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Increasing sertraline for 3 months now... still struggling, advice please

Posted , 4 users are following.

tammy1234
tammy1234

Situation:  work pressures, anxiety and sleep issues

Jan 4th GP advised to stop work started sertraline 25mg x 10 days, then 50mg x 5 weeks, 75mg x 12 days and now 100mg x 4 weeks

Anxiety has not resolved, if anything it’s worse- chest tightness all the time 

Heavy fatigue each morning that partially lifts as day progresses.

Sleep light (take Amitriptyline at bedtime)

Overall I feel the situation is not improving and possibly worse.  I push myself to get up, to eat well, to get out etc....used to be social and outgoing - now only feel comfortable with one on one company.....

Yesterday I reduced sertraline to 75mg to see if that’s a better dose.  Gp said we may try another drug....

Can anyone else relate?  I’m at a crossroad.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • brenda53218
    brenda53218 tammy1234

    Posted

    Hi Tammy

    Yes I do relate with the anxiety part. I just started my five weeks so I'm not as far along as you are, but I'm certain there is others that are. I take 50, so am not quite sure if it's the right dosage. Going to give it 2 months to see if anxiety levels out, if not back to doctors office I go. I also get alittle dizzy, and also weird feeling when I stand up. Occasionally I have chest discomfort, not pain,not pressure but just strange, hard to explain. So I hope that you overcome this,and let us know how it goes for you.

    • tammy1234
      tammy1234 brenda53218

      Posted

      Hi Brenda, I have definitely experienced dizziness on getting up in the morning- which has been more so on the 100mg dose.

      I am also experiencing extreme dry mouth and thirst!  I have been drinking water and herbal tea non stop with no relief.   Dehydration can cause dizziness- increase your fluid to see if that helps.

      Best of luck xx

    • brenda53218
      brenda53218 tammy1234

      Posted

      Thanks Tammy,

      Will increase fluid intake. I forgot to mention that I too have terrible dry mouth. Will this ever end for us. All I can say is we better get a big pay off as too feeling like our old self's again. We really deserve it for all the side affects we've been through. Best of luck to you also.🙂

    • tammy1234
      tammy1234 brenda53218

      Posted

      Brenda, did you have any physical sensations in your chest prior to starting sertraline?

      I know I did before treatment (sertraline), I learned it was from shallow breathing and holding muscles tight when anxious - the chest then feels tight with pressure.  This would come and go for me before sertraline.  

      Now it’s there all the time and like you say it’s a strange sensation- it may intensify or less but never lifts and I really think it’s partly the sertraline.

      I’d be interested in your experience...

    • brenda53218
      brenda53218 tammy1234

      Posted

      Tammy, yes I did have it before, I just thought maybe it was some kind of allergy, but the more I think about it the more I realize that it might have been anxiety. As too now while on zoloft it feels like sometimes it comes on strong,usually after 2 or 3 hours after taking my pill. So I slowly am thinking that yes it's the zoloft. It does seem to be decreasing as time goes by,so the zoloft must be getting into my system more. Hoping that I answered your question, sometimes I can ramble on without fully answering questions.

    • tammy1234
      tammy1234 brenda53218

      Posted

      Yes you answered my question perfectly.  I’ve reduced the dose back to 75 since I was at 50 x 5 weeks then 75 for 12 days before jumping to 100mg and stayed x 4 weeks.

      I think the chest sensation and the morning fatigue got worse on 100mg.

      Back to 75mg to test..... 

      wish there was an easy recipe...oh well one day at a time...

  • brenda80266
    brenda80266 tammy1234

    Posted

    Hi Tammy I was on sertraline for 8months going to 200 mg did absaloutly nothing for me apart from cause awful side effects now on Prozac since December and feel as though I’m through the worst I had no problem changing over did it over 5 days then slowly increased Prozac to 60mg  the only thing that holds back my recovery I suffer with Graves’ disease and my levels have gone back up seeing encronologist week Monday this will be the 4th time I relapsed in 7 years good luck xx
    • tammy1234
      tammy1234 brenda80266

      Posted

      Thanks so much for sharing your experience Brenda!  Were you on sertraline for anxiety?  My gut tells me this is not the right drug.  I too have had thyroid issues but that has leveled out.

      A lot of my angst is about uncertainly.  I resigned from my job and now not sure of next step.  No mood issues just anxiety and sleep.

      I think I’ll wean from sertraline and discuss new treatment with GP.  Nice to know you switched over with no serious struggle.  

      Take care xx

  • brenda80266
    brenda80266 tammy1234

    Posted

    Well when I was at the pharmacy the chemist told me they were trying to get people off it I was on Prozac years ago with good results I wished I’d gone straight back on them feel as though I have lost a year of my life I suffer a lot with health anxiety but Tammy I would also get your thyroid levels checked best of luck keep us informed of your progress xx
  • gabrielle34731
    gabrielle34731 tammy1234

    Posted

    Hi Tammy. I've been on a similar journey since January, except I went to 125mg and then 150mg. I'm 2 1/2 weeks into the 150mg and am starting to feel an improvement. My mental health nurse said most patients she works with need to be at 150mg before the anxiety resolves. I was hesitant as I've had every side effect going but I am beginning to see and feel glimpses of the old, normal me. I really hope its onwards and upwards from here! It's a notoriously slow acting drug. Don't give up hope xxx

    • tammy1234
      tammy1234 gabrielle34731

      Posted

      Hi Gabrielle,

      I could appreciate adjusting the drug and titrating up if things were improving but just not quite enough.  So your situation sounds like increasing is the right action.

      I really haven’t seen any sustained improvement in my case and quite honestly it seems worse.  I’m willing to reduce and stay longer (another month) at a reduced dose to see if there’s any benefit, if not will wean off.

      All the best xx

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