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How's everybody doing????

Posted , 5 users are following.

clare2729
clare2729

Just wondering how everybody who started around the same time as me (50mg) 20 days ago is getting on?

Despite a couple of not too bad (can't quite say good) days last week when my appetite came back, it's all gone downhill since.

Not sure if part of the problem was that I was increased to 100mg last Tuesday which I took Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday I took the tablets from another box which was marked 100mg take one tablet in the mornings. I went downhill over those days to the point that I got a tremor in my right arm on the Sunday! (Gone now luckily). As I was seeing the physiatrist on Monday I didn't take a tablet on Monday until I had discussed with him the issues I was having. He then said I'd given the bigger dose long enough to see if it would work so he wanted to change the medication

to venlafaxine. I was really reluctant to switch over so soon so I decided to do some research. I wasn't very happy with what I read and it didn't sit right with me when everyone says you have to give it 6-8 weeks!

Anyway this morning I decided I was just going to stick with the 100mg sertraline for at least another 2 weeks. So when I went to take the tablet out of the box this morning it said sertraline 100mg take one in the morning. It wasn't until I went to take the tablet out of the foil packet that I saw it was actually a 50mg tablet, not the 100mg advertised on the box!

This means I took the 100mg Tuesday and Wednesday and then Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday I was taking 50mg. My brain must have gone into overdrive wondering what the hell was going on! So I'm wondering if that caused me to have such a bad reaction with the tremor! Guess we will never no.

The physiatrist although not very happy that I've got my own opinion has now agreed to let me stay on 50mg for at least another week and then look at increasing gradually.

He was only going to give it 8 days at the increased dose before calling it a day and changing the whole medication. As it was I only had 2 days at the increased dose and 4 days back at 50mg because the pharmacy obviously made a mistake and put 50mg tablets in a box which was labelled on the outside box as 100mg. My point is that I don't think the physiatrist let me give it a fair try and was keen to just move on to the next one! These are powerful drugs and so I for one wanted to read as much as I could before putting it into my body. He made some comment about if I'd rather trust dr google than him who had proper medical training then that was fine!

I am wrong or are we supposed to wait 4-8 weeks to see the full benefit of any antidepressants? Obviously if after that time then there is no improvement then of course look into other options.

Despite the fact I'm feeling pretty horrendous on the 50mg sertraline those couple of days last week when I felt okish gave me some hope and so I'd like to stick with it for a bit longer.

Any thoughts?

Clare

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • pam01968
    pam01968 clare2729

    Posted

    Clare I think you are right.it is good to research the medicines and see how they affect other people who have actually taken them than a dr that has never taken them.i have been on setraline since the beginning of October started on 100 mg then in 4 weeks I went up to 150mg and for a week and a day been on 200mg.the dr suggested I change to lexapro but I didn't want to go through changing to another medicine if the increased dose may work so I am trying the 200mg.Good luck to you

  • susan32309
    susan32309 clare2729

    Posted

    Hi Clare - I didn't start at the same time as you but I did start out at the same dose, this was increased by my GP to 100 after around 3 weeks, I only took it for a few days as it made me feel so unwell, I stuck with the 50 mg for 6 months and it worked wonderfully - I did have to increase to 100 mg in December due to SAD but once again the side effects knocked me sideways . . . I'm now on 75 mg which seems to be working well.

    Listen to your body and do what feels right for you - this drug has turned my life around, I hope it works for you too . . . wishing you well :-)

    • clare2729
      clare2729 susan32309

      Posted

      Hi Susan,

      Can you remember how long it took for it to start taking effect?

      I seem to be getting worse every day and I'm struggling to see a way out.

      Clare x

    • susan32309
      susan32309 clare2729

      Posted

      Hi Clare - it's hard to say as I did a switch from Mirtazapine to Sertraline as the mirt was making me pile on the weight.   I think I knew Sertraline was working after around 21 days but as I say I may have had a residue of Mirt in my system too.

      Perhaps you could suggest trying 75 mg?   

      Sue x

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