Re: Somebody please reassure me
Originally Posted by
James88
Hi everyone and Happy New Year, I hope you are all well.
back, James,
like I said Fluoxetine wasn’t working and GP has switched me back to Sertraline and I’ve been on 25mg for a week working my way up.
How much fluoxetine were you taking? Was the switch done overnight, or were you weaned off fluoxetine before starting sertraline? And when are you supposed to increase the sertraline dose?
I feel awful, really flat, dark, depressed and anxious. I was sort of hoping that because I had been on an SSRI for 12 years, I wouldn’t have to do the 6 week wait for it to kick in as my brain would already be a custom to them. But it’s looking like this isn’t the case?
If switching to an equivalent dose of a SSRI overnight there is usually minimal disruption, and this should be even more the case with fluoxetine which has a very long half-life. But it may take some dose adjustments to get to the correct dose as equivalence depends on factors other than just the main serotonin reuptake inhibition.
Does Sertraline get better? I’m feeling so lost, I’m sat in my living room with my 2 beautiful kids and all I want to do is be there for them as the best version of myself, and not feeling like this.
It does get better, but it might not be by tomorrow. Unfortunately, about the only thing fast about antidepressants is the speed of side-effects onset. Everything else can be a slow grind, but sometime in the near future all the symptoms you're experiencing will lift. Try and focus on that rather than on today's feelings. Distraction also helps. When feeling low do something to occupy your mind, go for a walk, read a book, talk to family, anything to keep you're mind off you. The worst thing you can do is to withdraw into yourself ruminating and catastrophising.
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The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.