zoloft/anxiety feeling weird what's up?

[maryann77]

Ok, so I went on zoloft almost a year ago due to anxiety for panic attacks and mild depression.  I was to take 25mgs for the first week or so and up it to 50.  Soon after I started to take it I felt very out of sorts, not myself.  Then this escalated into severe sleepiness, no energy, body fely heavy,cold chills and just totally out of it etc. This was so bad that I could not work for a few days. My dr had me take 12.5 for a while and then go back at the 25 mgs.  I did well with this and my body felt normal after a while.  So now we are here almost a year later and I had a physical again and I asked since I was about to be married if I could go up to 50 mgs because of all the stress with planning a wedding. The wedding is in 2 months. It was fine with her.  I also had asked if I might suffer from the side effects I had when I first started on zoloft. She didn't think so.  This is my primary physician by the way.  I did the 50 mgs for about 3 weeks till I started feeling tired all over again, very anxious and my head is just not right.  I have a hard time concentrating and just feel all out of wack. I had blood tests done and everything came back normal.  So we're guessing it's from the increase of the zoloft.  So 4 days ago I went back to taking the 25 mgs.  I am still feeling out of it.  Like my head is just in a fog, I keep getting headaches, easily out of breath and my heart starts pounding.  Like doing small things like taking a shower.  My body feels all heavy and no energy. Taking a deep breath feels so good. It just feels like it did when I first went on this drug. I think my body is just very sensitive to this but I want to know if I will start feeling normal again.  I wish I never went up in dose. I was doing just fine with the 25mgs. What do you think? Im getting nervous just writing all of this. Thank You

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Some people are extraordinarily sensitive to these medications and you are one of them. Keep to the lower dose even if your external stress is bigger because of the wedding. You should be able to handle that with using just good coping skills and keeping a perspective. The after effects of the higher dose will definetly go away.

[sdc1213]

We'll there a few possibilities.... I'm not a doctor, but I'm currently on zoloft and have been on it for a while. I have a lot of what you're having with the headaches and the "spacey feelings," but what my guess would be is zoloft is used to treat depression mostly not anxiety (although it can help it out a lot.) I think what you're having is anxiety/mild panic attacks. My best bet is to go to you're doctor and have him/her perscribe you some sort of anxiety medication/mood inhibitor. Such as buspar or a new medication that came out not too long ago mirtazapine (that's what I'm currently on zoloft 50mg and mirtzapine.) Now another thing Zoloft is the type of medication that YOU HAVE TO take everyday otherwise you can have a relapse (not enough serotonin is getting to your nerves which causes anxiety and depression and all the adove.) When you relapse you can have big panic attacks, depression, or anxiousness all the time. That's where it seems like your symptoms come into place... The headaches, spaceyfeelings, and anxiousness.

P.S. Everything you're going through I'm going through... You're not the only one :) (that always helped me get by.)

[maryann77]

Hi thanks for the comment. It's nice to know Im not the only one with these problems and all of your comments are good.  And I appreciate that. When I originally went on zoloft it was because I was feeling all stressed out with a new house and moving out of my parents for the first time.  There was so much to do and such a big change. Living with my fiance for the first time etc. I just wasn't feeling myself. I was also having panic attacks.  I take care of children and that is not something good to have. This was my primary who prescribed it.
I actually got to speak with a nurse practioner last night.  Yeah she called me on a Sunday night.  We talked for a while.  I had called her last week and she had been on vacation.  I wanted to have an appt. with her to fiqure out what I have been going through.  She totally thinks that I am feeling this way because of the upped dose of the zoloft.She hasn't met me yet or know alot about me.  Seing that I was so sensitive in the first place with taking this medication.  If I was her patient she told me that if I hadn't needed the upped doseage she wouldn't of prescribed it to me.  I was fine coping well with all the stress of everyday life etc.  She would of had me take 3/4 of a 50 mg pill if I needed it to start out not jump right to 50. What she had suggested I do was to not take the 25 mg of zoloft last night(when I take my med) and skip a day so my body could try to adjust.  I did that.  I still am spacey today but hopefully things will average out.  I have a slight headache. I will go back to taking 25 mgs tonight.  She mentioned something about a condition called taca- something or other. It had something to do with the stimulating effect of zoloft.
I am meeting with her this Saturday. I am wondering if I go on something else besides the zoloft how does that effect people?  It would be nice to  have something extra around the time of the wedding.  I know I will be nervous after I get past these feelings I have now. I think thats just normal.Is it ok to go on with daily things like driving and working when I feel this way?I am nrevous to do things that over exert myself like going on the treadmill etc. Things that get my heart rate increased.   I've been taking a break on that with the way I had been feeling.  Just lifting free weights was getting me out of breath and my heart racing.
I would still like to hear everyone else's comments on here until then.  It would help meto feel better and know I will feel normal again. :) Thanks

[Baby123]

I am very sensitive to meds also.  Do you have Mitral Valve Prolapse?  I do and most people with that have a lot of sensitivity to meds and any changes in the nervous system.  You may want to check with your Dr. about checking you for that.  I took Prozac 11 years ago after the birth of my last child when I started having a lot of anxiety and panic attacks.  Also, my Dr. put me on a low dose beta blocker to control the heartbeat since I was having a lot of skipped beats and racing/pounding in my chest.  He also added a small dose of Klonopin three times a day until my body adjusted to the prozac.  After about 3 or 4 months he weaned me off the klonopin and all I took was the 20 mg. prozac and 25 mg. tenormin.  After 10 years on the prozac I weaned myself and had no problems again until a few months ago.  My Dr. then put me on Effexor XR, it is supposed to be better for anxiety, and added the klonopin back in while I was adjusting to the new med.  I have been on it 8 weeks now and feel great so now we are slowly weaning me off the klonopin and I guess I will just stay on the effexor and tenormin.  He told me I had Generalized Anxiety Disorder and it goes hand in hand with Mitral Valve Prolapse.  He said some people just have to stay on low dose meds because their nervous system is so sensitive.  I had a very stressful year last year and I know that is what brought on the symptoms again.  I am also doing relaxation and breathing exercises every day to relieve stress and listening to relaxation music at night while falling asleep to further relax me.  You may want to add in some relaxation techniques to your schedule.  On the exercise part, I think light exercise will help you.  Maybe walking at a steady pace and the more comfortable you get the faster you can go.  Start out slow and short distant and add to it as you feel like it.  It also relieves stress.  Hope this helps some.

[elenadev]

have anxiety and depression. It hit me on 1/2/04 by only sleeping 2 hrs. only able to sleep 4.5 hrs. with meds (50 mg of seraquel and 100 of trazadone). On my fourth week of Zoloft and feel more depressed, more nonfunctional, numbness, no motivation, don't get tired. How long does one notice results with Zoloft. has anyone gone through this?

[elenadev]

on my fourth week of zoloft. this week i even feel more out it, non functional, numbness, only sleeping 4.5 hrs. even with sleep meds. any ideas

[maryann77]

well like I said when I first started I was completely out of it.  No enegy, slept all the time I was dizzy and numb. How much zoloft are you taking?  I didn't feel "better" till at least a couple weeks after treatment started.  It takes time to get into your system and work itself out and fix the bad.  But I would talk to your dr and see what they say.  I had to do a very minimal dose 12.5 for a couple months before I could go to 25mgs because my body was so effected by it.  And know I never had heard about mitral valve prolapse.  I will ask my nurse practioner about it when I see her this Saturday.  I know that anything like you said caffeine, some meds like this one and any diet pill that has caffeine or any stimulant in it I cannot do or in very small doses.  I am feeling better today.  I think with skipping the dose the other night it has helped my body get to a medium with the medication.

[looneygirl]

The Zoloft does take some time to get into your system.  I also had the dizziness, muscle tremors, insomnia, headache, etc., the whole 9 yards, when first starting the Zoloft.  Taking the med. first thing in the a.m. really helped me with the insomnia.  I started on 25mg and was so sensitive that I have stayed at 25mg (was supposed to go up to 50mg after 1 week of 25mg).  Been on it for about 2 months now- - feeling great.  Don't even have to take the Xanax anymore.  Try to hang in there, and talk to your doctor about the side effects you are having.

[maryann77]

I take mine at night at bedtime.  I felt it was better for me because it was making me sleepy.  I have no problems now with sleeping.  Things have gotten better for me and it's amazing that skipping that one dose could make my body feel better and get back to usual.  I never took anything that made me feel weird like that and it can be scarey.  I thought of a whole mess of things before I realized it was the zoloft upped dose that was making me feel so horrible. I was able to get 40 minutes of fast paced walking in last night and burnt 285 calories. Wedding is coming!!!!
One other question what does xanax do for you and how does it make you feel?

[mission]

I HAVE BEEN ON PAXIL AND XANAX FOR FIVE MONTHS.I AM FEELING BETTER BUT NOT GREAT. STILL HAVING MINOR PANIC ATTACKS, DIZZINESS,AND TROUBLE SLEEPING. BY READING SOME OF THESE COMMENTS I REALIZED THAT MAYBE I AM TAKING TOO HIGH A DOSE OF PAXIL(25mg). I ALSO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE. I DON'T WISH THIS ON ANYONE BUT I AM ALSO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO READ ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE WHO EXPERINCE WHAT I FEEL.I HAD BEEN PRETTY MUCH PANIC FREE FOR 10 YEARS. BACK THEN I WAS TREATED WITH INDERAL AND XANAX AND THAT WORKED GREAT. MY PRESENT DR WON'T GIVE ME INDERAL.I FEEL I NEED SOMETHING TO HELP WITH MY RAPID HEARTBEAT. THOSE OLD FASHIONED TREATMENTS SEEMED TO WORK BETTER THAN ALL OF THESE NEW DRUGS.I ESPECIALLY HATE THE ALMOST CONSTANT LIGHTHEADEDNESS.I DIDN'T HAVE THAT DURING MY LAST BOUT WITH PANIC ATTACKS. DO YOU THINK ITS THE PAXIL?

[I'mallheart]

i have been on Zoloft for about two weeks did 25 for a week 50 a week and know going to 100 cause not feeling much differnce and seem to be good with it, no side effects..i also take atenolol for fast heart rate anxiety induced..i am 27 and been depressed for awhile along with anxiety..newly married and wife pregnant due march 21..stress nervous for that also.
thanks

[sdc1213]

(To mission's commment and everyone with the same problem.)

I have bad anxiety and what the meds do is just help it (it doesn't cure) you need to find things to do with your time like play sports, or jog/run, something active to keep your mind off of things. Within a few days you should tend to feel better sometimes it's hard because of mild depression makes you not even feel like getting out of bed and stuff, (Anxiety is where your body doesn't get enough serotonin) if you have panic attacks my best suggestion would be get a shrink and or do relaxation techniques, like breathing in and out deeply and think of something nice or a pretty place (that helped me tons.)

[deb723]

I am currently doing research for an upcoming book which deals with the side effects and withdrawals people have experienced from Effexor XR and other (like) anti-depressants. I am interested in receiving any information current or former users would like to share concerning their experiences with these drugs. Please email me @:
beach-***@****
and thanks!

[bearhugs]

I have been on zoloft for about three years now due to panic/anxiety/depression. I have had it all my life that I can remember. During teen years is when it got worse then having kids. Now I feel "normal".
My question is has anyone tried losing weight while still on zoloft? I have gained 20-25 pounds since I started. I just feel huge :-(

[lissa7]

I hope this information can help someone.I know when your ill it may seem difficult to identify or convince doctors of the negative effects a drug is having on you.They will often try and tell you they are manifestations of the illness itself.Try to trust your instincts. I have learnt the hard way. No matter how confused you are ,you know your body best.Doctors still know very little about what we have to endure with anxiety and depression, let alone the side effects of these drugs on our vastly different physiological states.                      Attempting to take Zoloft was an extremely frightening experience for me. I began on 25mgs and was told I should expect minimal side effects. The result was mania,muscle spasms,temporary paralysis etc Due to the severity of my anxiety the GPs strongly suggested persevering - eventually I had a Seizure after also remaining awake for several days.All my senses were so hieghtened that the slightest sound or movement caused my heart to beat dangeruosly fast.Back then I thought that I was so sick that I didn't have a right to question.I found the Doctors patronising and intimidating.I realise now they were also very ignorant.
Many people have responded brilliantly to Zoloft.I can empathise with those who have experienced the dark side.I hope you quickly find something else that can ease your pain.
God Bless

[yuletide]

Hi... Zoloft regained my confidence in myself. Recently being married, moving into a new home, caretaking my mother with cancer, and maintaining a job!!! Whew! The walls seemed to be closing in! Oh! And did I mentioned being pre-menopausal! I was looking for any excuse to tear into someone! A last resort was a full physical. My primary doctor just had to look at me and I burst into tears! Zoloft was the 'tune up' my body, family, and co workers needed. Anyone experiencing any of these symptoms? Please, please continue taking your meds! It really works!

[BenFoldsNerd]

I haven't taken Zoloft myself, but many people in my life have, and it seems that everyone at the lowest possible dosage that works for them did great, but that those who were prescribed too much, stopped caring about family, friends, work... life.  My suggestion would be to make sure you're not taking more than you need.