How long before increased dose kicks in?

[slowfish]

Hi

After 8 weeks on 20mg, doc and I decided to increase the dose to 30mg. I took 30mg/20mg on alternate days for 2 weeks and am just coming to the end of 2 weeks taking 30mg every day.

Especially over the last 2 weeks I've felt more tired, more depressed/anxious and teeth clenching, nausea. I assume these are all side effects - I wasn't actually expecting any with an increase.

How long to wait before I should see improvements?

Thanks
slowfish

[jenbo50]

Hi SlowFish

I have also been upped from 20mg to 30mg in the last 2 weeks. Today is day 11 of the change.

I can't say I feel any better either and was thinking of posting a similar thread myself. I am having some more heightened anxiety, sleeping badly and some dizzy spells.

At least we know we're not on our own :) x

[suzy-sue]

You should both notice a change after 3-4 weeks but it will take 4-6 weeks to feel the full benefit ...Increased anxietyetc is common with an increase but isnt usually as bad as the start of taking it .All the best Sue x

[slowfish]

hi Jenbo50

many thanks for your post - sorry to hear you're not feeling any better but as you say, at least we know we are not on our own :-)

I've had some dizzy spells too and still not sleeping properly. Seem to fall asleep OK but then usually wake after about 3 hours, awake for an hour and then manage another hour or two. I cant wait to get back to a full 7 hours sleep without waking, like I used to!

Let's stay positive and we'll feel better soon :-)

Keep me updated with how you're getting on.

[jenbo50]

Thanks for the encouraging words SuzySue. :)

Slowfish, I am exactly the same with sleeping! I fall asleep easy, then wake 3 hours later, then go off again for about 2 hours, then wake for an hour and then back to sleep for 2 hours.....every night!! I am also having Sleep Paralysis episodes which are hellish. I do hope it all settles soon for us both!!

I will indeed keep you updated - and you do too pls. It's good to have a buddy on this long and particularly bumpy journey :D

Hugs

Jen xx

[slowfish]

Hi Jen

Hope you're feeling OK, hopefully a bit better.

I had to go down to London yesterday for a meeting and managed OK, so I guess I should give myself a pat on the back for that.

I was late to bed last night at midnight and when I woke and looked at the clock it was 6am!!! :-) I can't remember waking in between so must have had a full six hours sleep. Here's hoping for the same tonight. The previous night was really awful, waking every hour or so - but I had had a tea and a coffee in the evening so perhaps that was why? I'm staying off the caffeine after lunch now!

slowfish x

[jenbo50]

Hiya Slowfish....

Fantastic progress on finding the trip to London went so smoothly for you. You must be getting there then? Massive pat on the back for that one! Plus a whole 6 hours sleep :) Brilliant stuff. Fingers crossed for you it is all downhill from now on then?

I'm ok. I slept better last night too strangely..although only for 4.5 hours (all in one chunk though). I find it tough to judge how I am getting on. I wish there was some kind of indicator I could just look at? I've not been too bad today and yesterday I suppose. Just a couple of panicky moments but generally quite relaxed. I am off on a plane on Tuesday for the 1st time since getting ill. I think the fact that I am not dwelling on it and making myself sick with worry about it must be a good sign? I have refused air travel since getting anxiety despite previously travelling much of the globe quite happily and even having flying lessons when I was younger! Let's hope this is a step forward for me too :-))

Keep up te good work and keep in touch x

[slowfish]

Hi Jen

Glad you slept better too :-) I had another bad one last night, waking every two hours. Grrrr!! I know what you mean about judging how you're getting on. I know I am a lot better than a couple of months ago but also know that I am nowhere near my old self yet - very frustrating!

I'm sure you'll be fine on your plane trip :-)

((hugs))

slowfish x

[murph]

Hi Jen

Glad you slept better too :-) I had another bad one last night, waking every two hours. Grrrr!! I know what you mean about judging how you're getting on. I know I am a lot better than a couple of months ago but also know that I am nowhere near my old self yet - very frustrating!

I'm sure you'll be fine on your plane trip :-)

((hugs))

slowfish x

I suffer from disturbed sleep, but it's mostly the bizare dreams and the twitches that mean I'm a little all over the place.

Difficult to know what to do really. Started to avoid caffeine, regularly drinking my Chinese tea (brought back from China a couple of years ago) and avoiding any stimulation (including time with the missus :noangel: ) to try and help things out.

[jenbo50]

Slowfish....how's it going? Has the improvement continued?? Really hope you doing ok!

I think my dose is settling down now. Although still sleeping badly, am feeling calmer and a bit more confident. Not had my usual hyperventilating/ throat closing thing for a few days now. Am off on hols on a plane tomorrow, first flight since starting with GA so this is a really big step for me. I have some valium from GP just in case but am only going to take it if i really freak out at airport.

Wish me luck anyway and will update you when i get back :-)) x

[slowfish]

Hi All, especially Jenbo50 :-)

So I've now had 5 weeks on 30mg and although I feel a lot better than 3 months I'm still not feeling back to my old self. I'm back to work and socialising more but still don't have a great deal of confidence about the future and self-esteem still quite low.

The tiredness is a lot worse on 30mg. The increased anxiety when I upped to 30mg has tailed off but I still feel very tired and a bit spaced out, forgetful sometimes and find it difficult to concentrate on a task for long, easily distracted.

Maybe 30mg is too high a dose and I should cut back to 25mg? If so, would I do this straight away?

[slowfish]

Now coming up to 4 weeks on 40mg and so incredibly tired during the day, and still quite low. Still not sleeping well either. Had a few nights of taking zopiclone which gave me a decent nights sleep but keen not to depend on these.

Any ideas?

[suzy-sue]

Hi slowfish ..It can take 6-8 weeks for you to feel the full benefits of the new dose .40mg is a sedating dose ,But if you take it at night, apart from the mornings, the tiredness will improve in the daytime .The insomnia should pass .Hope you feel better soon .I found 40mg too much and reduced to 35mg after a while .It made quite a lot of difference to the zonked feeling ..T/c Sue x