Don't know what to do,
Posted , 8 users are following.
morning,
I've been on sertraline for a total of 8wks, and 50mg the past 5wks, I just can't put up with the side effects anymore, I'm constantly hungry, with shaking and feeling sick, constant panic attack nearly all day yesterday, its awful, the GP said I could go up to 75mg, and even a 100mg if I was feeling no better, but worried about getting more side effects or making the ones I have even worse, don't know what to do,
I feel like I want to taper off them and stop all together, 😢
0 likes, 10 replies
jenny93142 Bronson75
Posted
hi there. i have just reached 12 weeks on 50mg. i still feel a bit low and worry about things but a subtle improvement from the 8 week mark. i remember feeling like i wanted to cry but couldnt and generally pent up. The nausea has gone (i found Gaviscon very helpful for that). i am going to stick on this dose for a while longer as i would rather be on a low dose, in the hope that when i come off them it will be easier. i also use rescue remedy when feeling panicky which seems to help the emotions too. Stick with it if you can.
Giggity Bronson75
Posted
You need to go up in dosage. Do 75 for 2 weeks and then go to 100. Trust me. I'm a random internet guy 😎
Honestly though, 50 mg was the worst for me. I did a 25mg increase every two weeks-ish and at 200 mg I feel just fine.
And your gp doesn't know diddly squat. You aren't having side effects. You are having too low of a dose effects. Dosage increase side effects lessen each time. 25 to 50 is a 100% increase. 50 to 75 is a 50% increase and so on. It gets easier each time. I swear.
Welshwarbler Bronson75
Posted
hello there. I am also on sertraline . Started on 25 mg then 50. The fifty sent my anxiety through the roof so gp said to go back to 25.Great on 25 and will try 50 in my own time.
joe71985 Bronson75
Posted
My doctor prescribed Lorazepam to help with anxiety until Sertraline started working. I only take it when I get very anxious. However, 3 weeks in and no indication Sertraline is working. Gonna see someone else i think.
Ala1483 joe71985
Posted
It takes 4-6 weeks on a therapeutic dose to have and effect or even longer if you have to up your dose. Some people give each dose 12 weeks before upping. Three weeks is to early for you to see big improvements. I have been on SERT for 4 months now and I am just starting to feel a bit better. I have reached 200mg for depression and anxiety.
Welshwarbler Bronson75
Posted
I agree, depending on severity of illness people respond different to meds. 4-6 weeks isnt that long. I am now on sertraline but have always used clomipramine in past whic h took between 14-17 weeks to work properly.Hang on in there for at least 12weeks . By then if no response tey somerhing else.x
Ala1483 Welshwarbler
Posted
You are right! I have been severly depressed and it took me over 3 months to reach the highest dose and feel the difference. People give up often too early. It's so frustrating and I understand we all want a quick fix. I hope one day there will be meds available that help much quicker with anxiety and depression...
Welshwarbler Ala1483
Posted
yes, we would all love to be back to normal in an hour but it doesnt work like that. These ad are a nightmare to endure but once your out the other end it feels like you never been ill. I have endures it many times for years. Best to stay on them continuously for years once you feel good. No different to something like long term meds for diabetes or the like. An illness is just an illness no matter what! We must all hang in there.x
Theanxious1 Bronson75
Posted
I had terrible side effects on sert. All of what youve said - although they didnt all last but the extreme tiredness did plus sexual side effects. came off it after 13 weeks and on to escitalipram and its been soooo much better. its helped me so much for anxiety and slowly with depression (you need to work with the drugs though they wont dol the work) and pretty much no side effects... not saying do what i did but i am saying another SsRi may suit you better its worth trying/discussing with your doc. dont taper/stop wothout discussing with doc
AnxietyShark Bronson75
Posted
There is no right choice, that's the hardest part of this. You are required to make complicated difficult decisions while feeling like crap.
I will say though that 50mg is the lowest therapeutic dose. I don't know the stats but if imagine it's a bell curve, with relatively fe needing 50mg and 200mg and the majority needing 100 to 150.
So there is a decent chance you are someone for whom 50mg is too low. but as someone currently going through side effects, I understand your desire to not go through it again.
No one can tell you the right thing to do, but there is evidence that many people feel better on a higher dose so why not try it? at least then you will have another data point