To wean off sertraline or stay on for a bit longer?
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I have been on and off medications for general anxiety and depression. Currently on Fluoxetine, but have been on sertraline before. If you are feeling comfortable with you are feeling at your current dose abd feel you are in a good mental place to try and reduce dosage, then there is nothing wrong with trying. From 100mg, I would suggest alternating days 100mg and 50mg to start with (unless gp can prescribe 75mg). Stay on that for a month and then assess how you are feeling about it (if feeling ok then stay there, if its getting worse then back to 100 every day). I would suggest at least 3mths before going down another step if you can as it takes a while for the body/mind to adjust and you don't want to go too fast. Also just to say, there is nothing wrong with not reducing your doses. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with needing to go back up. It does not mean you will never change, just not yet and you will get there when you are ready.
Personally if you are feeling in a comfortable place I would say the sertraline is doing its job! Let yourself have a breather (excuse the pun) and see about tapering off in a month or 2. It takes a while for sertraline to kick in so you don't want to mess around with it too early xx
Also I have to say, the breathing sensations you are experiencing sounds like panic attacks. It's like you are aware of your breathing and it doesn't seem quite right. I wouldn't risk coming away from 100mg just yet xx
@Hattie thank you so much! That was really helpful hearing that if I had to go back up that it does not mean I will never change. Its reassuring to hear that there would still be hope 🙏 ❤️ xx
@Jess thanks so much for your advice! I thought a panic attack was when you were gasping for breath in panic? For me sometimes my chest will just feel a bit heavier and then like you said, I'm aware of my breathing and notice it more, making it not feel quite right. However, from the outside perspective people would probably look and assume I'm okay. If that makes sense? I'm not sure what triggers it though xx
@Chloe both are panic attacks just different levels, but it definitely is anxiety. It can have no causes either! Yeah you are just aware of it and you think what on earth is that, like you can't quite regulate your breathing xx
@Star I hope you're feeling good ♥️
@Jess thank you for explaining, that's so interesting! It's hard to know how to stop it coming then if you don't know why?! I guess maybe i need to work on myself a bit more before reducing the sertraline. The mental health team are going to call me today because I emailed the doctors about reducing the dose but then was worrying a bit and having 2nd thoughts which is why I put this post up. Now I'm worried they'll think I'm wasting their time 😅xx
You should wean when you feel you have the right support to manage on your own. Personally I think you should continue therapy, as that should be ongoing even if the meds aren't. Do you talk to the provider that prescribed it?
I had the same thing happen I went up to 150 and was the perfect boost I needed