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Exactly how slow acting is sertraline??

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gabrielle34731
gabrielle34731

The title says it all....I'm fed up waiting for my anxiety to greatly ease. On 9th April I will be on sertraline for 3 months. Started at 50mg, now on 150mg, have had the most horrendous time with side effects but have plodded on, hoping that it would do the job it's supposed to do eventually. I feel a little improvement in my ability to ignore intrusive thoughts and the frequency of panic attacks has greatly reduced BUT everyday I still have heightened anxiety, am still scanning my body for the potential of the next panic attack, am still not confident enough to get back out into the world driving, working, going into shops etc. Someone please tell me I haven't wasted 3 months on a drug which isn't going to work for me, that relief from this constant anxiety and side effects of this drug will come soon. 🙏🏼

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • claire43316
    claire43316 gabrielle34731

    Posted

    I have been in this drug before and it took around 4-5 months to feel any real benefit, I didn’t go to work for 5 months just couldn’t face it. 

    I dropped down to 50mg for 18 months but the anxiety has come back so I’m back on 100mg for 5 weeks now! 

    It sounds as though the drug is having some positive effects for you as you do have some relief. Maybe you need to increase again? X

    • gabrielle34731
      gabrielle34731 claire43316

      Posted

      Hi claire, thank you for replying. 😊 I've been on 150mg for 1 1/2 weeks now so was hoping that another couple of weeks would see a big difference??

    • debbie_84339
      debbie_84339 gabrielle34731

      Posted

      Hi Gabrielle 

         I have been on 150 for 4 weeks . I know exactly how you feel . I had TWO days in a row I felt pretty good..  and  my anxiety is not as bad as it was ... and it was bad !!! 

        I still don’t feel good . I keep waiting for ‘ that day ‘ when I wake up and feel good ..  the side effects are horrible!!   I am going to give it two more weeks on 150 .. that will be six weeks total .. if I don’t feel better .  I dread the thought of withdrawals..  I like you started in Dec ..  

  • Hoopz
    Hoopz gabrielle34731

    Posted

    I think I'm in the same boat as you. I've been off work since nov and am up to 125mg

    now. Some improvement but im still exhausted. I'm not as bad as I was early days..even having a bath left me collapsed on the floor! But like you I am having difficulty going out. I can drive and run in and out of small shops but I can't walk outside and there's no way I can go back to work yet.

    It's the exhaustion that's worrying me most

    🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄

    • gabrielle34731
      gabrielle34731 Hoopz

      Posted

      I'm not feeling so bad with exhaustion but nausea and migraine headaches are still there most days. I do get tired when the med peaks, around 6 hours after I take it. I've been off since November too and had high hopes for sertraline. My therapist says that sertraline is one of the mildest ssri's. I beg to differ! I really hope we're both feeling ourselves again really soon xx

  • hypercat
    hypercat gabrielle34731

    Posted

    Hi I think after 3 months it should be working for you.  If not I would go back to your doctor and ask for a change.  It's not a waste as you will have eliminated a common SSR1.  x

    • gabrielle34731
      gabrielle34731 hypercat

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. 🙂 The doc keeps saying that the reason it's taking so long is because I haven't reached the dose that will be effective for me and that each dose increase can take 4 weeks on top of the initial 6-8 weeks. I hate the thought of having to start all over again after enduring so much with this. The mental health nurse told me that 150mg is generally the effective dose for those with anxiety disorders...I'm 1 1/2 weeks into 150mg. If after another 2 I'm not out and about and mostly normal, whatever that is, I'll have to bite the bullet and see the doc again. I've lost so much weight and just need to see a chink of light and feel some hope now.

    • claire43316
      claire43316 gabrielle34731

      Posted

      When you up your dose unfortunately the process starts again. 

      It’s going to take a couple of months to be in your system as your brain has to adjust to the increase again. I no it’s a huge battle and so frustrating that your not feeling yourself yet, but you will get there. Keep fighting, keep positive, keep talking on here it will help x

  • hypercat
    hypercat gabrielle34731

    Posted

    Oh I understand now.  I didn't realise you had only upped your dose a couple of weeks ago.  It will take up a couple of months to fully get into your system.  I hope it is effective for you.  It is for me but we are all different and some cannot tolerate sertraline.  x

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