Does anyone have support for starting Zoloft?

[kats1968]

I've taken 25mg Zoloft for 6 days and 50mg for 2 days. Anxiety is better generally all day yesterday but even with Lunesta, only slept 2 hours and then off and on for the rest of the night. Woke up anxious. I believe if I could get more sleep, it would help my anxiety. Original cause for meeting with my doc was for insomnia. Does sleeping get better?

[Paxiled]

The issue here is why you have insomnia.  Zoloft is for anxiety and depression, and you do indicate you have anxiety.  If the anxiety is the reason you're not sleeping and the Zoloft takes care of that problem by tamping down the symptoms, you should sleep better.  But your sleep problem could also be unrelated to any anxiety you're having.  Anxiety causes insomnia in only some people who have it.  Antidepressants can interfere with sleep as a side effect or they can help with it, but they're not a sleeping pill.  Lunesta is a sleeping pill, and if you take it on a regular basis you'll get worse insomnia, so your doctor is right to try and get you to another place.  I'm wondering if you were ever suggested to try therapy before being put on medication, and how much your anxiety was interfering with your life other than the sleeping problem.  Like many of us, you may be seeking the magic pill, but those of us who have had long-term problems can tell you there aren't any.  The best treatment is a cure, and therapy might be that cure.  Medication never is, it just treats symptoms.  There are also other ways to help sleep, again depending on why you're not sleeping and how severe and disruptive in the rest of your life your anxiety is.  You don't say, so I don't know.  You could have sleep apnea, you could have a melatonin problem that would be more easily treated with melatonin, you may not be exercising enough -- there are a whole lot of reasons for insomnia.  I have a sleep disorder that was caused by taking medication for anxiety, but the anxiety itself never gave me chronic sleep problems -- it only affected me when something really hard for me to do was coming up.  So it differs by the person, and the correct diagnosis is important.  Something that helped me a lot until the medication problem was exercising regularly and meditating daily.  As for the Zoloft, Mom has already explained that for you.  Some people are sedated by medication, some are stimulated.  It's the sedation that helps people sleep.  Only time will tell how you will react to the med.  Good luck and know you have options.

[kats1968]

I have had insomnia due to an avalanche of stressors. Over the past year, my mother and father-in-law passed. My father and mother-in-law now require care for their dementia. We have been working on clearing out my in-laws house and getting it ready to sell. My daughter is headed to college as a freshman, my oldest is heading back to college and my brother-in-law was recently killed during a home invasion.

My anxiety peaked about 2 months ago and I've noticed that I can't seem to get my "happy" back. It was then that I haven't been able to sleep.

I do exercise regularly. I will either run or do hour-long cardio classes at the Y for 4 days/week.

So, my sleeping problems have been an issue before this Zoloft started. Not sure if Zoloft sedates or stimulates me. I do notice that I am a bit more anxious in the morning while feeling very normal in the evenings. I have been taking Zoloft when I go to bed.

My doctor did give me a list of physicians to contact for therapy but gave me the option. I have not made an appt.

How do you deal with your sleep disorder?

[Paxiled]

Well, mine is different than yours, and mine is not a common problem.  Mine happened when I tapered off Paxil and my brain went haywire and then I developed a prostate problem.  That isn't normal, so my current experience doesn't apply to you.  Before that, as I said, my anxiety problem didn't give me insomnia.  Now, I use melatonin and homeopathic sleep remedies for that situation, which is the best I can do without getting a worse problem.  But your case seems not to have been handled the way I'd like my doctor to handle such a situation if it were me.  You're not suffering a chronic anxiety problem, you have real problems going on that are pressing on you.  Zoloft won't make those problems go away, it will just get you stuck on an antidepressant which very well might make you feel better but might prevent you from ever overcoming your current grief over your losses and impending losses and from developing a plan for coping with this.  I would have liked my doctor to send me to a psychologist, not put me on drugs that can be problematic unless I reached a point where the problem became so chronic and disruptive long-term to my life it was the only and best option.  If I thought that, I would also hope my doctor would send my to a psychiatrist who specializes in these medications and how to get you off of them when the time comes.  My own feeling is you can solve this by working it out with a professional therapist who has some distance from the situation, and by learning coping mechanisms.  You already exercise, which is great, and I think meditation and yoga and doing things you really enjoy will be more helpful assuming you didn't have an anxiety problem before all this horrible stuff happened to you.  Nobody would come out of this intact and only time tempers grief, whereas drugs suppress it and it will come back out very possibly when you decide to stop them.  Look, I've been on medication for a long time, because nobody knows why I got my problem and therapy didn't work, but my doctors didn't just throw drugs at me right away -- they tried less invasive methods first.  That's all I'm saying, and in your case, you know why you're suffering, I don't.  You have specific things you can work on and get past.  But I'm not the decider here, you are, and I hope that whatever you try, you won't skip the part where you try and learn to cope with this so it will pass and not be with you for a long time.  Peace.

[Paxiled]

Well, there is one thing that stands out -- your kids going to college shouldn't be a stressor for you.  Might be for them, but not for you.  That's something you always knew would happen, it's the normal course of life, and if that's upsetting you, it's either part of everything else that's going on or you have financial problems or maybe there is something else going on that indicates a separation or anxiety problem.  

[kats1968]

Thank you for working through some questions with me, Paxiled, I appreciate it.

I've noticed that my anxiety has me worrying about every little thing that normally wouldn't worry me. My oldest going to college suffers from chronic headaches which have been especially bad lately (I am assuming due to impending start of college) So I am worried about him. My daughter suffered an anxiety attack 2 years ago where she was unable to focus and had problems sleeping as well. She worked through those issues and had a great next 2 years of high school, but I am especially fearful for her that she will have another attack. Currently, she is very excited about moving into her dorm and starting college life.

My husband has been especially stressed during this same time period. With his father passed and taking care of his mom's situation in a nursing home. He is POA on her accounts and he is trying to sell the home he grew up in which had lots of memories. He has a good job but is always fearful that they will find a need to discontinue his job.

I have been a stay at home mom for 21 years and I am starting to feel a sense of the empty nest syndrome. My youngest, a junior in high school, drives now and I am feeling more and more a sense of my kids not needing me. I know this is something that is desired, for them to be independent, but it is also a big change for me in my life. I do teach piano 2 days a week at our church's grade school (during the school year). Lessons have not started yet and this summer has been so difficult. I usually enjoy taking my kids places and going to the pool with them, but they have been busy with jobs or just not interested. I have never spent so much time in my home. Usually busy taking them places, etc. Just different I guess, I will need to get used to this newness.

[specialmom]

I completely disagree about the comment that kids going to college shouldn't be a stressor.  I think that would be a HUGE stressor for most moms/parents.  Kids leaving the nest will cause me to go into major funk and I'll be super anxious, I am sure. And it has for most of the parents I know.  It's a major life change for them which will cause us to worry about them as well as worry about that change in our own life.  

[specialmom]

By the way kats, I can really relate to your post.  My sons are both going to middle school next year.  I realize it is still a blessing and gift that they want to spend so much time with me.  When this ends, I'll be quite sad.  I've dedicated these years of my life to them and have loved it.  I was with my best friend who has kids my kids ages and we were talking about the inevitable end of a happy era of momhood for us (we'll always be moms but take a back seat as our kids grow up) and we decided we have to take matters into our own hands.  We had to engage in our own hobbies, spend time doing things we like and forge a new chapter in life for ourselves.  Wow, that's hard for me to think about as a mama engrossed in the daily happenings of my kids!

But this is where you are at.  It's quite an emotional journey for a mom!  What things outside of your kids do you enjoy?  Church groups?  Reading clubs?  Exercise classes?  Pottery?  classes at the local community college?  Card clubs?  Connections with the other moms of your kids friends who are in the same boat as kids are leaving for college?  

hugs and stay in touch, okay?

[Paxiled]

Mom, I grew up in a different time.  Our parents were happy to get rid of us.  They didn't spend their lives hovering over us.  This new "parenting" thing is foreign to me.  Kids going to college isn't them dying, it's just moving to another place.  They're still there and the family connection is still there.  Kids in high school don't interact a whole lot with their parents anyway, so when you think about it, it's not a big change.  When someone suffers from an "empty" nest, it's more because their own lives didn't fill up beyond caring for others who now aren't going to be there needing all the time.  But we all go through it and it passes.  Anxiety and lack of fulfillment don't go away.  They need to be worked on.  On the other hand, in this case, there has been a lot of actual loss, and only time will take care of that.  I get you, I do, and I'm glad you put in your perspective here -- I think it'll help here.    

[kats1968]

Mom and Paxiled, I am curious, what is your background and education? Do you have medical training?

The next week will be trying for me as my family all adjusts to our new lives and schedules. My high schooler started back yesterday and I have a good feeling about his return to school. Yes, like Paxiled said, as a teenager, he is not as conversive with the family as he used to be. I believe it is all God's way of preparing us for them becoming independent.

Today I am helping my college senior get things ready to move into his dorm. My daughter will move next week.

Please pray for my family as we all adjust to these new phases.

I am now about 12 days into taking Zoloft with 5 days at 50 mg and I am still nervous/anxious especially through the morning and afternoon. My evenings feel almost normal. I notice that doing things I used to do easily are stressful now. Shopping for instance. I did not take Lunesta the last 2 nights and I still wake up after 2 hours pretty sweaty but I have been able to go back to sleep, waking every couple of hours and drifting back.

Thank you both again for considering my thoughts and experiences and for giving me feedback, I really appreciate it!

[kats1968]

I do believe the Zoloft is having a more sedating effect. When I wake at night, my mind is not racing with thoughts and is not so clearly awake as it has been previous to Zoloft. My mind is more relaxed and therefore I have been able to drift back to sleep.

[Paxiled]

I have no medical training.  At least not formal training.  I'm just a 64 year old guy who has suffered with depression and then anxiety for much of my adult life, and I also managed small health food stores for 18 years which gave me the opportunity to talk to a lot of people about their medical issues.  After all this treatment in my own life and talking to others about theirs, it sometimes feels like I have had training, alas.  But I have done a lot of research, something forced on me by having a medication go very wrong and discovering doctors knew nothing about this stuff and didn't care much about it either, so I had to learn a lot I never wanted to learn about.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[kats1968]

Paxiled, I love it that you devote part of every day to helping others with all the knowledge you have learned through your own experiences. What was your experience with medication gone wrong? It does seem necessary to take things into your own hands when it comes to health related issues. I am so sorry this happened to you. I will be remembering you in my prayers!

[specialmom]

Zoloft is one of those drugs in which it takes a while to A. get used to it and B. for it to work to its full effect.  It has what is called transient or start up side effects.  These generally peter out as your body adjusts to the Zoloft and may go away completely.  This can take 6 or so weeks to work through.  And the drug is fully effective at around 6 to 8 weeks.  So, giving it time to do that is best to give it a proper chance to help you.  Sleep issues are a common transient side effect when starting Zoloft.  You can ask your doctor and sometimes they switch the time of day you take it (morning to night or vice versa).  Hang in there, this should get better.  You are on a pretty low dose by the way.  good luck

[kats1968]

Lunesta was prescribed "as needed" 2mg, 30 count. (no refill)  I don't see my doc again for 60 days. Should I take Lunesta every day for a while to try to get some sleep or every other day to make it last until I see my doc again?

[specialmom]

Without getting to into why you were prescribed Lunesta, I think all should use sleep aids with caution.  I would definitely not fall into the trap of taking it prophylactically but rather just if needed and don't assume you'll need it.  Theory is that you should need it less and less as the Zoloft is working for you.  when a side effect is transient, it usually peters out meaning that side effect becomes less and less over time.  good luck

[kats1968]

Thank you for your help and support! It helps to have someone to bounce ideas off of and to get encouragement.