Contemplating Zoloft increase to 250mg/day for now

This is actually kind of targeted to Geebs. I have been having issues for the last 7 or 8 months after a good 8 or 9 years on 200mg/day of zoloft. Instead of switching to something else I thought it might be good to try upping my dose of zoloft first. My doctor should be calling sometime today and I will discuss it with him, though I already had a meeting with my psychologist today and he thought that seemed like a very logical decision, at least before trying a totally different medication. Even though 200mg/day is the recommended maximum, some people have gone over this with good results and there are some who are even on 300mg/day.

Geebs, I know you said this worked for you. Just wondering if you had any problems when you increased the dose at first, and did you end up having any additional side effects at that dose or not? Also, I was wondering if you'd tried the generic version of zoloft and if so did you notice any difference.

Thanks!

I am hoping Geebs will see this but I too think thats a long time for that med use and maybe you should check out other meds that would work with the zoloft
There is a free online CBT if you want it let me know
Wishing you all the best
LYN

I was on and off zoloft for almost 12years. Zoloft isn't just used for anxiety and some people do need life long anti-d meds.

I was on 200mg weaned down to 150mg then got sick again last year. I was put back up to 200 and when that didn't work I went up to 250mg before the pdoc decided my body had built a tolerance to the zoloft and cold turkeyed me off it. That's one big no- no.

Do you think it could be your body has built a tolerance as well? If it has and you go up it just means more to withdraw from.

I had diarrhea for a few days and insomnia for about a week. Keep in mind that I also take Trazodone in combination with Zoloft, so that adds something to the mix. I ended up taking 250mg of Zoloft with 125mg of Trazodone for about three months.

It definitely helped me, even though I worried the whole time about whether it was "pooping out" on me. I eventually lowered the dose to 225mg for another four months, and then back down to 200mg. I have continued with 125mg of Trazodone. I am doing fine now with no anxiety/depressive symptoms.

My psychiatrist says it is not uncommon to go over the FDA dose limit for SSRIs. He told me it happens and is usually a better choice than discarding a medication that has worked well for a long time, unless of course, you cannot tolerate the side effects.

The SSRIs have a very wide theraputic index and supratheraputic doses can and do help many people.

thanks. that's what my psychologist said as well - that he feels that if something has worked a long time then it's probably a better first step to up the dose than to switch to something else. if that doesn't work then it would possibly be time to consider something else. so i may try that. my old PCP told me that he believes that definitely some people need lifelong assistance in the area of anxiety and depression. i mainly have anxiety although there is some depressive symptoms as well. but i actually got on the meds initially because of OCD that was causing the anxiety. at any rate, i am starting to believe that it is possible for me in my situation to potentially be drug-free at some point in my life if i really work at it, though i don't know if that will happen or not. i also am fine with the fact that if i can indeed get off the meds i may have to go back on them at some point in the future. in the last year i have lost my father, my first child was born a few weeks later, we bought a house, i changed jobs, and i moved to a different state. these are truly all major life events and i think i coul have handled one or two of them ok on my own. but all together they have broken me down and i am finding it hard to find security and meaning and a sense of self after all this change. clearly my mind is sensitive to stress and i've just had too much. so i think i definitely need some extra help. i also try and read a lot about all of this (drugs, therapy, etc.) and i am seeing a psychologist. but i currently definitely need some kind of medication to help. i started trying some things the psychiatrist suggested (celexa, adderall, buspar) but have stopped them all for fear of side effects and long-term problems. i may need to be brave, stop reading all the dooms-day drug reviews on the internet and give maybe the adderall and buspar another shot.

anyway, as for gaining weight, see my post in the other thread about zoloft and weight gain that was originally posted a week or so ago.

geebs - have you used the generic version of zoloft before?

Yes, I take generic sertraline and I haven't found it to be any different than the brand-name. As far as weight gain goes, Zoloft has been far better for me than Paxil was. I probably gained about 20lbs....which is not a big deal.

With regard to long-term medication, this is a decision you and your psychiatrist have to make together. Personally, I have a very long history of anxiety and depression, in addition to years of alcoholism (sober for 15 years now), and have found I need to stay on meds. This is not unusual, but not everyone needs to stay on medication forever.

If you found something that works, my psychiatrist believes in sticking with the winner. There are no guarantees when switching meds.

Let us know how you do!
GEORGE

My suggestion would be to work closely with your psychiatrist and psychologist so you have a "double-whammy" approach to treating your symptoms. Psychiatrists usually focus on deploying the benefits of medication to provide maximum relief, while psychologists focus on addressing the underlying coping skills and life issues.

I am a firm believer in combining medication with psychotherapy. Medication is never a cure and everyone has issues that need to be dealt with in therapy. That said, there is nothing wrong with taking medication long-term if that's what you need to do.

Good luck and let us know how your're doing!!
GEORGE