Zoloft

[ah1234]

I posted this in the Anxiety forum, but hoped I'd get some help from here.

I have been on Zoloft for years (on and off). I had to go back on it in January after a 6 month break. My anxiety got so bad I was having severe panic attacks. This time when I went on the Zoloft it had the opposite effect....it was more stimulating that calming for me and I'm not sure why. Neither is my doctor. I also have OCD and it increased my OCD by 10x almost immediately. I'm at 100 mg now (for almost 7 weeks) and it hasn't gotten much better. I aslo take .5 mg of lorazapam twice a day. Some days I feel so anxious I want to crawl out of my skin. Has anyone ever had this experience before with Zoloft? Does it get better if the dosage is increased, or should I just ask my doctor to go off it. I would hate to start another medication (especially since she's recommending Paxil next and I don't want to take that). Thanks for any help and advice you can offer. I'm at my wits end with this. Oh, I am also in CBT for my OCD.

Thanks.

[ah1234]

Thanks for the information. I tried Wellbutrin a while back and it did nothing for my anxiety but maybe this time it will. It's something to consider. I have good days and bad days on the Zoloft but I guess that happens with all medication and what your frame of mind is at the time.

I agree about the OCD increasing anxiety which is why I'm working on controlling that. I just wish there was a magic pill that would take the OCD away.:-)

I appreciate your response.

Have a great day.

[JGF25]

To be honest with you, I personally don't have experience with Zoloft.  I have taken Prozac years ago and that worked well.  This time I am on Wellbutrin which actually is an SNRI rather than a SSRI and it too has worked for my OCD.  

I'm not a medical doctor but I would think that after 7 weeks if you have not seen an improvement in your OCD/anxiety symptoms then this drug may no longer be working for you.  I have no idea how zoloft is dosed to even know if going up is a possiblity.  

I hate to be of absolutely no use.  I know that you can take a combination therapy so perhaps you can ask your doctor about switching to either Prozac or something like Wellbutrin while you are weaning off the zoloft.  At this point, it doesn't seem like you are getting any benefit from it anyway.

CBT is great.  Controlled breathing is the best tool I have to fight panic.  I use it frequently because while my medication takes much of my OCD irrational thoughts, etc away, I do suffer from panic attacks some times.  

Sometimes I think we are treated for anxiety when in reality we need to be treated for the OCD because in my mind that is what leads to anxiety in the first place and then when that is left unchecked it goes on to depression.  

I don't know anything about Paxil and why you are against taking it.  I will say from my own experience that this last time I tried lexapro and celexa and I didn't like either one of them.  They decreased my libido and had some other unpleasant side effects.  The whole reason I went on Wellbutrin was becuase it has the least side affects.  No decrease in libido and I haven't gained a whole bunch of weight.  However, the first 4 weeks or so, it did increase my anxiety but after that it has been pretty smooth sailing.  

I'm curious as to what your doctor does.  Take care.