Starting Zoloft

I have been having anxiety problems for a few months now. I was prescribed paxil and ativan originally. I tried the paxil for one day and did not like the side effects it was giving me. So I went to counseling to try and get over this without taking medications. Well a couple of weekends ago I had a really bad weekend. I went to my doctor because I was having abdominal pains and was thinking it was something serious (which is what my anxiety problem is: health concerns). He basically said this was all anxiety still, and thought I really needed to  be on a daily medication instead of just taking ativan when it got really bad. He prescribed me zoloft 100mg, but suggested I start with 50mg to try and lessen the side effects. I have not taken it yet as I am anxious about taking it (of course). I am really just curious as what to expect when starting this. It is supposed to have fewer side effects than the paxil. Will it really get me back to my old self of just fun loving, and not worrying about every little wrong feeling my body gets?

On a side note could I experience Ativan withdrawal after only taking 0.5mg pretty much once a day for about a week? I am trying not to take it as often, but I also do not want to experience severe withdrawal symptoms.

Thanks for anyone that can help!!

[cj29]

I actually prefer Zoloft, but for me, the first couple of weeks I experienced an actual increase in anxiety and felt really jittery.  Remember, SSRIs like Zoloft can take a good couple of weeks before you start to feel the benefit of them.  As far as the Ativan, in my opinion, many doctors will prescribe a benzo like this especially when starting a med like Zoloft.  You are not taking that much, but just talk with your doctor about all you medication concerns; good communication between the paitient and the provider is a must in my opinion.  

[M4Y0U]

If Zoloft doesn't work for you after giving it a month to take effect try a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) like Duloxetine (Cymbalta, Yentreve). It acts a bit differently than the common selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) like Zoloft you are taking. So if Zoloft really don't work i would realy sugest the Cymbalta.

Some info on Cymbalta

Duloxetine (Cymbalta, Yentreve) is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor manufactured and marketed by Eli Lilly. It is effective for major depressive disorder and it is as effective as venlafaxine in generalised anxiety disorder. It is well tolerated and is considered a first line treatment strategy. Duloxetine failed the US approval for stress urinary incontinence amidst the concerns about liver toxicity and suicidal events; however, it was approved for this indication in Europe and Canada. Duloxetine alleviates pain associated with diabetic neuropathy and fibromyalgia; however, its efficacy relative to the established treatments, such as anticonvulsants and tricyclic antidepressants, has not been established.