Antidepressants

[cloudxo]

I've just started on sertraline for depression, but I've noticed it's making me worse.. a few hours after taking the meds my mood is dramatically heightened for hours, it's making me snappy, irritable, tearful even angry. I'm supposed to be going from 50 to 100 tomorrow and I'm very nervous considering how I'm reacting on 50, I don't want to be dramatic but I almost feel bipolar like on this medication for a few hours a day. Is it normal?

I've never taken that or any antidepressants but I'm pretty sure it says it takes about 2 months for them to 'kick in' and before they do they make you feel worse (sorry, not trying to bring you down but that is what I heard). So if you've only just started taking them you will probably have to continue and then they will work. I would be unsure about doubling the dosage when the first set hasn't even set in though? But I'm sure someone who has experience with this can confirm.

Yes they can make you feel worse when you start taking them unfortunately. I would advise to keep taking them but speak to whoever prescribed them to you before increasing the dose further

@cloudxo it seems you have both anxiety and depression. I personally have taken paroxetine in my teens and then fluoxetine a few years later both for A&D. It takes time to feel a bit better. Try not to measure progress day by day. Just keep yourself occupied with tasks even if it's sleeping which also can be tough if you have anxiety and depression.
This site might help you
anxietycycle.weebly.com/blog

That can actually be a symptom of bipolar. SSRI's can you make rapid cycle, trigger mania and psychosis if you are bipolar. It is actually how I was diagnosed, gp gave me sertraline I stopped eating and sleeping, told the gp who increased the dosage which sent me in to full blown pyschosis and mania for 2 months.

How long have you been taking them?

Sometimes a GP will prescribe Lorazepam for a week or so to take the edge off the anti depressant settling into your system.