Medical Treatment

Many patients are cautious about starting drug treatments because they fear problems such as unwanted side effects and the development of physical or psychological dependence.

If you have any such doubts or fears, you should discuss the relative benefits and risks of the proposed treatment with your doctor.

It should be emphasised that in some cases the response to medication is often not immediate and that symptoms may sometimes worsen temporarily – this may be lessened by starting with an initial low dose of the medication and gradually increasing then dose to the prescribed dose.  Your doctor will tell you how best to do this in your case.

Prolonged treatment is sometimes needed in order to maintain an initial treatment response and minimise the risk of relapse.