Posted , 34 users are following.
My Sertraline was increased from 150mg to 200mg this morning. I'm not feeling too good at the moment, really anxious, suicidal thoughts. This is the maximum dose. Has this happened to anyone else after increasing the dose ? Please help.
1 like, 55 replies
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Digsby carol39655
Edited
I'm so sorry to hear how bad you are feeling at the moment and how long you are having to wait for the help that you need. The GP needs to listen to you and take you seriously if you are having suicidal thoughts and struggling to come on a day-to-day basis. I suffer recurrent bouts of dark depression and have been monitored by the community crisis response team (e.g. phonecalls, visits) until I was back on an even keel. Have you any support from family & friends at all? Do you think it was the medication that was making a difference to your mental health up until Christmas or have you been trying too hard to cope? You are a very strong person. Please take care of yourself. I hope the local counselling is helpful to you. Perhaps it might be able to put you in contact with others in your position. It makes us feel less isolated to know that other people are fighting the same battle as we are. Don't give up! You will get there. Just be gentle with yourself and find the positive things in life you are thankful for.
Let us know how you are getting on. Big hug :-)
Digsby
xx
carol39655 Digsby
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thanks for your kind words. Depression & anxiety is just the worst thing isn't it? So hard to get better and motivate yourself to do the simplest of tasks. I do have a brother & a couple of close friends for support, but i can't always say how bad I'm feeling as it'd be too distressing for them.
I had a severe bout of depression 20 years ago, but this time it's far worse.
i just hope & pray I'll get better.
the support on here gives me hope & is heartwarming to hear.
carol xx
Digsby carol39655
Edited
I'm glad that you have been able to share your feelings with us online here. I know how difficult it is to hide the truth of just how bad we feel and how dark our thoughts are with those we love most. I've not been able to tell any of my close family members who support & love me, what is going on in my head. However, if you can share a bit of what you are going through safely with them, that will give them an insight. Most important, never imagine that those dark thoughts have any power over you - they are just thoughts. Keep being as positive as you can, one day at a time. You are not alone.
Very best wishes, Digsby x
carol39655 Digsby
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Thankyou so much for your support, my brother and close friends know some of what I'm going through with depression & anxiety, but not my thoughts as they can be a bit scary. I've been referred to Community Mental health team, I'm not sure if they're part of the community crisis Team, but I'm hoping they can offer me some support. I suppose services are different in other areas of the country. I'm in Leeds.
Stay strong digsby,
much love & best wishes,
Carol x
Digsby carol39655
Posted
I'm in East Berkshire and I know the NHS can be a bit of a health lottery. I am under the care of my CMHT (community mental health team) - a psychiatrist sorted out my medication and monitors me every few months. I see a psychologist once a fortnight and have group mindfulness sessions once a week. Fortunately, I don't need contact with the Crisis team any more - I know they are very overstretched as there are a lot of people in crisis behind closed doors. I have resorted to ringing the Samaritans on a couple of occasions when I just needed to voice my feelings so badly to someone who would be patient and listen. The Samaritans also offer an email service if you need to communicate, if the need isn't so urgent for an immediate response. We are good at encouraging others and sometimes need to take our own medicine to soothe our own pain. It might not come naturally but it is known as self-compassion (very different from self-indulgence). I'm learning about it via my therapy. It's a slow process to change the way you look at yourself and the outside world. I think it's the way forward for many people who struggle with depression and anxiety.
Keep me posted on how you get on. Never forget how special & unique you are :-)
Digsby
xx
carol39655 Digsby
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Im seeing The Community Mental Health Team on Weds. I'm hoping I could see a psychiatrist to sort my meds out.
Yes I have rang The Crisis Teams and The Samaritans in times of desperation, particularly during the early hours when I couldn't sleep and had severe anxiety attacks.
Depression is so debilitating, it stops you from having a life.
take care, I'll keep you posted,
Carol xx 😊
PharmaSara carol39655
Posted
I would go back to your doctor about the sertraline. Normally, if one SSRI doesn't seem to be helping, they have the choice of either a) increasing that dose, b) changing to another SSRI or c) combining two different antidepressants, which of course has its problems. Sertraline is quite favourable all round in terms of its side effects and has the advantage of being able to step up the dose in more steps than other similar drugs. I wouldn't have said you need to stay on a particular dose for x amount of time just to get it steady.....if you need 200mg then use 200mg, just expect more side effects at a higher dose potentially.
Suicidal thoughts are known to occur with SSRIs and in particular when the dose is being increased, and your doctor should monitor you every 2-4 weeks anyway after an increase or change, so it's best to discuss this with them. It sounds like you may need to switch SSRI if still no improvement.
Best of luck!
carol39655 PharmaSara
Posted
Thankyou for your support. I've downloaded relaxation techniques which are helpful, but still feel I need more input from Crisis Support Team, which isn't happening. Not once have they offered to come out to me in my crisis when I needed them most, just for reassurance and advice.
My friend refers to Mental Health services as The Cinderella Service as it's always having funding cuts & is bottom of the list in NHS Services.
Maybe if MPs suffered depression & anxiety they'd put more money & services in place.
I really appreciate you're advice, thankyou
carol xx
vikki2303 carol39655
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carol39655 vikki2303
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I'm still on 150mg. I don't feel any better, today has been horrendous so far, I forced myself out to the shops and had a massive panic attack, I thought I was going mad, very scary. I'd been feeling low since I got up, but I think the shops just became too much. I'd be ok if I had someone with me, but my friends are either working or live too far away to help. That's why I was hoping Community Mental health team could help so I can get better again.
its a struggle now for me to leave the house.
how are you feeling Vikki, are the meds working for you ? X
vikki2303 carol39655
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tracey11164 vikki2303
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PatientDoctor carol39655
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I don't believe it's the dosage that's the problem. You've reached the Max dose and it's probably not the dosage or waiting period before increases but the medication in general. Try a new med. There are plenty though, if I had a say in FDA regulations there would be a hell of a lot more but. because of all the white tape and costs behind introducing new meds to the market we're out of luck unless a revolution occurs. At least in the USA. God bless America... right?
Preston89 carol39655
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This happened to me when switching from 100mg to 150mg, along with memory issues and feeling completely out of with brain fog. I couldn't handle it for more than 8 days or so before I reduced back down to 100mg. Only day 4 back on 100mg so far and really struggling with intrusive violent/suicidal thoughts and severe anxiety.
Chick17418 carol39655
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Mine was increased from 100mg to 150, & im worse now than when I started, my anxiety ha been so bad, if it wasn't for the fact I have a family I could easily curl up in a ball & die!!
AnxiousJake Chick17418
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I hope you feel much better than you did at the time of this post, I really do know how you feel about wanting to curl up and die, I feel like this most of the time at present. My family are the ones who get me through and remind me of the love in the world. I've been through it before and got out the other side so please believe you can get through it too. I just want to send you my best wishes and I hope your doing lots better. Jake
MJAlps AnxiousJake
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