Zoloft and medication

I'm glad I found this website this morning. I have been taking the generic of Zoloft (Sertraline 50mg) for 4 months now. Every night this week I have been having nightmares. I'm happy to have found a medication that works with my Generalized Anxiety/Depression--but I have started experiencing anxiety in the evenings and have insomnia also. I take it as soon as I wake up in the morning but with a new job, new hours, I have skipped on occasion this last week. I don't know if it's a side effect I should mention to my doctor?

I started taking Zoloft in December of 2007. I have had anxiety my whole life and after being in an intense car accident I decided it was necessary for me to try medication. It worked miracles. I no longer have anxiety attacks and I'm able to focus and not let little things worry me as much. Over the last few months, however, I have noticed that I have been gaining a lot of weight. My diet has stayed the same and I've been exercising more than usual. NONE of my jeans fit me anymore AND I'm getting a few stretch marks on my hips. I am scared to stop taking Zoloft since it has been almost 2 years. I am currently taking 200 mg. Does anyone have any advice on weening?

In 2003 I started having panic attacks that lasted for 10-12 hours. My family doctor put me on Zoloft. I don't remember the dose, but think it may have been 10 mg. I became horribly depressed and had a severe aversion to eating. This is the exact opposite of my usual self. I fell into deep depression, to the point where I just laid on the couch. I lost 30 pounds in a month. My husband called my parents over, and they all said I had to go see a psychiatrist or they would put me in the hospital. I chose the first, and he put me on Xanax (alprazolam). Within 48 hours I was my old self. Unfortunately he prescribed the Xanax extended release ( just new on the market, so he got a kickback) and I suffered needlessly for months with delayed release of the medication and horrid expense. I finally asked my family doctor if there was a generic, and she said it had been around for years. For pennies a day, I have great relief. I have managed to wean myself down to 1 1/2 mg. a day, and can add more if going through a stressful time. We all have different reactions to meds. For me, Zoloft was a nightmare.

I take a combo of Zoloft and Klonopin for anxiety. The medication helps control my anxiety problems, but now I suffer from severe headaches, upset stomach and weight gain. The biggest problem was my headaches. My Dr. suggested stretching exercises for my headaches and stiff neck. The stretching seemed to relieve my overall headaches, but would a trigger spot for an incredible flash of pain when I turned my head a certain way. I've found that resistant pressure seemed to help tremendously.

For example: If my headache was in a specific place just behind my left ear, I would place the heel of my left over the pain and push my head towards the heel of my hand and hold for ten seconds. If it was general tension in the back of my neck that is causing the pain, I would place the heel of my hand on my forehead and push my head toward my hand and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat as necessary. Hope this helps.

I see there are a lot people suffering from headaches so I thought I would share what kind of works for me. Does anyone else have any "works for me" stories?

I took Zoloft in varying strengths (50 - 150 mg) for four years and recently quit taking it cold-turkey. This is the second time I have tried this approach (not for any bad reason, just didn't feel like I needed the med anymore). Both times I have had symptoms return around the 3 month mark of not taking the medication. I never had any big side effects except sleepiness during the first few months of taking it. I've been fine since and think it was a very helpful medication but that it should be tapered off if at all possible.

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 have been on Zoloft for 20 years now for depression and anxiety. The only thing I have really found is that if i skip a dose i have nightmares that are so real I actually yell out in my sleep. My doctor told me that was a little strange because it usually happens from taking the medication and not from missing a dose. But he didn't seem concerned at all.

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.

I have taken Zoloft (100 mg) on and off for about 10 years. It is very effective at reducing depression for me, but it also dramatically reduces my motivation and ability to concentrate. Hence, I am always eager to get off the drug when I feel I am in a stable situation.

My most productive and creative periods have occurred about a month after stopping the medication. I have *never* had a productive period while on Zoloft.

The most dramatic side effect for me is nightmares, which generally occur when I am ramping up or down on the med (mostly the latter). If I miss several doses, I am often treated to horrific dream in which I go on a murdering rampage, or something similarly gruesome. They are deeply disturbing dreams, unlike anything I've ever experienced without medication.

I used to take Zoloft as a teenager, along with a wide variety of other anti depressants I tried, and it didn't seem to really work. I don't think I was "depressed" back then but the doctors seemed to like to say I was just because I didn't get along with my family.

Forward 5-6 years and a death in a family occurs and I completely lose my mind. Extreme anxiety and depression during those episodes. I got a prescription for anxiety medication which made a world of a difference but I was still experiencing symptoms, and felt very dull and dead every day. My doctor said I am definitely depressed and gave me Zoloft to go back on again. So far it has only made me sick. I feel restless after I take it but not in the sense where I am energized and running a marathon. I'm basically a "dead" restless where I stare off like a zombie and lay in bed wide awake at 4am. Also I feel sick to my stomach. If I end up stopping this medication, it will be because of the nausea. I can't handle it. It makes me MORE depressed to stay up all night thinking and feeling sick to my stomach.

My experience in taking Zoloft for the last month and a half has been largely side-effect free. However, I feel like I am constantly in a fog. It takes me until about 3:00 in the afternoon before I have any motivation to do anything. I have been taking 100mg because of post-partum depression. My anger and violent thoughts have mostly gone away, but I just feel so tired and listless all the time. I was first prescribed Neevo, a prenatal vitamin that seems to have some anti-depressant effects. It didn't help, but I read that it can help process normal anti-depressant medication, so I started taking it with the Sertraline (Zoloft generic). Since then, I have felt a little better, but I still lay around all day trying to motivate myself to play with my baby or clean the house.

I just want to warn those of you who take Zoloft and participate in random drug testing for work purposes. Zoloft can cause a false positive for benzodiazepines. Although it is not in the benzo family, it has a similar structure. It may get you in to a bit of trouble with your employer. I asked my doctor for a medication change for that reason alone.

I've just started taking sertraline a couple months ago, I've worked up from 25mg to 100mg, and I see a bit of difference in my mood levels. The best way I can describe it is that my low points aren't as low as they used to be and my general level of anxiety has eased. I just recently changed over to the 100mg dosage a couple days ago and I'm feeling what I hope to be the initial numbness, which I hope will go away soon. One thing that is fairly concerning is that I havent' been able to cry since I started on this medication. I'm usually prone to crying jags during low points and within the last couple of months I havent' had one or had the urge to have one.

I think it's from my inability to stay concentrated on a single subject for a period of time, like others mentioned, I've noticed that I zoloft has decreased my attention level. Eh, but I"m not sure if the fact that I can't cry is a good or bad thing, we'll see how everything turns out once my dosage is stabilized.

I've been on Zoloft for about 4 years now (100mg) a day and I really want to stop taking it. At the time I was put on it I was just getting myself out of a really bad situation and I needed to be put on it for severe anxiety and panic attacks. I'm in a totally different situation now and am doing fine, I don't want to rely on medication anymore to make me feel "ok". I actually kind of feel like it's counteracting in my system. The only thing really holding me back is the fear of crazy side effects after you stop taking it. I heard you can even have a heart attack =/ Has anyone gone through this or going through it right now?

I have been on Zoloft for about 8 months. I began taking it for anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and eating issues. Since I have been on it, my eating issues have gotten a lot worse. I began binging, something I've never done before. I have racing thoughts and feel like I am just floating through life. My weight has gone from about 120 to 155. I am not happy, and am considering coming off of the medication. Has anyone else noticed they have not been able to control their eating while on Zoloft? However, my anxiety did subside.

im 17 yrs old an on these tablets for depression. although it has cured my depression iv started gaining weight my appetite has changed all i want to do is eat. i don't sleep properly. i haven't had a good night sleep yet im tired all day my legs shake at times . i have some anxiety an i seem 2 be really loud all the time. i am also a kickboxer an the medication seems 2 make me really agitated and angry an im really worried someone is going to piss me off an im gonna do something really stupid and im scared of myself. my uncontoled rage makes me hit walls all the time an my knuckles r all scared im scared of hurting people an the look on there face when i get angry. i get thoughts in my head to kill at times.

I have been taking a low dose of zoloft (25mg) daily for about 9 months now and it has helped with my peri-menopause symptoms. I was having anger issues and depression associated with the changing hormones. I have never had these problems before recently so that is why they put me on the zoloft. It has helped a lot but the side effects have caused me to request a change in medication. I have some mild problems with diarrhea and headaches but nothing too bad. The worse one is the total lack of sex drive. I have no use for sex at all any longer. What is worse is that even if I do it for my husband it is impossible for me to have an orgasm or even become aroused. Strange. Hopefully there is something else out there that will help without this bothersome side effect.

Ive recently started taking zoloft for anxiety..just started on the 50 mg today after 4 days of 25 mg. The first two days were awful for me...intense headaches, feeling sick, nausea, tired, constant yawning, jaw ache from clenching and grinding my teeth. This is my 5th day and i am restless, i cant focus on study and keep putting it off. I am so tired i feel i could sleep through the entire week. my vision is slightly blurry...but not so bad i cant see the computer screen, however my typing is really bad...that may be due to the restlessness and agitation.
I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow, even if it's only been 5 days im not too sure why zoloft was prescribed for me when its more for depression and social anxiety. Today in the car i felt really panicky, and i thought i could just fall asleep at the wheel or have a heart attack because my heart beat has felt even faster than before. If these side effects go away in a few weeks and i can be reassured i will start to feel better and happier and less anxious then i will continue them. However my university assignments are going to be really poor.

I have been taking Zoloft for over 7 years, Zoloft it might help you when you have \Depression because it seems that it works for a short period of time, or course everybody is different, after seven years taking Zoloft for Anxiety I got to the conclusion that the Science don't really know how the brain works, in my personal experience I notice that Zoloft it keep you thinking constantly so the antidepressants are good only if you take them for a short period of time after that like in my case it just make my life miserable, go down on the medication little by little, do exercise at least 3 times a week, drink water eat properly and pray to God almighty it will go away, change things in you life that affects the way you think, be positive talk to yourself all the time, stay away for the medication at least if your problem is anxiety don't take Zoloft I regret the time when I start taking it, it doesn't over for a long time, the brain doesn't know what to do when are giving serotonin everyday, this year I set a personal goal of get rid of Zoloft for good, if were not born with Anxiety that means for me that you can and you will be like before, our body has the ability of heal itself I believe our recovery from anxiety is life change but basically if you have seen that your medication it's not working don't try another one they just don't work for long treatment, try it's hard but the longer you take it the harder it's to get away, pray to God if you are a believer you will be better, I hope this helps for you.

I have been on Zoloft (150mg) as well as Wellbutrin (300mg) for the last year. I have been on Zoloft for nearly 6 years (for postpartum depression and then ongoing depression) and the wellbutrin was added in by my doctor 2 years ago when the depression symptoms seem to be returning. However, during the last year, I am tired ALL THE TIME - really tired. The kind of tired in which I feel like I can not function. I nap any chance I get (which is difficult because I have four children) and still have no problem falling asleep at night. I have been to the doctor and have had blood tests to see if my exhaustion can be attributed to anything but my test always come back normal. So I am now wondering if my tiredness is a possible Zoloft side-effect... And is it possible for it to be a side effect that surfaced several years into using this drug? I did not feel like this when I first began either of the medications. I also wake up nightly completely soaked with night sweats... another Zoloft side effect. If anyone has any similar experience or advice, I'd love to hear!

I've been on 25mg of generic Zoloft for a week and I've developed the feeling of a lump in my throat. It seems to get worse for a little while after I take it, but it may also be anxiety about taking it. I'm supposed to increase the dosage to 50mg tomorrow, but I'm afraid to in case it's really an allergic reaction. Has anyone else experienced this?

I'm taking zoloft for panic attacks. I'm on day 3 of 25mg. I have severe diarrhea. Yesterday I had a burning/tingling sensation in my shoulders and moved up to my head. It lasted about 2-3 minutes. Today I feel like I'm in a fog. I also have trouble sleeping and occasionally have small pains that last for a second all over my head. I'm not sure if this is worth the trouble. I won't hesitate to continue the medication If I can be sure these effects will go away. My doctor wants me to up my dosage by 25mg. every week and I don't know if this will worsen my side effects.

I can't believe how easily they hand out this medication!
I have been under extreme stress recently and have physically been suffering from the anxiety. Went to the ER when my doctor wouldnt see me and they gave me this medication. I took one pill(50mg) at 4pm, felt slightly off, hardly enough to really notice though. However the next morning I was waken up at 5am heaving and wretching, that continued for about an hour. Then the symptoms progressed to rapid heart rate and profuse sweating during the wretching. Continued to worsen, my head felt as though I had drank 3 bottles of wine the night before(hadn't drank at all). I was dizzy and the last thing to happen was my arms and hands began to tingle and go numb. Eventually(4hours later) all symptoms had worn off and only the nausea remained. Have not touched the stuff again. I'll take the anxiety thanks.

My mom,77 who has ALS was but on Zoloft for depression. I really need to get her off of it FAST! She was at 1ml for one week. I called the doc because she was having nausea. He wanted to try it one more week. She went to 2ml last monday after one week. Fri,Sat, and today she is having terrible headaches. I read all the replies on this sight yesterday for side effect. I told her about the zapping pains and she said yes, that is the kind of pain in my head. It will not let up. I took her back to 1ml last night. What happens if I take her clear off? Can the side effects be any worse than the constant pain she is having in her head? It is 2 weeks today that she is on the drug. Do I wean her or just stop now? PLEASE Help!!

I just started taking zoloft about 3 months ago and as i was browsing i found it intresting that someone else has been having wierd dreams.Whats so crazy is since ive been taking it along with my seriquil i have dreams and nightmares almost evey other night.I don't think it's a bad thing nesaceraly i just think it's pretty strange that i started taking an anti depresent and now i have good,to,bad to scary dreams and i know it must be the medication doing this.I think your brain works slower at night when your sleeping and the pills just playoff of your mind.I can't exsplain what exactly is causing the dreams or how but i agree with anyone who this happens to it is a FACT if u take zoloft you will have moor dreams than u had in the past or even if u had none at all.Anyways i just wanted to let everyone know that your not alone and if you need someone to relate to im here.Thanks cloudyblueyes...

I am 26 years old and my husband and I have 4 common children and we are currently raising his son from his first marriage so I have 5 children at home. after the birth fo my first child in 1998, I suffered a severe panic attack that came out of nowhere, I rushed to the emergency room thinking i was dying, and for 5 years after that i suffered and lived with major deppression and severe anxiety. I literaly thought i was dying everyday of my life, my file at the doctors office was really getting thick from all my visits. Finally in 2004 for the sake fo my children I agreed to take medication and my doctor put me on zoloft I started at 100mg. and slowly increased to 200mg. I was on it for a year and for the first time in 5 years I felt good, I didnt' think about dying , my patience with my children increased I was a new person, unfortunatley I had a substantial weight gain so I requested to try a different medication so they switched me to wellbutrin 400mg my appetite has decreased but my anxiety has increased not to the point it was before i had any help but it definatley isn't as controlled as when i was on the zoloft.
I think zoloft is excellent for anxiety but it didn't work for my severe p.m.s.

I have been on this med for 2 years due to panic attacks and many of the side effect that i have read in the forum i have had but also i have had numbness of the lower arms, tingling in the lips, the nightmares, the shock in the face and side of the head,agrivation. I no longer have patience with my children and seem to be yelling all the time/ It did seem to help me at first and the panic atacks have all but gone completely but now i am getting depressed because l feel fat as l now weigh 70 kilograms and before zoloft only weighed 57 kilos. So l guess all in all there are good and bad things about this medication. i have also found myself drinking more alcohol than l normally would and have become disinterested in alot of things and found that now my negative thoughts are returning. And i have a sickening fear of death: single mother of 2, 36 years old zoloft 100mg 2 years.

I started taking Zoloft in 2002, I had suffered from social anxiety disorder wich led to depression as well. I started taking setraline and felt normal for the first time in my life I was totally comfortable in every situation. I began to make friends at a rapid rate and was loving every second of my life. Stupidly I stopped taking the meds as soon as I felt better and have been on and off of the medication. I just started taking 200mg a day due to the fact that the 100mg dose wasnt helping any more, im 6ft4 190 lbs. I recommend this druf to anyone who is having trouble with depression or sad along with counseling. Anyways the side effects have been delayed ejaculation, better sleep, the first 2 weeks I felt like I was drugged everything was just cloudy and I had a wierd feeling in my stomach.

I started taking 50 mg of Zoloft about 1 year ago and eventually went up tp 150 mg. I gained 20LBS in 4 months!!! My doctor specifically told me that these meds would NOT MAKE ME GAIN WEIGHT! She had NO IDEA WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT!! I started tapering off the meds a month ago and took my last dose on the 22nd of June. Since then I have felt so tired, but the worst part is the electric zaps. It feels like I am being hit with a tazer gun or lightning or something. ALmost everytime I move I get a jolt through my whole body. I want to cry!!
While I was on the meds, I had heavy spotting between periods. My doctors couldn't figure out why it was happening. I have been trying to get pregnant and I think that Zoloft is the reason I have not been able to conceive.
I would also wake up with terrible night sweats and developed Hypothyroidism while taking this medication. I am 28 years old, and thought I was starting to go through Menopause!

I can not wait for these side effects and withdrawal symptoms to end. I will NEVER take this type of medication again. It is not worth it. I told my doctor that I would rather be depressed than feel the way I did while tkaing this medication.

Good Luck to everyone on this board.

I'm a female, 23 years old. I have OCD, attention deficit disorder, and general anxiety disorder.

On zoloft, I feel less anxious on the plus side. I feel comfortable with approaching people and in making new friends. However, even with 25 miligrams, which is next to nothing, I feel troubled by a foggy headed feeling. I want to always put the cart before the horse, or do the final thing before all the steps leading to it, or I simply look like I lack common sense, which is embarassing (at work, my new job). I feel dumb when I am not.

Also on the negative side, I notice I'm more depressed on zoloft. And when I drink alcohol such as vodka in long island ice teas with that shit, the next day I have the shakes like a crack addict going through withdrawal and I feel so depressed and anxious that I almost think I need to check in to a mental hospital because I might, if a gun were close by, do myself in.

This is not the medication for me. Also, I recently started wellbutrin and notice the zoloft/wellbutrin combination makes me feel even more in a fog, but in a different way, as if I were on a cloud and can't think of the right things to say or do. This isn't me. I just feel really fucked up.

I know everyone's experience and problem is different. I'm currently looking for another medication that won't make me feel like I'm in a fog and won't increase my ADD, but will decrease my anxiety and my OCD.

I experienced extreme weight gain as I went from 130lbs to 169lbs and I am only 5 feet tall!!!!! The insert states weight increase is in only 8% of people who take the medication, but after reading today, the drug company really needs to correct this! I have only lost 20lbs of the gain and I am finding I have to work twice as hard to lose the rest----I am VERY dissatified. Also, when being weaned-I experienced SEVERE dizziness and being light headed-That was more scary than the depression.

I have been taking Zoloft for about six months now, and for the past six months I haven't had one menstrual period (this isn't unpleasant, but a little worrisome in its strangeness).

I am sixteen years old and I weigh 130 pounds. I take 200 mg of Zoloft (sertraline) every morning for depression. I am constantly in emotional turmoil internally, but I rarely have the motivation to express any of it, which leaves me a bottled-up mess.

I have gained about five pounds on Zoloft, and I exercise frequently and watch my diet in an attempt to avoid more gain. My emotions, ideals, thought patterns, and self image are all extremely volatile and they change constantly.

If I don't take Zoloft for one day, I feel slightly more energetic and I always have detailed, vivid dreams that night. If I don't take Zoloft for two days, I get a splitting headache, I am aggressive and histrionic, and I feel tense and hopeless. These disturbances are only slightly more unpleasant than how I feel when I take the medication; hence, I usually take it. However, if I gain one more pound while taking this, regardless of withdrawal effects, I will discontinue the Zoloft.

uhh what happens if u snort zolofT......im being put on the medication and im 14....i need to know if i should try something diffrent...i dont want weight gain ill flip out.....Do you get messed up if you take lots of these pills or if u snort them let me know please..

I had been on Zoloft three years ago for anxiety/panic attacks
I must say that it had helped me tremendously. For three years, until a major stress triggered my anxiety again, I was doing quite well. Let me just say this, as with any medication, whether it be OTC Tylenol, Advil, Fleet enemas, etc. all medication do not agree with everyone's system. We have people who are allergic to Penicillin, but does that mean we ban it or take it off the market...NO, we find something that works for us. So please do not think that it's the medication you are taking, it may just be that this particular medication does not work with you or your symptoms. Try asking your doctor to switch you to another medication. Remember not all bad medications are prescriptions.