upped the dose but feeling worse

Posted , 5 users are following.

I started from 20m in Dec 2015 and felt better but wanted to feel 100% and asked gp to up the dose. 1 month on 30m still was not feeling well so again a month later i was put on 40m (almost 2 weeks now) but i feel my anxiety has come back. Can u help me if higher dose could have adverse effect?

Should i go back on 20? On 20 my anxiety was low to nothing but still little depressed. Has anyone heard that higher dose could worsen the symptoms?😕😕

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Ferim. I am told that this can take awhile before u see any benefits of taking these meds. I have just gone up to 30 mg's roughly 10 days ago and i'm feeling a lot of diff side effects. But I'm gonna stick it out. Some ppl see results in weeks and others in months. So dont let urself get too down. U will feel better!!!!
    • Posted

      Thanx John. I have also heard that. But u know with this illness u always think of the worst case which for me is"what if i dont get recovered?".
    • Posted

      U will Ferim. You just have to beleive. In my darkest times I exercise. It does help. I try to also eat the right foods. And I read quite a bit. I know with time that I'll get better. Take it one day at a time
  • Posted

    Hi Ferim

    This medicine doesn't work like that unfortunately, so increasing your dose doesn't mean you'll feel better any quicker.  There is no quick fix.  Whatever dose you're on it will be a long slow process.  You can't hurry recovery along - it'll happen in its own time.

    Recovery often comes in waves, so what you felt at the beginning is typical of this.  You start feeling better only to find you'll sink back again and feel like you're at the beginning.  Each dose increase will also give you side effects again and this needs time to settle.

    You may well recover on 20mg.  This medicine works really, really slowly and for some people it can take 6 months before they start noticing them working, for other it can be longer and for some lucky few, much quicker.  You should stick with one dose only for many, many months before you can see if this dose is suitable for you.  If you increase the meds you'll experience side effects again and you then have to stay on that dose again for many months before knowing if this dose is suitable.  Many people struggle on 40mg, which is the maximum dose.

    I recovered on 20mg and it took me 6 months.

    Along the recovery path you'll start to feel well and then find yourself back at the beginning.  This will repeat itself over and over until it all settles down and you feel well continuously.  It can be a struggle and you may feel the meds aren't working, but they will be.  Recovery is often hard to notice because that's how slow it is.

    If you decide to go reduce your meds you will have to do it really, really slowly, because a sudden drop in a dose can make you feel very ill.  If reducing them then I'd suggest doing it by 5mg for 2 weeks each time.

    Many doctors don't seem to inform their patients of this information, and happily increase doses too quick without waiting to see if a lower dose would work first.

    Its a long slow process to recovery, but they do work.  You just have to be very patient.

    Hope that helps xxx

  • Posted

    hiya, I'm afraid you didn't give the 30 long enough to do its thing, you get side effects that'll make you feel worse for a while but you need to give it months not weeks (which is soo hard)  xxx you have in effect doubled your dose in a month which is why you feel so bad xxx 
  • Posted

    Hi Ferim,

    I don't think a higher dosage will be effective without additional side effects. Please talk to your doctor about this. Hang in there. It will get beter. I'll be praying for you.

    Kirk  :-)

    • Posted

      Thanks so much Kirk. Iam really happy that i am in this forum. I need everyone's prayer.

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