Increase dose? Side effects? Need reccomendations and info!

Thank you for your response. Yes the increase worries me. I think I have made it worse anticipating it will be as bad as starting. Why not just do 75mg daily? Thanks again for your help!

Holly, of course you could do 75mg daily! Here in the States, then you'd need to get 50mg pills and 25mg pills. For cost purposes you can just get 100mg pills and then take a 100mg pill on Day 1 and then break a 100mg pill in half (50mg) and take it the next day. That way, you don’t have to get 50mg pills and 25mg pills. I don’t know if they have 75mg pills – not to my knowledge. To me, 100mg pills give the most flexibility in managing doses.

Are you in the US? I am. I took an additional 25mg today and could feel the side effects. I had some episodes of claminess and hot, nausea like I could be sick, no appetite and just feeling yuck. I was thinking I don't know about this! I hope it doesn't last too long.... So tired of fighting this awful illness. I have taken sertraline on and off most of my life and have always managed to be okay on 50mg. It just doesnt seem to be doing it this time. That is why I have been holding out on the 50mg for so long and also don't want to face the side effects again. Thanks for your advice and words of encouragement....

Yes, Holly, I’m in the States. West Coast. I’m sorry you’re feeling the increased side effects from the increased dosage, but I hope it’s not too intense and I hope it goes away soon. Perhaps I was thinking of my own experience. I too have been on/off this med for about 2 decades. I first started on the brand name Zoloft when it first came out. 50mg is actually a very low dose. I am currently on 100mg and restarted in on Nov 19 from another relapse. I hope someday to get down to 50mg maintenance dose. Have you been more stressed late? Has something changed? Did something major happening in your life lately?

Morning,

I am in Arizona so sounds like we are pretty close to each other perhaps. Yes I as well started on the brand name Zoloft in the early 90's, I did have a a medical issue and was very ill for a few months starting last summer. During that episode they took me off of the sertraline trying to rule it out. Cold turkey no less! I then tried lexapro and it was an even worse experience. I then restarted sertraline a couple months later.I had My gallbladder removed after it was finally diagnosed. Was a long few months of being very ill and lots of weight loss. I really think my body was put through the ringer physically and mentally and I am having a hard time getting stable. Do you usually take 100mg when you are on it?

You sound exactly me. I was feeling so good the 5 or 6 years prior to this episode and I would forget to take my med too. This is just awful. I feel so sick this morning. Now I am thinking how am I going to work feeling this ill. Can't win I tell ya. I actually live right outside of Phoenix. I am about 35-40 minutes from Sky Harbor airport. I hope you enjoy yourself. I just feel like vomiting today. Do you generally get awful side effects when you have restarted?

Yep, I’ve vomited every single time I’ve gotten back on this med. I think I know all the side effects, but it doesn’t make experiencing them any easier, and each time I get a couple of new side effects. At this point, I can safely say I’ve had quite possibly any side effect one could have on this med. LOL. I would suggest you don’t go to work today. That’s what being gentle with yourself means. If you can afford to, take some time off. This last time was especially bad because I also had terrible diarrhea so it felt like I was vomiting from both ends.

Not only do I get these horrible side effects every time I restart, what’s even scarier for me is the fear that this time around it won’t work like it once did. Or that I’d have to increase my dose, which I did this time around, too. I went up to 150mg and stayed there for 2 weeks but it made me numb and catatonic. I was like a football player – I could turn my neck because it was just that stiff! I had to rotate my body. So I went back down to 100mg.

This is my goal now: Take med every day. Try not to get HALTS (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, Stressed). Eat well and exercise (these 2 I’m not doing yet). I plan to walk once my plantar fasciitis gets better (almost done with PT), and eat more whole grains and veggies. I did cut out chai lattes. And I try to get more rest and not overtaxed myself with too many activities when I am well.

Yes starting this time was really bad for me. Vomiting etc. I never had that the previous times. It may have been due to the gallbladder and sensitive stomach I was already having. I just don't recall it being so rough starting it the previous times. I imagine you must get the horrid increased anxiety as well then too? It is just a shame we have to have this illness and take medicine that makes you so sick on top of it all. Just not fair!

Holly, you’ve been lucky in previous times. Each time I restart this med it’s bad. But I have a feeling my condition is much more severe than yours, but not that we should compare. I have had many times when I just wanted the good Lord to take me home in my sleep. It is a shame that we have to go through this. You’re right, it is not fair at all. But then I think about all those folks suffering from cancer, young kids and people younger than me dying from cancer and/or suffering all sorts of horrible illnesses, and then I am grateful I am still here and if this is my only cross to bear then I should be so lucky. I choose to look on the brighter side of things. But this illness has made me a much better person. It molded me into a person I never thought I could be, full of love and compassion. Hang in there and try to stay positive! You were well before, you will get there again. This is just a blip of a relapse and you will learn from this to take better care of yourself.

Not going so well this afternoon. Very dizzy and sick. Actually vomited. Not sure how I can do this and go to work tomorrow...... Feel stuck! Miserable.

Holly, take some time off. Maybe even a day or two. Your health is more important than any job. 

Holly, I forgot to add - it would help with nausea and vomitting if you eat bread to pad your stomach before taking the med.

Yes. I always take it after I eat. Never on an empty stomach. Managed to make it through 10 hours of work today, I didn't feel great a lot of it but I made it!

Holly, that's wonderful! I am happy for you. Small victories, a bit each day. Ten hour day, you are my hero. But please remember you need lots of rest, so go relax, chill. Eat and sleep. 

Just ate and ready for sleep! You coming to AZ tomorrow??

Yes I am. From SoCal. Tomorrow I will finish packing. Only 4 days. We drove there last year. Have a good night. This med tires me out a lot, and I am convinced that sleep is as important if not more so than food and exercise. You should pat yourself on the back. You did good today. Do a little something nice this evening for yourself, something that will bring a smile to your face. Xx

Have a safe trip. I work almost that many hours every day - 5 days a week. Been back to work since Jan. 3rd. I hope you enjoy your time in AZ. Very windy right now and is suppose to rain tonight I believe.