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Anyone slowly add SSRI over weeks?

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Posted 12/14/2016 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hello! I am finally starting to come to terms with the fact that I need to be back on a SSRI for my anxiety. I've been hesitant to get back on one due to the startup side effects. My doctor recommends that I very slowly get on one. If the dose I want to be on is 20mg, for example, I'll start at 1mg. Has anyone had better luck adding a SSRI in a very slow manner? Any feedback would be much appreciated!

Wishing you all a happy day!
Posted 12/14/2016 9:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Liz,

I am sending positive thoughts for your start up! I think the slow and steady approach is a good plan for you.

Encouraging you to rely on your coping skills to help ensure the smoothest experience possible...

...and please keep us posted on your progress, so we can keep you in support!

S.C.
Posted 12/15/2016 8:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Liz

I always tend to start a new medication on the lowest dose possible then slowly build it up to the target dose over a few weeks which does reduce the start up side effects a little.

I hope it works well for you.

Keep us posted.

Hibee
Posted 12/15/2016 12:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you, Scaredy Cat! I will definitely keep this journey uodated on here. I don't plan on starting a new medicine until maybe January and we are still trying to decide which one to try. Hoping for all to go well!

Hibee, I'm glad to hear that starting on a low dose does ease the startup side effects. That's really what has kept me from going on a new medicine, but I'm hopeful I'll find one that works for me.

Thank you for always being an ear to listen and for the support. It's so helpful!
Posted 12/15/2016 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
I started lexapro really slowly just a couple months ago. I had 5 mg tables and cut them up in 4 pieces (as best I could because they are really small). I upped about every 5 days or so. I dont think I experienced any start up effects. If I did, they weren't anything too bad. I didn't even have to use any Xanax. I'm hanging out at 5 mg for a while.
Posted 12/15/2016 8:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks momtogigiandquinn! That's my plan once I decide which medicine to try. How are you liking the Lexaporo so far? Hope it's helping!
Posted 12/16/2016 7:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Liz, I've also just started Lexapro at 5mg a day. It's been two weeks now and I'm gearing up to start 10mg a day and then wait to see if it needs to increase from there.

I have found a few advantages to increasing the dose slowly. I think the side effects are easier to handle... still there, but not as bad as I was expecting. It's a bit less of a shock to the system and gives my body and brain time to adapt.

The downside is that it can take longer to reach a therapeutic dose, but everyone is different with this stuff. In a clinic or hospital inpatient setting, doctors may want to get an individual up to a therapeutic dose faster, but for people being treated in the community, a more gradual approach can work well.

Good luck!
Posted 12/16/2016 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
I started at a time when my anxiety was not high, so I think that helped, as I could handle a little increase in anxiety. I totally think it is helping me, but I know I could use an increase. I'm still going to stick it out and decide what to do after the first of the year.

Good luck and keep us informed!!
Posted 12/17/2016 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all! This has been really helpful for me to hear these things. I've been trying to muster up the courage for a while now to reassess medications, so hopefully I'll get moving come the first of the year. I appreciate you all sharing this with me!
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