder why they take so long to work! What medication worked for you in the end? 
  • jo44371
    jo44371 kat50

    Posted

    I've been on pretty much everything at one time or another, and it always the case that any change puts you back a bit. I'm now on amitriptyline and lithium, and putting up with the side effects as the combination seems to keep things stable. It is the case with any antidepressant that the effect of a change (starting on it, changing the dose, coming off it) takes at least a couple of weeks to stabilise. If your dose change was suggested by your doctor it's possible that he/she was trying to counterbalance one up and one down, but I don't think it works like that. Based on my experience any changes need to be small and slow - very frustrating I know! Stick with it. Jo
    • kat50
      kat50 jo44371

      Posted

      I'm just hoping I'm on venlafaxine,  mirtazapine and a small dose of olanzapine.  I hope the change will start to happen soon. 
    • kat50
      kat50 jo44371

      Posted

      My last message made me sound like I didn't know what I was taking. I'll write it again... I'm just hoping (that I'll stick with it) I'm on venlafaxine,  mirtazapine and olanzipine. 
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