already feeling better, different/lower dosage- zoloft?

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

i'm on 50 mg of zoloft, and i think it is helping already though i ahve read it can take a couple weeks to make a difference.

is there a dosage lower then 50, or is that the "low" dosage already?

i don't want to be on it longer than necesary, anf i don't wnat to take more mg than i actually need.

[LynnS6]

50 mg is the lowest 'therapeutic' dose of Zoloft. You need to be on it for 3-4 weeks to get the full effect. If you're back to your old self by then, then it's the right dose for you. When I had PPD with my first, I was fine with the lowest dose of Paxil. When I had it with my 2nd, I needed 4x that amount.

I understand the desire to have the least amount possible, but please make sure that you get the dose you need. There's nothing shameful about needing more. There's no evidence that a higher dose is worse than a lower one.

The research also suggests that you should be on Zoloft for at least 6 months for your brain to heal. 12 months is the newer recommendation. If you want to avoid a relapse, I suggest staying on for the recommended amount of time.

[litanyagainstfear]

Over the past year I've taken a rainbow of medications, in various combinations, and reacted to all of them very negatively until I tried Zoloft on its own. However, I'm on a 25mg dose because I am so stinking sensitive to medication. This is not to say 25mg would work for you -- it's certainly not a typical dose. If you're reacting well to the 50mg dose, and already seeing what you feel to be a change in the right direction, I would see that as reason enough to stay with 50.

[mom0810]

50 mg is a very very low dose. 25 is usually a starting dose, to titrate you up to 50 mg. Having said that, I stayed at 25 for a long long time, only going up to 50 after my baby was born and the PPD got really bad (I took 25 mg throughout pregnancy with ds2 after having PPD with ds1).

If you are already on 50 and doing well, you should stay there. Don't lower the dose because you could have discontinuation type symptoms and then you will be feeling a lot worse. Hang out at 50 for 6 months to a year, minimum.

Are you in therapy? That would be a big help, too, and will help you as you wean off zoloft in another 6 months to a year. Don't go off too soon, or you will be right back in the same place and need to stay on it even longer next time.

[Mosaic]

Agreed. I started on 50mg and felt worlds better. At 6 months, my doctor thought my PPD should be "cured" and recommended I stop; I tried, but I ended up going back to my family doctor every bit as miserable and out of control as before, so I was back on to 50mg.

I tried cutting my dose at 18 months and at 2 years: both total disasters. At ~3 yrs I tried again because we were TTCing, and I felt the difference but weathered it well. I stayed at 25mg throughout pregnancy and am still there now with my 4mo new baby, doing well but checking in regularly with my doc to go back up if need be since I'm recently post-partum again.

So yeah, I third (fourth?) the recommendation to stick with what works rather than push to reduce or get off the meds. Unlike an aspirin which is a short-term fix, these meds have to heal your brain chemistry and help you rebuild new pathways, so their help really comes long-term. My doc told me from the get-go that there are lots, LOTS of people taking zoloft/sertraline in much higher doses for years and years, so it's earned the nickname "vitamin Z". Save yourself the trouble and don't make the same mistake I did!

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

thanks ladies, my ob actually wrote the rx for 100 mg (from the get-go; she knows i have been fighting with this for along time), and said to start with half a pill a day, and she wanted me to come in after a week. i havent made that appointment yet because i have an appt next week with the dr at my midwife office (she is only available on thrusdays, and that was the closest visit i could get.) i know the visit w the dr next week is gonna be 25.00 asnd we still owe the ob money from my hospitaliztion and the postpartum visits, so if i can avoid adding to what we owe there that wold be better zs well since i thnk (given it is a small) part of my problem is im down about how bad our fainaces have gotten again.

i'm still not remembering things very well and i still have difficulty typing, and a few other issues, btu i am not crying everydday anymore, and havent since saturday.i don't think i'm snapping at dh and kids as much either.