Depression Blog.com

I took 50 mg Zoloft for about 2 years and want to warn people that going off of this drug is harder than dealing with the depression that I had before using it. Going off Zoloft-- I thought I was going crazy--sleeplessness,lots of crying spells, severe depression--suicidal thoughts--to mention a few and had these strange affects for 6 months after weaning off. I was tempted to go back on but am glad I didn't --I will never take it again. Other side effects while on the drug were 12-15 pound weight gain that my doctor insisted was not the Zoloft, (now the weight has fallen off) occasional severe headaches that lasted several days at a time, lack of creativity and drive, being in a daze where you just want to sit and be a zombie--and sexually--I was numb....

I have now been off Zoloft for 9 months---I am more myself again--would rather deal with things this way than with Zoloft.

I was on Zoloft for about 6 months to treat PMDD. It certainly improved my mood - I was ready to divorce my husband, but on Zoloft, I realised I did still love him and didnt want to leave him - however, it severely affected my ability to have orgasms even though I actually felt more affectionate towards my husband. Also after taking it at night and feeling really dizzy, I took it in the morning instead, which was much better, but I would always feel this "electrical zap" in my brain about 30 minutes after taking each tablet.

I have taken Zoloft along with a nighttime medication since 1992. I took depakote with it first, then since 2001 trileptal with Zoloft, with great results. I have known I had bipolar disorder since 1975, and took lithium till 1992. I have known of my attention deficit problem,since 2003; for ADD I now take Strattera. I'm grateful for these very helpful medicines and for a good, active life at age 61. Knowledgeable psychiatrists, not GPs, helped find the answers along with me.
Please be careful about mood illness diagnoses! Many people have bipolar issues though they don't seem manic - and wrong meds based on a depression diagnosis have pushed people into mania, an impulsive state leading to suicide. Please also talk with others about insurance parity, NAMI and other support groups, and the medical facts about the brain. Let's stop the denial and stigma that silences millions of US citizens, including teenagers and young adults. Thank you for caring;life is worth it!

hi my names Nicole im 21 from Michigan i took zoloft from about 16 when i lost my virginity and best friend moved away until this last year so that was like 6 years i really liked it bc it was easier too control my temper it made me happy all the time and i figured id just always take it my mom died when i was 4 months and my dad tried to rape me so ive had an eventful life i stopped taking Zoloft bc i ran out of it when i didnt have the money to get more and so i just quit taking it and i think im lucky bc i was addicted to it i liked it bc it made me happy it was an easy way out but really when id take it then would miss a couple days i would blow up more then if i hadnt taken it ever, i dont kno its prolly just a personal thing it effected me but be careful be aware that the easy way out just ignores things it doesnt fix them!! if u have any questions for me my emails cinnamocole@yahoo.com

I have been on Zoloft for over 3 months, in the beginning it was great. I have noticed a huge irritable mood swing thou. I have notice that I actually experience road range now. I have never had such and external temper before. Any one else have the same experience?

My child was on Zoloft and would go into uncontrolled rages, attacking anyone who got in her way. The police even had to be called. After careful weening off of Zoloft, she is back to normal and is a straight "A" student. I curse the day that Zoloft was prescribed for her. Her outbursts were homicidal. If not for immediate intervention by her parents, she would surely have injured someone seriously. She was in a constant state of aggitation, getting in fights and attacking innocent persons. It was the drug, and only the drug. If your child is under age 20, I would stay a million miles away from Zoloft.

I have been on Zoloft for over 6 months. Recently it does not seem to work anymore w/ depression. Also have had uncontrollable bouts of anger/ rage. This is unusual for me. Please help...thanks

Starting to wonder... I've been taking Zoloft 50mg for 4 mths and have just finally realized that I am ANGRY and easily AGITATED. I swear while driving the whole time... and I blew up at someone (while drinking) at a party over something that really wouldn't' have normally sent me over the edge that way (I'm usually pretty agreeable even when drinking). I really think it's the Zoloft. What started me thinking was the Pittman trial... I had no idea... but the last time I took Zoloft I had no such symptoms - it was great! But I weaned myself off too early I'm told, after 3 or 4 months. Anyway, I'm realizing I'm not myself at all, along with feeling like I have ADD or something... this is something I have to look further into and decide if I want to continue this drug or not.

Zoloft has done nothing but help me. I used to suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. A month after taking Zoloft I feel much less anxious around other people, and I can think straight without worrying so much. It has also decreased my procrastination. I am the same person, I am just more able to let my personality out in front of people I would normally be too anxious with to do anything.

do not take this drug. My husband battled addictions and depression for the last 46 years, no matter what was going on, he fought back with a strong determination to live, after being prescribed zoloft , he calmly walked out of our home and hung himself in the neighbours barn, i knew this man better than anyone and i beleive with all my heart that this drug caused him to take his life

Seems to come down to each individuals makeup
governing their reactions.For me zoloft is a
wonderful leveler .Takes the edge off .Your intellect can always override it's effecton your
psyche. If you have bad physicial reactions STOP
taking it.

ok, most of you are scaring me. my 15 year old daughter just started taking zoloft. I finally had some hope that her depression will be on its way to better and I am reading so many bad things. I wish more people can tell me some good so i can have some hope. I figured its safer to try this then for her to have suicidal thoughts and hurt herself some day. Please let me hear from more parents of teens on this or from some teens themselves. Has everyone on this drug had weight gain even though they say it doesnt happen? Everyone have the upset stomach and dizziness like my daughter is having? I am a nervous wreck now from reading all this feedback!

[moderator comment: Hi Bonnie
people who leave feedback are going to be more inclined to leave negative feedback as they are more likely to research the topic when they do not think it is working.

with that being said, depression is often caused by not integrating well with your environment or other problems with not connecting to the outside world. in your specific case the drug may or may not work, but either way it is important that you do your best to be supportive in any way you can and make sure you communicate with your daughter about how she is doing, etc.]

i have been taking zoloft for two years now. It helps alot with the depression but i can't seem to get off of it. everytime i skip a day or two my whole life seems off balance it's like as if im depressed all over again. i tend to get angry and really emotional. the biggest effect that i saw in my self while taking it was the way it made me seem not to care about anything. i stopped caring for school or family or friends and started to get into alot of trouble. this just wasn't me. i used to be a straight A student in high school and my friends were good people and i loved my family. once i got on zoloft all of that changed. i stopped going to school, got involved with the wrong people and hurt my family tremendously. i look back at what i did now and i hate myself for what i've done but i blame it mostly on the zoloft because i think it made me into a person that i never was. if anyone has had any experiences like this please share.

Zololft helped me for 2 years after my divorce. I suffered no side effects. The drug enabled me to concentrate which enabled me to work in the job I had always dreamed of. I stopped worrying which was such a huge relief. I discontinued with the drug because I was concerned of the long time effect. I think physicians prescribed these drugs when they are not knowledgeable and should only be prescribed by psychiatrist.

My boyfriend is taking xanax and zoloft of panic attacks. Just wanting to learn more about this - I thought I'd do some research. (I always research before taking new prescriptions for myself, so why not look up stuff he's on if I care about him right?) Anyway, as time passes and I'm getting to know him better - there are certain things he'll mention that really worry me about his taking zoloft in particular.

First off, does anyone know how long someone should be on Zoloft for panic attacks?

Second, can I get some feedback on a gentle/tactful way to bring this up to him? I am falling in love with this man - this is why I'm researching zoloft. If some of the problems he's been experiencing (easily angered some times, at other times not emotional at all - like a zombie... severe headaches and diarrea) are because of Zoloft, he should know and perhaps ask to be put on something different or perhaps seek a more natural remedy for panic attacks. On the other hand, I've never been on medication like this - nor have I suffered from panic attacks. So I don't know how he or anyone in his position would react. Is there a way to broach this subject without upsetting him? Any recommendations would be very much appreciated.

I have been taking Zoloft for approximately 4 years. It has helped me immensely. I am noticing that my hair is starting to come out in handfuls sometimes when I wash it. I have heard this can happen. I think that a lot of people are on the internet bagging Zoloft regarding their long list of unknown side effects. All of the side effects are on the list included in the package when you buy it from your pharmacist.
In my personal opinion (although I am no professional) I think that people who have bad side effects ie. rage etc. have been misdiagnosed and are possibly having a side effect that is mentioned in the contraindications. The best thing to do is get a second opinion. I am 30 years old, have been taking Zoloft for quite a while and after realising that it does not help one aspect of my problems, I went to get more help. I have gotten my fourth! opinion and have finally been told that I am bipolar. It is hard to express what is going on in your head to a psychiatrist and you may have been misdiagnosed because of that simple fact. Zoloft does help some people and has completely turned my life around. Sometimes the side effects, such as no libido, diarrhoea, etc. get me down, but it's better than not leaving the house, ever, and being unable to work. I have noticed people stating that Zoloft made them gain weight. I actually lost weight because of the fact that I eat more when I am depressed. For people that do not eat much when they are depressed, it is only natural that they start to eat more. I am now taking an anti-convulsant at the same time which is used for bipolar to stabilise the ups and downs. A diagnosis of bipolar has suddenly made so much sense to me when I look back at previous behaviours I have experienced. Don't blame Zoloft, it may not have been the right medication for you but it does wonders for some. If it's not right for you, don't take it. But to lessen the side effects, I found taking it at the same time every day helps immensely and if you forget to take it for a day naturally it will make you go backwards. It's about consistency. Feel free to email me if you like - remember, the reason there is so many anti-depressants out there is because they don't all agree with everybody.

In my About page there is a link to my blog, Aggie: Zoloft Poster Child.

I've been on it since Dec. 13, 2004, and am now on 125 mgs. I feel great and was able to get over a rough breakup amazingly well. The only side effect I have is insomnia.

I'm a 44 year-old male who has taken 100 mg. Zoloft daily for approximately 12 years...yes 12 years. It was the only medication that impacted my life long depression. I found that it took the "edge" off of my irritability and sadness. However, over the years I felt that the drug blanketed me in an overall numbness. I felt nothing emotionally positive or negative. I decided to wean myself off slowly to avoid side effects. I got through the dizziness, "zaps", etc. The only withdrawal effect that I cannot seem to shed is leg flinches. I've been off Zoloft for about 3 months now and the flinching persists keeping me up at night and preventing me from getting to sleep in the first place. Does anyone know how long this side effect is supposed to last? I'm wondering if it's going to be something permanent. I'm definitely more quick to anger now but have no regrets about getting off this medication. I felt like an emotionless zombie for years. Would love to hear from others with similar experiences.

I have been taking Zoloft for about 2 weeks and have noticed a serious acne breakout. I am not sure if it is the medication or not. My doctor doesn't seem to think that Zoloft causes acne breakouts. I have never had acne in my life. I have 3 children and with my last two I broke out during pregnancy and because of the hormones still going crazy I had them still for a little longer after the baby was born. Well this time they aren't going away. I am using acne over the counter medications and they are still not going away. I don't think I should keep taking my medication. They are also very painful.

hi,
my ex-boyfriend is on Zoloft and has been on drugs for depression/mania (bipolar) for about ten years.. He had not had a girlfriend for five years when we got together...we dated for six months (a long time for him I guess) and he constantly told me that he just couldn't have feelings for people anymore..not the way he did when he was 18 (the age at which the drugs started)..he was always saying things like that "IF I had met you when I was younger then I could have really fallen in love." He also never seemed excited about anything and he was always breaking up with me for a day or more trying to "create" some excitement. He claimed that he was only really excited to be with me after a break-up. Even then he didn't seem THAT excited to me. My point is this: his Zoloft was and still is numbing his emotions! It is obvious to me (observing him)..he tries desperately to feel anything and claims to have "just not been able" to fall in love with anyone lately, or to feel much emotion for people, or friends, etc.. Duh. IT is the medication.. I am convinced. He is also always either taking a nap or just waking up from one, and seems obsessed with trying to maintain his weight. He has twitching arms and jerking spasms someitmes. Also, he always seems to have a headache! My advice: deal with your depression some other way, ANY other way. Find a cause, start a movement, change the world, society, etc. THIS will make you feel better than just being apathetic and numbing yourself to the world. Don't give-up!!!! BE strong !!! keep living. It is worth the effort. drugs are not and never will be the answer.

just a few more things to say...about my ex-boyfriend and the ZOLOFT. Five years is a long time to not have a girlfriend ( and to not really want one). He hadn't even had sex for nine months when we got together and didn't seem concerned with this either. He doesn't have many goals for his life, and he doesn't have many friends. Yet, he doesn't seem to MIND any of this. He is completely detached at times and almost scarily so, like he is just going through the motions of life with no real ups and downs. Again, I just want to say that NO ONE should live this way. MAybe I cant convicne him but I would like to get through to someone. That is my reason for posting this.

Julia,

Since my initial post here - I've learned a lot about the different reasons why people are on Zoloft. I'm curious, when you were together, did you ever tell him to see a different doctor for a second opinion? Did you ever ask if he's talked to his doctor about the overall day to day effect zoloft is having on him? Since my initial post, I've discussed these things with my current boyfriend and he is looking into alternatives - but he knows that no matter what, I'm going to be there to support him - understanding that zoloft in the end might be what's best for him.

Last, I have to mention this from personal experience... Did it ever occur to you that perhaps he was using zoloft as an excuse? I was with someone for over a year who in the end blamed everything on how he was - and repeatedly told me the drugs he'd been on really screwed him up. I know now that it wasn't true, he just wasn't man enough to deal with a break up in a normal fashion - which is unfortunate because it totally f**ked me up emotionally for a long time. How well do you really know this person? he might have claimed not to have dated for so long - but who knows.

Just tossing that out there.

why did zoloft make me hurt myself. i start cutting
myself and i try to kill myself. i was like i new
what i was doing was wrong. i just could not stop
myself. i went down hill after i start taking the
zoloft.

I recently started taking zoloft, I got extremely sick the other day...threw up a lot...I have felt nausious for a week now...has anyone felt like this ?

I'm a 45 yr.old female who has a 19 yr.old daughter and we've both been through major life hardships. I can state with clarity that we suffer from post traumatic syndrome and depression. We are each taking 1/4 of a 50 mg. sertralina (zoloft) as our initial dose to start slowly to allow the chemical to process within our brains without overwhelming us at the outset. I am on my 5th day and on the very first day I noticed that when I went to sleep that night, my brain had a very tough time shutting off. I used to have somewhat of a photographic memory and these tendencies have started to reappear, as well as being able to sing jingles and songs that I haven't sung or heard in ages. I feel like I have snap again. I have noticed that the worries I was having have been greatly quieted. I have even felt hope and promise and even some real brief episodes of joy and happiness. I feel like portals of my brain are opening. I also take a 15 mg. phentermine in the am, and a 15 mg. in the afternoon. I was worried the first time I was intimate again with my longtime partner that perhaps orgasm would be difficult to attain on the medication. In reality my orgasms were multiple and extremely long. Sex was great, easy and beautiful; not inhibited in any way by the medication.
My daughter is on her second day of the sertralina only and she has mentioned that she too has experienced easily recognized situations of renewed faith, joy and happiness.
I think the "trick" is to start the medication low enough to allow the body time to acclimate and process rather than overwhelming the brain.

I began taking Zoloft for depression (that had come on severely and suddenly) in 1998. They started me on 50mg, went to 100mg, to 150mg, to 200mg. The depression was relieved, but I NEVER cried any more. Not even when it would be appropriate to do so. I floated along on this numb plateau for about a year. I gained 40 lbs. and lost ALL interest in sex (have been married for 24 years now)and have a great husband. Eventually after about 1.5 years I attempted going off Zoloft. I weaned myself ( or so I thought) When I finshed that process, I began to experience dizziness, dissorientation, mood swings but worst of all were the electric shock sensations that would pulse through my entire body. VERY VERY painful. Then I began to cry incessantly. I called my therapist and he told me to begin taking the Zoloft again immediatly. So I did. Within 2 weeks I was back to the numb zone, but preferred that to the horrors of being of the Zoloft. Over the course of the next 6 years I gradually reduced my daily dose to 150, then 100mg. My depreesion was gone, and my therapy sessions were no longer needed. I attempted the weaning and stopping proccess 6 more times and was unsuccessful each time. Now, here we are in 2005, 8 unbelievable years later. The need to get off this crap had become a focus. So for 2 months I reduced my doseage to 50mg daily, then 25mg daily for 2 months, then 25mg every other day for 1 month, then 25mg every 3rd day for 2 weeks. Then I stopped. For the first 5 days I seemed free. No real side effects. A little easy to cry, but that was okay. Then the elctric shocks started on day 7. Followed by periods of disoientation, mood swings. BUT THOSE BLOOMING ELECTRIC SHOCKS!!! I began taking St. John's Wort during week two. It seemed to help with the mood swings, though they are still with me. The periods of dissorientation are fewer, BUT THE BLOOMING ELCRTIC SHOCKS, though the have decreased somewhat in intensity, still plague me daily. WILL THIS HORROR EVER END? I was told that this drug was not habbit forming.
*#!%@^$)(%&#($($^(@# RIGHT!!!

I love Zoloft! Dont believe all the negative comments on the web!! I have had a great expereince with Zoloft. I was suffering from dizzy spells several months ago and my DR put me on Zoloft. Since then - I have felt much better. But more importantly, the Zoloft has really helped my anxiety. I have always suffered from anxiety and this drug has calmed me down and made me more relaxed and confident. I dont get as irritated as I use to. Have not had ANY side effects... other than when I drink alcohol, it hits me a bit harder (so just dont drink as much). I am sorry that others have horrible side effects (brain zaps? yeeks!), but that shouldnt scare you from the drug. I take 50mg. I am a 32 yr old successful investment banker

I am trying again to get off zoloft. I am experiencing innsominia, ringing in the ears, tingling, agitation, and major nightmares. Any advice for someone who is tring to kick an drug that suposedly in non-addictive?

I see some people in this blog have been on Zoloft for years. According to my psych, the longest period of time any person should take it is one year. And it must be coupled with cognitive behavior therapy for it to benefit you. I think G.P.s are just handing this stuff out to anyone who is going through a tough time in their life. I'm sure there are many out there with unbalanced levels of seratonin, but not nearly the number of people who are currently on it.

I just started taking Zoloft a few weeks ago and was started on 50 mb but quickly bumped to 150 mg. I started experiencing awful side effects. All the time, I felt like I was going to faint and I constantly felt dizzy and disoriented. I became extremely paranoid and very anxious, as well as increasingly angry. Now I'm back to 100 mg, but I still feel nauseous, dizzy, and constantly disoriented and faint. Anyone else having this problem?

Some of the reactions people have had to Zoloft is really quite worrying. Everybody is different, and the thing with antidepressants, is you need to try a few, until you find a one that is right for you. I was first put on Citalopram, which had no effect whatsoever. Then I was put on Mirtazapine, which made me gain a HELL of a lot of weight, and brought my mood down further. Next, I was put on Zoloft. Although it began to work, I could feel depression deepening every couple of months, so my psychiatrist would increase the dosage each time. I am now on 150mg of Zoloft, which seems to be making me feel okay. I dont have many side effects (apart from loss of libido, which I can deal with), so generally, this medication is good for me. But, whereas Citalopram didnt work AT ALL, it may work brilliantly for someone else. It all depends on a person, etc.

I was put on Zoloft about 1.5 years ago. I am in menopause, had carpel tunnel in both hands, my first grandbaby had just been born still born. we thought our school was going to close because of a huge embezzlement from previous B.M. and we face no jobs in our town. (second biggest employer of town of 400) my new superintendent at school where I work is awful; screaming, yelling and cussing at us 2 secretaries in the office all of the time, yelling and hollering at staff and kids, a bully and a real terror to work with. This year my mom dies unexpectedly. My seizures have also returned last June, after having none for 21 years. Zoloft didn't seem to help me all that much. I did try to get off of it, w/o doctor help, don't try that! Be sure you have doctor's help. I had almost weaned my way off until my mom died and we almost lost my new grandbaby. I am in the beginnings of depression and mydoctor put me on Effexor XR, have been on it for 2 months. I feel better. Since starting on menopause, my sexual life has not been that good, so neither Zolotf nor Effexor XR has not made it any better. If you feel Zoloft is not helping you, maybe you can have your doctor give you free samples of Effexor XR. Good luck!! Susan

I have gained 50 lbs in the 10 months that I have been on Zoloft and I want to stop taking it although it has helped me greatly.
Zoloft really has done wonders for my mental health but the weight gain has left me feeling terrible. Also, I simply can't afford to take a drug for ever and my Dr. doesn't seem to take my concerns seriously. I feels asa though he just wants to write me a RX and send me on my way.
I am going to try to quit. I am so scared of becoming depressed. I too was told Zoloft was not addictive. Please help me.

my girlfriend and i were so in love, bought a house, wanted to get married, ect..then one day (4 months after starting zoloft), she came home and said she wasn't happy, didn't know where life was taking her, ect..she left 3 days later..left me with the house, the pets, everything..she will not talk to me about anything and has said few things in the past months..2 days after she left she said "she is over it" and "everything is good now"..it makes zero sense to be...this came out of the blue..she doesn't even ask about the pets she left behind which she loves so much..i'm not blaming the drug..but it just seems to much of a coincidence?

i am on zoloft, lithium, and clonziepam, how am i supposed to feel?

I am on 50 mg of zoloft and have been on it for about five weeks for anxiety. I am also doing therapy. I think it is important to get therapy as well and not just take medication that way you will know why you are needing the meds in the first place.
cheers

Why is having depression an illness that others (Family members mostly)look down on you for having. This is my 2nd round with depression and I can not tell my family members because of negative attitudes. I live alone and is during well. If it wasn't for Zoloft, I don't know what I'd do. At 1st I was on 50 mgs per day and now I'm on 100mgs per day and I feel depressed at times. Not all the time. I know I will come out a winner again. But, why the nervousness in my neck? Is this the REAL depression?

i have a daughter and a nephew that has adhd. and every time i get on to them i get my heart pounding and the shake does this mean i have anxiety

My 10 year old son has been on zoloft for 2.5 yrs. He is experiencing difficulties (or worse) he has uncontrollable outbursts at times - talks of suicide, homicide death and destruction, these episodes ALWAYS end with him crying hysterically in my arms for HOURS. I want to wean him of the zoloft. He stopped taking Adderall four months ago and I have seen much improvement but he still has his meltdowns. I want him back to "unmedicated" so we can find out who he is...... But I can't find any information on the weaning process... I need help or direction! ANYONE?

I was out of my zoloft 100mg, twice a day, for two days......I went through the most unbeivable mood swings, could not sleep, smoked like a frieght train, and thought I was going insane.
Today, I went , and them refilled. Three hours later I feel normal again. The drug scares me sometimes...because people really do not have any control over their mental selfs, without it.
I have been on it for three years. I couldn't live without it.

i dont know if the problems i'm having are because i missed a couple doses of zoloft, or because it's basically just too strong of a drug for someone like me who wasn't that depressed in the first place. i need help. i feel like i'm not myself anymore, like i'm in a dream or something. i felt like this for a straight week now, and it happened after i got an anxiety attack. pleeeease help me...

Hello everyone. My problem is this. I have been taking Zoloft for over a year now. I take it for High Anxiety. It works wonders for me. I am so glad that i was put on it. I can now handle crowds of people and sometimes i can even drive is lots of traffic. My problem is this. I wanted to stop smoking so i saw my doctor for this. He put me on Wellbutrin XL. He also took me off of my Zolot. This was done on the same day. I questioned him about going off the Zoloft cold turkey and he said that the Wellbutrin would take the place of the Zolot. WRONG..... While being off the Zoloft i was nervous and felt light headed and tingley all over. This was about after a week. I lived with this feeling because i wasnt sure what was going on. After about 2 weeks i was sitting at home doing bills and got so upset that i wanted to kill my self. I put my car in the garage and wrote my childern a letter and called my best friend. It was when i called my friend and she picked up the phone (i was going to leave her a voicemail) that i had to compose my self so she would not know anything was wrong with me. She did realize that something was wrong. She came over and all i could do was scream at her. All i wanted her to do was leave so i could just go into the garage and turn on the car and just go to sleep forever. Well she did talk to me and she did take me to the Hospital. Thank God for her. I was told that I should have been tappered off of the Zoloft and that i was going through a withdrawl. The Wellbutrin was not taking the place of the Zoloft. To think that i could have killed myself and noone would of known why. Everytime i see my new Granddaughter i think of what if. So PLEASE ask many quetions when you are taking this med. It could save your life.

When I first started on anti-depressants 4 years ago, I started with Lexapro then to Celexa then Cymbalta, back to Lexapro, and finally Zoloft. After trying all of these drugs to help my depression I am wishing that I wouldn't have started any of them. Since beginning treatment I have gained about 50 lbs. While on Zoloft I started having problems with uncontrollable anger, extreme spending, and crying spells. I had no remorse for anything I did, I couldn't feel anything except when I went into a fit of anger. I have been off all medications for about 2 months now, my mood swings and spending have improved but now I have tried about everything possible to lose the weight I've gained and it won't budge. I work out 4 times a week, I eat right, and I watch my portions...nothing. I cannot get the weight off which has caused severe depression to the point where I don't even want to get dressed. If I knew all this would have happened I would have went directly to counseling instead of going on antidepressants first. Now I have a weight problem that I cannot seem to fix. If anyone has advice I would be very happy to hear it.

hi, i have been taking zoloft for almost 3 weeks now for depression and axiety, i am also about a week or so late on getting my period. i took a pregnancy test and it was negative ,just wondering if zoloft could somehow make you miss a period??

I had 4 or 5 panic attacks (so my doctor says), so she put me on Zoloft about 6 months ago. It has been pure hell. I have my fun personality, I am dizzy all of the time. I tried to lower my dosage so that I could stop taking them and I would get zapping feeling in my legs, headaches, insomnia, very anxious and I feel like I am almost a zombie. Somtimes I feel like crying for no reason. I am worse now than before I was prescribed this medication, it seemes as though I have been poisioned. What can I do?

I'm a married 35 year old man with a wife and 2 kids. I just cried during "Herby: Fully Loaded". My emotions are a wreck.

I took Zoloft for 5 years. Initially 25mg per day, and then 50mg for the last 4 years.

Prior to taking it, my temper was unpredictable and I was prone to mood swings (almost monthly) which were filled with self-doubt and occassional thoughts of suicide. Often my temper would flare over little things while major issues I took calmly.

Somtimes things would get hectic and I just couldn't focus on any one task long enough to complete any of them. Zoloft allowed me to concentrate on individual tasks.

I haven't taken a zoloft in 48 days.

I finally realized it was killing my business and severly hampering my life. 3 years ago when I complained to my doctor, she added Welbutrin-XL to the mix (which seemed to help for about a month). The Welbutrin seemed to be causing major headaches so I stopped taking it.

I had lost my dedication to work [self employeed] and my drive to "prosper". I had grown increasingly likely to miss delivery dates I had promised to clients and just couldn't dedicate myself to work anymore.

Anyway, after 2 weeks without Zoloft and the intermittent bouts of vertigo I thought I was on my way to recovery, but the last week I tear-up all the time. Star Trek (the original) almost made me cry a couple of days ago.

Will I ever be back to where I was again? I think at this point I would rather try and control my own tempor and deal with the mood swings.

I put quotes around the word AT in my email address. If anyone has any advice/comments, please send me an email.

dave"at"networkdept.com

how can you go off zoloft safley???

I have been on zoloft for 3 weeks. First week I was taking 25 mg, then 50 mg for the past two. I feel very sleepy during the day, although I take it at night. i am going to see a therapist starting next week, I want to wean off zoloft. i am planning on foing down on the dosage for a week and then stop it. any advice?

Can going off Zoloft make your period late?

ive been taking zoloft for two years off and on and had to say that i love it nad it works for me . side effects i do have but not that serious.
lost a few pounds i heard different, but zoloft is good for me .

does zoloft help acne due to hormones for a female?

I've been taking Zoloft for 3yrs and I am slowly (11 week program) withdrawing as I no longer feel it is helpful and the weight gain is depressing. I have found a book, Your Drug May Be Your Problem by Peter R. Breggin, M.D. and D. Cohen, Ph.D, to be especially helpful and encouraging. This book addresses how and why to stop taking psychiatric meds. My own physician discouraged me from stopping meds., in fact wanted me to take additional meds. Much of what I was feeling I wasn't able to put words to describe to my dr. let alone myself. This book put a name to the side effects I was experiencing and has been so helpful in walking me through the withdrawl experience. I don't believe many drs. work with patients who desire to stop their meds because the drug companies don't give much if any information about going off meds. (Drug companies don't make $$ from withdrawals) This book is available on Amazon.com. I was able to get the book at my local library.
Some days are easier than others, like two steps forward, one step back. But, I am determined to deal with withdrawal symptoms and will not allow myself to be tempted to increase my dosage because I may be having a down day,etc.
I hope this info. will encourage someone who feels they are going this alone, because they are not. This web page proves that! Sue

i have been on Zoloft for about 4 months. I was put on this to deal with anxiety caused by my thyroid. I currently take zoloft and inderal. I have had no real bad sideffects with it. However I had to stop taking both of my meds 3 weeks ago (waiting for a appointment to get refills).Now I have not got my period. My husband and I are so very safe when it comes to sex. I have taken 3 test for pg and all came up negative. My question is can zoloft make you miss a period?

i have been on zoloft for 5 mos. now.. my panoc attacks went away but now my right hand feels numb and pinchy. sometimes i see my uper lip slightly twitching. i take 100 mil. of zoloft. does anyone else get this? am i in any danger? annette

Reading all this.....

I have mixed feelings about zoloft. I started on Prozac back in the summer of 2002, for depression and very mild OCD. The prozac helped alot with the depression, not so much with the OCD. Eventually, my psychatrist uppped the prozac dosage - we got to a point where the OCD was managable, but the prozac dosage was making me jittery. I got onto zoloft instead - was up to 200mg per day.

It worked great, with the exception of I think it made me a bit too sleepy.

I went up to the 200 mg a day back in the fall of 2004.

In the fall of 2005, I returned to graduate school and was no longer on a health care plan with prescription drug coverage - and zoloft is expensive!!!

I couldn't afford it - and NOBODY HAD TOLD ME HOW PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE IT WAS! So, I let myself run out and that was an incredible mistake. Over the course of a week, I gradually became more and more fog headed - it was like I couldn't think, I was awake, but not really - I had a head full of cotton. I am not sure I experienced in "brain zaps" or whatever, but I couldn't work or read (reading is important in grad school) and the day I realized what was really going on, I woke up and puked, really was dizzy and just foggy and cotton-headed. I got my prescription refilled and the symptoms went away.....

My new doctor here doesn't seem to be as drug happy and has encouraged me to consider getting off.

After the "incident," I began using the zoloft as more of a maintence thing than anything else - I would go a day or two and then take two pills. I was doing this to save money and I could go a few days and then take the pills and it was fine.

My doctor and I, though - I was doing that to avoid withdrawal, it wasn't really about helping my brain anymore. I felt like I was just giving my super hard earned money to pfizer for no good reason anymore - I wasn't getting the full benefits, but just maintaining. So, I decided to try to get off - this was a few weeks ago. I went for about two or three weeks religiously taking 100 mg a day - getting my body somehow regulated again. That was fine. The doc told me to reduce my dosages by 25 mg every three to five days and that if I began to feel any of the withdrawal symptoms, to go back up to the previous dose. I did 75 mg for six days - that was ok. Didn't really feel much - four days ago I went down to 50 mg, feeling really proud of myself - but last night (third day of 50 mg), I was beginning to feel the cloudy, fuzzy, half awake half asleep symptoms again, so I took another 25 mg. Today, I got up late and took 75 mg in the afternoon - still felt bad. I ended up taking another 25 mg and now am ok, but I feel like a junkie? How am I ever gonna get off this stuff? I can't afford to stay on it (moneywise) and I can't afford to get off (I need money, so I must work, and school is about to start again and I don't have time to be all incoherent right now, I have to work! ugh). This sucks!!!!

I am planning on going back to 75 mg tomorrow and do that for another week or so and then maybe do an alternating thing the next week of 50 mg and 75 mg. I am going to get off of these, just to see if I even NEED to be on them anymore - the second doctor said some people, even with OCD (I have had therapy for it and depression and still feel fine as far as all those symptoms go), can get off and be fine - about 50%. Anyways.

I am going to get off zoloft and if i have to go back on anything, it will definitely be prozac - less nasty withdrawals (and it never made me sol sleepy, like zoloft did)!!!!

Zoloft helped me, no doubt. It (and prozac) were a dramatic crutch when I needed them - the therapy ultimately is what helped, but the zoloft and prozac were incredible tools to help get my brain in balance so I could use therapy to get stuff under control. I don't think they are wrong or bad to use.

HOWEVER - my major pet peeve is - NOBODY TOLD ME HOW ADDICTIVE ZOLOFT IS! I still would have taken it....but - this is ridiculous. It is addictive and there are no warnings anywhere in the literature I have seen about that - not on the bottle for sure! It is also ridiculously expensive! My pfizer card doesn't really reduce the price at all (still over $100 a month at the 100mg a day price)and one must jump through some pretty obnoxious hoops to get if for free from them....

It is criminal that that the public is not more aware of how addictive Zoloft is - I can't say for the others, but Zoloft is physically addictive and they are not making that as clear as it should be!!!!!

Does it occur to anyone that if someone kills themself after taking Zoloft that maybe they were just beyond help? You find a miracles. these drugs do very specific thigns to mitigate neurochemical imbalances that have been identified as causing and/or exacerbating depression. It has helped me greatly after 20 years of depression. I'm on a much more even keel and more focused at work than ever before (I have a very complex engineering job).

As for it being hard to go off Zoloft, well, DUH!!! You're going back to your clinically depressed state. What do you expect?

You need to find the right drug. You need to work with your doctor, or find one you can work with. It's not like they can stick a probe in your brain and say< "Ah! the neurofetzers are way too high in comparison with the neural emmitotrons! Take 45.998 mg a day of Drug 234ZX!" It's hit and miss, but you will eventually get a hit.

I AM CURRENTLY TAKING ZOLOFT AND MY PERIOD HAS BEEN REGULAR. I STARTED THE ZOLOFT LAST WEEK AND I SHOULD HAVE STARTED MY PERIOD BY NOW. CAN ZOLOFT MAKE MY PERIOD LATE? I CURRENTLY CANNOT GET INTO MY EMAIL.

I took zoloft 200 mg for over two years, along with methylphenidate 80 mg. The hypomanic episodes were lengthy and frequent, but I thought that was a good thing. Later I had Trazodone 100mg, and ambien 10 mg because I only slept one or two hours a night. I was told the zoloft was a mood stabilizer. I guess the p-doc knew I thought depression was a bad word.

I stopped taking all these meds for over four years because I lost job and insurance. The only good part of this is I got off the zoloft.

Now, I am trying to slow down, so am back on the methylin for ADHD. I went to p-doc while in the midst of a hypomanic episopde, so she dc'd the ambien and put me on trileptal 900 mg at nite as a mood stabilizer. She says I am bipolar II. That would explain why I've had ten jobs, four wives, and twelve relocations in the last ten years. I am coming to terms with the depressive episodes, but trileptal really helps level me out. The methylin helps a little with depression and alot with ADHD, plus it slows me down.

Will I ever take zoloft again? No, because it can cause hypomania and exacerbate bipolar afective disorder. Please don't ever take zoloft if you think you might be bipolar. The risks of taking antidepressants are well documented for people with bipolar disorder.

I started taking Zoloft about 8 months ago and i don't see any improvement in my condition, yet my dr keeps tellin me I gotta continue to take it every day. My folks say I'm much better now than I was before, but that's just their oppinion, not mine, since I'm still sad and hopeless and have headaches. This drug doesn't work 4 me and I'm thinking about switching drs. maybe I need something else. Is Zoloft addictive or not? can i stop taking it all of a sudden? Please help!

confused:

Based on the other stories in this blog, it is is probably not good to just quit zoloft all together. Perhaps a new p-doc will be more understanding and help you to switch to something else. I gradually tapered from 200mg to 150 to 100 to 50 to zero over two or three months. I did not have the withdrawl symptoms that some complain of.

Is this safe for childern under the age of 10yrs?

Classical singer Russell Watson postpones his forthcoming UK tour after undergoing brain surgery...

I began taking zoloft after a yer-long battle with anxiety and depression. It immediately helped me, and made me "myself" again. However, I have had some problems trying to go off the medication, suffering from what is commonl known as "Zoloft Withdrawal." Any helpful hints about how to deal with going off zoloft?

I am being taken off Zoloft and would like to know of potentiel side effects associated with coming off of Zoloft . thankyou.

im 25old female.im not happy in my life.just i want 2 skip this life.im postgraduated(2007).i dont have job and im not settiled in my life also.my family relations r not satisfied.simply i feel alone.and i distrubed about my marriage match.its very distrubed me.i hope im not getting anything in my life.simply
blank.i had 2 borthers they r studying MBA and BTech.both of them r dont like me simply avoid me.when i feel sad simply i went 2 my room and crying.so what i want do next.

I started 25 mg Zoloft for three months now. It seems my depression is getting better but recently I 'm feeling very sleepy and have no energy. I feel sleepy during driving that I'm scared I'm going to get in to an accident. I have to have enerygy drinks or coffe regualrly during the day to function normally. I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem with Zoloft and if yes, what are the suggestions. Should I go off of it and try something else? My sex drive is also very very low and I rather sleep than do anything sexually.

FOR ALL OF YOU THAT WANT TO STOP TAKING THE MEDS..HERE IS SOME INSIGHT THAT GAVE ME SOME STRENGTH TO FIGHT THRU..

http://www.newjerusalem.com/depression.htm

I HAVE HAD DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY PROBLEMS..AND HAVE TRY TO FIGHT IT OUT THRU THICK AND THIN...JUST WANTED TO GIVE MY OPINION ON A LOT OF FEEDBACK I SEE HERE ABOUT SIDEFFECTS AND GENERAL COMMENTS..I STARTED TAKING ZOLOFT AND FEEL BETTER..THE WAY IVE SET MY MINDSET WHEN IVE STARTED THE MEDICATION WAS TO PRETEND IT WAS A VITAMIN...WHEN I STARTED TAKING IT..I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THIS IS A SUPPLEMENT NOT A ANSWER..JUST AS A BODYBUILDER TAKES HIS SUPPLEMENTS TO SUPPLEMENT HIS WORKOUTS..WE SHOULD TAKE THIS MEDICATION TO SUPPLEMENT OUR FIGHT TO OVERCOME..I GUESS WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY..IS WE CANT BE IN NEUTRAL AND EXPECT THE PILL TO PUT US IN GEAR..WE MUST PUT OURSELVES INTO GEAR AND HOPING OUR SUPPLEMENTS HELP US IN OUR JOURNEY...I STARTED TAKEN ZOLOFT..AND HAVE PROGRAMMED MY HEAD TO BELIEVE ITS A SUPPLEMENT..I STARTED WORKING OUT ALONG WITH A HEALTHY DIET..AND TAKE VITAMINS ALONG WITH MY MEDICATION..I GUESS WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY IS DONT LET THE PILL OVERCOME..BUT WE ALL SHOULD OVERCOME WITH THE HELP OF A PILL....HANG IN THERE AND FIGHT...BECAUSE THATS WHAT LIFE IS ABOUT...GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS..

Zoloft has done nothing but help me. I used to suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. A month after taking Zoloft I feel much less anxious around other people, and I can think straight without worrying so much. It has also decreased my procrastination. I am the same person, I am just more able to let my personality out in front of people I would normally be too anxious with to do anything.

ok you lol i had the exact same as you, ocd and social anxiety, i was on it for 2 years and i have been coming off of it for the last couple of weeks. while on the zoloft it was great and you may think it is now like i did but im telling you if you think you can survive without it either threw cognative therapy, do it now! come off as soon as you can dont be like i am right now, i just got up off the floor from bawling my eyes out screaming punchign the wall, this isnt me and right now i could fall asleep, the feelings of coming off zoloft are like no other, mood swings ,ANGER , crying, aggitation, ,, for exapmle in class if im not comfortable in my seat as in something is touching me that would normally not bother me i slam things around , im going to throw my calculator at the wall soon and throw everyhing, ive never felt like this before, im gunna snap soon and someones gunna be wondering why but i know this is what it is. its been 2-3 weeks can anyone tell me if and when its going to stop

I was given zoloft to deal with moderate anxiety and depression on a Wednesday - 50 mg to start and was told to take 1/2 of the pill for a few days then 50 mg thereafter. I decided to take just 1/4 of it to try it. I was told that it will take 2 weeks to kick. WRONG. That day and up to
4 days after, I was so anxious and had suicidal thoughts, could not sleep, more depressed, and wanted to die. Now is the 6th day, and I still can't sleep due to insomnia from Zoloft and flatulence. I don't think these symptoms are uncommon from SSRIs as we are led to believe. It is like trial and error. You really do not know what you will be getting as far as side effect.

The good news is that I feel more myself today,except for the insomnia, forgetfulness (could not remember my bestfriend's name), headache, and flatulence.

I read somewhere that patients with anxiety and depression (situatial) usually get better in time just like a wound healing. Exercise and a healthy diet helps the healing process as well. I do believe this, because 12 years, I had severe anxiety due to a divorce, and got better in time.

I think people should think twice before getting on any meds. SSRIs can push you over the edge instead of helping.

I'm a 23 year old college student recently diagnosed with clinical depression. I have now been on Zoloft for a little over a month. I was lucky enough not to have any side effects yet, only thing I have noticed is a bit of drowsiness an hour or so after I take it, so I have started taking it in the evening. By the second week I noticed some changes. I would still be anxious in the evening, but not to the point where my sleep was affected. I began to feel more optimistic and motivated to socialize and not procrastinate. However by week three I felt like I was backsliding. My dosage was upped to the standard 100 mg and I am beginning to feel the effects again.

After reading all the negative reviews I was a bit hesitant to take this drug. I was worried about the emotional issues as well as the weight gain. However most concerning to me was the loss of creativity and sex drive. I haven't been on it too long but so far the only side effect is the sex. It just takes longer to do everything. Overall I am happy I made the decision to take it, everyone has a different chemistry and I wish success for those who dislike the drug.

I have been taking Zoloft (100mg) for years now. I really thought it was a good medication for me. It helped me though my sever anxiety attacks and slight depression. I am going off it now and am experiencing weakness and dizziness. But the side effects while on the meds were rough too. I gained 20 pounds since being on the meds, also have had digestive issues and cant drink a glass of wine without getting really drunk. I'm excited to start life without it but am happy I took it for the years I needed it.

I started taking Zoloft about three month ago and due to my medical insurence i've had to stop suddenly. i was only taking 50mg a day i was a little moody the first few days then i was feeling pretty good . Now its been about a week and i have been having sudden dizzy spells through out the day. is it related with the sudden hult in taking my meds?

i started taking zoloft for clinical depression when i was about 17...my doc started me out on 25mg a day. it took about 2 weeks before i started feeling the effects, that of which basically just had me numb of all emotion....i simply just did not care about anything or anyone. now i have to admit it did help with the depression however after a month of taking it i realised that i had gained a good 10lbs, suffered from severe insomnia and my sex drive was gone. my depression eventually started getting better and better over time and after about 3 months i seemed to be fine, so i stopped the zoloft all together. i did not have any withdrawl symptoms except feeling slightly anxious becuase i did not have the zoloft at hand to take, however that gradually wore off in about a month. now its been 6 months after i came off zoloft and my depression is back....it started coming on in small episodes and now its back full on. i have tired to kill myself twice in the past 2 weeks and i go to work and lock mylself in a bathroom stall and cry everyday. now addmittedly it really got bad when me and my boyfriend of 2 years broke up, but i think that is what might have triggered it off......i was reluctant to go back on the zoloft becasue of the weight gain but right now i am willing to take that risk.....i have started tkaing 25mg for a week now and i am gradually starting to feel that numb feeling again. right now im just at the point where id rather be numb than depressed, but i think the trick is (as mentioned in an earlier posting) to start off on a low dose, 25mg is good i think so let your brain get used to the chemicals instead of bombardin it all at once which probably brings on all the crazy side effects....

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 2 several years ago and after some trials with Paxil, Prozac and Effexor finally came to a cocktail of Zoloft and Trileptal with the guidance of a Psych Dr. I successfully took this combination for about two years and then my GP (who was NOT mental health friendly) refused to prescribe these for me. The continuation with the psych doc was not an option any longer (thank you, insurance company!) So I was not on any meds for almost three years. I switched GP's about 10 months ago and the new doc linked me with a psychiatric professional who spoke with me and after careful consideration, put me back on the cocktail. I take 50 mg of Zoloft (stared out at 25, then increased after a week) and 300 mg of the Trileptal. I know this combination works for me. It has only been a month and I feel wonderfully even-keeled, I can actually finish a complete thought again and an extra bonus has been a 10-12 lb weight loss so far! The only adverse side effect I have experienced is a slight loss of libido, but since the bipolar makes me a bit promiscuous it's a welcome effect! My point is this - work with your health care professional to get you on the right program!! They aren't with you 24/7 to know what triggers you have. Keep a log if you have to so you can find out what your triggers are. Do some research and ask close friends or family to give you feedback on your moods. It was with my own research and the help of my sister that finally got the psychologist clued in to the fact that I have bipolar, not clinical depression. I feel that doctors are so quick to make a diagnosis and throw pills at you that they aren't taking the time to really find out the core of the issue. If you aren't properly diagnosed, depression medications CAN make you suicidal! Everyone is different though. I am not a health professional but I feel like I know my body better than any of them. GET INVOLVED with your own care! It may take time to get you regulated so be patient. Just my two cents. Good Luck!

i started 50mg zoloft this morning, i have been depressed for a long time, i could cry at the drop of a hat, 8 hours after taking 50mg i feel relief all ready. i am sweating more than ever since i started taking zoloft. sweating is well worth it.

I've been on Zoloft for 11 days and I should have started my period about a week ago. I've already taken two pregnancy tests and both are negative. Can taking Zoloft make my period late?

Hi I am Aga, I have been taking Zoloft for 6 mo now. I love the feeling it gives me : I feel simply good, just good and it is awesome. But I have realized, that when I was trying to get off it, I felt horrible. I felt so angry that I thought I would blow out in a minute, my muscles would tense so much that it hurt. I felt anxious and moody. This is crazy!!! After a month of not taking it, I took Zoloft yesterday and, gosh, all the symptoms are gone.. this is indeed crazy. CAN ANYBODY HELP ME??? and tell me what to do?

Aga

Can you tell me how i can remove comments from this blog??

I would like for the person managing this Blog to contact me please! I would like my comments from April 13, 2005 removed please. Please contact me straight away. I do not want to have to use external help to have my comments removed.
Thankyou.

WHAT OTHER MEDICATION IS GIVING WITH SOLOFT? IS THERE A MEDICATION CALLED LAMATROL? I MAY NOT BE SPELLING IT CORRECTLY

I was prescibed zoloft 11/05 after suffering a brain injury (the nasty surgery kind, not the bump on the head kind), and of course at the time i didn;t ask questions. they were just like vitamins.

As i started to recover over the next two years and gain independence, part of me felt a bit macho and cocky, like "i don't need this anymore", so i weaned myself off.

Over the next four years, i have wavered on-again/off=again, but as i am currently struggling to keep up at my dream job, i know this is not the time to be tampering with my focus, cognition et al.

Having been treated at one of the most experienced and trusted hospitals around, i have come to appreciate the medical staff's know how and advice, and i am grateful of the important role zoloft played in my recovery, like it or not; especially considering all those times i felt like i was "above it" and tried to prescribe myself off. and gosh, that sounds so lame to say, but i have learned by witnessing how my body/brain reacts when i try to taper off (i.e. nightmarish).

So what have i learned about zoloft? for a brain injury, you're going to be on the hunt for that magic elixer that will make you "normal" again, but there isn't one. If you were sort of depressed before your brain injury, you'd better be first in line, if the medical staff hasn't already pushed you to the front of the line. If you have not suffered a brain injury and have a history of depression, you obviously need a professional's help. this is not really an over the counter medication you take on a whim to make a change in your life. thus drug is for people who need it, and yeah there are side effects, but you should be eating healthy anyway. you can't eat like a pig snd cry about how sad you are, and i need some pills, and then complain about a few extra pounds. If you and your doctor commit to starting a prescription, you are in need of change anyway, so you should take this perfect opportunity to start living healthier.

I now appreciate zoloft's ability to afford me a more centered state of being where you can feel positive about things around you. this does not mean you have to be on these pills the rest of your life, rather consider it a little reassurance when your mind and your problems are getting in the way of you enjoying life. maybe it is an altered state of living, your zoloft self, but it sure beats being depressed, where you make everyone feel down. frankly, i think zoloft should be in the drinking water, and we can just all lighten up. zoloft is legal; other drugs are not. this pill provides you a way to get back to a baseline feeling of normal, and the rest is up to you to imrpove.

medication has an agent to make you keep needing that medicine to make you keep needing other medicines. do a show on that.

michael"DEE"house

My husband has been on zoloft for about 8 yrs for panic attacks. It helped tremendously. He can go anywhere & do anything now that he wants. There has been a change in him recently & I think it is due to the zoloft. He sometimes has these blank stares. Just about everytime he sits down he goes to sleep. He can never get enough sleep. Nothing excites him. He says he doesn't have the energy he once had. He is very quite. We are going to the doctor this week because his behavior is just not normal & I think it is due to the zoloft. Has anyone else experienced this or know of someone that has while taking zoloft for a long period of time?

wow..thank u so much for posting this..a dr gave me zoloft for my depression..when someone suffers from depression it is very hard just to cope with everyday life and we will try anything to relieve ourselves from the pain. In this day and age Dr.'s give out pills left and right like candy! Ive always been afraid of mental health medications..but I was going to take it anyway..after reaseaching this medication I wont be taking this medication. Thanks for the warning

Can anyone help me? My antidepressant meds will not work with my pain medication,since i have fibromylia I have to take loratab 10, also have tried peracet 10. My doctors do not know the answer. Maybe someone out there knows?

Thanks

my name is Donny zoloft is a happy drug when you are on it.but when you stop taking it this stuff will drive you crazy and make you want to hurt your seft and others.i am 59 and been on this zoloft for about 10 years.my doctor put me on 25mg
and this stuff was not working and he put me on 50
and still was nt working and i was takeing 100 mg
and still was not helping and now i am on 200 mg per day and this stuff works fine .i am a happy go lucky man..do not try to stop cold turkey on this zoloft because it will make you hurt your seft because i know i have been there...

Zoloft has helped me get through post partum depression after having my second child BUT I often wonder if I have more of a problem with anger then I do with depression. I am off of it right now because my body seemed to get used to it. I now feel like I am going to divorce my husband but my children suffer because of my daily mood swings. Any advice?

zoloft works really well for me. im a 15 year old girl with depression and anxiety disorder. i suffered from stomach aches and dizziness as well as head aches for about three to four weeks before i felt normal again. i take 100 mgs a day. its really helped me. i dont worry as much and i can concentrate more easily but there are times when its like the world is crashing down around me. im really shaky all the time because of the drug but its a fair price to pay for the happiness it brings me.

BONNIE
dont worry. your daughter will be fine. this medicine has really helped me and i faced the same side effects. she'll get over them once her body gets used to the pills. make sure she eats at least a small meal before taking them because if she doesnt her tummy will hurt a lot.

I'm 16 years old and have been on Zoloft for about five months now, for depression due to school (I was having outbursts of rage, always fighting with my father, crying all the time,etc). I do believe Zoloft has helped me. I don't cry for random reasons anymore and my anger definitely isn't as bad. For parents worried about teens prescribed this drug, I've never had any suicidal urges (but I've also never had suicidal tendencies). The worst side affect I've had since starting this pill is extremely weird, vivid dreams every night. I also gained about five pounds on the pill, but it was nothing I couldn't work off with regular exercise. I found that I also tend to stumble over words more and I'm a bit more lazy, but once again, nothing that I can't handle. I've read a lot of reviews about people on this drug that have 'lost the ability to love and care about people.' I haven't felt anything of the sort. It does make me a little more relaxed and mellow, but isn't that the point of a drug that's made to help people with depression/anger issues/bipolar?
As for the teens that feel the urge to hurt themselves or commit suicide after being prescribed Zoloft...you guys should really tell your doctors about that because sometimes antidepressants react badly with teens.

Help I am on zoloft for a few years and I have gained 30 pounds....

What do I do

I was depressed for many years. was 65 years old before I knew I was depressed. Am 81 years old now taking 100mg. zoloft and 40mg of buspar. Been on both for sixteen years, never missed a day. I'll continue taking both as long as it works for me. Like to hear from anyone else taking both medicines.
jpparisi@aol.com

I have been on zoloft for a little over 6 months and I have SEVERE mood swings and uncontrollable outbursts. These moments intensify when I am near my period. At first, I did enjoy the "new attitude" it gave me to smile and look at the silver lining about everything. I was even convinced that my memory had improved. However, in the last few months, I have been seeing a wonderful guy and I am having trouble staying connected with him because of my mood swings. He is my hero and treats me like a queen. He deserves better from me and I deserve to treat myself better. I've decided to remove zoloft from my life entirely. I encourage anyone else that reads this to do the same &/or NEVER rely on a pharmacy issued crutch if you can help it. The outcome may be pleasant at first, but becomes a lesson-learned and money down the drain. Not to mention the agony of all the side effects.

Best of Luck to everyone
-Jennifer

I have been put on 300mg of Zoloft 100 per day but I have been taking 900mg a day for the last 11 days...
Im feeling great better than when on 300mg besides not sleeping properly
Anyone have any advise?

Andrew,
Sometimes, for me, panic attacks were followed by severe depression, because I didn't know what was happening, and I did feel disassociated. I haven't had those for years, but honestly, aerobic activities (swimming, the breathing), I believed helped with those. Maybe you can couple the Zoloft with some major workout, aerobic. But like another poster, I feel like my creativity is much lower than before, I am organized as H*(, but cannot create original thoughts as quickly as before>>>

I had a nice long story about my ongoing Zoloft use I was going to share.....then I decided to go back to watching the leaves drop from the trees and drink another beer.

It takes the edge off..and all you emotions as well.

I was put on zoloft because I was going through a terrible divorce and was in constant worry and a little depressed. The very first time I took it I found myself worry-free,I felt good, my facial demeanor looked happier and it helped me to cope with everydays stress levels. On a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the highest I rate zoloft with a 9. The only complaint I have is there are side effects when trying to reach an orgasm.

i was recently put on zoloft from my family dr. i will be getting married in 8 months and my fiance and i are trying to conceive. i was wondering if it would cause any proublems with this. i have tried to get as much info on it as i could. at the time being i still take the pill every morning. but worry about all these things. should i be taking it or should i stop. i don't want to become pregnant and cause seriouse proublems with my child.

My husband has been taking Zoloft for a few months and loves the way it makes him feel. But, and this is a big but, he cannot sleep to save his life. He's always been a night person but since taking this he physically cannot sleep until 4am! He's even taken Ambien and it has no effect on him. I want his doc to find him a medicine to treat his depression the same but without the insomnia. Any advice?

I have been on Zoloft for about 3 months now. I have noticed that I am irritable, cry all the time and get angry very easily. Now all I want to to is sleep so the days pass by. This is not my usual behavior. Does anyone know if it could be the Zoloft?

i started takig zoloft yesterday but i feel so weird im dizzy and i keep getting in these moods were i cant focus and my head is what really feels weird like its pressure and pains im not sure if its the meds or because ive been sick for a couple months and its gonna make it better i just wish there was a wa it would all be better if anyone can help me please do

my grandson has been ocd for about 4 years on zoloft-i as a grandmother would like to see if i can get him off meds.

im on Zoloft for 2 weeks how am i suppost to feel?

Have you heard that the risk of having a child with autism is increased if the mother took antidepressants during pregnancy? According to a recent study in the publication Archives of General Psychiatry, children whose mothers took antidepressants, such as ZOLOFT, PAXIL, PROZAC, LEXAPRO, CELEXA AND WELBUTRIN, during pregnancy “are twice as likely as other children to have a diagnosis of autism or a related disorder.” If your child has been diagnosed with autism or a related disorder and you would like additional information on this subject, please go to www.zolfthurtmychild.com or www.chadpinkerton.com. You may also speak with a trained representative or lawyer by calling 1-855-ZOLFT-1.

The concerns about rage are real. It is happening to me also. There are far too many comments supporting it. I am going to research this more. I didn't know this for sure. Whew. Felt like I was losing it!

My son who is a 7 year old high fuctioning austism spectrum disorder child was recently(last Monday) prescribed Zoloft. By last Thursday he was going into violent rages and causing issues on his special ed bus and last night even lashed out and hit me several times before I could restrain him because it was his bedtime and I told him that he was not allowed to get up again that night....He was having trouble already saying things like "I cannot get these mad/sad thoughts out of my brain" why would they prescribe him something that had the potential to make it worse?! Sometimes I wonder what in the world these "professionals" are thinking!

I was prescribed Zoloft for my social anxiety. After about a week, i noticed i wasnt angry anymore and I felt "normal". Before taking Zoloft I would hold grudges, pick arguments over any little thing and I would find myself getting so anygry that I would become physical with my partner. I would feel so overwelmed with this anger and no matter how hard I would try to just let it go, I just couldnt. Now that Ive been taking Zoloft, i can think clearly, I dont even want to waste my time or energy picking fights, I am able to let go of the anger i feel inside and Im able to just breath. I feel less high strung and more releaxed. Before I started this medicine I would think that my moods were just something I was going to have to live with for the rest of my life. Once being medicated, Ive come to realize the issues I was battling inside and that they weren't normal and they could indeed be controlled. This medication has saved my marriage (my husband calls them my happy pills lol)and my life.

PLEASE HELP I NEED TO STOP TAKING THIS DRUG.WAYNE FROM THE UK.

For me, Zoloft has nearly always been effective, provided I haven't taken it for several months. When I restart, I experience symptom reduction within days. It controls anxiety and depression quite well. However, its efficacy always fades with time. Then comes the hard part...withdrawal. Discontinuing Zoloft will f*** you up, big time. Think heroin withdrawal - but over months, not days. Paresthesia (electrical "zaps"), hyper-response to stimuli, headache, musculoskeletal pain, exhaustion, and nausea - intractable, relentless, debilitating, straight-from-hell NAUSEA will be your gift for trying to regain your life. I am detoxing as I write this and am determined not to restart Zoloft. However good you feel while on it, you'll feel six times worse trying to quit it. Next time, I will either try a different antidepressant or, in light of my advancing age, simply commit suicide.

The doctor is giving my husband 200mgs of this, and he no longer cares for me or our 3 children, one is only a year old. He has become cruel and aggressive and says he doesn't love us anymore and stopped supporting us. I had to get food stamps and he even drank the babies milk and eats the food and leaves nothing for us. He cut my hand with a knife and broke in the front door and our wonderful marriage of 10 years is in shambles. I now have a retraining order on him and he is still on these meds! He's also become a liar and behaves like a crazy person. What can we do? I'm so depressed and now the doctor prescribed them to me!! But I don't want them!

is zolft used for be polas

i was only on 50mg antidepressants, i took myself off them coz i didnt feel like myself anymore if that makes sense. i feel fine, ive noticed i get agro a bit more but only with just cause (i used to let people walk all over me but now i stick up for myself and dont take their shit) but otherwise i feel fine ive gone from unemployed to working a full time job and im really happy with the way my life us going atm. only thing is my bf pulled me aside today and said he thinks i should go back on them as hes noticed i havnt been myself and hes worried about me. the whole time hes known me ive been on them (50mg). thing is the people ive been standing up to lately are his family, i told them if they cant treat me with respect then to stay out of my life. im wondering if hes just requesting i go back on them to make his family happy or because hes genuenly worried about me. i dont know whether to go back on them to make everyone else happy or to stay off them like id like to. i believe im handling things well juggling a full time job and two kids. ive been off them for over a month now, all the withdrawal symtoms (dizziness, tingling, headaches, trouble sleeping) are long gone. i dont have suicidal thoughts or thoughts of hurting myself or others, the only thing ive noticed is the temper and i get a bit emotional easier eg sad movies make me teary. is that just the real me coning out or is it still withdrawals. has anyone been in a similar situation that can give me advice? should i go back on them?

I was on Zoloft for depression and anxiety, being only 13 at the moment. Man- I wish that pill never happened to me. I stopped after 25 days of use, as I noticed I was getting suicidal thoughts. It was a nightmare to tell my parents about them... and they took me off of it. I still get the thoughts, as it has only been 2 weeks being Zoloft-free, but they are not as bad now. I would never want to die- which is what scares me about the thoughts, the most. Like, what if the thoughts took over me? I highly recommend dealing with your depression and anxiety through being with people who make you feel happy, counseling, and not through Zoloft or any other medication. Zoloft is not worth the risk of suicide- I assure you. And to the rest of you who struggle with similar situations due to this pill, trust me, we can make it through together without Zoloft.

OK I've been on Zoloft for 17 years and stayed on it through all my pregnancys.. I decided to come off it with my doctors help I decided I wanted to find a natural way to deal with my social anxiety n depression.. Let me tell you this is the hardest thing I ever did in my life but I didn't give up!! I've been off it for 1 month now and I feel like I'm living in another world I'm very short tempered and I feel severely depressed along with feeling crazy, sensitive n over thinking!! I'm hoping all these feelings will go away these are feelings that I have been numb yo for many years I actually forgot who I really was... Pills numb you instead of making you feel! I feel hopeless daily praying I'll wake up one morning n feel great but that hasn't happened yet :-( can anyone relate to these feelings? Will I ever feel happy again without Zoloft? If so how long does it take? Looking for answers please n ty

I have been on Zoloft 50 milligrams for seven and a half months. The doctor said it would help with my mood swings from menopause. It did but I did not like it and the thought of being on the pill forever, I just turned 60. So now I am nine days no zoloft went cold turkey it really was easy with the exception of some dizziness that seems to happen every evening and last for an hour. If you are looking for opinions stay the heck away from these pills, try to deal with your problems moods depressions talk to whoever you can but don't get on these pills because it's supposed to be very difficult to come off. I thank God that my coming off his been easy. Some people may need to wean themselves drop down and 25 every other day but I just wanted it over with it.

Someone posted that there is a lot of negative feedback here, discouraging them. I thought I would post a more positive experience.

I am 25 and was diagnosed with PPMD and postpartum anxiety and was becoming fairly severe in my symptoms. I could not look myself in the mirror at night because even though I knew it was me there, I also felt like I was looking at a demon or an intruder. I knew this was nonsense, but it was like there was a disconnect between what I knew and what I felt. I couldn't convince myself to not be afraid. I had panic attacks over sadly small things, like my bracelet catching a glimmer of sunshine, which triggered me to somehow thing I was going to get stung by a wasp. I was terrified to be in the basement with my son in case an intruder came in the house, since there is not access out of the basement except through the one door. I thought of where I could hide him if that happened, like inside chests in the crawlspace. (I never did this, but it's a horrible thing to have to think about.)

I took Zoloft the moment it hit me just how bad I was becoming. I am usually very against taking prescription meds, but I definitely knew I had to so I could protect myself and my family from my worsening symptoms. Zoloft works much faster than natural antidepressants.

I am 100% thankful for my decision to take Zoloft. I have no regrets. I had no side effects that lasted longer than 2-3 days, other than very slight weight gain which I can control easily with eating less junk food. We are such a happy family again, and I have never enjoyed my son so much as when I started the Zoloft. I actually cried for joy because I was so overwhelmed by how happy he made me when I came out of the depression!

The only negative thing that I have experienced through this whole process is that I would now like to switch from Zoloft to a proven natural antidepressant (St. John's wart -- sounds gross lol but it is very effective and has been proven clinically). I have seen a naturopath and have been told by my psychiatrist that the weaning protocol is correct, but they can't support my decision to switch because Psychiatry in Canada does not support natural remedies, only pharmaceuticals. So I am not able to be followed in the weaning process by my physicians, just my naturopath. I wish that I had known when I started taking Zoloft that it would not really be my choice when I come off of it if I want to be followed by a physician.

I would encourage people to weight the pros and cons of this fact before making a decision. Consult with a naturopath about PROVEN natural antidepressants if you have time to wait for it to kick in. (I did not have time to wait, because my symptoms were too severe by the time I asked for help.)

I hope and pray that all people reading this would seek God in his wisdom about what to do. Often times people take antidepressants before they go to God. If you are a Christian, you know that he is your help. If you are not, please consider accepting Jesus as your saviour. You can contact any church or me at hollyampike@gmail.com if you have questions about Jesus. Don't take other people's word for who he is -- read it for yourself, and may you find that beautiful peace that surpasses all understanding!

I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 10 and later on in my young adult years with anxiety. A long history of mental illness runs in my family and I wonder sometimes if I am misdiagnosed. I started on antidepressants when I was about 19 and have been on them since (I'm almost 23). I was prescribed Zoloft, and I cannot even begin to tell you the world of difference it made. I was able to be a semi-functional adult, rather than wallowing in depression and anxiety. I suffered from severe panic attacks and fits of severe depression where I could not stop crying and could not breath. Zoloft was great until they had to eventually up my dose to 100mg and I started getting absolutely miserable side effects. It was bad enough where I constantly weighed the pros and cons of staying on Zoloft or suffering through my depression. I had terrible diarrhea and upset stomach. I HAD to take my dose at night, because if I took it in the day, I couldn't eat, and felt like an absolute zombie. I would take it at night, and about 1/3 times would have to get up in the middle of the night to through up. If I drank any alcohol at all, I would throw up later in the night. It also gave me the worst acne I've ever had in my life (I never even had acne before) and I still have the scars. I also experience a complete lack of emotion. All antidepressants definitely lower my emotional response (which is okay, because I have an extremely high and probably unhealthy emotional reactivity), but Zoloft made me downright not care. I stopped being able to sympathize with anyone and I ended up hurting a lot of people. I stopped my Zoloft (stupidly) and fell back into self-harming and attempted suicide. I immediately started back on my normal dosage. I eventually went to the doctor (I couldn't afford to see a psychiatrist, so I just go to a physician). She switched me over to a new antidepressant, and then eventually to Lexapro, where I'm at now. I think if you have a low dosage of Zoloft, like 50mg, the benefits would definitely outweigh the side effects. And obviously not everyone will get side effects to this extent.

I've been on zoloft for 7 months and at first it really seemed to help my overall mood and depression. But then after about a month and a half, I started getting suicidal and had major mood swings. I ended up in the hospital for a suicidal attempt and then decided to talk to my Dr about weaning off of them. She, my counselor, and a nurse from nurse family partnership all thought it was just an increase in stress that caused the suicidal stuff and they all recommended me to stay on it. I also did some research on what to expect if coming off of zoloft and I'm worried about what I might do during the withdrawal period. So I'm still on it. I stopped taking Nora be 3 weeks ago and am experiencing withdrawals from that too. It has been a very taxing strain on my marriage as well. I'm fine most of the time but then randomly experience outbursts of rage and I can't explain why. I wasn't line this before The pills. Just last night, my husband stopped me from yet another suicide attempt and now I am left with bruises and scratches from myself. I am frustrated that I seem to lose control. I want off zoloft but worried that if I try weaning off while still withdrawing from Nora be that I might end up doing something horrible to myself. Does anyone know of any extra help? Maybe a safe place to stay while stopping zoloft? My husband and I are at the end of our ropes. I need more answers than what my Dr and counselor are giving me

I was on Zoloft as a teenager and it worked great for me. But I did eventually go off it and it went fine. After my third pregnancy I started Celexa and have been on that for 10 years. It has been a miracle drug for me and I don't get depressed anymore and can enjoy life. The key to these antidepressants is that no antidepressant is right for everybody and there is a lot of trial and error with these medications. Also, weaning off an antidepressant is important and you never want to stop abruptly as that can cause withdrawal side effects. Slowly withdrawing off the med is key to prevent withdrawal side effects.

My husband killed himself while on zoloft.

I was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) after being on Mirtazapine for 3 years. The reason for the switch in medication was because the latter had stopped being effective and was causing significant memory problems. I was on Sertraline for a total of 3 weeks. Aside from the standard effect that SSRIs have on me (sexual dysfunction etc), there was one additional side effect which terrified me. I'm a considerate, kind, peaceful and quiet guy, but Sertraline caused the darker side of my personality to come to the forefront.

Some background information - I'm 31 now, but I had been bullied at school for years and tried to kill myself at the age of 16. So aside from the depression, I have PTSD too and with that comes a lot of anger. I don't let the anger out, though. Nobody deserves my rage for what happened, but the darkness is there, and I've often compared it to how Bruce Wayne/Batman must feel, being able to direct it and reshape it into motivation and determination. But it was my suicide attempt which started my precarious journey into 15 years worth of various antidepressant and antianxiety medications (Effexor, Citalopram, Mirtazipine, Sertraline, Prozac, Amitriptyline, Propanolol, Prazosin (great for stopping nightmares btw), Zopiclone, Valium, and talking therapies (CBT, Mindfulness, Meditation, Hypnosis, Eye movement desensitisation, and everything else). Also worth mentioning that I've always been pretty fit and have practised martial arts and weightlifting since the age of 16. At age 31, my doctors have finally realised that my depression is treatment resistant.

Anyway, back to Sertraline. So after 3 weeks of being on Sertraline, I had noticed that with each passing day I was feeling more aggressive, which was unusual for me. Everything, even the slightest thing would trigger it. I felt more like the Incredible Hulk than Batman. It got to the stage where the anger was leaking out and my family noticed. I was thinking of some truly terrifying and violent things and it took every ounce of my willpower to hold it all in. It was actually my Mother who booked an emergency next-day appointment with my Doctor. Unsurprisingly, after my lengthy explanation of how I had been feeling over the past few weeks, my Doctor ordered me to terminate my use of Sertraline. The only medication I'm currently using is Prazosin. The other standard treatments I haven’t tried are ECT and TMS. There are more novel treatments too, like vegas nerve stimulation, and even clinical trials using psilocybin and ketamine, but those are years away from being ready for public consumption. I hope this short excerpt of my story helps someone. Thanks for reading.