u/dsdamic2425

I was taking Paroxetine from jan 2024 tot may 2025, 20mg worked wonders for me. So much wonders I thought I could without. So I stopped.

End of sept 2025 I started again bc of huge anxiety return. This time it didn't work wonders for me. Increased to 30mg, did a little but too many side effects.

I recently switched from Paroxetine to Sertraline about 6 weeks ago on my doctor’s advice because paroxetine wasn’t helping enough anymore and I was having side effects.
I cross-tapered off paroxetine and have now been completely off it for about 4 weeks as well. I’ve been on 50mg sertraline for almost 4 weeks.

What confuses me is that the first 1–2 weeks actually seemed VERY promising. I felt calmer, clearer mentally, less physically anxious, and I genuinely thought the medication was finally starting to help. But now, around week 4, I suddenly feel terrible again.

My anxiety has increased massively, both physically and mentally, and my depression also feels much worse. I feel extremely physically anxious again: shaky, tense, panicky, overstimulated, constant internal stress/adrenaline feeling, tight stomach, etc. Mentally I feel hopeless and overwhelmed, like my entire anxiety disorder came crashing back in full force.

I’m feeling pretty desperate and discouraged right now.

Has anyone experienced a delayed worsening like this during the first weeks of sertraline after switching from another SSRI? Did it eventually improve for you?

I was taking Paroxetine from jan 2024 tot may 2025, 20mg worked wonders for me. So much wonders I thought I could without. So I stopped.

End of sept 2025 I started again bc of huge anxiety return. This time it didn't work wonders for me. Increased to 30mg, did a little but too many side effects.

I recently switched from Paroxetine to Sertraline about 6 weeks ago on my doctor’s advice because paroxetine wasn’t helping enough anymore and I was having side effects.
I cross-tapered off paroxetine and have now been completely off it for about 4 weeks as well. I’ve been on 50mg sertraline for almost 4 weeks.

What confuses me is that the first 1–2 weeks actually seemed VERY promising. I felt calmer, clearer mentally, less physically anxious, and I genuinely thought the medication was finally starting to help. But now, around week 4, I suddenly feel terrible again.

My anxiety has increased massively, both physically and mentally, and my depression also feels much worse. I feel extremely physically anxious again: shaky, tense, panicky, overstimulated, constant internal stress/adrenaline feeling, tight stomach, etc. Mentally I feel hopeless and overwhelmed, like my entire anxiety disorder came crashing back in full force.

I’m feeling pretty desperate and discouraged right now.

Has anyone experienced a delayed worsening like this during the first weeks of sertraline after switching from another SSRI? Did it eventually improve for you?

I recently switched from Paroxetine to Sertraline about 6 weeks ago on my doctor’s advice because paroxetine wasn’t helping enough anymore and I was having side effects.
I cross-tapered off paroxetine and have now been completely off it for about 4 weeks as well. I’ve been on 50mg sertraline for almost 4 weeks.

What confuses me is that the first 1–2 weeks actually seemed VERY promising. I felt calmer, clearer mentally, less physically anxious, and I genuinely thought the medication was finally starting to help. But now, around week 4, I suddenly feel terrible again.

My anxiety has increased massively, both physically and mentally, and my depression also feels much worse. I feel extremely physically anxious again: shaky, tense, panicky, overstimulated, constant internal stress/adrenaline feeling, tight stomach, etc. Mentally I feel hopeless and overwhelmed, like my entire anxiety disorder came crashing back in full force.

I’m feeling pretty desperate and discouraged right now.

Has anyone experienced a delayed worsening like this during the first weeks of sertraline after switching from another SSRI? Did it eventually improve for you?