Zoloft 50 mg

[iamfaithful]

I just stared on Zoloft roughly a month ago...started on half a dose and then graduated to 50 mg which I have been taking 3 weeks now. I thought this would help with my anxiety but it has gotten worse over the past few days.  I just thought it was me but I had a full blown panic attack yesterday-thought I was going to faint!  I still have that feeling of "adrenaline" surging through my body and figured out last night it has to be the meds.  Has anyone else been affected like this or anything similar?  I was sure hoping the medication would help me but it looks like it has made matters worse!  I only took 1/2 the dosage last night and will ask my doctor to wean me off.  I need to feel "normal" again.  I almost feel like I am having mini panic attacks all day long!  Please help.

[CrystalConstellation]

I'm so sorry! I 100% understand- I was so terrified and had to go through 2 weeks of feeling like I'd  rather be curled up in a coffin. Did your doctor give you any warnings?? Mine didn't! Pissed me off so much. It definitely gets better though, I swear! I'm finally living now! I've got my first day of work this week, signed up every day classes for next quarter, I'm going to be volunteering, I can TALK to people now. I'm a completely different person and it's amazing. I still have a few of those times creeping up, but it's nothing in comparison. Sending you positive vibes, I hope you manage to pull yourself through and get to the light at the end!

[AnxiousNoMore]

Anxiety flare-ups are unpredictable and you won't get the full Z  benefit until 8 weeks, so it could just be more fear fueling your anxiety instead of the med. Be cautious and observant is all I can say, other than I would stick with the 50 until you see doc.

[iamfaithful]

I appreciate your response.  This truly *****!  I don't understand why all of a sudden I am having panic attacks when it never happened before.  I guess it's just the vicious cycle.

[Paxiled]

Antidepressants usually kick in 4-6 weeks after you start them, but the side effects start right away.  Many people find a particular antidepressant too stimulating -- some are intentionally stimulating, such as  wellbutrin and the snri class.  You should find it easy to stop this med as you've only been on it a short time but as mentioned this effect could go away when your brain gets fully used to it.  I have a question, though -- if you never had anxiety attacks before, did you try therapy before trying medication?  Usually meds are used when the anxiety gets so bad you can't function very well, which usually means extremely high chronic anxiety or anxiety attacks.  Is that you?  Because some docs start right away on the meds because they have little understanding of mental health if you're using a regular doc.  In any case, if you decide to continue the med to see if this effect goes away, don't wait too long -- you don't want your brain to get used to getting anxiety attacks.  Good luck.