Sertraline - good for a week?

Hi, I'm yet again trying to increase my dose of Sertraline to 100mg. For the first week I felt a lot better - anxiety and dizziness much reduced. After that, I feel the same as before. I'm on week 3 now, and feeling pretty rough. I have never managed to get to week 5 or 6. Has anyone else experienced this phenomonon of having a good first week, followed by a return to normal? And has anyone managed to push through to feeling well?

I'd really appreciate it if someone could answer since I'm feeling rotten.

Chris

These meds take time to work - sometimes a long time unfortunately.

I was on sertraline for quite a few months before I felt any benefits, and even then it was minimal. Now I've reduced to 25mg and I don't feel any different.

Wait 4-5 weeks to see if you feel it's helping. But along the way expect those up and down moods. If it doesn't improve then I'd go back to your doctor and ask to try something else.

Good luck with it!

I think maybe there's a sort of placebo effect, a positive mood of "I've got a new drug, maybe this one will change my life". I started to feel better as soon as I'd been to the doctor and got the prescription because I felt like I was making progress. In reality they do take time to work and your moods will naturally fluctuate.

Stick with it and if after a couple of months it doesn't seem to have worked, talk to your doctor about changing to a different SSRI or a different type of antidepressant :hugs:

I was very up and down for the first 6weeks, 1 day thinking Ive beat it, the next worse than ever. You need give them time to work.

Thanks for your comments. Regarding the 'placebo effect', I think you may mean psycho-somatic? Actually, each time I've tried an increase in the Sertraline I dread it, rather than think 'this is the answer'. I really am trying to persist with it, though. Bad anxiety and dizziness at the moment. :(