Zoloft dosage increase necessary?

[yalcinbican]

Hello,
I am prescribed with Zoloft and Xanax xr due to my anxiety and panic attacks. I am taking Zoloft 50mg in the mornings for 9 days and yesterday I took extra 50mg afternoon (as my doctor prescribed) and after 2-3 hours I felt my regular symptoms (heartbeat increases and my left arm and left feels like there are ants walking on it) and I took 0,5mg Xanax immediately. Now, I am very scared to increase the dosage. I don't know if I should insist using 100mg per day and face those scary symptoms (hoping that they will disappear in the near future) or I should stay on 50mg for some time and be on the safe zone. I am also scared that using only 50mg may not be treating my anxiety. I am also worried because doctor told me that I should minimize the usage of Xanax and continue using Zoloft. I am scared that I will be dependent on Xanax as the last resort. So, my question is, how should I assess the optimum dosage for myself and for how long should I keep using that dosage?

[yalcinbican]

Hi. Well, hopefully I am still alive. I started to think myself as a soldier who giving an endless fight against the empire called Anxiety. I really hope that one day this fight will not be necessary and I will be in peace, enjoying my daily life.

About the dose increase, you are right. I am also not a doctor but I am also skeptical about my doctor's choice, that is why I wanted to post it here to have some feedback.

My typical side effect (or real feeling, I don't know) is that my left arm and left hand become numb and I feel like I have to take deep breath via mouth. I feel restless and I feel that I have to change the place immediately (like escaping). In the past, I used to take Lustral (Sertraline) and Seroquel (Quetiapine) but those times but it was mostly for my OCD and depression. I don't remember that I was having panic attacks those times.

I wrote to you a private message and I also wish to see comments from experts about the issue I mentioned in my first post.  

[lolly1011]

Hi!  I hope you are feeling better!   I have so many questions myself and just started a small dose of Zoloft   Being on it before I do know it took like two weeks to start really working.    I also know that when you increase, it should be in smaller increments.   I'm not a doctor but why would he have you double your dose?  Yikes? Some of the side effects can cause you more worry!    Believe me.....   I think I have every deadly thing going on in my body right now.   My whole body hurts for random reasons and it is creaking me out.   The doc took a whole panel of blood and everything came back normal.  Praise god!   But now I'm thinking I have cancer? Or MS, ( when I had a MRI a year ago and it was clean ).  Anxiety does crazy things to your mind, and sometimes we need some help to break past that breaking point.  I had to tell myself it was ok to take Zoloft and I do need a little help and it's ok!   I sure hope you start feeling better.  What kind of side effects are you having?  Maybe we can chat and compare?  Lol.   Ttyl.