Starting Zoloft

[Vicki68]

I have had problems with anxiety attacks for years and had a bad episode yesterday.  My doctor is putting me on Zoloft.  I start tomorrow.  I am looking for some feedback from people who have been on it.  Any advice or info would be appreciated!

[Mommy3Girls]

Sorry, cant help ya there. I am on 50, with no side effects other than my tiredness the first three days. Now I feel great. Sorry I cant help more Vicki. Good luck to you!

[Vicki68]

Ok, so I have been on 25 mg of Zoloft for 5 days with minor side effects such as anxiety, nausea and headache.  All were manageable.  Today I started on 50 per the instructions from my doctor.  I felt fine for a few hours, but then all the sudden had overwhelming anxiety, hot flashes and nausea.  I took a Xanax and felt better in a couple of hours but had to go home from work because I felt so bad.  Now I just feel really wired.  I go back to the doctor on Wednesday.  I really felt like I noticed a little difference on 25 mg and when I spoke to the doctor's office they told me that all the things that I experienced were med side effects and to stick with the 25 mgs until I see the doctor again.  Has anyone ever experienced the side effects I described?  Also, has anyone ever been controlled on 25 mg of Zoloft?  Since I seemed to notice a difference, I would like to try and stay on that dose.  Any thoughts?

[Mommy3Girls]

I am on 50. My doc started me on 50 and it is working great for me. As far as I know my doc isnt going to up my dose any time soon. The only side effects I had was being really sleepy for 3 days, then I was fine and aml doing great now.

[EMT9549]

Hey I am just like you...
I was on 25 mg for a week then onto 50 mg... my side effects were a little anxiety... and also a feeling in your mouth like you have to puke or something.... But i have a question for you too do you wake up in the morning and feel almost shaky like a tremble I am unsure if that is the medication doing it or just my anxiety lol... Another thing that has helped me is breathing exercises i know it sounds stupid, because i know we all know how to breath living with anxiety... but before bed oh man its very easing....

[Vicki68]

Thanks for your responses!  I am on day 4 of 25 mg. and will be going up to 50 on Wednesday.  I am having some of the anxiety side effects that were mentioned.  My doctor gave me xanax to take as needed for that and it is getting me through it.  My doctor does want me to start therapy asap.  I have a call in to a psychologist and hopefully I can get in soon.  I do have a question though.  What mg of Zoloft are any of you taking?  My doctor wants me to get up to 100 mg but I am wondering if I can try 50 mg first and see if that helps.  I see him again on the 14th to follow up.  I just don't want to take more than I have to .  I really hope this will work for me, I am tired of dealing with this and I realize I cannot do it on my own.

[Mommy3Girls]

I just started Zoloft about 6 days ago. I was pretty tired for the first three days, but as of day 4 I started getting my engergy back, and now I feel great. I didnt even realize that my anxiety was as bad as it was. I was slipping into a depression, and didnt realize it until today when I feel like normal again.On top of the anxiety I am pregnant which was making things worse. I even called my doc one day and told her I wasnt sure I wanted to take the meds because I was worried about the baby. Her reply was, I strongly recommend that you keep taking it. So I did, and the next day I was better.  Make sure you take it about the same time every day. If after 3 a few days the tiredness doesnt go away, then you may want to switch to taking it at night. In some people it can make you stay awake the first few days too, but its different with different people. I have to say though, I am very grateful that my doc put me on it. All I called her for was a referral to a counselor and she put me on the Zoloft too. I have done a complete 180 in less than a week. I feel great: alive and happy again!!!

[cj29]

I was on Zoloft three years ago and actually I am back on it right now with a break of about two to three years in between, so I can tell you my experiences coming on it and stopping it, but remember each of us is different and I am not a doctor.

For me, this really helped me COMBINED with talk therapy.  At first I was extremly against any forms of antidepressants because of what I had heard about them, but I finally decided to give it a try.  As with any SSRI (like Zoloft), it does take a little time to start feeling the therapeutic effects of it (about 4 weeks for me).  While I started it, I actually felt a little more anxious and felt the side effects for awhile, but as my body got used to it, I really did not notice any of them (I actually feel more side effects from taking a claritan).  So, I urge patience with it in the beginning and work closely with your doctor and therapist about how you feel with it.

Now, Zoloft is only part of the picture here; you need to ensure you find a good therapist to talk about your anxiety with.  Only by learning about this cycle can you break it.  In my opinion, this is the most important step you can take in getting through this.  Also, listen to your doctors about the duration of taking it.  Even though, I feel great, I am taking the recommendation to stay on it for about a year.  Coming off of it was not that difficult for me as long as you do it SLOWLY with consultation from your doctor.

Please remember that this is not a 'magic pill.'  This takes a hard work on your part and a willingness to learn and confront it, but I am sure you will; that is why you are here!

[JSGeare]

My favorite med. I took it some years ago for depression, not anxiety. I detected no changes in myself whatsoever -but everyone else seemed to be getting so much better.

You might want to get a referral to a psychiatrist, however, who possibly will have some other ideas about what mught be just the thing for your anxiety. But all in all just pay close attention to your reactions and report them to your doc.