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How long does it take for an antidepressant increase to take effect?

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How long does it take for an antidepressant increase to take effect? 2 weeks? 4? I increased from 25 to 50 mg on Zoloft about 2 weeks ago and the last few days I have been extremely depressed(to the point of just wishing I would die) my T is concerned that I still feel this low on an antidepressant that I have been on now for over 2 months. Just wondering if I should make an apt. with my doctor or wait a couple more weeks? Thanks!
 
I have been told 4 to 6 weeks, though I do not have experience in this arena. Never hurts to speak to your doctor, especially if suicidality has increased.
 
@WishfulThinking123 - was it helping at first, or has it never had any impact at...
I thought it was helping initially....however I have had a hard past few weeks in T and it is no longer helping...I have started self harming again and wishing I would just die (not complete SI...no plan or actual intent..) Certain memories have started to be discussed/brought up in T and its just been tough...A few weeks ago (I think 2) I asked to be increased to 50 but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Does it matter what time of day I take it? Currently I take it in evening.
 
Thanks I just made an apt. today with dr. (for in 2 weeks), I am feeling better today- however that may just be emotional numbing/disassociation I don't know...Hopefully by then I will know for sure if the 50 mg is working enough or not. My T is really concerned because she's about to be out of the office for 2 weeks and she wont have access to her phone...
 
50mg is quite a low dose.

If it seemed to help a bit at first, there's a decent chance you just aren't at a therapeutic dose yet.

You said your T is going away for a few weeks - can you phone your Dr and ask for an increase?

Does your T have anyone covering for them? Or, if not, can you and she talk through what your options are if you feel very very low? (Crisis lines, support network, when to go to the hospital, stuff like that?)
 
Well the 25 mg was helping a bit at first but, then started to feel rather depressed and had it increased to 50. Idk I am feeling quite better today so, maybe I will wait and if the depression hits again will ask for an increase? Idk if they will though being that I just increased to 50 a couple of weeks ago. I do have an apt with doc in about a week and a half. My T is in private practice so there wont be anyone covering for them. I will see her one last time on Tuesday before she leaves, those are definitely some good things to discuss- thanks! I do know she told me not to journal at all while she's gone-I think the no journaling will help a lot. She also was wondering about an increase in meds-she said she also really wanted me to consider this because shes leaving and shes starting to get really worried about me. Last week was hard but, I do seem to be doing better now but, I don't know if that's the meds or disassociation and I fear it wont last...glad I have another apt to discuss these things with T.
 
Idk if they will though being that I just increased to 50 a couple of weeks ago.
2 weeks is generally sufficient, when titrating up. Anyway, I'd encourage you to consider it. One of those things where you can't really know unless you try. 75mg could make a difference.

(150-200mg is the max daily dose, but I believe that the general target is between 50-100mg daily - don't quote me on that, tho).
 
I thought I would throw my two cents out there!

I'm currently on 100mg of Zoloft. I had started at 25mg, and spent a couple weeks or so at that, then a couple weeks at 50mg, then a couple at 75, and then a couple at 100mg. I THINK there was one dose I spend 4 weeks on, but I could be remembering it wrong, but it was for sure two weeks per dose level. I just got a prescription for 4 weeks of 100mg on top of the two weeks I just did, as I have started finally seeing improvements, even if they are only minor. It took me until about a week into the first 100mg prescription to notice any actual increase. That would have brought me to a minimum of 7 weeks at that point.

I have Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD, and Anxiety and Panic Disorder. Most antidepressants are actually prescribed for many mental health issues besides just depression. Based on my doctor, physchologist, as well as the information notes that came with each prescription, Zoloft is prescribed for many things including Bipolar, Depression, PTSD, and many more issues.

If you haven't seen a change yet, you may not be at the right dose. My doctor told me it could be upwards of 8-10 weeks before I noticed any noticeable changes with the depression side of things, but may be longer for the anxiety and PTSD side. I have noticed now, as I'm finishing week 8, some minor changes with both depression (more energy, more motivation, even if it's by a little bit!) and anxiety (some anxiety ticks have lessened, have eased myself out of panic attacks more than I had before).

My doctor also keeps reminding me that it is a process. The way antidepressants are typically prescribed are in increasing doses over time, to help your body get used to it, and to be able to keep track of side effects and avoid or help them if need be.

My advice would be to keep taking them, but any worries you have, talk to your doctor. If you aren't having any side effects that are major (for example, my doctor said if I experienced dry mouth, as long as I was okay with it we could still move ahead with the increases. But if I experienced a more serious side effect it wouldn't have been easy like that), talk to your doctor and tell them you aren't experiencing changes like you expected or wanted, and talk about perhaps increasing. My doctor initially said she wanted to see me at 75mg or 100mg, depending on how I reacted to it, before she thought about staying at a dose. Usually people don't get much changes from the lower doses. It does happen, but not as often as the higher dose.

I hope you figure it out, as I know prescriptions can be a headache trying to figure out, but once you get to a dose and prescription that you're comfortable with and it works, you will feel better.
 
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