Staring Zoloft 25mg

[Starting zoloft]

Hi.  I have suffered from chronic anxiety for about 5 years.  I am 30 years old.  3 years ago I started having crippling panic attacks and thought I was having a heart attack.  I starting also have pvcs that seemed to persist even until this day.  Back then my doctor had me take neurontin and i walked up to 3200 mg and xanax as needed.  It did work for me.  However, I started to taper off because my new doctor told me that i was taking too much and i needed to be on an ssri.  So 5 days ago, I started taking zoloft 25mg and he told me he wanted me to walk up to 100mg if possible.  I feel very anxious right now.  Almost more than before.  Is this normal?  Will it subside?  Will it get better if I take more or should I see if the 25mg works first before I take more.  The doctore thinks my heart palpitations will also get better after a regimend of this.  Any thoughts?  Help!!!  Can I take a xanax if I need one?--I really just want to know if this experience is normal for chronic anxiety (irritable, panicky, jittery, nervous, etc.) and if it will get better. Thanks

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Of course you should talk to your doctor about this, but since he already gave you permission to increase dose, the usual rule of thumb is to go to 5o and stay there for a while. Its a bit tricky since zoloft sometimes has a stimulating effect which can exacerbate the anxiey, so in the early stages people do use xanax for that, then go off of it when stable on right dose of zoloft.  talk to your doctor about this.

[BonnieH]

What you're going through is exactly whats happening to me right now. My doctor has me take a zanax in the morning with the antideppressant, and at night as well. My friend gave me a klonapin to try today instead of the xanax, and I think it helps better than the xanax. It stays in your system longer to relieve the anxiety. I'm told after the meds kick in again, the anxiety will lessen. I would ask my doctor for either one until your zoloft takes effect. If you increase your dosage too guickly anxiety gets worse. This I know from experience, as well as from my doctor.  Good Luck, i hope you're feeling better soon. Be Patient

[DJ-RxT]

You can use Xanax if your doctor said it was okay to use it as needed, but don't be too liberal with it as it has been known to sometimes cause dependency. Zoloft is a relatively mild SSRI, or atleast the 25mg dosage is the lightest it comes as, so if you're not getting the most desirable results from the current dosage, don't be too scared of moving up to 50mg or even the 100mg one. Just find what works, use it for a bit, and then try to step it down and see if you continue feeling better. Good luck!

[rosetoes]

Hi!
Please, please do yourself a favor and investigate the drugs that you are taking and the long term effects.  I have had panic attacks for the last 30 years and was able to manage to work thru them.  In Nov, I had a rapid heart beat of 220bpm and I was rushed to the hospital and given a beta blocker.  Many test were ran which came out normal.  I was sooooo shaken by this experience I was having panic attacks hourly.  The doctor gave me Xanax (1.5mg per day)  I only took them for 2.5 months and then I started to learn more about these benzos.  They are addictive and hard to get off of them.  I am now recovering from withdrawl and I can say it was/is pure hell.  I'd take a panic attack over Xanax any day.  

I have seen a few doctors over the last few months and I swear they all want to prescribe a different medication...Zoloft, Kopolin, Ativan, Ambien, Buspar and on and on.  I don't need it nor do I want to become depended on these drugs again.  

I now work with deep breathing techniques to overcome my anxiety/panic attacks.  Yoga, tense and release, meditation all work if you take the time to try them.

The sad thing is that this medication mask the feelings, they do not cure them and once off of them, the panic return 10 fold.  

You may be at a point in your life where taking medication is your only option, but know the consequences/withdrawl/addiction so you will know at some point you will have to face that.

Best wishes and please know that I'm want you to see both sides to mind altering medication.  I wish I knew then what I know now.