SERTRALINE doseage concerns (17yo)

[WhiteStar72]

Hi,
My DD is 17 and has been prescribed sertraline via CAMHS. She has a slightly complicated history with MH but currently she seems to doing well, is more stable in terms of her mood but feels a bit flat.

I was a big deal for us to go down the route of medication, especially with the potential for serious side effects. I am relieved that she has managed the dose increase from 25mg to 50mg but am now concerned about what the CAMHS practitioner has just decided.

My DD has been on these tablets for only 3 weeks. She went up from 25 mg to 50 mg 12 days ago yet it has just been decided that she should go up to 75 mg already.

The NHS website says that the typical dose for her age is 50mg and that it can take 4-6 weeks to work. Why on earth would you exceed the usual dose if someone is doing well and it hasn't even had time to work yet?

I wasn't in the actual appointment with dd so had no chance to respond to this.

Any advice from anyone with relevant knowledge/ experience, please?

[WhiteStar72]

bump

[PaddyF0dder]

I work in CAMHS.

Higher than 50mg certainly is not excessive. Maximum dose of sertraline in 200mg, and I see plenty of patients at doses between 100mg and 200mg.

I’d actually agree that it might be a bit quick to increase it though. General mantra for medicine in CAMHS is “start low, go slow”.

Best to discuss with the psychiatrist though.

[MMMMMaria]

Hi my 17 DD is on 150mg of Sertraline. Started on 25mg in yr 5 for GAD then up to 50mg about 6-8 was later. It really really helped her so much! Then went off it completely by the end of yr 7. Then had a bad period at school as social relationships became too much for her to manage (suspect due to ASD, assessment finally taking place this week) so was put back on Sertraline 50mg. Went up to 100 for about 6months and then back to 50. Bad period again at start of yr 12 so increased to 150 for past 6 months.
No bad side effects from any of the doseages. Talk to her dr about your concerns re doseage. Message me if you have any more qs.