Hi there! I’m really searching for support here, as I’m really struggling on my second time being on Sertraline. I’m currently on my 5th week of 50mg. Before that I was on 25mg for 5 weeks.
So I was on 200mg for close to 4 years and it always worked great for me. I was in the best place mentally that I’ve ever been in, and then last year I felt like I was cured and stupidly and regretfully started to taper down with guidance from my psychiatrist. I got down to 12.5mg within a year and then my anxiety, panic and ocd came back with a vengeance. So I never fully got off the medication. Just to a low dose.
So I decided to start taking it again at 25mg. Now on 50mg for 5 weeks and I’m feeling worse than ever. This whole upping dose process has been the worst experience for me. I’m feeling so defeated and alone.
My side effects for the past 5 weeks have been extreme heightened anxiety, panic attacks worse than before, headache, head pressure (like a rubber band being around my head) dizziness, muscle tension everywhere, and no appetite/stomach upset. Just really uncomfortable stuff but what’s the worst is the heightened anxiety. I’m so worried it’s going to be like this forever and it’s not going to work.
Can anyone relate or share their experience with me? My psychiatrist suggests I wait it out until 8 weeks and see if it evens out and improves at all. This is exhausting. Thank you for reading!!
Hi same boat here. I was on 150mg for few years. Tapered off completely then few months later boom. Anxiety like the 1st time. 2 weeks on 50, 2 weeks on 100mg now and really struggling but okish in evenings for some reason. How are you getting on now? Best wishes
Hi there! Thank you for your response. I’m sorry to hear you’re going through this too. I’m trying to stay optimistic but it’s incredibly hard. I’m on week 5 of a dose increase of 75mg. It’s not been easy. Lots of physical side effects. The worst being the dizziness and off balance wobbly head feeling. I hate that the most as it makes my health anxiety spiral. Also lack of appetite and I’ve lost so much weight. Heightened anxiety still especially in the mornings. It eases a bit early evening. Can I ask what your symptoms and side effects have been like?
Hi. Thank you. Stay positive. We have been here before remember. Slight nausea but no appetite therefore lost alot of weight. Remind myself to eat something most days. Insomnia has been bad for 2 weeks now but slowly improving. Anxiety comes in floods of adrenaline and is the worst part. Overthinking the future then follows but is always there really. I have 1 or 2 ok days when I think I’ve turned a corner then back to bad without a cause. I have been dictating my own dosage increase with the Dr. I know to take it slow but trying to get back to 150mg ASAP as I know this worked for me before. Counselling has started again and I start a course and group with mind this week. Love and peace to you
I’m going through the same thing. Stupidly decided to come off of sertraline and the anxiety came back. Now I’m trying to go back on it, currently upped to 100mg a few days ago. Not feeling very good. Increased anxiety, tired, out of if. I hope it kicks in soon.
I feel this so so much. What dose did you start back on? I’m now on week 6 of 75mg and so scared to go up to 100mg. I just want these physical side effects to subside. The vertigo and wobbly dizzy head is getting so old. But I’ve noticed the anxiety seeming to get easier. Very slowly! But I’ll take it. I swear I’m never getting off these meds again! lol
I started back on 25mg for about 1.5weeks then did 50mg for about 1.5weeks, then did 75mg for a few weeks and now I’ve been on 100mg for a week. I’m feeling tired and having trouble sleeping. So my doctor gave me quetiapine to help with the sleep. I don’t want to have to take it, but it’s brutal not sleeping.
I wish i never went off of it in the first place.
Same here, back up to 150mg for 1 week and it is a struggle. Insomnia and increased anxiety. Weight loss also. We know it works,we just have to wait it out. Things will get easier
What week are you on? I’m on week 8 of 75mg and still feel off. A little less anxious but still not fully myself. It’s so strange how slow and hard it is this time around.
8 weeks on 75mg and still not feeling like myself. Still anxiety Although it’s a little less anxious than before. Slowly I feel it working even though the physical side effects seem to be here sometimes still. Wobbly head feeling, full head feeling, dizzy sometimes and very hot and sweaty a lot easier, no appetite still and lost 10lbs
Appetite is back but eating less now and more aware of excess in eating. Side effects gone except sleep which is hard to get to sleep and hard to get up (hard to get up has always been there tho) edit. Yes raced through doseage increases, knew i had to get to 150mg, As been here b4. Doseage increase or because low doseage not effective for me was hard and intense so please blah blah consult with your doctor to reduce this with their guidence. Hope you are both doing ok and things do get better, it just takes time x
I did 1.5weeks at 25mg, then 1.5weeks at 50mg, and then like 3 weeks at 75mg, and 2 weeks at 100mg, 2 weeks at 125mg and will going to 150mg this week. I was previously on 150mg and that helped me, so I’m hoping it will help me again.
I’m also taking a small dose of quetiapine to help with sleep at night for now. Im hoping the 150 of Zoloft will help and then I’ll feel more like myself again.
I’m feeling a little bit better. My anxiety is getting less which is nice. Just sleep is an issue still. Need something to help me sleep for the time being.
Week 10 bad. Anxiety comes back. Insomnia coming back. (Planning on going back to work in 1 week), paid sick leave currently. Body took it hard.
Week 11 ok-good
Week 12 v.good. Work is ok.
Thankyou for your message. I hope you and others are seeing improvements. It does take along time to settle on sertraline. And it is so difficult early on. Even 2nd time around. Probably worse. If i ever want stop sertraline, i’m going to taper it down over about 5 years🙂.
It takes time but when you get there, you can look back and see how strong you really are x