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633284 tn?1271714418

Please Help panic attacks with Zoloft????

Hi everyone...today will be my third day on Zoloft to control panic attacks I saw the pschytrist and told her I was doing a lot better I was barely having panic attacks and I was starting to feel more comfortable with life. so she asked how many panics do you have in a day I said I used to panic all day I would get the feeling of passing out my heart would race ect it would happen about 4-5 times a day then it went down to once a day and then it was like onc a week (still with anxiety but feeling a lot better) and then when I had seen her I hadn't had fpr almost 4 weeks and I told her I got lil ones very very mild that I could control and blow off...well she still prescribed me Zoloft 50mg for 3 months....so today will be my third day and my panic is back my thoughts are back everything...I actually woke up oin a panic at 4am with chest pain....it took me 2 hours to get back to bed.....so I need help...ar things suppose to get worse before thy are better with Zoloft?? I can't do this again I was almost panic free by myself???do I wait another 2 weeks to see what happens?? Please help me..
I will be calling the doc but she doesn't get in till 11am.!!
15 Responses
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937868 tn?1570328281
Im having the same problem as you, started taking zoloft almost 3 weeks ago and doing worse and worse. Is not working at all for me and this last week i end in the hospital for 2 days. I feel like I'm going crazy and my body is in a horrible state of anxiety. This medication is scaring me and i want to stop it. Any recommendations? I know i need to do it slowly.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm in the Air Force and they prescribed me Zoloft 50 mg 2 days ago for extreme anxiety. Although they think its extreme social anxiety. I wa wondering the same thing why they prescribed me Zoloft for anxiety? But my father and sister took it and it helped them tremendously. They both came off of it within 6 months and haven't had a problem since. Hope it works for both of us! I can't be like I am everyday at work or just going into town
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
well i have takeing all diffent kinds of meds for my panic attacks. Just knowing that you are takeing meds to help with the attacks will calm u down Even not on them. Intil you find that your not cured an start to panic again always happens with me. The only thing that will cure a panic disorder is time an meds to help reset the brain back to its none panic days. You where normal growing up till you expirence your first attack then another  month later then another intill one day you wake up an  all day every day with bad axiety intill you find information on how to help them.  whats  a good thing to know about panic attacks   thats just it everything so the body is at its normal anxiety level i just had real bad panic attack i no how you feel i can go on an on with helpfull information but you just need to try to relax an live as you where panic free i hope for the best an hope you get something out of this  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
lol sorry ima upload one with better spelling
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
well i have takeing all diffent kinds of meds for my panic attacks just knowing that you are takeing meds to help with the attacks with calm u down even not on them intil you find that your not cured an start to panic again always happens with me the only thing that will cure a panic disorder is time an meds to help reset the brain back to its none panic days. you where normal growing up till you expirence your first attack then another a month later then another the one day you wake up an the all day every day with bad axiety in till you find information on how to help them an what  a good thing to know about panic attacks  is thats just it everything so the body is all its normal anxiety level i just had real bad panic attack i no how you feel i can go on an on with helpfull information but you just need to try to relax an live as you where panic free i hope for the best an hope you get something out of this  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
well i have takeing all diffent kinds of meds for my panic attacks just knowing that you are takeing meds to help with the attacks with calm u down even not on them intil you find that your not cured an start to panic again always happens with me the only thing that will cure a panic disorder is time an meds to help reset the brain back to its none panic days. you where normal growing up till you expirence your first attack then another a month later then another the one day you wake up an the all day every day with bad axiety in till you find information on how to help them an what  a good thing to know about panic attacks  is thats just it everything so the body is all its normal anxiety level i just had real bad panic attack i no how you feel i can go on an on with helpfull information but you just need to try to relax an live as you where panic free i hope for the best an hope you get something out of this  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I took Zoloft for many years.  They started me on it for depression.  Then I got off of it & started having panic attacks. ?!   When I went back to the doc months later he put me back on Zoloft, so some doctors do prescribe Zoloft for anxiety.  It helped some, but I still had some anxiety.  It made me so tired, so out of it, very weird feeling.  I would never go on Zoloft again.  To make a long story short I would ask for something else.  Or if you are anxiety free then stay off meds!  I have been off meds for 3 years & now my anxiety is back *sigh*, so I went to my doc & he prescribed me Lexapro.  I had such a bad experience with Zoloft that I am now scared of taking this new medicine.  I will say tho that I know of two people who are on Zoloft & love it, so everyone handles medicine in their own way.  You have to give an SSRI 6 weeks before they kick in fully & yes sometimes you will have increased anxiety before they fully kick in.  It's trial & error with these meds.  You could be like the couple people I know & come to love this medicine.  You never know.  As far as the increased anxiety, some docs will prescribe xanax while your body adjust to the SSRI.  Good luck to you!
Helpful - 0
1460652 tn?1340248730
I was prescribed zoloft for generalized anxiety and panic disorder. After the first 50mg dose, I felt INSANE. After 3 days I was in the er and then checked into a behavioral health unit. they said it was me, not the medicine. But they were WRONG. I know my body.
I read a LOT on it, and although antid's can increase anxiety for a little bit, it is supposed to go away. It was so intense I simply could not stand it. Also, 50 mg is kind of a high starter dose, I read that people have less side effects if they start with 25mg, or even 12.5.
More or less, if you can't handle it, ask for something that is more geared toward anxiety instead of depression. I have been on celexa for 3 weeks and it has helped tremendously. Hang in there, I was feelin pretty nuts for a couple weeks but im good now. Good luck!
Helpful - 0
183202 tn?1219853659
Check Zoloft's website... I was in the same boat you were in a few years ago. I started taking zoloft to TREAT my panic disorder, and it made it WORSE! New symptoms for my panic attacks started to appear. Read it HERE:

http://www.zoloft.com/about_zoloft.aspx

It states that Zoloft CAN increase anxiety and panic, and to call a healthcare professional should problems like this arise. I was told by many of my doctors "IT IS YOU, NOT THE MEDICINE!" and was forced to take it for a few months, then my stupid GP had me quit it cold turkey... well ya can imagine it was WORSE than being on the med, since I was now faced with worse symptoms from withdrawal!

~DragonTU84
Helpful - 0
1311328 tn?1273665692
It might be a reaction to the medication, I am not quite sure and no one will be able to answer that for You with a direct answer as medication has a differant reaction on each specific person.
If You're concerned or have any questions it is best asking Your doctor
Helpful - 0
633284 tn?1271714418
Thank you...I am hoping it starts to help it seems as if my panic has gotten worse.
I wondered that as well, why my doctor prescribed me zoloft when I was starting to get better. I am not even sure she was listening to me now that I think of it. I told her I started driving by myself again with no panic and I was exteremly happy. I was starting to feel like m again. But she precribed me that and ambien for sleep as I told I wasn't sleeping but 3-4 hours but since me getting better i was back to 6 which is fine for my body. I did take ambien the other night b/c I was tired but I couldn;t fall asleep. I will never be taking that drug again ever. I was in bed when I took it like your suppose to and I closed my eyes only to stay awake for the next 3/ 1.2 hours with a pounding heart and feeling sick to my stomach. as soon as that went away I felt drunk and I finally fell asleep worsed expeiance in my life. Now I have been in panic mode all morning b/c of it. Anyways I am hoping to get a hold my my doctor on mondat to ask some questions. Thank you.
ps. I am just wondering why I was getting panic all of a sudden after being on for two days. and I wasn't panicing at all for a good 4 weeks b4 that. I am almost wishing I never started taking it.
Helpful - 0
1092880 tn?1273975025
Do not worry Rs.  You've only been on the medication for a few days.  Zoloft takes 2 weeks to enter your system fully and start working.  I use to take it myself.  Good luck to you.
Helpful - 0
1311328 tn?1273665692
Greenlaydia is correct although I am also not a medical professional Zoloft is an Antidepressant usually prescribed for depression.
You need to give the Zoloft time to work and get into Your system I know it may be hard and quite difficult not knowing what is happening with Your body on new medication and worrying however if You are not patient you will never know whether or not it would have helped You.
I do not understand why medication was a first option if You had been having panic attacks on a daily basis but they had stopped for 4 weeks though it seems unusual that if the problem was gettting better the doctor would still prescribe medication.
If you are still concerned and it is causing more of a panic attack than just wait until You see your doctor again I think though by the sounds of it you're worrying about the new medication and it is causing panic attacks again because of the anxiety
Best of luck
Helpful - 0
633284 tn?1271714418
Thanks for the response...I didn't get to speak with her today I hope I get a call back soon.....but no I don't have depression....I just have panic attacks...I don;t have sucidal thoughts never have. I do have racing thought though but thats about it...I did tell her that I did not want to be on xanax nor did I want to be on ativan...I was precribed both and i didn;t do well on ativan it made me irratable and angry (I can't be like that I have a one year old lil girl) and xanax I took for 5 weeks and i did not like the way it made me feel and plus I had to go up in pills just to get the same effect within a week of taking it plus I was soo tired after taking them and I can't be like that either. so maybe thats why she prscribed me zoloft.  SO I am wondering if the panic is normal the first couple of weeks like its gunna get worse b4 better type thing. Thank you for your help!
Helpful - 0
370181 tn?1595629445
Far be it for me to second guess your doctor, but Zoloft, which is an SSRI, is GENERALLY perscribed for depression.
PTSD, OCD, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder...........these are also listed under uses for Zoloft, but to MY way of thinking and in my humble and totally non-medical opinion, if depression was not the primary complaint, then I wonder why she would not treat you with something that was geared towards anxiety/panic? Why treat something that you don't have?
When you first talked to her, was depression a major concern that you presented to her? If so, then I can see her perscribing a drug like Zoloft. You've only been on it for three days and it can take up to a week, possibly two, before it reaches therapeutic levels. She may ask you to be patient and that is sound advice, but I would definitely let her know that your anxiety/panic is out of control. So, it's good that you'll be talking with her today.
Please let us know what she had to say and how you're doing, OK?
I know it's hard, but hang in there. You and your doctor will get this figured out.
Peace
Greenlydia    
Helpful - 0
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