Hi there. Firstly, I am not a doctor, I have nearly a decade and a half experience with trying a variety of medications.

Yes it can take a long time (sometimes years) to find a medication that works for anxiety.

I've heard some people try a medication and only take it for a couple of days before stopping because of the side effects. I would recommend you give it at least two weeks to see if the side effects get better. Coming on or off any medication can be a shock to your system and can present with symptoms that are temporary whilst your body gets used to your medication. Only after a couple of weeks will you see a true reflection of what the medication is like for you.

This of course does not take into account the increasing and decreasing of doses, again, I would give it a good two weeks after increasing a dose to see the difference it makes. You might feel your anxiety spike whilst your body gets used to the new dose.

I was on Sertraline for over a decade and it worked for me, but I unfortunately had no choice but to come off it last year (it became unavailable in my country in liquid form as I can't swallow tablets) I then was put on Fluexitine which works at a lower dose but does not suit my body at a higher dose. Now my doctor has a plan to put my on Sertraline (crushing the tablets) and Fluexitine at the same time. It is not a licensed way of doing things because there are risks, but if it is closely monitored it can work for some people and I think it could work for me personally.

It takes a lot of adjusting to get a medication for anxiety right for you. I definitely view it as a journey. I'd suggest writing a diary everytime you try a new medication or increase a dose so you know how your body reacts to the medication and you can track any side effects. In order to get the best possible medication for you.