When do you know if Sertraline isn't the right medication? 9 weeks, still having severe anxiety.

Posted , 6 users are following.

I've been on Sertraline for about 9 weeks now and I'm still struggling with chronic daily anxiety in the form of uncontrollable worry about the anxiety, intrusive/obsessive thoughts, etc. 

I've also been having issues with OCD-like symptoms that have caused me to repeat my thoughts and things that other people say, in my head. Constant internal dialogue that I have to silently vocalize.

I was on 25mg for a week, 50mg for 4 weeks, 100mg for 2 weeks, and then tried to increase to 150mg for about 8 days but couldn't handle it because it seemed to have worsened my memory issues/brain fog to the point that I couldn't function and was having horrid anxiety over it. 

At what point do I decide that Sertraline just isn't the right medication for me? Should it have kicked in by now and have helped get me out of this constant fight or flight and all of the crazy mental symptoms?

Been back on 100mg for about 4 days now.

2 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    I would say you havent given the 100mg enough time to get working I myself have been on 100mg for 5 weeks it can take 6 to 8 weeks or more for a increased dose to take effect . hope this helps 
  • Posted

    Hi preston

    I have been on 100mg for 6 weeks but whilst on these i am gone yo recovery college once a week for anxiety helped me alot to understand and cope wiv everyday life...

    Give it a go NHS Recovery College

    Good luck and keep doing wat ur doing x

  • Posted

    Each patient is different in the the ways the drug interacts. I tried for 2 weeks to get used to 50mg but could not hack it, yet I know a few who can handle larger doses. I told my doc to either try something else or to take me off of it. If you are not happy with the results discuss it; after all it is your own body. Hope this helps.
  • Posted

    My GP told me it takes at least 3 weeks for your body to adapt to each dosage increase.My advice from personal experience would be to give it another month. Have been on 150mg for 2+ weeks & just starting to notice the benefits. Might even go up to 200. I've also started a course of cbt. Good luck & try & stay strong. So many people suffer from this horrible depressive illness. 

  • Posted

    Hi I've been on sertraline 50mg for 2 weeks and 100mg 6 weeks, I'm definatley seeing an improvement , don't get me wrong I still have periods of anxiety but even subtle changes can show there working, I would give them a bit longer

  • Posted

    I would give it some time, since on zoloft or sertraline i've had increased anxiety and the doctors told me to give it some time but i felt on edge so my therapist suggested some home remedies like aroma therapy and things like that ( or yoga to clear my mind) and it has helped. For you i would wait until about 3-4 weeks and see how bad the anxiety is. My therapist also suggested of making a chart and use a 1-10 severe method (writing down how bad it was that day from 1-10 scale) and then you can really see how its affecting you and what to do about it and to show your doctor and be like "hey this isn't helping my anxiety, just look at this number chart i made". Hope it works in the end! 

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