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Sertraline works! Don't give up.

Posted , 13 users are following.

Giggity
Giggity

I've seen so many posts about sertraline and how after 5 days it isn't working, the panic has increased, depression is worse, on and on. You've all seen these posts too.

I'm here to tell you not to give up. There seems to be an overwhelming amount of people that think after 2 weeks on 25mg they will be cured. People thinking that after 8 weeks on 50mg nothing is improving. Why is this? Because your dose is too low! You need to stop being afraid to increase your dose and follow the recommended increases of 25mg every 2 weeks. The therapeutic dosage of sertraline is 150-200mg plus or minus. So if after 7 weeks on 25mg you don't feel better it's because your dose is too low! Stay on the program and it will work.

It wasn't until I was on 100mg for a full week that I woke up without morning anxiety for the first time in months. I missed almost 50% of my shifts at work and had a hospital trip in the previous 8 weeks, because my dose was too low!

Stay on it. Don't give up because of side effects, they go away, and in reality half the side effects you feel you already had before starting sertraline.

It works. Don't stop.

Good luck everyone! smile

5 likes, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • mauiblue
    mauiblue Giggity

    Posted

    i have a question for you, because you are very optomistic and that helps me stay with it.

    I just started 25 mg of zoloft, but i have menopausal depression. Im wondering if this is going to help it or make menopause worse...

    will be posting something on this soon.

    thanks for your positive support on this Giggity

     

    • Giggity
      Giggity mauiblue

      Posted

      Unfortunately I have no menopause experience to go on. I'm a guy so I don't want to presume anything. I do know my mom went through all that and she made out ok just using Ativan.

  • andrea12064
    andrea12064 Giggity

    Posted

    Thank you for this. I guess I needed it. But I'm still not sure where I'll find the strength to keep feeling this way for weeks. I was actually feeling pretty good before starting sertraline so I just want my life back.

  • husam
    husam Giggity

    Posted

    You’re a beast Giggity, thanks for the warm encouragement!
  • jeffrey89726
    jeffrey89726 Giggity

    Posted

    I just like to say that i have been on sertraline for 6 days at 50mg and my anxiety is greatly improved so it is beginning to work thank god jeff
    • Giggity
      Giggity jeffrey89726

      Posted

      Just a word of caution, and I hope this doesn't happen to you, but after 2.5 weeks at 50mgs I had a major panic attack that I went to the hospital for.

      Stay optimistic, but also realize that it's still early in your treatment and things can change. Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones and 50mg is all you ever need.

  • Hoopz
    Hoopz Giggity

    Posted

    I agree 100%. My turning point was 150mg. I went through hell until I reached this dose. Please please keep increasing if doc tells you to..you will be so glad you did when you reach your magic dose.

    Anxiety panic attacks depression and side effects of sert all combine to make you feel like a piece of sh?t but slowly you will feel better...it is a very slow slow progress sometimes but it will be worth it.

    Keep reading ..drink loads of water and also worth getting your vit D levels checked.

    Good luck to all who read this

    🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄

    • helen18315
      helen18315 Hoopz

      Posted

      Hello. Please could you let me know how many weeks it took you to get to 150 mg? The fact that I am having some side effects suggests that if it having some effect on me albeit bad effects, dare I hope that it will turn into a positive effect eventually?
    • Hoopz
      Hoopz helen18315

      Posted

      Everyone is different. I have had anxiety for years but I did not recognise it. Big family..working nights for 20 years..not enough sleep..etc. I began having panic attacks and palpitations. I still thought I had a virus because I thought I was a strong person and I seriously knew nothing about panic attacks and anxiety. Anyway eventually I listened to the doctor and started on 25mg of sert in December. It has taken me 5 months to reach 150mg I have gone up in 25mg stages and felt awful most of the time. I have been off work since Dec. But we are all different and I had burn out ..my body had had enough ..hence the panic attacks. I do not suffer from depression or OCD.

      I was exhausted beyond belief. But as I said we are all very different ..maybe age is a factor to how much we need..I don't know..I'm 62..female..I now take vit D as well as sert as my levels were low and I'm feeling 90% my old self.

      I am going back to work in 2 weeks..not looking forward to it I must say lol

      Good luck

      🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄

    • dylan78236
      dylan78236 Hoopz

      Posted

      Glad youve found some stability. I havent worked since last April. Its been hard sitting around for so long. 
    • helen18315
      helen18315 Hoopz

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. I really hope it doesn't take me 5 months to get to my ideal dose. I'm do glad I joined this discussion with people just like me.

  • dylan78236
    dylan78236 Giggity

    Posted

    Im not comfortable taking a dose of 150mg or more without a real diagnosis. 

    If i had clinical depression sure id be more willing, but my quack doctor hasnt given me any real answers. 

    As far as im concerned I have mild depression and moderate anxiety. Why would I take the same dose as someone with major depression?

    I agree its about finding the magic dose but telling someone to go up because YOU take 150mg is silly. Let us find our own way. And youre right we should be afraid to up the dose slowly. But if you dont have major depression you shouldnt be going too high. 

    • Giggity
      Giggity dylan78236

      Posted

      You have to find the dose that is right for you. Obviously if you are ok at a lower dose then stay there. I'm simply pointing out that people give up too early at too low of dose because they feel like it isn't working. This drug needs time to work and it needs to be at a high enough dosage to be effective. So many people give up after a week or two because they don't get instant relief. So yes, find your own way there, but don't give up.

  • andrea12064
    andrea12064 Giggity

    Posted

    Is there any indication of what dose a person might need? Maybe body weight, severity of mental illness, age.. anything? Or is it just guess and check?
    • Giggity
      Giggity andrea12064

      Posted

      I don't believe it can be determined with those criteria. It's a chemical imbalance in your brain.

    • andrea12064
      andrea12064 Giggity

      Posted

      Wouldn't the severity of the illness depend on the amount of imbalance in the brain? I don't know, I'm just guessing.

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