Just been to Doctor - Diazepam and Sertraline

Hi -

I have been on medication for anxiety and depression for years, but things have been a living hell the past few weeks. Finally managed to get an appointment with my gp this afternoon. She was very sympathetic and suggested I exchange my current SSRI (Citalopram) to Sertraline because she feels it may have better anti-anxiety properties. She said I can switch straight away to Setraline (100mg) tonight. Is that right? Have other people just switched like that?

I discussed Buspar with her, but wouldn't prescribe it because it is an old drug and ineffective in her view.

She also gave me 100 (!) 5mg Diazepam - telling me to take 4 a day and more if necessary. I expressed concerns about addiction, but she said that the risks were overstated and outweighed by my current very high anxiety and obsessional thoughts.

What are other people's experiences of Setraline or Diazepam at that kind of dose? I am always nervous taking new meds.

Thanks for any insights,

Jon.

i was on 20 mg citalopram ,16 days , saw dr today , switched me onto sertraline 50mg 1 taken at night , tonight , just have to see if it help , so hope it will ,also got diazapam , only 14 and 2mg and had 4 earlier in day

I'm not sure about switching meds, but I think you can do it just like that. Sounds like the cit has stopped working for you, so it might be good to change. You might have side effects for a little bit while your body adjusts, which is probably why you've been given the diazepam. That seems like a really high starting dose for diazepam if you've never taken it before, and I doubt you'd need that much. When I started on Diazepam I found I had calming effects from just 2mg, and 5mg would work fantastically. But it's good you've got the option to take more if need be.

My advice with diazepam is to only take it when you really need it, rather than every day. That's how I have used it, and I was able to taper down from 4-5 times a week at the beginning, to just two or three times a month once I got back on my feet. It's not something you want to start relying on, but as a crutch it can be extremely useful. Hope you do well on your new regime and start to feel better soon.

im back at dr tomorrow am , if i can get up , all ive done for last for days was sleep , sleep , sleep was on cit 20 mg , 2weeks then last wek was put straight on to 50 mg sertraline , and some diaz only 2mg and just one left last night , did nowt for me as a single pill , i live in hope that the benefits start soon , i ve not had to bad sside fx , other than lose of appite and the sleep , but thijk that that may be me and the depression and anxiety taking over me

just been dr she gave me just 14 2mg diazapam , says on box take 1or2 3times a day so how do i get through 7days