Zoloft withdrawal, some odd side effects...

[Jessica]

I recently began experiencing some really crazy symptoms and this was within the same week that I went off Zoloft, kind of weaning myself off. I came on here and discovered someone else who had posted exactly what I was going through. I am going to quote it here word for word because I want input, I want to know how long it took Amy F. to feel better:

"What are the withdrawal symptoms of ZOloft? I'm a 27-year old female and have been taking Zoloft for chronic depression for a year and a half and decided not to take it anymore....

"I abruptly stopped 10 days ago and am starting to feel crazy. I'm light-headed, dizzy, disoriented, sleepy, irritable, and more emotional than usual. I'm having difficutly concentrating. Today I didn't feel "together" enough to drive my car. My nightmares have worsened in terms of intensity and violence (I have them every time I sleep) The strangest symptom withdrawal I've noticed is that I'm losing my taste for cigarettes."

"....I haven't discussed stopping with my psych... b) she gives me **** for being a daily pot smoker."

This is almost exactly a description of me, except I've only been on it for about six months, I took a week to wean myself off, and I am supposed to start a new presciption for Prozac, but these synptoms are terrible, (it's also starting to affect my breathing) and I wondered if anyone else has experienced this.

Thanks

[Sparticus]

i wuz just wondering if this is a possible side effect:
I'm an 18 year old female taking zoloft for almost a year now and i tried to get off it last month after i had my period.and i wuz off it for a week but then started to feel horrible again like all zombish and dead so i had to get back on it the next week. well here i am a month later and still taking...but i am 5 dayz late on my period this month. and i am usually so regular. i wuz just wondering if that is a possible side effect.somebody pleez help. thanx.

[Pat]

I am a 45 yr old female who was prescribed Zoloft for PMS two years ago and it has been worked great.  However, earlier this year when I abruptly stopped taking Zoloft, I began having very scary and unusual problems such as electrical shock sensations in my head, diziness, dis-orientation,inability to concentrate, and loose stools among other things. I asked a Dr. about my symptoms, and he was clueless on whether my symptoms could be connected to Zoloft. I was very frightened, because no one seemed to know what was wrong with me.  I was so alarmed that I made an appointment with a neurologist.  Before my appointment with the neurologist, I started taking the Zoloft again and my symptoms disappeared, that's when I realized that I had been suffering from Zoloft withdrawal.  I looked at a number of web sites on ZOloft, and could not find anything about my symptoms occuring as side effects of the drug, or anything about how to stop taking it.  I saw a segment on 20/20 Friday night (8/25/00) about anti-depressant withdrawal, and realized that many  people have suffered from it.  After viewing 20/20, I typed in "Zoloft withdrawal" and found this web site.

[ely address: [email protected]]

I too experienced almost all the above mentioned withdrawal side effects from Zoloft.  I took my last dose on a Friday the day I began a nine day at home vacation.  I must have spent more time in bed than upright.  I too did not feel comfortable driving.  I had to ask my daughter to drive me or have her run errands.  I was so sick the entire week. The second week I was almost back to my old self. In the above mentioned replies, people did not indicate how long and what dose they were taking.   I was on only 75 mg.a day.  I started nine months ago on 50 mg. and upgraded about four months later.   I took myself off Zoloft because my skin doctor could not explain a head rash that I have had for four months.  His tests did not reveal anything.  Then I introduced the possibility of a side effect to Zoloft.  He said there was a mention in the side effects but it was so rare he did not think the rash was a side effect to Zoloft.  I took myself off of it to see if the rash cleared.  It has been about three weeks and the rash has decreased a lot. I would like to know more about weight gain being on Zoloft and what happens to the gain after the drug  is entirely out of your system.

[Bruce]

I can't believe what I've been reading about other people's withdrawal symptoms from zoloft and other SSRI's.I've been on and off these meds for about 5 years now.Prozac was my first introduction and I was taking it for a complusive disorder and then came to find out that I was able to handle a few of the daily stresses in my life a little better. Besides experiencing a few of the side effects of being a little sleepy to being unable to stay awake long enough to drive 20mins to work, to gaining 25 lbs I thruoght these were the tickets to happiness I've always been looking for in life.I've also been in 12 step programs for over 20 yrs and and have used professional theraipsts over the years.
     The best part is when I wanted to try and do without the meds because I felt that things were going alright for me again. Oh my this is when the dizzyness started along with increased anxiety ,unable to want to get out of bed, severe bouts of uncontrollable crying and various degrees of suicidal throughts.So my doctor would try me on something new and I've been on ,to mention a few Prozac,Zoloft,Paxil,Luvox,Effexor,Serzone and busbar.
      The worst was when I was trying to come off the paxil earlier this year. Reducing my dosage over a period of 4 weeks and I was only on 10mg a day to begin with.I had been on it for only appox 4months when I wanted to get off the SSRI's all together.Previous to this I had been on zoloft for about 3years and found out that the zoloft was not being as effective as it had been in the past. I had never experienced depression and the side effects that I've mentioned above in my life before taking this medication. I throught that I had problems before I started these meds 5 yrs earlier. I was bound and determined to do this with my 12 step programs and with the help of my therispt but had to go back on the zoloft in April again to get rid of these awlful side effects. I believe I am over my orginal condition and would like to get off of these meds but just don't want to take the risk of going thru these withdrawal symptoms again. Also my employer would not torelete me leaving work for another 2 months . I will give my doctor some of this info I 've being reading because when I told him some of the withdraw symptoms he said he had not heard of them before.

[Rebecca]

Hello. I am currently taking Zoloft for chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. I am on 75 mgs currently, and I started taking Zoloft about six months ago. I haven't noticed any difference in my health except bad things. I had trouble sleeping before, but it has worsened; I am very restless; I am always tired no matter how much sleep I get (which was already a symptom before I started Zoloft); and I am very edgy some days, which isn't like me at all. Seeing that taking Zoloft has not improved my conditions, I am thinking about asking my doctor to take me off of it and try something different, such as acupuncture, which I have researched and many people with my diseases have found it to be helpful. As of right now I am doing research on withdrawal symptoms so I know what to be aware of if and when I do go off this anti depressent. But so far I haven't come across anyone who is taking it for these diseases, only for anxiety disorders and depression and things like that. If there is anyone out there who is taking it for other reasons, please contact me. My e-mail is ***@****    Thank you for your time!

[Monique]

I am 19 years old and have back pain which won't go away.I was on zoloft for about a year and than I justed stop. I felt happy and content. When I was having some issues about four monthes later, while I was trying to deal with them, I emotionally fell flat on my ***. So, I went back on them. The doctor perscribed me a higher dose and said that I'd have to be on this dose for at least a year. Then I could probably lower my dose. My doc said that if I continue to smoke maryjane I will have to take this **** for the rest of my life and the dose could get increased if I have a relaps. One of the side effects from taking zoloft is muscular inflamation or muscle spasms. My back is always tight,tense and in pain. A comfortable sleep is hard to come by. Zoloft can also cause disruption in sleep. My questoin is why don't we have more info on these side effects and is this medication really worth the money and the side effects.