Depression Blog.com

I have been on Zoloft for about 6 months or so. Before taking Zoloft I had been taking paxil for 3 or more years. I loved Paxil except for one major thing, my weight gain. I excercised and ate
very healthy and couldnt lose any weight for the life of me. So, I finally decided to try something new. I tried Wellbutrin which helped me stop smoking but did nothing for deperssion. Then I decided maybe I should stop taking everything... So I tried to slowly come off the anti- deperssants all together but soon realized that I am just too damn depressed and miserable without them. Thats where the Zoloft comes into play. I started taking 50mg of Zoloft a day.
At first, things were okay... but then they got bad. Now, I have never really had bad anxiety, just mainly depression [which the doctors say go hand in hand] but in my case, they had not. After being on the Zoloft for a short period of time, I started having trouble breathing... on a daily basis. And one day I actually had an "anxiety attack", which was foreign to me, and got rushed to the hospital. In turn my doctor up'd my mg of Zoloft to 100. And to this day I still have trouble breathing. Breathing is now like a task for me. My doctors say its all anxiety.
I suggested that maybe the Zoloft and I were not compatable, but they did not think that was the case. Then how come I have never had breathing problems before?? Im no more anxious now then I ever have been.
And on top of the breathing problems, I wake up in the morning drentched from night sweats, and I have diffuculty sleeping throughout the night. Im stuck between a rock and hard place. Should I go back to paxil and try and deal with the weight gain? Should I be fat and happy or skinny and depressed?
Thats basically what it comes down to for me.

Hello,
I have been on zoloft for a year and a half. I started taking it for Post traumatic stress. I have always been thin and I am 5'8 and weighed 119 before I started to take zoloft I know weigh 132 pounds. I've asked my doctors if the weight gain is from the zoloft, they said no, but after reading what I've read here, it seems that I am not the only one to gain weight with this. My main question is, Does taking Zoloft and Dong quai together give a person headaches. I just started to take dong quai also and Since I started I have had a terrible headache. Also, If I decide to go off zoloft, should I gradually cut down on my dosage, I currently take 50mg 1x a day. And Do you think my weight will go back to normal.

Thanks for your time.

My 50 mg daily dosage of Zoloft was increased to 100 when I became acclimatized
to the 50 dosage. This concerned me somewhat, as I had been finding the 50 mgs
beneficial for some time until I suddenly “needed” more. It left me wondering if
perhaps soon I will “need” 150 mgs, and later 200 mgs etc. However, I admittedly
did mix my original dosage with illicit substances, which may have provoked a
second spiral downward. Anyhow, I seem to be coping okay on 100, although I
continue to drink quite heavily in the later hours of the day (I’m trying to cut
back). My thoughts continue to remain as strange as ever, my moods erratic and
my natural tendencies rather neurotic. These are merely somewhat easier to deal
with. I hope to somehow get off this drug at some point, but I fear that this
will only be achieved when a more suitable medication is discovered. This, in
turn, will occur only when the ‘correct’ psychiatric condition/s has/have been
diagnosed, when and if that ever does ha
ppen…

My father has been on zoloft for close to eight years. I do not have any contact with him (except when he makes desparate attempts to get back into my life - sometimes extremey upsetting and abusive phone calls and visits to my home. I have heard through many differernt sources of the "bad side effects" this drug has and that it has even been taken off the market in the United States due to the problems associated with it. A man at my husbands work place actually attempted to hand his wife (while taking zoloft). He realised what he was doing before it was too late and turned himself into the police. He served 2 years in prision for his crime. I have also heard of other violent crimes that have been committed by patients taking zoloft. Why on earth is this stuff still available.?????

Since taking the drug my father turned from a loving husband and dedicated dad, to leaving our home (permanently) and leaving our mum to support three kids. In the end the bank took our home and we were left with not too mucj at all. Since then I have made several attempts to keep in contact with my father but he is such a different person (a man who no one can stand anymore). He has become obsessive about helping others and insists that we have been brainwashed by our mother (who loved my father dearly when he left) and we all need psychological help. I did get soe depression after the divorce (not because of the divorce but because of what my father continued to do to our family - mental torment).

Is it seen to be dangerous for any one person to be on this drug for such a long period of time. Has any one else had violent and aggressive problems with their loved ones taking this drug? I am so angry at my father's psychiatrist for not properly researching a drug that he is readily prescribing.

Upset and angry - lost my father to zoloft!!!!!

I was on 200mg per day of Zoloft for about 3 years. I gained more than
100 pounds, and have not been able to lose weight. I hardly even
remembered to eat, suffered projectile vomitting, day and night, even
vomitted in my sleep nearly choking many times. My eyes wobbled left to
right rapidly and uncontrolably, my hands shook so severly I could not
eat anything but sandwhiches without it spilling all over me. I could
not hold a pencil to write with. I had an increase of migraines,
lethargic feelings and confusion. My insomnia worsened, I had panic
attacks. I also broke out in hives many times. my doctors [I have
changed doctors sveral times] have ignored my complaints. Sometimes
Busparone and Trazadone were added to my medications. When I decided to
stop taking Zoloft [after 3 years of horrible side effects] I weaned the
dose down over 2 months, and suffered a severe amount of suicidal
ideation. I suffered from jerking head motions and arm spasms for a long
time after stopping the Zoloft. My blood pressure went way high also,
and it never was before. I now have to remain on blood pressure
medicine.

I have been taking 50mg. of zoloft for 4yrs the dr. up me to 100mg. my blood pressure has been running high. The dr. says zoloft will not do that I don;t think he know what he is talking about. Any infromation on this would help.

Hello,
I was taking Zoloft 50 mg. for 2 years for PMDD. UNEXPECTEDLY, my husband recently lost his job, and therefore we lost the insurance we had the day he was let go, and Cobra was REALLY expensive! I was about to refill my RX before he was let go, I had about 1 week left. We could not afford the medication with out the insurance, so I had no choice but to go off. I did take one pill every other day with the amount I had left, which again was only about a weeks worth.
It has been 3 1/2 weeks now with nothing at all, and the dizziness, MIGRAINES, and WEAKNESS, are almost unbearble, if anything I feel WORSE. I dont know what to do. I did call my regular doctor, who said that I need to go off slowly. Well I would, if I could afford the RX. We are talking 150.00! With my husband ut of a job right now, and only me working money is VERY tight. If I really really have to I will get another RX, to wean off of it. Although it has been 3 1/2 weeks, can it last much longer in my system? Is there something less expensive to help with the withdrawls?

I just went off of zoloft, I cannot lose weight after my baby. Is this the reason, being on zoloft? And can going off of it make you feel dizzy, similar to the dizziness with an ear infection.

i didn't have a lot of side effects from zoloft. i too it for two years and it
helped my depression and ended the nightmares. i started having suicidal urges
after the two years and realized it was the drug, which i gradually stopped
taking. my husband feels the medication led to my inability to feel any
tenderness toward him and our children. i admit i do not have the warm feeling
in my heart but i do not get overemotional regarding problems like i did in the past. i seem to be in some kind of vacuum. is there any way i can regain some of the happy feelings without also getting back the low depression? i am losing my husband to this and it is affecting our children.

In August, I decided to wean myself off of Zoloft. I was tired of feeling slightly tired all of the time and feeling like my good moods were always a bit dampened, like I could never feel as happy as I felt like I should. It's hard to explain. The best way I can describe it is when I was feeling really happy, ie. getting engaged, it was like jumping on a bed and my head hitting the ceiling. I knew what it felt like to be really happy on special occasions and I wasn't able to feel like that while on Zoloft. I also never had the energy to exercise. Now that I'm off of Zoloft, I'm gaining weight, which is exactly the opposite of what I thought would happen, since I am exercising because I have the energy to exercise.

Now I've gained about 10 pounds in 2 months while trying to eat better than I ever have and exercising more than I have in the last 5 years. It makes absolutely no sense and I'm frustrated and feeling worse about myself because of it.

Been on Zoloft for only a week ...think I need to stop! Having same other symptoms as everyone else... no sleep - irregular heartbeat - chest pain - dry mouth - dizziness - shortness of breath... Seems like the drug worked after a couple days but NOW my heart rate is constantly high... even when I am just sitting around...just a simple walk around the house makes my heart pound!! Just had panic attacks every once in while before Zoloft! Now it feels like I am having a 24-7 panic attack with my heart rate always high.

I have recently started taking Zoloft, Ive been taking it for about 3 or 4 weeks and I'm having mild sometimes painful head aces. I notice i can't quit shaking or a feeling of wanting to be moving always, I'm tired and wanting to sleep all day. My doctor is treating me for IBS, I'm a 21 year old female, but i was in the hospital and they treated me for PID, and i went to another doctor because i still was going through a lot of pain. I still am so she did test and tryed to treat me for PID, but we had no results so she started treating me for IBS. I am seeing a general surgeon for my stomach pain and pelvic pain. She decided to put me on Zoloft because I'm depressed and sick of being in pain. I do not like the side effects I'm having, i thought it was helping but now i don't. My question is, oh i am taking 50mg a day, but i wont to if i should stop taking it before i cant stop. I'm having a lot of side effects. What can i do??? PLEASE HELP ME....

Having found this site interesting, I thought I'd share the basic outlines of my recent experience with Zoloft.

I am a 32 year old male, diagnosed variously throughout the years with clinical depression, S.A.D., and even a "socio-emotional learning disability." I put more stock in the S.A.D. diagnosis than anything else, since I have noticed an increase in melancholy each autumn through mid-winter for as long as I can remember. At turbulent times in my life, when a "normal" individual might experience some symptoms of depression for a reasonable amount of time, my melancholy has spiraled into sometimes uncontrollable episodes. The symptoms associated with these episodes are: constant despair, nightmares, irregular sleep patterns, loss of appetite, severe panic attacks, anxiety and confusion, apathy and lethargy, circular and self-destructive ideation. When all these symptoms are present at once (as was most recently the case) I am basically immobilized. Although I've never experienced manic episodes, there have been more or less great periods in my life when I felt "naturally" happy, and until about a year ago I thought I had cracked this depression thing once and for all, with the exception of a mild or low-grade depression each autumn (which seemed under control). Meanwhile, the mostly low-grade seasonal depression went untreated basically all my life and I developed more and more destructive routines for coping with it, until I found myself in a kind of denial about these routines and the source of their development. These routines continued as habitual behaviors through the seasons I was apparently not suffering any symptoms of the clinical / seasonal depression, and fed back into the yearly cycle. Finally, I believe this feedback loop adversely affected my work, my relationships, and my physical health. At roughly middle age, with a great deal in shambles, I took the decision to try medication and talk-therapy to try and figure out if these patterns could be halted long enough to clean up the mess and delve back into the many aspects of my life that have given me and my loved ones the most pleasure and comfort.

With all the symptoms present for nearly a full month (and several present for about two and a half months prior to that awful month of total freak-outs), my doctor prescribed Zoloft. I worked my way up to 150 mg, which I take each morning. I've been at the full dosage for about two weeks. At first, the symptoms remained, but I also experienced nausea and grogginess constantly. After several days these side effects disappeared and I felt complete apathy for about two days. That signaled the almost instant disappearance of ALL the symptoms I associate with the depression. The apathy then gradually disappeared and I was able to make great strides forward in my therapy and small steps in other areas of my life (work, relationships). The last symptom to disappear was the loss of appetite, and I still struggle a bit with that. I also recently felt a bit of anxiety and had a little trouble sleeping, but I think that was a "natural" response to life-events.

I do not want to stay on medication of any kind any longer than I have to. I began Zoloft expressly to gain traction in therapy and to test the notion of a chemical imablance. Right now I'm pretty well convinced that I do suffer from a chemical imbalance, which may be genetic, but I am not convinced that the lingering side-effects of Zoloft justify taking it through the less severe episodes. My side-effects now remain a significant drop in sexual desire and what seems to be a slight drop in sexual pleasure (ejaculation / orgasm are less intense). I have read that a low sperm count is a side-effect, and that seems to be the case for me. I also fear that the apathy I associate with the Zoloft will linger in a mild form. However, I can't quite decide whether I'm merely relieved and therefore relaxing a bit after this intense and exhausting episode, or if I'm feeling kind of "flat," which my doctor and some of the people here report as an effect of using Zoloft or other anti-depressants to help deal with the illness.

I have been on lithium, for chronic insomnia, which is similar to zoloft, for a year and a half, and now i have been off it since january 2006 and all the weight i have gained hasnt come off yet. i am 5'6 and my weight before meds was 120lbs, with meds went up to 156lbs or so, i only lost 3 lbs, i am 153lbs now, which is very little. i also had a great metabolicm before, if i got a little bigger sometimes, i would just diet for 3 days and drop 5, or more lbs easily, now i cant drop 1 lbs in months. how do you get to lose the weight after your metabolism slows down from the meds??? e mail me

I have been on Zoloft for 6 months for panic disorder. I started on 50 went up to 100 then 75 now I'm back to 50, because I keep getting "weird feelings" The doctor I was originally on too low of a dose, then maybe too high. The weird feeling is that uneasyness/worried that I am going schizo. Could the medicine be causing this? It is just like a nagging that will be in my head every once in a while. I am terrified that I will start to hear voices or hallucinate. Is this irrational? Is it just part of anxiety? I went to a psychiatrist and he is the one that lowered my dose (orinally I was just recieving advice from my gynocologist) and also put me on trazodone at night. I am VERY sensitive to medication. And only take 25-50mg of trazodone. along with my 50mg of zoloft, i take both at night. I know that Zoloft is not for everyone but just want to know if it could be causing me to feel crazy

I have been on Zoloft for a week, and it has not helped at all. I cannot keep my legs still. I am constantly waking up in the middle of the night, and every morning, I feel like I have to vomit. I have little to no appetite. I was put on Zoloft for anxiety, and from what I'm reading, it's mainly for depression. It makes anxiety worse. I am getting married in June. I cannot gain weight!!!!!!!! I am stopping now. Tonight: no Zoloft pill. I will not take it. I can do this on my own. I have my fiance and I have God. I do not need Zoloft. I feel better already just knowing that I'm about to be drug free. I mean, all I did was google Zoloft and all of these negative testimonies came up. I'm afraid to keep taking it. I'm done.

i have been on zoloft for 8 years i have stopped taking them for 4 weeks know the side affects are so bad i am so moody aswell i just yell at my kids and so moody at work does this stop or do i need to take a stress vitman please help

I HAVE BEEN TAKING ZOLOFT FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH NOW AND IT HAS REALLY HELPED ME WITH MY PANIC ATTACKS AND SLEEPING. I AM ALSO TAKING IT FOR MY OCD(OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER), SO I GUESS WE WILL SEE HOW IT GOES. BUT I USED TO WAKE UP EVERY HOUR BEFORE TAKING IT, NOW I SLEEP THROUGH THE WHOLE NIGHT BEFORE WAKING FOR WORK. I AM ON 50MG.

I was wondering if i should stop taking zoloft after reading all these posts, i to have had the side effects like severe headaches, heart rate and bloodpressure jumps, i also get shortness of breath sometimes like im sighing all the time, wierd stuff, ive only been on 50 mg for about 2 weeks but im not liking it

I have been on zoloft for almost two years... I got off of it before after 4 months, but my depression and anxiety come back. After about a month, my anxiety got worse, so they increased my dose to 100. I have just been taken off of it again. My doctor told me to take 50 for a week then stop. I wanted to stop cause I felt tired all the time like I could sleep all day and I could not focus. Well, the past couple of days after being off of it, I have felt irritable, dizzy, and have had crying spells. I did not feel like this before when I was taken off of it. I don't know if it was because I was on for a longer period of time or a higher dose.

I started on 50 mg. of Zoloft while in the middle of getting back into shape. I kept losing weight by exercising and eating healthy foods until I reached my ideal weight for my height. I did have a few panicky side effects the first week but they went away. It helps my mood and people say they notice I'm not as easily aggravated now. I stayed at the 50 mg. dose even though my doc suggested 100 mgs. Zoloft does what I wanted it to and I can't say I have any weird thoughts or negative comments about it at all after getting used to it. I think maybe the people that don't have positive experiences are more likely to type about it on the internet.

I am currently on 12.5mg of Zoloft and this is day 3. I will most likely not go any higher, only lower. I can already totally feel it, the numbed out feeling I've experienced before with Paxil but slightly different.I don't like taking anything- that's been my battle as an artist and these pills definitely flat-line emotion/decrease empathy. Granted, sometimes life can dish out more than a mind/body can process so before I can save up enough money to go on a meditative pilgrammage I have to function somehow. Here is my point:
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW STRONG THIS SHIT IS...TRY TAKING THE SMALLEST DOSE POSSIBLE UNLESS YOU'RE IN A DEPRESSIVE/ANXIETY RIDDEN STUPOR! GO TO FUCKING PSYCHOTHERAPY, NOT JUST TO GET MORE MEDS BUT TO REALLY WORK ON YOUR SHIT BECAUSE A PILL CAN'T FIX YOU OR THE WORLD AND GOD HELP US WHEN EVERYBODY HAS BECOME AN APATHETIC, LAZY, PILL-POPPING GREEDY ASSHOLE! (I know I'm not out of the woods yet)

Been on Zoloft for about 3 weeks now. Initially I was put on 100 mg and that made me extremely nauseous and shaky, also couldnt sleep. I started cutting them in half and it did lessen all the side effects but now i keep getting headaches and my blood pressure is unexplainably high when it was fine a month ago before starting this. ofcourse the doctor tells me "just keep taking it". Unreal they could care less how you actually FEEL, they just want you to take it and shut up, if it kills you OOOPPPSSS!

yes my wife has been on zoloft for about 9mos about 2wks ago she attacked me in our living room for asking my daughter to leave (her step)my wife has never been a violet person as long as i have know her until that night.she had stopped taking about 2 wks before because of the weight gain.

My Doctor put me on Zoloft for post partum depression after the birth of my son. I was only on the medication for a few months before I started packing on the pounds. I have gained over 30 lbs on that stuff! I asked my doctor over and over if he thought it was a side effect of the meds, ((I believe it was, I have never gained weight so rapidly) He insisted it was not a side effect. After doing some online research, I fould forum after forum with people having the same problem. I have weaned myself off the drug, but I believe it will take me twice as long to lose all this extra weight I have packed on. I wish my Doctor would have been more educated on the negative side effects of these meds, before handing over an RX

I am on Zoloft. Sometimes I feel ok but other times i still feel really depressed amd like the medication isnt helping. What should i do?

i have been on zoloft for 4 yrs. i feel much better... the only thing i have had now for like for 2 mos. now, i get like an eletric feeling in my head alot. it doesnt hurt but i wonder if it is like having a stroke or something... scary feeling. my dr. said not zoloft related but, i see all the people on here with the same side affect. it feels like an eletric wave going through me does anyone else have this?

I have only been on Zoloft for three weeks but have realized I have no fuze at all anymore after takeing it I get mad so much easier. I can't fall asleep until early in the morning and I feel sluggish all day. I didn't take it today and I was out of bed more than I have been in the last three weeks and I don't think I yelled at anyone today I asked my doctor if he had any of his other patients have bad side effects from Zoloft and he said no and he perscribes it more than any other drug that makes me wonder how much doctors really share about side effects from drugs this page in itself shows a large amount of people with the same bad effects : (

my daughter who is 14 started taking zoloft about 3 weeks ago and went from 25 to 50mc a day but her period has not came this month and she is freaking out.is this a side effect until its been in her system for a couple of months??please help

Just an IMPORTANT REMINDER to everyone here. No matter what you read about other people's experiences remember the following:

-Medication has different effects for different people, you cant base decisions on someone else's experience

-Being afraid that it will cause side effects, expecting side effects often CREATES those very side effects. This is how a placebo works, look it up

-Don't EVER make decisions about upping or decreasing your dosage based on something you read on the internet. This stuff is PRESCRIBED, so that someone who KNOWS what it is and what it does tells you HOW MUCH to take and when. Consult your doctor before doing any changes to his advised dosage.

Regards.

Nick

I've been on Zoloft for approx. 12 years and am sick of taking it. I have packed on weight and can't seem to loose it no matter how much I work out, eat well, etc. I'm up to 302 lbs. Tried coming off once before but couldn't. I have now decided to come off this crap and reduced my dose this morning from 100 mg to 50 mg. I've had what I call "brain fuzzies" already today and am not sure that I should reduce the dose this fast but I'm tired of it and want off. One thing the doctors fail to tell us is that it is addictive and that it can be difficult to come off of. That is a form of malpractice to me..."first do no harm"????? Patients are not educated to the effects of the medications that are given to them and we trust our doctors so much. It's time we take a stand and take control of our health and do as much reseach as we can before starting medications such as Zoloft, etc. Please pray for me. Thanks.

My doctor gave me zoloft monday i took it monday night around 11:30pm and i went to sleep. I woke up at 4:00am and was freaking out and had suicida thoughts and the worst Anxiety i ever i thought i was having a heartattak. and thats why he put me on is for derpression and anxiety. I couldnt breath my eyes were buged like a crack head. I was walking back and forth for about 3 hours.I felt like i was going to die he put me on 50mg. But anyways it just got worst i stayed up for 3 days stright i couldnt take care of my child i had someone come here and take care of her and me.I never felt this way in my hole life and my brain hurt not my head i called my doctor and he said to keep on taking it i told him he was crazy and i flushed them.I also was jerking when i did fall alsleep my friend said i fall asleep for 10 sec and start jerking and i was shaking like crazy.My blood felt like it was burning and iching. I would get cold and then hot i just wanted to go back the way i felt before i took it.I couldnt eat nothing or drink i was also throwing up on it too.today is now saturday i still feel crosses eye and cant see all that good still.i started feeling my self by friday thank god...Why would he give me soemthing like this and now after i took it i here alot of bad things about it.....

i am one of the patients taking zoloft its fine but fuck my life iam feeling sleepy all the day from zoloft

Hi, im 23, i have/ was on Zoloft since dec of 07.. 100 mg a day.. it was ok at first, but i notced that i had thoughts of suicide and uncontrolable wanting to hurt others which i couldnt control... every one around me noticed i wasnt performing the way i used to be at work. i always had snappin moments. whcih before i used to be the sweetest thing on the planet.. so i told my doctor about it, and he increased the MGs to 150 a day.. about 2 weeks later i tried to commit suicide by my 45.Cal. that was the last straw, i was thrown into a mental ward for 3 days till they figured out the zoloft wasnt a good medicine. so instead of taking me off of it, they gave my Lithium and reduced my zoloft going back to the phsyco stage of 100mgs.. months went by.. ya had hickups with mental stabability, but the lithium was controling it.. than one day, i woke up and snapped on my Entire family.. and was arrested and facing court.. well a month ago, those thoughts of wanting to hurt people came back.. i had it, my doctor wasnt helping jsut making things way worse. and no one wanted to listen. so i did wat i kne was best. took myself off of zoloft.. ya the withdrawls were bad, like increased eating and such, but i was becoming happy again.. i felt happiness which i hadn't felt for ten months... so i called my doctor and told asked him " why is it when im on zoloft i'm insane, but when i get off of them i am happier than a cuddly kitten" all he said was maybe it wasnt for you.. well, the deal is he wont back me up in trial sayin the meds were a factor.. because it made me mentally unstable.. to all you people out there on zoloft.. if u do notice you are having odd thought, increased suididal thoughts or dreams of killing or hurting people... I beg you get off of it now.. its better to be safe than sorry, there are better meds out there.. lithium Is a winner for depression meds..i'm on 1200 mg a day.. and there isnt much side effects at all..

I have been taking Zoloft now for 9 days. On Wendsday @ 3 pm, I get nauseated and I am like so tired I could not get out of bed, Made it out about 12:30 sat in my recliner till around 6 or 6:30. It was as if my whole body had been cemented, I am like a Zombi.Has anyone taking this med, are you feeling the same way.

God Bless
Karen

THE TRICK IS YOU HAVE TO JUST TAKE A TINY DOSE DAILY...I recently kept going off due to strong side effects, even at a pretty low dose. After experimenting around I've discovered taking a REAL SMALL dose (in my case a small piece of a 100mg capsule about the size of 3 sesame seeds combined)is the way to go. I feel great overall and it's knocking out my anxiety and the side effects are almost non-existent. This is my fifth time taking Zoloft so I've been through it all. I know the "in's and out's". I'm more focused and not zombied out like at a "regular" dose. And I haven't experienced the "disconnected from reality" feeling like people do at a "regular" dose.

Supposin' you have no boyfriend or deity?

OMG! Just got this drug today for anxiety...I am scared to death to take it. I have a 19 yr. old grand-daughter who is on it for severe anxiety...she takes hers 1st thing in the morning and she is doing great. My doctor prescribed mine for nighttime taking...I am scared to death...I do not need any more problems...damn I wish someone would write to me and give some info and advice!!!

Hey all,
I stopped taking zoloft about 2 months ago (I was on it for 3 years) and in the past 2 months have gained 15 pounds. My doctor put me back on the zoloft today and I was wondering if it would make me lose the weight gained or at least prevent me from gaining any more.
Thanks,
Amy

My 14 year old son just committed suicide. He was doing fine and we said good night to him and he said he loved us. Then he woke up in the middle of the night and killed himself. He was on Zoloft for about 3 weeks. We hesitated getting him on it because of the negative side affects we read about but the psychiastrist said his "clinical experience was more accurate then parents posts on a blog." Oh, I so wish I would have not given them to him. Lord, the pain is too much to bare.

I took zoloft as a child and to put it lightly, it made me crazy! no one.. parents, or Doctors explained to me any side effects from the drug. it acctually caused me to go into rages, and have ticks. which i was then put on other medacin for and told "its all part of my condition"? NO! actually it came from the damn drug which i didin't know untill finally a dr asked me in my senior year of Highschool if "I" wanted to be on anything. I said no. and it changed my life FORVEVER! all of a sudden i felt in reality, one i had not been in for years. so clear headed i didn't know what happened, untill i realized i had been druged for 7 years of my life with out any explanatin! They can go to hell for all i care. I thank God for showing me a way out. i almost killed myself several times, and my parents while on this stuff. i truely believe I"m alive for a reason and would be dead otherwise had i not gotten off it. I'm currently taking medacine which is of MY CHOOSING, for depression and anxiety. this all however comes from all the trauma and pain, of my childhood while being on that and other drugs. NOT, some "condition", i didn't choose what happened to me but know there are others out there with same and worse experiences than me. i pray for you, and may God bless and help you, turn to him and you WILL find comfort. I cannot explain my life in full from those years of torture just through this e-mail, but if anyone has had a similar experience or wishes to speak to me, i'd be glad too! Or has any helpfull suggestions. -Ryan i"m now 22 and slowly after 4 years am just now getting myself back. i still have much to go, but I will Get There!

I was recently put on lexapro for depression and immedietly had weird thoughts and ideas that went agianst my character which totally made me start freaking out...then the doctor put me on zoloft which didn't seem to help but just made it worse ..since im on four other medications they believe that the antidepressents interacted with the meds i am now...im just ready for this to be over with and wish i would have never have been on antidepressents

i started on zoloft in january and at first it really helped, but that only lasted about a month. we increased my dosage from 100mg to 200mg and that worked for a couple weeks. now i'm on 250mg + lamictal and elavil (which i've been taking for almost 2 yrs after 10 rounds of ECT--electro shock--didn't do anything but kill my memories of the past year, a blessing--before that i was on cymbalta, zyprexa, clonipin, and wellbutrin, prozac before that, paxil before that, etc., etc). it has caused severe and EMBARRASSING sweating, dry mouth (a problem since i am an actor--successful before but now my auditions don't go well because my mouth is like paper and i can't talk), sensitivity to the sun, stomach upset... my neuropsychiatrist says it doen't cause weight gain and that seems to be the case with me. i was on zyprexa 2 yrs ago and i gained 75lbs...i was anorexic only months before (5'10" and 115 lbs)...lost 50lbs when i went off it (20 lbs the first week, eating 1500 calories a day, bedridden in the hospital due to an illness). so what i'm trying to say is the zyprexa did slow my metabolism, but i was also so depressed that i ate everything in sight. maybe this is what you are experiencing with the zoloft? you can't really gain that much weight without eating a lot of excess calories because your body needs a certain amount in order to even function. there is no scientific evidence regarding weight gain.

zoloft does not work for you. You should not have trouble breathing. Dr. don't know jack. You have to advocate for yourself.
Do as much research as possible on your own or go to a dr. that
is also natural remedy minded.

Aprox. 9 years ago i experienced a couple of life changing events in a short period of time, thus causing some pretty bad depression. Within a span of 11 days i had lost both of my parents. That not being bad enough the following 2 weeks i learned that my husband had started using drugs again only this time he included our 14 year old daughter. I filed for divorce and seeked help from my dr. My weight had been 125 for years. During these 4 weeks of turmoil i dropped down to 90lbs My dr. perscribed 50mg of zoloft. At first it seemed to help, then i noticed a violent side of me more often than than not i was yelling and throwing things. The kicker that finally made me sit up and say.. omg! was when i awoke one morning and while sitting on my bed i realized that outside my bedroom door was? i had no idea what was there? I had lived in the same place for 3 years and there was no visual of what was past that door. Overwhelmed with fear i sat there. I was scared to open the door so there i sat. After about 1 1/2 hours i was finally able to move from my frozen state as i remembered what it was outside my door.
I have heared of a teenage boy who is currently serving time for murdering his grandparents, whom he dearly loved after being put on zoloft. He has no memory of this and i think about my experience and i know this boy is telling the truth.
Among all of the other negative side effects i can not believe that this is still used as much as it is! If you are on zoloft and it works for you great if not please ask your dr what other help is avail for your situation.
I did and today i am drug free and happily whole again.

i start takin Zoloft b4 a 6month with Xanax too
they both make me sleep still get angry and depressing more. guys i need help i truth no one in this life and thought of end my life but still the religion part in my mind which is consider this as a big sin.i do party and do all funny start but wont feel it or just act that i am but deep inside i just sit alone more hate myself cant cure my problem.
porsche-s@live.com

people wrote about feeling an electric pulse go thru their head from taking Zoloft. i would get that feeling if i skipped the medication. I just went off of it. I barley eat 800 calories a day and cannot lose the weight i gained from taking the Zoloft. i am 5'2, 51 yrs old, i used to weigh 112lbs until i started taking anti depres. then my weight went up to 150lbs. I asked my pain mgmt dr. if Zoloft can be the cause of my weight gain and she said absolutely. All antidepressants put weight on you. any Dr that tells u otherwise is lying to you. Listen to the commercials for the medication, they tell you all of the side effects that the medication may cause. I don't know how any doctor can say they are right and all of the commercials are wrong. They state all of the side effects on the commercials so they cannot be sued if anything happens to someone taking their product. I would believe the commercials before i would believe the doctor.

I started taking zoloft 3 weeks ago. I hardly ever had headaches beforfe I started taking zoloft now I have them everyday.

I started Zolof (Serlatine) about 4weeks ago and thinking i need to stop! Im 15years old weigh 195 lb and having side effects such as Shortness of breathe, Stomachace, Dizzinness, Memory Loss, Out of body experience. Its so hard to explain everything but i wouldnt suggest anyone to take this medication.

I was prescribed 'Zoloft' 50/mg. a day, two weeks ago. Since taking this drug, I have had a loss of appetite, but have gained 12 lbs., loss of sleep @ night, headaches, sweating, and now, for the past 3 days, I have had difficulty breathing;esp. when lying down. No more 'Zoloft' for me, after today...

A 93 year old lady, with advanced Demencia is taking 100mg of Zoloft for years, then it was increased 50mg more. She suffers from sinus, heart problems,high blood pressure,I am concern that with the medications she is taking,including,xanax,ambien,180mg of Allegra,600mg mucinex.

Seritonin levels undetectable as of most recent blood work. 50 mg Sertraline for approx 6 years. Adderall prescribed for ADHD approx 8 years ago -less effective even with dosage increases (from 15 mg to 30 @ time of post). Sertraline initially prescribed to offset increasing anxiety. Serves purpose but mood is now more as if I'm a third party observer. No real change/expression of emotion; may not make sense but humor doesn't trigger genuine laughs/godliness, also do not seem to be able to feel sadness when appropriate (Grandmother's funeral didn't trigger grief, just general feeling of awkwardness and recognition that I was more affected than mind would recognize. Closest word to describe I can find is "soulless." Gained approx 20-25 lbs since starting zoloft....fairly active with decent diet but cannot lose the added pounds. Cutting my losses and weaning off the Sertraline roller coaster after consult with Doc next Fri. Used to take 1 mg of Lorazapam as needed before starting Zoloft...would much prefer going back to Benzo as needed as opposed to being a husk of the person I used to be. Recommend staying far away from anti-dependants!

Seritonin levels undetectable as of most recent blood work. 50 mg Sertraline for approx 6 years. Adderall prescribed for ADHD approx 8 years ago -less effective even with dosage increases (from 15 mg to 30 @ time of post). Sertraline initially prescribed to offset increasing anxiety. Serves purpose but mood is now more as if I'm a third party observer. No real change/expression of emotion; may not make sense but humor doesn't trigger genuine laughs/godliness, also do not seem to be able to feel sadness when appropriate (Grandmother's funeral didn't trigger grief, just general feeling of awkwardness and recognition that I was more affected than mind would recognize. Closest word to describe I can find is "soulless." Gained approx 20-25 lbs since starting zoloft....fairly active with decent diet but cannot lose the added pounds. Cutting my losses and weaning off the Sertraline roller coaster after consult with Doc next Fri. Used to take 1 mg of Lorazapam as needed before starting Zoloft...would much prefer going back to Benzo as needed as opposed to being a husk of the person I used to be. Recommend staying far away from anti-dependants!

I have been on zoloft for 2 years and from about nine months i had a molar pregnency.i stopped them for two months then i started again because i was very depressed.now i feel that i am speaking so much and i have different behavior than before.also i am sometimes making problems in my work ,all this from zoloft?frankly,the drug helped me to get rid of depression but i have new behavior that i dont like.and what about my molar pregnency ?

I have tried Zoloft for only a few weeks to treat anxiety. I have noticed many negative side effects. Stomach upset, moody, I cry more, I am overly sensitive and I have started feeling depressed. I am looking to go off this medication. I also feel a sense of paranoia and delusions that I have never felt prior to using this drug.

I take the highest dose of Zoloft (200mg at bedtime) along with Lamictal 200mg twice daily for Bipolar Disorder. Many symptoms have arisen with this maximum recommended dosage. I am a Nurse Practitioner (Family Practice) and it is well-known that the higher the dosage, the greater the chance of adverse events. Briefly, the following symptoms and signs of problems I have and am currently experiencing the following:
Lupus-like syndrome, vivid dreams and nightmares, fluctuating extreme temperatures (burning hot and then within 5 mins experiencing chills), severe night sweats, joint pain, generalized weakness, constant redness and dryness of the eyes with problems with visual acuity. Ataxia (abnormal gait) is intermittent, frequent dizziness, nausea, palpitations and chest heaviness. My extremities feel heavy much of the time and extreme fatigue gives way to utter exhaustion with physical activity that requires hours up to 2 days in which to recover. These are all problems for me, though ironically, Zoloft has done a great job of controlling depression. Please let me know what kind of problems you have experienced or are experiencing. All of the above and some other physical signs such as problems with blood sugar without obesity or other problems that commonly contribute to diabetes.
When reading the information on the insert concerning Zoloft, it lists 2 double-blind random studies done prior to the release of the drug. An addendum of sort is noted with over 4,000 adults cited many of the above problems in which I also am now reporting. These are not all of the problems I am experiencing, however, it is enough to question whether the benefits outweigh the risks associated with this medication. The lupus-like syndrome is my most concern and wonder if this is reversible. Further investigation and studies are mandatory and for some that may have irreversible severe problems need assistance with a lifetime of problems from a medication given, also ironically, for a lifetime of problems. Thanks for listening. I am #4001 of the adults that have reported problems with a medication that reported 2 original double-blind studies in the literature before release. The list is extremely long and some of the reported problems are life-altering to say the least.

I switched from Lexapro to Zoloft a few months ago. I began on 50mg but increased my dosage to 100mg because I didn't feel the 50mg was high enough, I was starting to feel very anxious again.
I am not sure whether I can contribute my innability to lose weight to zoloft, or just some hormonal problems I may be having. No matter how hard I workout and eat clean, the weight around my middle wont leave. I haven't seemed to have any other side effects from Zoloft and I feel it has worked well for me. I intend to beginning weaning off soon though as I do not want to depend on medications. By living a healthy life and supplementing with natural remedies, I am hopeful I can maintain my current state of well-being.

I took Zoloft for about 2 weeks or so. Before i was taking Zoloft I had been taking paxil for 1 year. I have never really had anxiety, just mainly depression [which the doctors say go hand in hand] After being on the Zoloft for two weeks, I started having severe chest pains... on a daily bases. And I actually started having "anxiety attacks", which was foreign to me, and got rushed to the hospital for few times. I stoped taking Zoloft. And to this day I still have severe chest pains.
I checked in three hopitals for a reason for this pain, every thing came in negative.
I believe Zoloft is the cause of all this and should be taken of the market and close down the company that makes it.

A few years ago I went to an intitial visit with my primary care physician. I had an on again off again upset stomach since one spring break in college. After meeting with the young doctor for about 8 minutes she insisted that I must be experiencing some form of distresing event. I insisted that I was not stressed, was not depressed, was at a good point in life with a beautiful fiancee, house, etc... She prescribed Amitriptyline. I asked, "This will settle my stomach?" and stated that I don't like drugs and don't even take aspirin. She said yes, it should. I filled it and took it as needed. I did not research or even look up the fact that it was an antidepressant with negative side effects. I got fat for the first time in my life. I drank more and at inappropriate times - like lunch. I became distant from my soon to be wife and began acting irresponsibly in many ways. I was less affectionate. At my wedding a few glasses of wine and one shot made me sloppy. The most important day of my life. Dry mouth made me not want to kiss my wife and my sexlife was effected. I was unaware of my self to the point of being defiant. When I realized my wife was pulling away from me I became depressed but still defiant. I had gotten a dui thinking I was invincible driving on homecoming weekend in a snowstorm late at night. I knew something was wrong with my judgement at that point. My wife was coming home later and later. I blew up at her one morning at 2:15 AM in some form of delusional rage. I've never blown up at anyone or been in a fight. I went back to the Doctor - a new one, my first ahd inexplicably dropped me and never scheduled a follow up. New guy prescribed Zoloft and Klonopin to make it through the ordela of my wife filing for divorce and leaving. I quickly descended into utter madness. Did not leave my house, called everyone I'd ever met, e-mailed, texted... offended friends, her family, my family, etc... friends told me later that I was suicidal. While I had smoked an occasional cigarette in the past I started smoking two packs a day. I was awake almost around the clock for nearly two months. I had called the nurses at the hospital to ask questions they said my doc would not meet with me because I had missed my follow up appointment. I had been so messed up that I couldn't leave the house. I fell down my stairs and got a concussion, went to the hospital ER where they gave me Valium and a prescription for Xanax.
Told me to keep taking the Zoloft, it would get better. I nearly lost my job, my house, ruined any chances with the woman I love - the person that had been my best friend for years. She and her family think I'm stark raving mad - and I was.
My perfect vision was effected. Now off for 3 months I have constant headaches on the right side of my head. I'm embarassed in my hometown, have lost clients and everything that was what I considered to be of value in my life. My upset stomach was turned into my worst imaginable nightmare where my now ex will never talk to me, I have no history of anxiety or depression but am wildly depressed now and everyday brings about its anxieties from lost money and love to shame.

I've been taking Zoloft for a month I was dependabr on Xanax ambien abd my dr prescribed me remeron for sleep instead of ambien I gained 11 pounds in 2 months then he said Xanax trazadone abd Zoloft I can not sleep no matter how much Xanax I take. Zoloft has made me feel alive again but I cabt feel alive at 3 am, 5mgs of Xanax abd 6 beers later I feel like I'm on drugs uppers I don't know what to do. I'm addicted to Xanax but this is by the far I've ever taken to counteract the Zoloft abd the trazadone is a 50/50 I will fall asleep but wake up nauseous abd sick all day. What do I do. I like the Zoloft I haven't been this clear or motivated in Yeats :-(

I was on zoloft for a few years. It took my sex drive away. I had diarrhea all the time. I tapered off and stopped taking it. My sex drive came back. The diarrhea went away. My husband molested my granddaughters and I felt I needed to go back on the zoloft. One half pill and the diarrhea came back. Not taking that anymore. Still crying over my granddaughters.

I had been taking Paxil for more than 16yrs, I lost my husband 4yrs ago this coming April, But I change my Paxil for Zoloaf,Because I was wearing panty lines, and graduated to a regular Kotex, I was leaking and didn't feel it coming out, But I started to take Zoloaf for maybe 3wksI got worse, Moody, Aggressive,Blurry, Vision,Headaches,Anxiety,Stomach cramps,Face swollen in the morning,Muscle cramps on my arms,I am with the clinic, I call my Dr. no response from her, I couldn't be waiting when ever, she had time for me, Dr's are not educated in these kind o medication. I went on line it walk me threw and I quit on my own,In 3 days I was relief of all those symptoms, I started to take St John's Worth, and some natural calm pills, which help me. Its not easy after losing my Husband of 36yrs, but I am much stable,I get depress but its better to stick it out then poisoning my body,once the Holidays are over I kind of feel its going to be OK.

I forgot to mention My 87yr mom just recently stared taking Zoloaf, She keep going to the emergency and complaining about headache, but this is before they prescribe her the Zoloaf.There was so much stress in her home, anyway,She had my oldest brother living under her roof for about maybe 12 yrs he was mentally ill,they took my brother finally and place him where he is going to get better attention.The only thing I could credit Zoloaf she was taking for about one week, She was Not going to put up with him, there was peace in her home, but the side affect may her extremely nervous, now she got off of them going on 3days ,her symptoms are leaving her I told her to take St John worth, for her depression.Doctors are not educated you have self educated yourself because no one is to do it for you.

Hello.
I am a 35 year old man
In 2007 i used lots and lots of caffeine because i had a stressfull job.
Then i had some panic attacks after that.
The doctor gave me Zoloft and everything was fine.
Then i stopped taking Zoloft after a year.

In 2011 i took Zoloft again for a year because of my anxiety.

I never had problems stopping because i did everything the way it should be done.
Never cold turkey.

But now january 2013 i had a mild panic attack walking over a bridge.
I told my doctor this and he gave me Zoloft again.
I took 2 pills 25mg in 2 days.
But after these 2 days i feld really sick, like never before.
My doctor told me to stop using it.

I did'n want to go back on this medication because i was doing really ok.
I just panicked to quick thinking my anxiety would come back like a few years ago.
I should not have taking these 2 pills, i overreacted.

But thats the problem. After these 2 pills i still am verry dizzi, even after a month.
I am not hungry and i am loosing weight, i also have these weird dreams.

Could this be from stopping cold turkey after 2 days?
Now i am affraid these feelings will never go away again and that i have damaged my brain after starting and stopping so quick.

Greetings
Jason

After 5 days on 50mg of Zoloft I have decided to stop taking them due to the negative side affects. I could not cope with the dizziness & constant waves of wanting to vomit. I feel like I'm not connected to my body - really out of it. I'm eyes massive in the morning like I have been out on party drugs. Ppl at work have commented that I am staring and not blinking. On top of that my muscles feel very ridigid and I'm clenching my jaw. It's only been five days (took last one last night) but its so not worth it!!

After reading all the posts below I felt I needed to share my experiences with Zoloft! I began taking Zoloft 10+yrs ago for anxiety and mild depression over a single personal issue in my life. Zoloft worked wonderfully for the entire 10yrs in regards to calming my anxiety and reducing my depression prone days, BUT......i decided to wean myself off of it in september last year over a months time. Zoloft has the most God awful withdrawl effects of any drug I have seen to date! It caused headaches, electric shocks throughout my entire body, upset stomach, anxiety that's worse at times than it used to be, increased times of high blood pressure (which I NEVER have), high heart rate( which I'm still having 5 months after discontinuation, which I never have), vision issues, and emotional over-reactions to all sorts of things.

Several posters casually speak of drinking alcohol with their anti-depression medicine. The warning clearly states not to drink alcohol while taking the medicine. That certainly could increase some of the side effects experienced. I did read that the amount of the serotonin that actually enters the brain varies from person to person.

The best advice I read was to be proactive, & take as little of the pill as will make you feel the most "normal"(not totally groggy, nausea, headache, or aggressive, etc.) A perfect example of this thinking came from the California specialist I took my son to who stated he required the mother to observe/judge/administer the best dosage which made the child function in the most "normal" manner(not sleepy, not aggressive, not scattered, not impulsive, etc.) This doctor was recognized as the national authority on hyperactivity in children.

Patients have got to start advocating for themselves. Doctors are not GODS. It is amazing how many of the doctors mentioned in the posts tell their patients that Zoloft does not cause weight gain. Yet, other doctors are quoted as say that it DOES cause weight gain.

It's scary to read how many doctors have their patients on 3 or 4 of these very serious medications at one time. It also brings into question exactly in what area of medicine does the posters prescriber/doctor practice.

Am I going to have to take Zoloft forever? I am now on 150mg after taking it for around 14 years- with periods of not taking it. As I am sure everyone knows there are sucky withdrawal symptoms. But I wonder when I get past those symptoms will I still need to take it? Am I really more emotional and more bitchy or is that the withdrawal? It's hard to tell. I've been on it since middle school so how would I know?

have taken Zoloft(Sertralin) for about a year, mixed with Voxra(Bupropion?) and i no longer turn to pain to resolve panic attacks, i have not had an attack since i got 200mg zoloft and 300mg voxra

I started with these about the same time so I dont know which drug give which side effect, but I have lots of problem with sex.

WHEN the orgasm comes it is enormous, like you gonna die of pleasure, but to get there can be anything from an hour to impossible.

just tried jerking off for 3 hours now, got close 9 or 10 times, but then something cuts off in the brain and you no longer building to an orgasm and have to start from the begging and then repeat till you makes it or fail enough to give up, like I just did not :P

if I had been in a relationship I think this would have killed it

but for the brain it is good stuff, but I have noticed that I have some more aggression now then before, before I had a very long fuse, but now I almost want people to confront me so I am allowed to use "self defense"
not sure if that is the drugs them self or that the drugs create more testosterone?

5/5 for treatment
0/5 for side effects

not being able to even jerk off makes you even more depressed then you already are

I took 2400mg and 14 panadolplus 500mg in an attempt to kill myself I had ad headache yesterday this morning I am I so much pain in pelvic and back I can hardly move have I damage any organ in my body

Ive been on zoloft for 5mths went from 50mg to 150mg once a day ive been breakin out since been takin it with looks like bug bites but isnt n they itch like crazy i got sores an scars all over my body help me please sthing is nit right. An my dr referred me to go to skin dr. But i dont see tht doin nothin the meds is whats caused it.