Upping sertraline dose

[arlequin]

I've just upped my sertraline dose (for OCD) to 100mg from 50 and am feeling horrendous. My thoughts are worse than ever. Is this normal?! I'm hoping to be feeling better really soon as this is soooo hard.

Sorry to hear this arlequin. I'm hoping to do the same shortly so watching your thread with interest.

No, it's not normal, I wouldn't say. I take sertraline and my ruminating and intrusive thoughts died a death and I never looked back. And I take 150mg.

Have you thought about trying a different one?

I was on 50 to start with, upped it to 100 when things got tougher. Months later back to 50. I found it did help, but it took a few weeks to kick in. I had horrendous side effects when I first went on it though, and upping the dose was nothing like as bad. Maybe try and give it a bit of time?

I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling so rough, I know how draining OCD can be and how rough upping a dose can also be. I often have an increase in anxiety if I am upping my dose but it does settle down in just a few days.

Did you go straight from 50-100? I found it easier if I went up in steps, might that be an option? So to go up to 75mg first for a few days then up to 100mg

I would definitely get in touch with your GP / the person who prescribed it though - have you got a review appointment booked in?

Perhaps it’s too big a leap. Can you try going up by 50% first and give yourself a couple of weeks. Try 75 first. Smaller adjustments can be easier to handle.

Thanks everyone. I've been on 100mg before and it was amazing. I'm hoping it'll settle down soon. I hate OCD!

Does anyone else have experience of upping their dose and the thoughts worsening?

I’ve increased by 25 after two months on 50 (still depressed), I started yesterday and I feel like a space cadet, just like when I started two months ago. It took 3 weeks to feel less spaced out then, I really hope that isn’t the case this time. At least it’s a familiar feeling? I’m taking it very easy. I’d say try 25 first, see how you feel, but unfortunately this medication can have whacko side effects initially. I live in hope I’ll wake up one day and my depression will have lifted. All the best x

Good luck. When changing sertraline dose (I've done so a few times 50 -100 and back down) I tend to do one day on 50, one day on 100 for a few days then 1 day 50 2 days 100 etc... I find that easier than trying to crack the pills in half! X

@arlequin I have really bad anxiety and was given Sertraline. I tried it for a year, upping the dose and it never helped and the symptoms got worse.

Give it a few weeks to settle and if its not helping, go back to GP because it may be the wrong medication for you.

@arlequin how are you now? Did it settle?

@TreeHuggerMum1 still up and down tbh but slowly more up days

Last time I went on it so nothing to 25mg I had such a bad turn and I've never had that before. So it wasnt from upping it per se but still up from before if that makes sense. I felt so bad for about a week I was scared. A year before I had successfully come off 150mg but Covid sent me back on it