How long have you been on Setraline

[musiclover]

I have been on Setraline for 13 years since the age of 16. I started on 50mg for panic attacks and managed to get off them for six months 3 years later. I was then in a bad relationship and so went back on them again. Five years ago the doctor increased them to 100mg. Although I do get depression, anxiety has been the main problem.

After reading pages of information on here and many other websites, it seems that anti-depressants such be for support whilst other therapies help with the problem. When I started the A/D there was a reason for the anxiety but no other assistance was offered.

Have other people been on anti-depressants for this amount of time?

[Mr.Jitters]

Although not Sertraline, I've been on tricyclic antidepressants for anxiety disorders and agoraphobia for 14 years, since the age of 14, also without other assistance offered. It came down to self-help or no help.

[no_name]

The therapies help for the problem, but not always. The problem with these disorders (like anxiety and depression) is that there is a physical cause along with the psychological. So in many cases just relying on your will unfortunately doesn't work, there have to be some sort of medication. Depression is as "real" illness as is diabetes, for example, although people who haven't suffered it think it is a person's "weakness"...

[emma6981]

I'm on sertraline for 6 weeks,started on 100mg then got put up to 150mg 10 days ago. Last week I was feeling good,started back to uni but have had a horrible last few days. Really anxious and mood low,feel hopeless and like I'm going crazy. Is this just a bad patch or what is happening to me? :(

[musiclover]

Hi Emma,

It may be due to the increase that you are feeling unwell. Setraline can make you more anxious when the dose is increased until your body gets used to it. I remember when I increased the dose I had palpations and my heart was racing. Speak with your GP or health professional to discuss this. I hope this helps a bit and you know your not alone.

[ZHBully]

I was on sertraline (50mg) for 1 1/2 years, starting when I was 17yo. Managed to be off for another 1 1/2 years but then had to go back on at New Years 2008. I was then on it continuously for just over 3 years, til earlier this year. I'd had to increase it from 50mg to 100mg, then to 150mg after every (fairly major) wobble. Eventually it just felt like the sertraline conked out, and each increase didn't help as much.

Instead of going to 200mg, which was as much as my GP was happy to prescribe, but then potentially be stuck in an even deeper abyss with no stronger sertraline to take and have to cope with switching a/d's, I switched to mirtazapine while things were not impossibly bumpy. Does that make sense? Basically sertraline did a great job digging me out of holes so that I could tackle the problems properly, but eventually it didn't have any more to oomph to give.

That's just my experience. Since swapping to mirtazapine (which wasn't easy either), I'm now more stable than I've been in a long time, so am tapering off that slowly now.

I'm interested, and reassured that if I have more depressive episodes in the future (pessimistic perhaps but also realistic), sertraline can work for longer periods of time than it did for me recently. Although unfortunately from what I've gathered since, it is not unusual for an a/d to become ineffective after several years. I suppose hope is the most important thing a GP can give, so they don't give you all the info up front! (I suppose also the 'info' is not very certain at the best of times either)

@Emma, I'm sorry the increase in meds isn't producing good effects for you that. I didn't experience extra side effects when I increased my doses, but it wouldn't surprise me it that happens sometimes. Might be worth talking to your doctor if there is anything else that might help, or increasing your dose more slowly.

Take care, Zee x

[emma6981]

thanks guys, i met with my dr yesterday and we have decided to stick with the 150 for another week before increasing to 200, if that doesnt work im going back to the venlafaxine which was a great drug for me
x

[no_name]

...
I'm interested, and reassured that if I have more depressive episodes in the future (pessimistic perhaps but also realistic), sertraline can work for longer periods of time than it did for me recently. Although unfortunately from what I've gathered since, it is not unusual for an a/d to become ineffective after several years. I suppose hope is the most important thing a GP can give, so they don't give you all the info up front! (I suppose also the 'info' is not very certain at the best of times either)
...


Unfortunately once you've had several depressive episodes it is very likely that you will have more in the future :unsure: My doctor prescribed me Lamictal as a mood stabiliser and told me that it is some kind of a preventive medicine and it should make these episodes appear less frequent, if not even making them disappear completely. I should stop taking the AD and Fluanxol in the winter and gradually increase the dose of Lamictal, then taking it for several years. Hope it helps, you can ask your Dr. to explain you if there's such option.