Aria: Up and down on Zoloft / sertraline 150mg

[Arla]

Hi , I currently started sertraline in January the dose 50mg. In had all the side affects I was told about after two weeks they disappeared.  I felt great I felt they saved my life literally I wished I'd taken them years ago I was so happy my feeling came back for my husband I was finally sleeping all through the night anxiety & depression completely gone . So 3 months on I started to notice the low mood the irritation and the anxiety and the frequent waking during the night slowly coming back.  So I went to the doctor and she increased my dose to 100mg . To be honest I didn't notice much difference yeah anxiety wasn't there but the low mood was. So back to the doctor and it was increased to 150mg. No difference if anything my mood to shut people out be on my own and just feel so low like it would be better off not doing this. I have no intention to commit suicide but I do feel it would be easier to stop feeling like this. I have 3 daughter's 6 , 8 and 12. A husband too . Plus I work in just tired all the time I want this to go away but only getting worse.  Do I stop meds , try something else I don't know. 

Sorry for the really really long post .

Arla x

[mammaP]

Hi Arla, welcome to SA.  I apologise for the delay in replying to you, staff are all volunteers and there are a few away right now. 

When did you go up to 150mg?  Is this your first anti depressant? 

Do you feel worse after taking the sertraline? (I used to feel bad after taking effexor so I took it at night and it caused insomnia).

I am sorry for all the questions but we need to know these things to give you the best advice.

It looks like you are now reacting to the drug and might want to start to taper the dose. 

We recommend tapering no more than 10% of the CURRENT dose with at least 4 weeks between cuts, this sneaks the drug away so the brain can adjust between cuts. Often people start to feel better as the dose lowers.  

We ask all our members to fill in their signatire with drugs and doses, when they were started and when they were increased. 

I will get some links for you to read so that you can understand the process. You will also learn how to get the doses by making a liquid with water. 

You will feel better, I can imagine how difficult it is with 3 children and a job to go to, and you are an amazing mum to do all that when you feel so bad. 

 

This link takes you to the signature box, just fill it in and click save at the bottom. 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/settings/signature/

 

How to make liquid

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

Tapering sertraline (zoloft)

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1441-tips-for-tapering-off-zoloft-sertraline/

 

Preparing to taper

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1789-preparing-to-taper/

 

[Arla]

Hi thank you for the response.

Hmmm I think I started the 150mg around 2 months ago. 

I've lowered the dose my self this week started Monday went to 100mg. And I do actually feel better than I did.

Yes this is my first antidepressant, started off on 50mg in January then around March was 100mg then end of April to may I started the 150mg, I'm just confused how after the first two weeks of the side affects it really made me a different person I was so happy nothing could of broken me but that only lasted 3 months

[mammaP]

Sadly that often happens, that first few weeks of euphoria seldom lasts. I am glad that you feel better now that you have reduced the dose. I would hold that dose for a while to stabilise before changing anything else. You will most likely have periods of feeling better and then some not so good days, that is what we call the windows and waves pattern.  When you have been stable for a while you can think about starting to taper. 

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-stabilization/