Eleva??

[Willieverbenormal]

I've never taken a tablet for much, the strongest thing I've had is a aspirin for a headache. I went to the doctors earlier in the week, I've been having anxiety about things I make up in my mind, but when I get that particular issue resolved I feel sad and depressed until I find something else to get anxious about...

I was proscribed Eleva - I'm currently on day 4 of .25mg and told to increase on day 7 to .50mg.
Should I be feeling anything different? I have been unable to sleep much the last few nights but other wise I feel ok, no headaches, no nausea yet, none of the general systems people have mentioned... Are these even working for me??

[nursegirl6572]

Hello there!

The decision to try medications for anxiety is a very unique and personal one, some people are very pro-med, others have more reservations.

Personally, I feel that if your life is being negatively affected to the point where you feel something needs done, then something probably DOES need done.  What that "something" is is something each person needs to decide for themselves.

Eleva, better known to us in the US as Zoloft, is acually the most commonly prescribed SSRI antidepressant for anxiety disorders...that's because not only does it have a pretty good track record as far as effectiveness, but also, it's easy to tolerate for most people.  I myself have had fabulous results with Zoloft.  I was experiencing debilitating panic attacks and was almost completely housebound when I was first diagnosed with PD at age 18.  Zoloft, along with therapy, gave me my life back!

While meds can be very effective, the therapy component is also VERY important.  It teaches you coping techniques that you can use forever.  It's definitely way too soon to be noticing any significant changes at 4 days into treatment, especially because you were started at a low dose (which is a good thing, helps to lessen any side effects).  These meds take up to 4-6 weeks for one to start being able to notice obvious changes, although most people will report that they see some subtle changes after about 2 weeks.  With you being gradually tapered up, it may take you a little bit longer to notice those changes, because with each dosage increase, you have to wait a few weeks to notice the changes, just as you did initially.  It's an adjustment process.  Antidepressants aren't like an aspirin, or ibuprofen, where the effects are felt immediately.  These meds actually alter the brain chemistry, and that takes some time.  

So, the bottom line is, try to be as patient as you can.  Adjusting to these kinds of meds and REALLY being able to assess their effectiveness can take 2+ months.  It's well worth the wait if you see positive results.  I always tell people to give the med a fair shake, meaning, wait the full 4-6 weeks (I recommend 7-8 weeks as everyone is different) after your last dosage increase, before any determination is made about the efficacy of the drug.  If for some chance, Zoloft is ineffective for you, there are other options out there...but again, I always recommend a person exhausting ALL possibilities (including dosage increases) with ONE med before moving on to the next.

If it's available to you, try to find a therapist who is well versed in CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy.  It's a slightly different treatment modality than traditional "talk therapy" in which different techniques are used to help a person learn how to change their thinking, stopping anxiety in its tracks.

Very best to you, I hope the Eleva is successful for you.  Please keep us updated on how it's going.  Remember...patience is a virtue!  The less you think about the med and how its working, the more likely you will be able to recognize the improvements.  Of you're overly focused on it, it's not only more frustrating, but it's harder to see the changes.  They are usuallly gradual.  I know for me, I started feeling a little better after about 3 weeks, but after a couple of dosage increases, about 3 months into the Zoloft, I truly felt like I was almost back to being "me".  At the 3-4 month point is when I can say I was able to start enjoying the full effectiveness of the Zoloft.  From my own personal perspective, I truly cannot say enough good things about it as a med.

Good luck to you!  Fingers crossed!

[Willieverbenormal]

Thanks for the comment. It felt/feels like a huge problem to me but compared to others, no mine wasn't as bad. It was something I want under control before it got worse.

It had started to effect my work, and I was becoming more and more depressed when the anxiety disappeared. I don't know, sometimes I worry that I've worried so much that what if it is t as bad as I thought.

[Paxiled]

This is a good question.  For me, when medication worked, I got side effects.  When it didn't, I didn't get them.  I think the better you metabolize a drug, the better it works, but also the more "side" effects you get -- usually.  Because everyone has an individual experience.  These drugs act on brain chemistry and everyone thinks differently, so we react to the drugs differently.  Now, that being said, you don't sound like you were having a huge problem.  If that's true, why go on drugs, with all their problems, if your life isn't being seriously disrupted?  There are other alternatives, primarily therapy and relaxation techniques, that might actually solve the problem whereas drugs only cover up the symptoms.  Something to think about.