Posted , 4 users are following.
On 50mg of sert and changing to on lex tomorrow.... I'm dropping to 25ng sert and taking 5mg lex... Has anyone been through this I'm quite scared because it's taken ages for me just to get to 50mg of sert because of how slow I had to go due to side effects 😦
0 likes, 12 replies
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matts4912 Megthegirl
Posted
Hi Meg,
I assume you are changing to lex because sert wasn't working for you? This is often the case, so assuming this is also your case, keep telling yourself that you are doing the right thing. Both are drugs of the same (SSRI) class, so that is going in your favour, you have weened off the sert correctly so as to not risk serotonin syndrome... there is nothing more you can have done. I have gone off/on a number of AD's and each are different, but going from SSRI to another SSRI is FAR easier that an SNRI (Cymbalta etc). I am not going to say there won't be potential start-up issues with the lex (dizziness, headaches and brain fog are the most reported), and maybe a slight worsening of anxiety, but they will be short term and in a majority of cases pass and you will be left feeling good!
Matt
Megthegirl matts4912
Posted
Thanks Matt I'm doing the first change today... So I'm halving my current sert dose and taking 5mg lex... Yes the sert worked for about two weeks and that was it.
I'm seeing a large number of people on here get more success from Lexapro than sert. Thanks so much for the encouragement
ann55375 matts4912
Posted
sertraline was a problem in first three weeks the anxiety was so high and thr nausea too i had to stop. do you thinkmits worth giving lexapro a trial or does it sound like i cant take ssri
matts4912 Megthegirl
Posted
Unfortunately there is no guarantee of what will work, but remember these meds take time to work due to the nature of their mechanism in the brain. Lexapro has worked for many people as you say - it is very potent which can be a good thing where others have not worked. Just remember to give it a fair trial.
matts4912 ann55375
Posted
Ann - the same applies here. Just because one med gave issues, does not mean you cannot tolerate SSRI's. Sertraline gave me really bad tinnitus so I have to come off it, but Citalopram was working for me before that. The worst part of this process is having the patience to try the meds. But I would try another SSRI before going to SNRI or MAOI as they can create more problems should they not work.
Megthegirl matts4912
Posted
Hey Matt... Day two... And I dunno if it's placebo but I can feel a small improvement already do you think it's possible? My friend says it's all in my mind.. But last night had the best sleep. (sert gave me terrible nightmares every single night) and woke up feeling super calm.. Compared to before starting the switch.
matts4912 Megthegirl
Posted
Better sleep is unlikely to be placebo - there is usually a reason. However it is more likely the stopping of the sert than the lexapro. It is too early to attribute the lexapro to feeling better. You will feel the effects of stopping meds a lot quicker than starting them - in most cases. But lets hope it continues!
Megthegirl matts4912
Posted
Think I had a bit of withdrawal last night.. Woke up in a panic, bit shaky, had to run to the loo, couldn't calm down.. But it lasted about 30mins and with meditation and lavender oil I got myself bk to sleep.... OK today but Dr said I can do the change slower so I'm rather cross tapering in quarters from today... I'm sure it was withdrawal from sert but I don't know what that's supposed to feel like...
matts4912 Megthegirl
Posted
Sertraline has a half life of around 26 hours, so this is the point at which the effects would start to kick in from a dose drop, and a 50% drop is quite a lot. The panic is most likely associated with the drop, and if you feel this is going to be a problem, then yes, do to 75% dose and stabalise before going further. It is all about minimising the effects. I dropped from 15 to 10mf of Lexapro almost 3 weeks ago. My withdrawal didn't kick in until after 10 days or so, but I am really in trouble. I was trying to hold off on starting back on Citalopram until the next drop, but I absolutely cannot. These pills are very dangerous and must be done correctly. Keep thinking the way you are and continue the meditation and natural therapy.
Megthegirl matts4912
Posted
Gosh you making me scared!! Even on a quarter drop I'm scared now. You only went down by 5mg and you're dying?
matts4912 Megthegirl
Posted
Sorry Meg - I should say that I am extremely sensitive to medication. I have spent 14 years on anti-depressants, so my brain is not used to making its own serotonin. This was a third drop AND without a supporting drug to make up the difference. It was not the right thing to do. You have a supporting drug, so whilst it will take a few days to kick in, it will not get to the point that I am at the moment. Both of these drugs you are on have similar half-lives so they will balance each other out.
nicola48225 matts4912
Posted
Hi, i know you posted this a few weeks ago but wondered how you had got on with the change. I have just come off the phone to the doctor and we have agreed to do the same as struggling with the nausea that Sert is causing me.
Be good to see what your experience has been so far?