ZOLOFT

I AM 18 AND I WAS JUST RECENTLY PERSCRIBED ZOLOFT I HAVENT TAKEN IT YET BECAUSE IM SCARED OF SIDE EFFECTS. HAS ANYONE HAD ANY BAD EXPERIENCES WITH IT OR WILL IT REALLI WORK FOR ME AS WELL AS THEY SAY!? ALSO DOES ANYONE KNOW IF SHAKING ALOT IS REALLI MY ANXIETY!?

[umya]

it does work and the side effects generally are not that bad.

[AIKO]

I WAS ON ZOLOFT FOR ABOUT 9 YEARS.  I WAS 29 WHEN I STARTED IT AND IT DID HAVE SIDE EFFECTS FOR ME SUCH AS WEIGHT GAIN, EXCESSIVE SWEATING, AND A DECREASED SEX DRIVE.  HOWEVER, THE SIDE EFFECTS WERE WORTH DEALING WITH COMPARED TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE ZOLOFT HELPED ME HAVE.  IT REALLY BASICALLY GOT RID OF MY DEPRESSION, PANIC ATTACKS AND MOST OF MY ANXIETY.  HOWEVER, I TRIED TO COME OFF OF IT RECENTLY (WHICH YOU SHOULD NEVER DO COLD TURKEY!  YOU HAVE TO WEAN YOURSELF OFF, SO DON'T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR DOCTOR'S HELP), BUT HAD TO GO BACK ON IT BECAUSE MY DEPRESSION, ETC. RETURNED.  HOWEVER, MY DOCTOR AND I HAVE DECIDED TO TRY ME ON LEXAPRO WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE EVEN BETTER FOR ANXIETY AND HAVE LESS SIDE EFFECTS.  I THINK ZOLOFT WAS MORE FOR PANIC ATTACKS, ACCORDING TO MY DOCTOR.  

ANYWAY, IF YOU CAN HANDLE LIFE WITHOUT THE MEDS, OF COURSE, THAT'S THE BEST OPTION.  BUT IF YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE MAKING LIFE PRETTY MUCH UNBEARABLE, WHICH IT DID FOR ME, I THINK THE SIDE EFFECTS ARE WORTH IT.  HOWEVER, YOU MIGHT TRY ASKING YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT LEXAPRO IF YOUR MAIN PROBLEM IS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.  

AS FOR THE SHAKING PART.  IT COULD BE YOUR ANXIETY OR YOU COULD BE HAVING A PANIC ATTACK.

THIS WHOLE RESPONSE IS JUST MY OPINION FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, BUT I HOPE IT HELPS AND I WISH YOU WELL.  LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES.