Is Sertraline 100mg dose high for non severe depression?

[PutneyHill]

During my asthma review the pharmacist wanted to do a depression review (a new initiative during lockdown perhaps). I answered various questions he read off and mentioned that I had been suffering from bouts of depression due to my shit health.
He then suggested starting on me a low dose of Sertraline but after reading through another thread with posters starting on 25mg, 100mg does not appear to be a 'low dose'.
I'm very sensitive to medication in general and didn't fancy being thrown in the deep end.
Am I right in assuming I need to start on a lower dose (I'm dithering whether to cut the medication in half).

I would talk to your GP about it.

It does sound a high starting dose but I would seek medical reassurance not MN reassurance

@Sirzy

I would talk to your GP about it.

It does sound a high starting dose but I would seek medical reassurance not MN reassurance

I definitely will do but it's Friday and they are currently ring fenced at the moment. Just want to check if my instincts are correct that this is a relatively high dose. The pharmacist at the surgery is new and scatty even during the asthma reviews if I'm to be honest.

My DD (12) is only 100mg but she started on a 25mg dosage, increasing every few days. Perhaps if you started at 50mg and increased after 4 or 5 days?

OP I've started sertraline recently and have done a lot of reading and googling. It is of course most important that you take medical advice but from what I've gathered it's more usual to begin with a 50mg dose, and some people actually build up to this beginning at 25mg.

As far as in understand a lot of people then build up to 100mg or more, from this starting point, but I don't think it's typical to begin on 100mg.

Hopefully you were told that they can make things a bit worse before they get better, and that for some people the side effects can be difficult to start with. I'm absolutely not trying to put you off, but I think it helps to be informed so you know what to expect.

Maybe it would be helpful to call your GP, or at least check out some reputable websites like NHS etc..

Good luck OP.

My GP started me on 25mg for a few weeks because I was so nervous about side effects, but she said 25 isn't a clinical dose - 50 is the minimum and wasn't quite enough for me. I've taken 100 for a couple of years now, which seems a fairly typical dose

50 is the normal starting dose but a lot of people do just go in at 100 and are fine. I had 50 but couldn't tolerate them and was switched within 4 days so can't really be much help.

50 is normal start.

Accept the 100 prescription and start yourself on 25 or 50, then slowly increase yourself to the point you feel ok

Why is a pharmacist prescribing ADs? can you check with your GP before you start? It seems quite a high dose to start with for mild depression. Sertraline can make you feel worse before it makes you feel better so I would rather check with the GP first.

@KarmaNoMore

Why is a pharmacist prescribing ADs? can you check with your GP before you start? It seems quite a high dose to start with for mild depression. Sertraline can make you feel worse before it makes you feel better so I would rather check with the GP first.

The pharmacist works in the surgery. I found it odd that he decided to do a 'depression review' as I hadn't mentioned that I was depressed, just assumed it was a well being type initiative because of the lockdown. In fairness I'm glad he asked because I've been in a bad place mentally and have suffered from depression in the past. I was prescribed Prozac years ago and the side effects were grim initially hence why I'm so wary about starting on the 100mg dose. I've cut it in half and will attempt to contact my GP next week.