Increase in Sertraline from 50mg to 100mg

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone could advise? 😚

I was on 50mg Sertraline for awful anxiety and some depression for a year, probably due to being perimenopausal... the 50mg helped for a little while, but I had more anxiety than not and it got really bad. My GP increased the dose to 100mg 4 weeks ago and I do feel better, probably 70% better and seemed to be improving week by week. I'm just so worried that over the past few days I have plateaued and not feeling 100% yet? is this as good as it's going to get? I know I should be feeling grateful that I do feel better but worried I won't be 100% 🙄. Does it take 6-12 weeks to see more of an improvement on an increase?

I think I'm impatient and frustrated! please advise xxx

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    Please, is there anyone about to advise? xxxx

    • Posted

      Hi Unicorn,

      I have been on sertraline for around 9 weeks now. 4 weeks at 50mg and 5 weeks at 100mg. I was feeling some benefit from the 100mg for a little bit but now I feel really low again due to my relationship ending. Ive been told to give it a good chance to settle but its really hard when your in the thick of it isnt it.

    • Posted

      Hi Robbie! Thank you so much for your reply! I'm so sorry you've been through a break up, it can't be easy bless you.

      I think I'm just being very impatient and want to be 100% , but I'm certainly better than I was weeks ago. I'm just scared of going back down to the bottom again or not getting better xx

    • Posted

      I think you need to hang on in there! give 100mg more time to settle, I would say another 4 - 6 weeks at 100 before making any decisions cause as you say your better then what you were so it might need a little more time to level out. Do you meditate? its brilliant for anxiety and just general life. I use a app called "calm" and "dare" they are brilliant I couldnt recommened them enough

  • Posted

    Hi,

    You have to stick with this. Ive been on 100mg for 3 years and its worked a treat for me. I had virtually no anxiety in those 3 years until recently where i have experienced some really tough life events and i have been on 150mg for 2 weeks. When i first started i came off mirtazapine snd straight onto sertraline and that was tough. It took about 6 weeks to start feeling a lift and then another 6 weeks to where i thought yes i can feel this working. Eventually the hours of feeling at ease turned to days and then weeks. You have to give this drug time and that was key for me. Now yes im having a pretty tough time so decided to up my dosage. I dont really suffer from the depression side just anxiety and the obsessive thoughts it brings. When i first started sertraline 3 years ago i was going through nothing compared to what is going on in my life right now, but firmly believe that sertraline i was on massively helped me and decided to up my dose as i was struggling and noticed the start of the downward spiral. So 2 weeks in of being on 150mg and ive had very little side effects and already feel the benefits, i also have accupuncture once a week as i find this helps me more than any other alternative therapy.

    YOU WILL GET THERE!! You just need to find the correct balance and try to keep active as much as you can. I'm here to help and share my experience with you as i can totally understand everything you are feeling. Just note too and keep this in your mind, you've said that 'you do feel slightly better than you did' to me thats a sign that the drug is starting to help you. It may only be small windows of normality at the moment but its so important to remember that feeling and know that its working. Hang in there and keep in touch!!xx❤❤

    • Posted

      Hi Richard,

      Thank you for your positive post! Im coming up to 10 weeks on sertraline, 4 weeks at 50mg and 6 weeks on 100mg. when did you find your obsessive thoughts stopped? its really draining cause it takes over your days! Also morning anxiety is so bad i wake up really anxious and my mind everywhere. how long did it take for these things to ease for you?

  • Edited

    Awww, thank you Robbie and Richard! I have had anxiety and depression before but have been good for about 11 years on Citalopram... it's always been more anxiety than depression too really. I must say though, I'm doing more things and going out more (before, I was just going to work and nowhere else, I'm a nurse) My partner has been brilliant and supportive and I'm so lucky with that. I think I'm at that worrying stage where I don't want to relapse or I worry that I will become treatment resistant etc. but all in all, I do feel more 'normal' (if that's possible 😁) thank you both from the bottom of my heart ..... and I hope you both keep heading upwards. My friend is a psychiatric nurse and she seems to think that 50mg is a tiny dose that wouldn't really take effect. She thinks that 100mg really should be the starting dose xxxx

  • Posted

    Hi there, feeling a bit up and down today, is this normal after 4 weeks on the increase dose? I'm worried...... xxx

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