Not sure if I need to increase dosage.

[mermaidgirl]

I have been on an ssri to treat anxiety for almost 6 weeks now and I am feeling good but I am finding I am having anxiety as soon as I wake in the morning. It passes after a short time but I am finding I am feeling tired after waking. This could be from waking a few times most nights as well. I also have short episodes of anxiety every now and then throughout the day sometimes but they too pass quickly.

So I guess I'm wondering if i need to consider upping my dose. If you have increased how did you know you needed to?

[Croix]

Dear Mermaidgirl~

Hi, I've had a look at your other posts and see you were worried about going on medication, but did so anyway. Very sensible. Like many (me included) going on meds is worrying/frightening/a new set of issues to deal with.

You sound as if they are doing some good, and by following advice and taking them at night time you may be side-stepping the worst of any possible side-effects. I've never had anything that was 100% effective, YMMV.

I'm not sure the 'more is better' approach always works. However as you are only starting on meds I would expect that there would be a trial period, after which you provide feedback to your doctor. He can then judge what the next step may be.

Do you have a scheduled appointment with your doctor coming up?

As some including MarkJT will have mentioned meds is only part of the way of combating anxiety. Living a low-stress lifestyle as much as possible, physical and mental exercises all play their part, as does family support.

If you have not done so already may I suggest you have a look at:

Forums/ Anxiety/ SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING ANXIETY

I've found it a very useful thread not only for getting 'background' stress levels down but also dealing with anxiety attacks/sessions as they occur.

Please let us know how you go.

My best wishes

Croix

[geoff]

hi Mermaidgirl, I've been with you along this terrible journey, just as many others have as well, but when you wake up tired, still means that this illness has an effect on you, but waking up during the night wouldn't mean anything if you didn't have this anxiety/depression, but when you do have both of these, then you are waking up a troubled mind which won't make you go back to sleep easily, so you keep thinking about everything, so deep down frustration will keep you awake.
It's not the same as what you feel during the day, but just enough to keep you awake, so yes I would talk to your doctor about increasing your dosage, you can only ask. Geoff. x