Starting Sertraline slowly? Advice please.

[Chellybean18]

So tomorrow I am to start Sertraline. My psychiatrist said to start slow with it. He gave me 50 mg to break in half and take for a week...my question is is it safe to break the 25 mg in half as well and start even slower? I'm a huge baby when it comes to side effects :( but id take 12.5 my for a week then 25 mg for a week then 50mg then I would see him again. Has anyone ever done this? Thanks. Also share experiences if you like. Preferably positive ones lol

[specialmom]

Yes, you could probably do that if the pill can split that way and make even quarters. They'd be pretty small. Splitting a pill is easier.  But you can try it.  Zoloft is pretty tolerable it appears.  And for many people it takes a higher dosage to be effective.  I'd be surprised if 5o mg is where you end up as 100 mg is a more common dose.  But time will tell with that. I'm so glad you are being treated.  Did you see the psychiatrist?  Have you started taking it yet? How are you feeling?  Let me know how things go!

[Chellybean18]

Hello :) Yep my psychiatrist was awesome. He explained everything to me so I feel relieved that I am understood and getting help soon! The pills are easy enough to split and I took one today! No bad effects yet. Im just excited to get back to feeling better soon ❤

[Paxiled]

You can do that, but I'm thinking along with Mom here -- Zoloft is usually used at 100 or 150mg, so at the tiny dose you want to take you're not likely to get any effect at all.  It will save you from side effects, but also might save you from any beneficial effects, in effect not starting the drug at all.  It's up to you, but to me your doc's advice sounds better due to the particulars of Zoloft.

[rjb1682]

I'm the same way when it comes to pills/medicine etc. I was taking busiprone and started with half a pill at a time to limit the potential for side effects, however, your doctor should be able to let you know if you can start slowly.  Best of luck!

[RT93]

Hi,
Please don't look at my posts, meds work differently for everyone.
Mine are negative for this med.

Hope it works out for you. Im open about it if you want to ask me something.
Good Luck

[JonL1992]

Yes, you can. My Sertraline is in capsule form so i can't but by the sounds of it yours is in a pill/chalk form so your OK. If their are any side effects you'll probably notice in a week or 2. SSRI's usually take about 2 weeks to start having an effect and once they do don't ever stop cold turkey. But i can say Sertraline is pretty good and 25mg may sound like alot, but some people take 100mg and that seems like over kill because some other SSRI's like Paxil are taken in smaller doses to have the same effect. But my Dr says Sertraline is a much milder, so dont be worried about 25mg i was taking 75mg. Also just a personal opinion if Sertraline doesn't work and a Dr ever tries to give you Paxil don't take it, ask for something else because it can be pretty bad to get off of and side effects i noticed more on it. But everyone's different, good luck.

[Paxiled]

Sertraline has a higher dose for working than Paxil because the drug are different.  Sertraline usually starts its therapeutic dose at 100mg.  Some do well at 50.  Some are highly sensitive to things and absorb them really well while others don't.  It usually takes about 4-6 weeks to notice positive effects, although some do notice them earlier.  Side effects, though, start right away.  So it isn't that Paxil is stronger than Zoloft -- well, it actually is, it's too strong for many when they try to stop taking it -- but dosage has nothing to do with strength, which is more about effectiveness.  

[Sarahgreen]

This is something i have always done myself as i cant bare side effects (especially the anxiety and jittery feeling) i just done it myself nobody told me too so the facts your doctor said that is so good to hear. Do a quarter of your pill for a week then half for a week then 3 quarters for a week until your onto a full one thats how i do it and worked for me no side effects and after 10 years on esa suffering trying this method. Within 6 months im back driving have a job after 10 years my own apartment I honestly don’t recognise myself but the new me is Thanks to sertraline hope this helps ! x  

[specialmom]

Yes, titrating up and slowly increasing the dose can be very helpful at curbing start up side effects and important to do the slow process of decreasing the dose incrementally as you stop these meds too.  I am SO so glad sertraline is working for you!  thanks for sharing.