How do you know your medication is working?

[Alittlebitdown]

Hi,
So I've been treated for PTSD for a while now (a year) and I've tried 4 different antidepressants, but I've felt no different. The meds were sertraline, venlafaxine, and am on a combo of mirtazipine and quetiapine; been told that I can only increase quetiapine (but gives me the worst side effects). Still suicidal, still have night terrors, still have anxiety. I've been told that I'm going through "medications too quickly", that soon they'll be no new ones to try. So I've been told to stick to my current meds, but the side effects are terrible and I'm no better. I understand the reality that the meds are not going to make me magically all better but I don't feel ANY improvement.
I've also been told I'm looking for a miracle cure for C-PTSD.
So how did you know you'd found a medication that was right for you? That worked to help boost you at least... To feel like you can breathe every once in a while rather than drowning all the time.
Thanks for any help!

 

[WishfulThinking123]

Well I am definitely no expert on this...but I do know that medications can take 4-8 weeks to work. Also most side effects wear off after the initial 2 weeks. For example, when I first started Zoloft I experienced a lot of "mania" and dry mouth but that quickly went away within 2 weeks. I started on 25 mg and that worked for a while but then I had extreme depression again so I increased it to 50...about 3 to 4 weeks later after the 50 mg increase and I am feeling a lot better. So, the medication does take a while to take effect. I have also heard the rule of thumb is 2 weeks you should be feeling some alleviation. However, if you are concerned please talk to your pdoc. Also, I hope you are in T as medication without T for CPSTD is unlikely to help. My T suggested for me to go on an antidepressant while we are working through my trauma because it is hard to cope with but, the meds themselves will not help me work through the trauma. Trauma work, there are a few different methods out there, is what has to happen I believe to eventually become completely asymptomatic- as there is no actual "cure".

 

[Alittlebitdown]

Well I am definitely no expert on this...but I do know that medications can take 4-8 weeks t...

Hi,
Yeah I'm in t with a trauma counsellor. I knew 2 weeks for side effects to wear off but I thought it was 4 weeks for full effect... I hate it when my family are right and I'm rushing things. I've been on the mirtazipine (over 3 months) and quetiapine (over 3 months but the recent increase about a month ago), so it's still possible for it to work. Unfortunately I have to wait for an appointment and I don't have an option for a quicker version. My normal doc won't touch my meds incase it upsets the pdoc.
Thanks for the info!