Really struggling please help!

Intrusive thoughts are the worse, I also have them. I was on 100 for 7 years and have been on 150 for almost 7 weeks now. It's an up and down ride with these meds. Week 4 was not too bad, week 5 was not good and this week (6) has been very good. It does take time for it to get where we want to be. I would suggest waiting at least another 3 weeks and see if you start to see more good times than bad. Always remember, your thoughts are just thoughts. Accept them for what they are and let them move on.

It's awful as sometimes I tried to be like my old self but by putting that pressure on myself made me feel worse . Would it not be worth stick with the 150 bit longer as each does might take a good 6-8 weeks to settle in just like when you originally started .

Hi,

I know it's hard, however I wouldn't keep upping the dose until at least 6 weeks has elapsed.

It took me 9 weeks to feel the effect.

Let us all know how you're getting on...

I was put up to 200mg for a period of time.  I think if you are feeling this way, it might not be a bad idea.  However, are you in therapy in conjuction with the medication?

When you are this stressed, I think you need to be finding an activity to bring you to peace as an alternative to a medication of any kind.

I take art classes now.  I thought it would be termporary but I think it will always be part of my life now.  The friendly atmosphere in the art gallery is wonderful and when I work on art, I am at peace.  Maybe something you can do like that will help?

I don't understand how we stay on these type of medicines when they make us feel bad with side effects.. Do they really help us or make us worse??

Anglio, I am going through the same as you. Had 3 good years on Citalopram, then it stopped working in June. The GP said she couldn't increase my dose because of my age (late 60s), so she switched me to sertraline 50mg, which was increased to 100mg a month ago. That was raised to 150 after about a week and a half, but the pounding heart was so bad I dropped back down to 100. I've also had the worst depression ever, that horrible butterflies in the tummy feeling, and since last week nausea that got so bad I couldn't eat for days. (The sertraline has suppressed my appetite anyway - I have lost a lot of weight, the only up-side to this nightmare.) I've also had reflux so bad I thought I was having a heart attack. I have also had the waking up in the night sweating with heart pounding.. It's very hard to know what's the anxiety/depression and what's side effects. I wouldn't expect side effects to start 4 weeks in - but maybe they do. My doctor also put me on pregabalin (150mg - can go up to 300mg) for anxiety - worth asking your doctor about this, as it is also a mood enhancer), and zopiclone to help me sleep. They don't like to prescribe zopiclone for more than a week or two at a time, but he says sleep is vital to recovery. Something else to ask your GP about. The trouble is, both of these drugs add to the nausea/reflux. It is so hard getting through all this, but the good news is that my mood seems to be improving at last, so I can cope with the side effects a bit better. When you are at the bottom of the pit with depression and anxiety, the distressing side effects feel 10x worse, and make the anxiety 10x worse - it is a vicious cycle. Like Vanessa45115 says, it is an up and down ride with these meds , and I think sertraline may be particularly difficult and slow to settle. How cruel that something that's supposed to make you feel better makes you feel so much worse to start. I hope your GP can help and reassure you. I finally asked for a referral to a psychiatrist - they know more about these meds than GPs and can help with adjusting them. I'm lucky to know a psychiatrist personally, who's been helpful, but I have an appointment in a month's time with an NHS psych who  I hope will be able to monitor things. Good luck, Anglio - I'm sure there's hope out there for both of us. Please check back in and keep us posted on how you're doing - that way we can all support each other. 

Someone responded to my posting and asked for information and I cannot find their question to respond to.  So, I will just fill in here....

I was on Zoloft (setriline) for over a year and a half.  I got off it gradually and reduced the dose a bit at a time and at the end took 50 mg every other day for about 3 weeks.  I have been having terrible issues with forgetfullness, stress and generally have had feelings of overwhelming sadness.  Several times I have wanted to go back on it, but I have stuck to this choice of mine.

I have been grouchy as well.  Sleeping has been hard and I feel so jumpy and awful.

I don't ever want to go on it again, I think.  I'd rather be a bit depressed than go through this withdrawl.