Increasing Sertraline 50 - 100mg.

[LizzyJam]

Hi there

I began Sertraline way back in 2018 - 50mg for anxiety. It helped a little, but anxiety was still very much present. I regularly saw a therapist and just managed it as best I could.

However, it’s now increasingly becoming unmanageable again, despite having swallowed the entire guidebook to CBT and 10 years of therapy (expensive!)

I am considering moving up to 100mg, but am nervous of the side effects. All start up side effects were hideous and fairly debilitating - nausea, intense anxiety and panic attacks etc. I now have a young toddler to care for too.

I wondered if anyone had any positive experiences of making this increase? 😘

Could it be hormones? My peri-menopausal symptoms definitely include much increased anxiety…

I did wonder this, but was unsure when symptoms (in the majority) start. I’ve just turned 37.

I know it’s not same dose but my DD aged 23 recently moved from 75mg to 100mg and the only side effect she had was a full headache for a few days. Her anxiety had increased considerably and she stopped going out at all. I’m not sure moving up to 100mg has made much difference she has been going out for walks though. As she has been on Setraline for several years she’s thinking of asking for a different medication but is dreading side effects as she had so many when first on the medication. I think if you do go up you’ll first go onto 75mg to limit the side effects. She started on 25mg. Best wishes to you

Thanks so much for your reply. I hope your daughter is doing OK, poor thing. What I do know is it’s a very slow moving medication - so any increase may take up to 12 weeks to be fully felt. Not fun waiting, though - but she still has time for it to make a difference. Yep, my GP often talks of trialling other medications - if it was that easy of simply swapping I would! But like you said, it’s a white knuckle ride every time 😘

I'm on 150g.
I'm on medication for other things and have other issues so I can't tell whether how I feel is a symptom or side affect and it's crap.!