Dear Ducky,
How long have you been taking the Sertraline for? I have been taking it for 9 weeks, 3 days (not that I'm counting "much") and it was only really yesterday I found some relief from my whirring thoughts. I believe it to be a very slow working med, and have read on here that some people need sometimes up to 6 months to feel any better. I myself am on the highest recommended dose of 200 mg and have been on that for approximately 4 weeks. I started on 50 mg and was ramped up very quickly over a matter of weeks whilst under the care of intensive support.
When they signed me off I was really upset because I was convinced I was no better, but I feel now that I am beginning to improve. If you read my original post you will see how desperate I was, but now I think the meds are starting to kick in. Believe me, I was so disheartened when I read that people were beginning to feel a little better within 2-4 weeks and thought it would never calm my anxiety. Don't get me wrong, mornings are unbearable for me and it takes ages for me to get going and the dreadful feeling of impending doom and feeling frightene is still present, but am now beginning to feel better in the afternoons only really since yesterday.
Please don't give up hope, I'm sure they will kick in soon for you too. Believe they will and work with them. Please let me know how you are going on, this dreadful condition is just terrible. I will be thinking of you.
J xxx
---------- Post added at 16:29 ---------- Previous post was at 15:57 ----------
Hi Skoosh,
Sorry to hear you have had a setback and are suffering with hayfever now as well, that must be very tough for you.
For the time being I suppose all you can do is trust your doctor, take your medication and see if you improve in a while and depending how you are feeling maybe go back? This is just my opinion, and I am certainly no expert, just a fellow sufferer. I think when we have this horrible condition, we will have ups and downs and it can take a long time to recover. I have only really started feeling better since yesterday, but still have dreadful mornings where I feel very frightened and have the terrible thoughts, but yesterday afternoon and today from about lunchtime I feel a lot better, and have found my anxiety is easing.
I suppose it's still early days for both of us with this medication. I think I have read on this site that sometimes people can take up to six months to feel better, but it's so hard to wait it out when you are feeling so bad. Could you maybe speak to your doctor again for some reassurance?
I sincerely hope you will feel better soon, please let me know how you are feeling (if you don't mind). I will be thinking of you.
J xx