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Someone please help me out!!

Posted , 4 users are following.

josh94116
josh94116

Hello. I hope someone out here can help me out a little bit I have battled severe anxiety and OCD all of my life and about 50 days ago my doctor started me on sertraline. Started out on 25 milligrams and gradually work myself up to 200 milligrams and which I have been on for the last week. It seems like there for a while when I was on the 100 milligrams I started to feel somewhat normal again and soon after that faded so the doctor upped my dosage to 150 milligrams which didn't seem to help after two to three weeks and now I've been on the 200 as I stated before for approximately a week I just feel like after being on the medication in general for 50 days now that I should be feeling better and I'm not. I'm not saying that I don't feel any better than I did before I started taking the medication because I do feel a little better but not near as good as I would like to feel if someone out there can educate me a little bit and possibly make me feel a little bit better I would greatly appreciate it like I said I've only been on the 200 milligrams now for a week so don't know if I need to give that more time or just give up this medication. Thanks again to anyone who read this and again please someone give me some advice

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • maureen75524
    maureen75524 josh94116

    Posted

    Josh  i would give the 200 another week or so, if you're not feeling any better, consult your dr..   I was on sert. for 9 months, it did not work for me, too many side effects.  I was at 150 mg. suffered insomnia, you name it.   My pharmacist advised if I was suffering from insomnia the dose was probably too high.   I decreased and have been sert free for 2 years.   YOu say you were feeling some positive effects on 100 mg.  It could be this is not the med. for you.   it's so individual, and a trial and error situation.   My friend is on cymbalta for depression and it was effective immediately..   I was on sertraline for seasonal affective disorder, but as I said never felt well on it.   Sorry I'm not more of a help, however maybe others will come forth with more info for you.  Do you have a pharmacist you can consult?  I find they are more knowledgable regarding drugs.

    Take care.

     

  • Tezes
    Tezes josh94116

    Posted

    You see to have increased to the max dose over a relatively short time.

    i was on 50mg for two and a half years. I resisted the urge to increase the dose as 50 took the edge off and I could manage. It takes a long time to work I found and I would say prob up to six months before my mind and body properly adjusted. It's not a quick fix I'm afraid although everybody reacts differently and at a different rate.

    if it were me I would reduce down to 100 and give it more time, if after a couple of months it's not reliving your symptoms I would speak to whoever put you on it and work out a plan to change (this needs careful handling as does tapering off these drugs). If you do decide to reduce back down do it slowly over a couple of months.

    i would also say that therapy such as counselling alongside the meds is recommended rather than using the drug in isolation. I agree that pharmacists are more knowledgeable about the effects of these drugs than GP's who generally advise a far too fast taper, they are also IMO too quick to increase the dosage,

    good id luck however you decide to tackle this

  • angie10240
    angie10240 josh94116

    Posted

    Hi Josh,

    I started on Sertraline 50mg last October. I was on them for a few weeks, then I went up to 100mg this year. I haven't had any for about 5 days, but that was because I ran out and my chemist messed up my repeat prescription. Have you tried making an appt with ur doctor to get you referred to see a psychologist? I'm on the waiting list. I don't want to be taking anti-depressants for the rest of my life. Hope you get everything sorted soon, but it is worth speaking to ur doctor. I've asked for one to one counselling. I tried group therapy but it wasn't for me!

    • josh94116
      josh94116 angie10240

      Posted

      Thanks Angie 10240! I've been feeling a lot better here lately.... I dropped back down from 200 to 150 a few days ago and I think that's what I needed....i used to have to take Ativan pretty well on a daily basis just to cope with the extreme anxiety and OCD but it seems like these last few days I haven't really needed one . I'm sure I'm still going to have a few bad days here and there so I agree I do think maybe seeing a psychiatrist as well could probably be beneficial to me. Crazy it took 2 months just to start feeling some relief just glad I'm starting to feel better. How long did it take for you? Just curious
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