Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[dazned]

You can always drop it back down if you feel like it's becoming worse after a couple of days. I do empathize Ive been there took a couple of attempts to the find the right one for me.

[Justjules]

I just can't see that taking more will make it better and not much worse!  I have to be able to come to work so can't afford the luxury I had of last week and just sitting on sofa all day fretting in a state of agitation.  The other thing I am worried about is staying on them for another few weeks and them still not working then trying to come off them and getting bloomin withdrawals symptoms.  I remember trying Prozac many years ago when they were the prescribed drug of choice and feeling really ill with them and I'm a bit of a pill phobic at the best of times. 

[dazned]

Maybe try at weekend. Failing that what is your next plan of action ? 

[Justjules]

Well got to go back to GP for update end of next week so see what she has to say.  Probably hasn't been helped by hearing such horror stories of Sertraline side affects and seems more people have problems on them than most others.

[coldethyl]

JJ I don't think more people have bad effects on it than any other drug . It's just you asked and people replied. I imagine the same would be true for any of the ADs. My friend piled 5 st on on mitrazapine , another's BP went high on venafalexine , my mum hallucinated on Faverin and so on. It's all a case of trial and error. If you feel that they are making you more anxious then maybe you do need to try something else as you are really on a non therapeutic dose as you are - 50mg is the normal starting dose.  Prozac is usually better for depression than anxiety so they wouldn't prescribe them if anxiety is main issue.
If you are having to take Valium just to cope with the side effects I'd be inclined to see GP and discuss alternatives. It may be they will want you to keep at it, but you need to tell them what you are telling us.

[Justjules]

Coldethyl, checked on a couple of other health forums and it seems that Sertraline is a particular bad one for side affects but they all say stick on it and once the first two weeks are over, things might ease but some have taken up to five weeks, it all seems to vary person to person.  I think I am just frightened of what these drugs are doing and how safe they are to take, as I never felt like this with Citalopram.  I have also read that it is far better to start on the tiny dose and work up rather than go straight in on the 50mg dose.  It makes sense that if you have to slowly wean off these drugs, then surely you should slowly introduce them into your system?  I've had anxiety spells for years and this is the worst I think I have felt for a long time.  I just hope I can still have the diazepam as it seems that most drs give them alongside Sertraline because they know how bad the start up symptoms are.  I don't think I could carry on with them if I didn't have the back up of an occasional diazepam.  I will obviously be speaking to Dr next week so will go from there.

[dazned]

Thats what I believe that dose will not be giving you any relief to symptoms ,50mg is the starting dose. As I said its all trial and error for each but if you dont give it a fair trial you wont know anything.

[babyjane]

How come sertraline is started at 50mg and yet citalopram/escitalopram starts at 5mg or 10mg.  Why such a variation, is sertraline not as strong, if so it surely shouldn't cause such bother.

[dazned]

All medication are different and have differing metabolize times . I know there's a correct word for that but can't think what it is 

[coldethyl]

Sertraline appears to have much lower oral bioavailability than other Ssris so that may explain need for higher dose.

[Sarai]

I had terrible side effects on sertraline in the beginning, I read on a psyc site that if they make anxiety worse it means they will ultimately work. My GP also said sadly they make it worse before better. It was all true. I would say over matter of weeks if not months in total all my symptoms went, I got my appetite back first and the anxiety went last of all, the thing was eventually I did not notice it go it just slid quietly away.

[Justjules]

Rockhopper, Dr originally said 25mg for first week then up to 50mg but the anxiety and agitation have been so bad at 25mg how will it be at 50mg??? My anxiety wasn't anywhere near as bad as this be fore the tablets, it was mainly the depression that was getting bad, weepiness and lack of energy and a gradual .slide into a bit of a meltdown which has happened before when things get too much.  It's confusing to be taking something for anxiety that gives you worse anxiety!

[dazned]

I know it sounds counterproductive doesnt it ,but these chemicals are trying to re-align your chemicals so its not surprising really 

[Justjules]

Rockhopper, thanks for the kind advice and your expertise. I am seeing a private therapist again as I had the usual CBT last year but that didn't really help. x