Zoloft and increased anxiety after 10 days?

[Fox72]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum, but not new to Zoloft. I'm not sure if it's just been so long since I've taken it (this is my 5th time on it), or if I just can't tolerate it anymore,but I'm not remembering my start up side effects being this bad.

I have been on xanax .5 three times a day for over 2years now, and that's the only thing I've been taking. I know.... stupid decision seeing as how I suffer from PTSD, Panic Disorder w/Agoraphobia, GAD, OCD, and MDD.

Everything was fine, it seemed, until I lost my dad in August from Pancreatic Cancer. Since finding out the diagnosis on June 26th, up until the day he died, August 14th, I've been in such a depression.

I finally realized that I was pushing people away, including my husband. I started withdrawing from family and friends, and realized that I could NOT pull myself out of the depression by myself. I definitely needed help.

So, I went for my trusty Zoloft. It has never let me down. But last time I took it, I remember feeling NO start up side effects at all. They had increased me to 200mgs and that still wasn't working without my xanax, so I tried Lexapro for 5 months. Needless to say...25 lbs later, I went off of it.

Now here I am again, been taking 25 mgs of Zoloft for 10days now. My anxiety was fine in the first 3 days, but after that all hell broke loose. I've been very anxious, almost to the point of panicking, haven't left the house for a week now, and have been taking an extra xanax a day to help me through.

I'm not remembering if this is all normal now since being off of it for so long. Is it not going to work this time? I'm trying to stay positive, because I've had a sense of my mood lifting from the depression, but the anxiety is bad!

I was supposed to go up to 50 mgs after a week, but on the 4th day is when my anxiety started getting worse, then the 5th day I felt ok, and then after that it's been nothing but anxiety...

I will say this though, this whole Ebola thing is really bugging me out, and maybe that's contributing to it. I'm not sure what to do though.

Stay on, or go off, before I go any farther and experience nasty withdrawal?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! Fox

[4Maddie44]

I am so very sorry about the loss of your dad.  Why are you worrying about Ebola.  Are you an at risk area?  Surely you do not need that worry too.  

I have been on Zoloft in the past.  Perhaps it is just tasking time to make you feel better this time.  you know we usually feel worse when we start taking a tablet, and it takes a few weeks for us to feel the benefit.  You say you have never had this before when taking Zoloft.

If you feel this time it is not helping, then perhaps your doctor could prescribe something different.

I am managing my anxiety without medication.  It is a difficult decision ton decide whether to take medication or not, and is, of course, a personal choice.  

I stopped anti depressant a year ago which totally got ride of depression and anxiety.  I had been on anti depressants for over 20 years.  As I said, the anxiety has come back, but so far, not the depression, fingers crossed!!!

I slowly reduced my anti depressant over many months, and did not get any withdrawal symptoms.  You have to make the decision what you think is right for you.  You won't get any nasty withdrawals, as you say, if, like me, you withdraw very slowly, so don't fret about that.  I feel you are working yourself up over things, and that is making you more anxious.

[birdie0907]

It's an ssri, so 10 days isn't long enough for a fair evaluation of its effects. You need to check with doc about what course of action to take, but your pharmacist should be able to give some advice on your situation to get you through the weekend at least. Plus it is person to person as opposed to this chat line so a better place for an answer.