Increased Anxiety on sertraline

[bbftr457]

Hi All!

I was started on sertraline 25mg about 3 weeks ago. I noticed my anxiety got much worse starting about day 3. I know this is a common reaction when starting an SSRI. Anyone else deal with this? need some encouragement.

[Agora1]

You are right in that with any SSRI it can take from 4-6 weeks for the medication

to reach full efficacy. During that time you will experience some ups and downs

with anxiety as the brain starts to adapt to the changes.

This can also happen if the dosage is upped during that time as well.

Always keep your doctor informed as in how you are doing during this time.

Wishing you well in the coming weeks. This just may be the key to your success xx

[bbftr457 in reply to Agora1]

thank you so much!

[CAGgmb]

Oh, yes, I'm dealing with the same issue. It's a common side effect of any SSRI. I started on 25mg sertraline, then 50, then 75, now 100mg. Every time a dose is upped, the anxiety increases too. I've been dealing with this for over 6 weeks, hoping things improve. Years ago I was on paroxetine, which took 8 weeks before I noticed a change. I made it through that time and felt great for 17 years until the paroxetine stopped working. Everyone reacts differently to these meds, but one similarity is the extra anxiety until brains adjust. Do you have coping strategies to distract you? Can you ask your doctor for a safety net med? Exercise helps, so does staying hydrated. Don't give up. These meds are often trial and error. You will feel better.

[bbftr457]

Thanks for the reply! I do have lorazepam as needed which works great but I don't like using it knowing how addicting it can be. I have coping strategies but sometimes the anxiety is so intense its hard to utilize them. I just have to keep reminding myself its just my body adjusting to the medication.