I’m on day 17 of sertraline and I feel so down, 2 days ago I felt so happy as I felt my head was clearing and my symptoms were improving and I thought yes! It’s finally helping me! But today my anxiety has been dreadful again, all symptoms much worse and feeling really panicky and on edge it’s been horrible. I wanted to know is the drug still taking time to work or will I just have good and bad days anyway still?
When will I know if this drug is right for me or not?
Thank you x
Hi Notebook, it usually takes 4-6 weeks for a medication like SSRI to reach full efficacy.
A little longer if the dosage has been upped a little. That's a good sign that you were starting to feel better. Give it a little more time and also keep your doctor aware in how
you are doing. 
xx
Thank you so much! I’ve been afraid the drug is making everything worse! Xx
I have been on it for almost 4 months. The first 2 was hard. I was up and down. I was put on something to make me sleep better and something to take during the day. I am now only taking Sertraline at night and if I wake up in the middle of the night I take another medication.
Hang in there....I've been on 50mg for exactly 6 weeks now and I'm now starting to feel better. I was exactly the same as you at your stage and felt like giving up as it just felt like I was getting worse instead of better, this medication takes time to build up in your system so it's not an overnight fix. If you google sertraline success stories that may give you some hope, it did for me. Hope you feel better soon!
Thank you so much that is really positive to hear! It’s such a tiny tablet but so powerful, the first couple of days I felt “drugged” on it and then became very very anxious and paranoid, sometimes I literally sit on the sofa rocking unable to keep still it’s really horrid! Other days I’m calmer. Thank you for telling me how you have found it because they say the first 2 weeks are the hardest then it’s better but I’m a little past that and was starting to panick! Xx
I have no idea why they tell you the first 2 weeks are the worst, it makes you think after 14 days your suddenly going to feel better and when you don't you think they're not working for you! I often wonder how may people have given up on them because of this, they should be telling you 6 to 8 weeks at least you would know what to expect then.
Did it help you physically as well as mentally? I’ve had physical symptoms as well as mood and I’ve been told it will help settle everything, I just want to feel normal again! Thanks again xx
Yes, but I think I think a lot of my physical symptoms were related to my mental symptoms and now that I'm starting to feel better mentally the physical symptoms are getting better too as I'm not feeling so paranoid about every ache or pain or unusual symptoms and less time thinking about it.
Good days and bad days. Do you recognise the differences in yourself on these days?
Trazodone and Sertraline
Sertraline (SSRI) experience
