Sertaline Help! When will I start to feel better?!

Thanks MJAlps. Yes I didn't want the extra side effects so decided to go up 25mg. I see my doctor next Wednesday so see what she says. I've only been on 100mg for 9days now, it'll be 2weeks by time I see doctor do you think that's to soon to up the dose? How you finding it? X

I finally feel 100x better after seeing my Dr and going to 175 + 0.5 2x day Klonopin. I was a bit better at 150 Sertraline but not great. Unfortunately I don't know what is working the best because I started both at the same time, but it is lifechanging. Klonopin will only be for 2 months because it's not a long term solution and we'll see what happens then. Before this last baby I was at 100mg and doing OK. Dr says postpartum makes anxiety much worse which is why I needed to get to 175 + Klonopin. 1 wk per 25mg is a good rate to updose. 

Check out this article if you haven't seen it, namely Part 1: Start Low, Go Slow, Aim High, Be Patient

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/theraputic-dose-562831

Hi Dom, thanks for your reply. I've had abit of a better day today. Had abit of anxiety this morning and abit afternoon but ok. It's been 9days on the increase of 100mg so got a few more weeks to go yet. Been really tired too, did you experience this? How you getting on? X

Hi Michelle, I'm glad to hear you've had a better day. The length of time it takes for people to feel over the worst of the side effects varies quite a lot, so it may go quicker for you. Whatever happens, you'll definitely see improvements as time goes on. I also found that sometimes I'd have a few good days, and suddenly have a few bad days again, so don't get disheartened if things seem to go up and down for a while. Over time it will get better, I promise! I did have the tiredness too. I think I noticed the tiredness get better before the anxiety had really faded. Mornings were always much worse for me in terms of anxiety and it would last until at least lunchtime, and sometimes even until early evening.

I'm doing quite well thanks. I'm only on 50mg though and considering going up to at least 75. I'm definitely doing better than before I was ln the meds, and the side effects are more or less gone, but I'm still having a hard time emotionally. It's partly because my life has been very turbulent and unstable for a year now, and I'm still tackling some deep and painful issues in therapy, so I think I may need a bit more of a helping hand from the Sertraline!

I hope you're feeling OK this evening and you have a good weekend x

Hi Dom, thanks for your reply and your encouragement means a lot.

Glad your doing well. I felt anxious when I woke up this morning but feel alittle better now, I too I'm going through stress in my life so I don't think that helps the situation either. Trying to keep positive but it's difficult.

I've been on 100mg for 10days now, see my doctor on Wednesday x

Hi Michelle, you're welcome, it's no problem at all. I know how hard the adjustment period to Sertraline can be and I know it helped me a lot to hear from people who had been through the same thing. I'm gad the anxiety wore off a bit as the day went on. I agree that it's difficult to stay positive. I just had to remind myself over and over that it was temporary and would get better - even though at times it felt like my anxiety was going to last forever. As it's been 10 days since your increase then hopegully things will son start improving noticeably. Just hang in there for now and trust that there will be light at the end of the tunnel - no matter how dark it seems sometimes.

I've had a tough day today, but I'm glad I've made it through. I hope the rest of your day was OK. I hope all goes well with the doctor next week too. Take care x

Hi Dom, sorry you've had a rough day today. Glad you got through it. Today actually turned out ok, had a good day in the end. Went out to the shops with my mum then stayed at hers for tea and then we watched a film there with the kids. Which they enjoyed as did I and the anxiety wasn't there and I was relaxed. I know I'll still get bad days too but happy I got my first 'ok' day! Where abouts you from Dom? Hope your evening has been ok? x

Hi Michelle, I'm so glad you had a nice day and had some time wihthout anxiety. It's really lovely when that happens. It can be up and down for a while, but you can remind yourself of that good time if another rough patch hits. I live in Milton Keynes in the UK. It's a long story why I'm here, but it's now where I'd be if it wasn't for a complicated chain of events last year. I have my 4-year-old son this weekend - I'm divorced from his Mum and I have him every other weekend (at least). That's not why I had a bad day by the way, the bad day was due to high anxiety which is due to my tackling am extremely difficult situation with my Mum. It's something I need to do but I've been so scared, but I'm glad I'm finally standing up for myself. Where abouts are you Michelle? Well, I'm worn out tonight and my son will be up super early so I'd better get to bed. Night night x

That should say 'it's *not where I'd be ....' rather than 'it's now where ....'

I can't see how to edit a post!

Yes I'm glad too, I know it will still be up and down for a while yet but it's progress and it's definitely made me feel abit more positive. I live in the uk near Chester. I'm sorry to hear your situation but at least you still get to see your son which is the main thing. I'm sorry to hear about your troubles with your mum too. If you want to chat I'm happy to listen. It doesn't help when we have extra stresses in our life whilst dealing with our illness too. My husband left me on New Year's Eve, told me he was unhappy and miserable and wasn't helping that I was ill too. Me and the kids haven't seen him since, he works away, he was supposed to come down the weekend to see the kids but he texted on the Friday to say he was busy in work so couldn't make it. Anyway hope you sleep ok and have a better day tomorrow. Night night x

Hi Michelle, I had a busy day as I had my son until dinner time and then had lots of housework to do, so I'm only just sitting down for the evening. I'm not looking forward to work tomorrow! I'm still feeling a bit anxious but better than yesterday. I'm really tired right now but I've been struggling to get quality sleep. I hope I sleep well tonight.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband, that must have been so hard. How many children do you have? My ex and I split up just over 3 years ago. It's been very hard to be aparet from my son but I am now coping with it better than I used to. I suffer with a lot of guilt as I feel that I've let my son down as I haven't been able to give him a 'normal' family life. Although I know that it was the right decisio for my ex-wife and I to split up, and it wouldn't have been good for my son to have 2 unhappy parents who stayed together just for him.

How was your day? I hope your doing OK and you've had some to relax this weekend. Take care and hope you sleep well x

Hi Dom, glad you had a nice day with your son and you felt abit better today too. Don't be hard on yourself, like you said it is better that you have 2 happy parents that aren't together then 2 unhappy parents together. I've got 2 children. 10year old daughter and 5year old son, they don't know anything yet as their dad works away anyway so just trying to keep it normal for them. It's been difficult because I've been dealing with my illness too but getting there.

I'm in work tomorrow too. It's hard going isn't it? Day has been ok, woke up anxious and had abit of anxiety today but ok. I'm still very tired. You not been sleeping very well? x

Hi Michelle, thanks for the kind words about the situation with my son. It must be really hard to have to deal with the break up whilst also having being ill.

Work is definitely hard going. I've particularly struggled with energy levels so far this year. I've felt exhausted today as I slept quite badly and had nightmares. I have been having periods of sleeping quite badly. It's partly struggling with things going round and round in my head, and situations seem much worse at night. I need to get back to mediation and mindfulness as that really helps with a busy mind but I've got completely out of the practice of doing it.

I hope your Monday has been OK and you've had a good evening. Take care x

Hi Michelle, for some reason the alert about your message didn't come into my main inbox, so I've only just seen this.

I'm not too bad. I have been struiggling a little bit though. I've got a lot going on, so it's expected in a way, but it's hard to judge how much of the struggle is the depression, or what a 'normal' baseline is. I've been considering whether to increase the dose, but I am concerned with having to deal with the worsened side effects for a few weeks if I do increase my dose. I'll think about it a bit more. I am still going to work. It's been hard to find the energy to get in sometimes, but work does give me some stability in my life right now, which I probably need as a lot of other things are up in the air.

How are things going with you? Is the anxiety any better? Take care x

Hi Dom, no worries. Sorry you've not been feeling good lately, maybe it is a combination of things. What dose you currently on? I've been on 100mg for about 3/4weeks now and I'm starting to feel abit better. The last week I was abit flat and I had feeling of nausea a few days but that soon passed and the side effects are no were near as bad as they are when you first start. I had a good 5/7days then dipped again but I know will still be up and down abit but anxiety has settled so much, I very rarely suffer now just odd days which is great, just my mood that is abit low but that could be to do with my separation too. I hope your doing ok? When do you see your doctor again? X