Help / Advice please

Posted , 3 users are following.

I was on Citalopram for depression for around 15 years and it seemed to work quite well for me. Around Xmas time it would appear i developed (according to Dr and Therapist) GAD and also some

PTSD traits. I was put on Sertraline 50mg instead of Citalopram on / around boxing day. This has been slowly increased up to 150mg. I have been on 150mg for 1 week. Was on 100mg for around a month and 50mg for around a month initially. In total i have been on Sertraline around 9 weeks / 2 months.

My questions are :

Does anyone know if there's some sort of test / check to see if its working as i feel it isn't ?

What might my options be in terms of other antidepressants?

Is 9 weeks long enough to know if its working?

Is my dose possibly too strong?

I know that only i can really answer if its working or not but i'm struggling slightly to answer that if i'm honest.

I feel numb, very anxious, nauseous, stressed, afraid.

I have always been 'a cryer' and have said in the past to my partner (when i was on Citalopram) that i felt numb and couldn't cry but i wanted to (release some pressure etc). I finding that again currently..... so does this mean my Sertraline is working......

Apologies for the long message but felt i needed to get as much detail across as possible.

Any advice / Help / knowledge / suggestions would be appreciated.

Many Thanks,

Jody

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    hi Jody

    im hearimg you.

    i feel the same way as you. ive been taking sertraline for over 3 months and domt feel any change, i dont feel its working at all, if anything i feel tired and extremely unmotivated. i started on 50mg and just upped it to 75mg.

    • Posted

      Hi Kez,

      Since posting this i have changed to Duloxetine 30mg (twice per day). My Dr said he'd seen good results in switching people from Sertraline to Duloxetine if required. I've been on Duloxetine around 10 days now and feeling better all round. I'm not 100% but it defiantly feeks like its helping vs the Sertraline. Duloxetine is a SRNI instead of a SSRI so maybe thats what you need like (i'm hoping i did)

      Let me know if you need anymore info etc

      All the best

  • Posted

    Hi Jody

    Hope you are doing ok? Are you in the UK?

    I need help too....maybe you can advise....i have GAD too....started out the blue from September....i used to be so sociable...always in the bars/restaurants...not anymore...i dont go anywhere apart from work. My anxiety is that bad.

    I am on 100mg of sertraline (day 13) no side effects.

    Are you taking the Duloxetine for severe anxiety? Or Depression?

    And Duloxetine seems to help you? If so, in what way?

    Thanks,

    Vicky x

    • Posted

      Hi Vicky,

      I was moved from originally being on Citalopram for many years for Depression at around Xmas time onto Sertaline for mainly anxiety but also depression too. This didnt work for me at all so after giving it around 2 months plus i moved to Duloxetine around early march and so far so good......

      What i found happened with the sertaline was it seemed to do something the first week / 2 weeks but then i seemed to fall off a cliff so to speak. I had literally the worse time ive ever had with depression / GAD etc.

      From researching ive found Sertaline is a SSRI and Duloxetine is a SNRI. It seems i needed the Norepinephrine (the N in SNRI).

      I am also having CBT Therapy and Hypnotherapy (3 sessions of each in so far) and that seems (crossing my fingers) to be working also in conjunction with the Duloxetine.

      Feel free to ask any Questions Vicky, ill help where i can.

      Jody

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