is zoloft right for me?

[vsmith313]

so i take zoloft for my anxiety but it says its used for an anti depressant. whats up with that?

[nursegirl6572]

Hello and welcome!  While no one can answer your question with any kind of certainty, there are many of us with long histories of anxiety who have responded very well woth SSRI type meds.  They are really first line medications used in the treatment of anxiety disorders.  I, personally have had great success with Zoloft in the past.  It was the first medication I ever tried after being diagnosed with panic disorder at age 18, and it along with therapy) literally gave me my life back.  Zoloft is a good medication in that it typically doesn't have as many side effects, and any side effects you may experience with Zoloft won't be as severe as with some other medications.

With ANY of these meds, there are some important things to keep in mind.  For one, these medications take time to start changing the chemical balance of serotonin in the brain, therefore you won't notice immediate imporvements.  These meds can take 6-8 weeks to really start making positive differences, and in some cases, even a bit longer.  Also, you may require dosage increases after that intital 6-8 weeks before you really feel better.  This is why patience is VERY important.  Sadly, a lot of people throw in the towel way too early, before they get a clear picture of the benefits of the meds.  My advice is to give these medications a minimum of 3 months before making any decisions about if they do or don't work for you.  Everyone is different...some people start noticing some positive changes after just a week or so, while others may require a longer period of time.

Also, there are some fairly common side effects that may occur during the initial phases of treatment (first 2-3 weeks).  They can include an increase in anxiety (feeling jittery), sleep disturbances, GI upset (appetite increase or decrease).  These side effects vary in their intensity from person to person, but they will start to subside after a week or two.  It is during this period where a lot of people give up because they cannot tolerate the side effects.  If you experience side effects, you need to communicate this to your doctor, there are a lot of approaches to mangaing these effects and making them more tolerable.

Finally, psychotherapy is very important.  Using BOTH medications and therapy will increase your success rate substantially.  If you aren't already in therapy, ask your doc for a referral.  Also, your doctor will be able to share different resources for you as well....like books, exercises.  ANY way you can increase your understanding about anxiety will also help you tremendously in treatment.  When I was first diagnosed, I think I read every book every written about anxiety, and it was a great source of comfort to me.

Keep sharing your feelings in a venue like this...and reading others' stories.  It is such a relief when you start realizing just how common anxiety issues are, a HUGE portion of the population is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.  There are probably several people in your family and circle of friends who have dealt with some level of anxiety that required treatment, it's just not something a lot of people share, so you would never even know.  I discovered quite a few people in my life were going through alomst exactly what I was...when I started sharing my experiences with others.

Give the Zoloft a fair shake, I think you will be very pleasantly surprised!  Good luck, keep us updated!

[cj29]

We definitely all react to medication differently in my opinion, but for me, Zoloft worked very well in the past and is currently working for me now.  However, just remember that SSRIs like Zoloft will not 'cure' you of your anxiety in my opinion.  I look at it as a very useful tool while you learn about and confront your anxiety. Just keep an open line of communication between you and your doctor and start to map out how you want to confront it.  Do you have access to therapy?  For me, both one on one and group therapy worked really well.  There are usually mulitiple anxiety support groups that you can find...they have helped me tremendously...keep us posted!

[mammo]

Most of us dealing with anxiety take an antidepressant along with an anxiety medication....you taking Zoloft is the right thing to do so long as it's helping you.  If you've been on it for more than 6 weeks and it's not helping, let your doctor know right away.  You're on the right track!

[angelairene]

they say that anxiety is triggered by depression?they try and tackle one problem 2 rule another out!therez nthing wrong wiv them if they are workin 4 u:if thiz is the case u may well b depressed wivout knowin it!!hope it all goez well 4 u!chin up!!