Zoloft and job

I started taking zoloft about 2 years ago. I had to change to zoloft from paxil because it stopped working. I was put on it for being irritable and having major mood swings and anxiety.
While on zoloft I have had terrible thoughts about things that could go wrong. I turned into some sort of hypocondriac. I also would get horrible headaches and convinced myself that I had brain cancer. I also had little motivation to do anything. I couldn't last at a job for more than a couple months because I had no motivation to go to work. When i first started taking it I had a hard time falling asleep. After a couple of months my sleeping patterns became normal, and my headaches went away.
Recently I started taking birth control and my old symptoms flaired up again. I now can not sleep at night. I stay awake all night and sleep all day, and have a continuous headache.
Has anyone else had these problems or side effects?

I started taking Zoloft in Aug 2007 because I could not get sleep at night...tossing and turning - thinking about all the stuff I had to do the next day. Within a few weeks - that was so much better - my moods were better - and my performance at my profession was better because I could actually relax at night. I had lost all the anxiety that I have had all my life - and couldn't believe that there was something out there that could help me so much. I, at the time, would never in a million years think about stopping this medication. HOWEVER, fast forward to Nov 2008 - the zoloft is still working great - but my sex life with my husband is so bad that it is more like work for both of us...and reaching orgasm was almost nearly impossible. I just didn't desire sex...which is highly unusual for me. These affects of the med increased over time - and I was willing to deal with them - but the thing that changed my mind about it all was my weight gain. I chose to take Zoloft because it had the least chance of weight gain...or so I thought. I had gained 30 pounds since I started taking it. I wasn't working out as much - and so I thought that was it...but when the scale hit 200 - and then 210...on a frame that should be no more than 140 (I was a bit overweight when I started it) I freaked out. I had been working out and eating really well for three months, no alcohol - no extra hidden calories - to the 210 mark - and I had gained weight during that time. I was talking to my doctor one day and out of the blue complained that I had gained so much weight and it was really starting to bother me. He said, "oh yeah, that can happen on ssri's - in some people they can pretty much almost shut down your metabolism". I was in shock...he knew my struggle with weight to begin with - and here - now a year and some later told me this. Needless to say - I felt betrayed, but was then determined to get off zoloft. And so I have been with his help..and it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done...and I am still working on it. It has been two months and I am slowly weening off. I was on 100mg per day - and dropped to 50mg, and now I am taking 25...I get dizzy, the mood swings are awful...AWFUL - but I am doing it...and I will not ever take zoloft again. I never realized how addictive this med was - and just how much it affected me until getting off of it. However, the one thing that I have found to help with the withdrawal symptoms - even the dizziness is working out. It has been my saviour.
Just thought I would pass this along. The honeymoon period is great with Zoloft - it is when you see your body out of control that puts it all into perspective. Every person's body is different, but if you notice that you are gaining weight for no reason - and can't seem to lose it - tell your doctor. There are other drugs out there to help with symptoms that zoloft relieves that do not cause all these side effects...the ssri's just tend to work more efficiently. For all those with decreased sex drive - wellbutrin does not affect this or weight...but isn't as good about sleep.

I started Zoloft after my cat died (we put him to sleep & it was a terrible experience) and I had started having panic attacks. My doctor talked me into it despite my reluctance. After 4 days (with side effects of dizziness & mild nausea) I became violently ill during the night. I had started another unrelated medication with it and he assumed it was to blame, so he told me to come off both meds for a couple days, then start back on the zoloft. I did this and again 4 days later became violently ill. He acted annoyed with me and told me to stop taking it, he offered me another antidepressant to start after a few days. Well I waited to feel better, and waited and waited. Called him 3 weeks later to complain about the nausea/stomach upset. He told me to stop taking the new medicine- which I then told him I had never started b/c I was still too sick. He gave me an antacid and didn't give it a second thought. Then weeks later (still sick most all the time) I drank one beer and became violently ill once again. I went to see him immediately and got a pregnancy test (negative) and more antacids. My husband saw him later for a cold or something and when he mentioned my name my doctor became hostile. I am waiting to get an appointment with a new doctor, but now it has been 5 months and I'm still sick every day. I can't drink caffeine, or take any vitamins/ supplements for energy b/c I become so ill when I do. I was fine until I took the Zoloft. I can't find any other mention of something like this on the internet, but it seems so obvious that it started exactly when I started the Zoloft, I can't just dismiss it as a coincidence like my doctor seems to. Besides that he has done nothing to find out what this mysterious illness is or to stop it.

#30157- I wanted to quell your fears about Zoloft. I started taking it about a year ago (when I turned 30). I take 50mg and feel great. I was very anxious and depressed. This stuff is like gold- I can't believe I ever survived without it. Before Zoloft I let anxiety rule my life, I couldn't focus on my job..it was a nightmare.
I don't remember what that was like now. Give it a try, I think you will find that you waited too long and you will be glad you tried it.

I'm taking alternating 50mg 1 day/100mg next. I was prescribed this for debilitating social phobia/agoraphobia (with a tendency towards obsessive compulsive behaviour) - which resulted in mild depression, so essentially it's been prescribed for anxiety.

I also have been having VERY weird vivid dreams (although that makes a great change from not enough sleep and constant nightmares). I have also found that I'm extremely lethargic.

No weight gain, and I've found it has helped me alot with respect to allowing me to leave my 'safe places' - (I'm getting past the letterbox now!!) as I feel much more relaxed most of the time.

If I forget a dose after a while I feel as though I'm putting my finger in an electric socket and getting a mild electric current running through every few minutes. It's really awful.

My attention span has also dropped to that of a goldfish. I can't concentrate on anything for any length of time - which is rather unfortunate as I having a 'thinking' job, not a 'doing' job. It's like I'm constantly tired and hung over.

I have been on 50mg zoloft for just three days, to treat depression, lethargy, shyness, and indecision. I had lost interest in exercise, sex, and my job. I take it at breakfast. I do feel some nausea in the morning, and i feel a little peculiar--but it's normal for me to feel peculiar, so no big deal. I think zoloft is going to work and be ok. I'll wait a couple weeks and see.
In the past i had a terrible, nauseating experience with Lexapro, but I've asked around and most of my friends take zoloft with no problems. All I want is a little boost of optimism so i can get out of this rut and on with my life. I've been depressed on and off for 10 years and I'm wasting my life.

Zoloft was working for my depression (very slowly though--took about a month or more), was helping with my lethargy (that worked a lot quicker -- within a week or two), also worked for my panic attacks. I didn't even mention to my doctor that I had panic attacks, but after I started taking the Zoloft for depression I noticed that the panic attacks virtually disappeared. Problem is, I stopped taking the Zoloft without consulting with my doctor (big mistake), and lately I have noticed very severe headaches every day that don't go away with Excederin (usually works for me). I also notice some level of paranoia (although not extremely serious). Zoloft saved my life and my job, but I would not advise stopping cold turkey without consulting with a physician.