1st Week Zoloft bad, any drugs to help with side effects?

I take Ativan as well. It's a life saver. See if you can get a prescription

I was wondering if you could tell me how much Lorazapam is needed for you each day to calm the side effects of going on Sertraline? Thanks

Hi Jane,

What dose are you on if you don't mind me asking? Did you start at 25mg or 50mg. Just finished week six on 50mg and started on 25mg for two weeks prior to increasing to 50mg. Still hoping for more improvement so wondering how yours went...

Thank you!

Hi Holly. I don't mind you asking at all. I started on 50 mg for two weeks. I found these two weeks incredibly difficult and rang my GP in a real mess (crying constantly and awful anxiety). She told me to start taking 100mg. So, I was on 100 mg for 5 weeks, the anxiety started to get better around week 4 to 5 however the side effects were awful. After 5 weeks on 100mg the Doc told me to reduce back down to 50 mg to reduce the side effects. I was worried this would bring back the anxiety. It hasn't so far and I've taken this lower dose now for 2 weeks. The horrendous side effects have lessened to half. So, all together I've been on then for 9 weeks. It's been a rough road. 

Doc still thinks things will get better and settle. We'll see.

Dont want to have to change to another anti d with all the possible start up side effects so giving this one a real good chance. 

Good luck. You're not on your own. We all know your struggle on here. X

Thanks Jane. I appreciate your reply. I am still having some significant anxiety and am getting worried. Past two days seemed better and I was more upbeat but today has been awful. Been nauseas and feeling very down. Are you still having anxiety or you have just noticed improvement? Not sure if I should increase as if really don't want to but need to be in a better place. I have taken this med before and have always taken 50mg but this seems like it has been a long haul. Maybe I just need to give it another couple weeks. I see my doc tomorrow. I don't want more side effects as a lot of them seem to be improving. I slept really good for the past week until last night and my mind just wouldn't shut off last night. Felt like I was twilight sleeping and then just feel so bad today. Seems like I am making progress and then bam back to a horrible day. Any input? Have you been experiencing this too?

Thanks again...

Absolutely, I can relate to this. It feels like you've gone right back to square one again. My Doc did say to me that this happens. You get a few good days and then a real crapoy one appears. It's so disappointing beyond belief but she did say it would happen. I guess when we're well we have good and bad days but when a bad day when we are struggling with anxiety tfeel horrendous and a massive setback. I don't think it's a setback though, just another step on the journey of getting better. The fact that you've had good days must mean you'll have more. It won't have helped your crappy day that you didn't sleep the night before.

Good luck with Doc appt. write everything down that you want to say/ask X

Yep. I guess it is up and down. Even the "good days aren't perfect but you have a feeling of moving in the right direction and it seems bearable. You kinda feel human again! I still have some anxiety and moments on the good days but feel like I can cope. Today was not one of those days. Feel a bit better this evening if it stays... Thanks for your input. This is just such a long journey....

25mg

Hi holly iam on my day 10 it's been horrible and I have not done,much over this time the anxiety is unbelievable tight chest heavy head. Weak legs my appetite is zero but trying a bowl of cornflakes. I so want it to stop

I have read lots of responses. And this seems the normal. Side affects I want to get better so iam sticking. In hopefully. It will. Stop and things will pick up for me

Hope you don't mind me writing to you just we both are just starting and I feel we could give each other support. I will carry on and let you know when it starts getting better

Good luck x

Hi Shauna,

Hang in there. Are you on 25 or 50mg? I am actually just starting week 7 of 50mg. I started out on 25mg for two weeks before increasing. I have been on it a total of 8 weeks. I was so sick and had awful side effects too. I couldn't sleep, nausea, vomiting, racing heart, and major panic attacks and anxiety that made me feel terrified and like I was crazy. That has just started easing about the past week. I still have anxiety through the day but feel but is improving and the side effects have calmed some. I just started being able to sleep through the night the past week. The night before last I couldn't sleep. My mind was just spinning all night. Like a twilight sleep. It will get better for you too. Just hang in there and it may not be just 2 weeks of side effects as the doctors tend to say.... I also tend to think based on this forum and my experience that it takes longer than the 4 to 6 weeks to feel all the benefits and the med to really make a difference.

It will get better Shadow. Don't give up. See my post in this thread to Shauna.....

Hi,

My doc said take up to 3 per day as needed. My experience was that I didn't need that much. I took 1 in the morning and then another in the evening if needed. They make you drowsy but very calm. If you can, take a nap if you feel drowsy, it's good sleep.

Thank you so much for your reply. Do you have the 1 mg or .5? I have been trying hard not to take them but when I do it does seem to help. Hopefully things will be balancing out for me very soon. It has mostly been that horrible anxious scarry feeling in my stomach and worse when I first wake up. I took 50mg for right around 8 weeks but did not seem to balance out so I worked up to 100 and it is has been 4 weeks on that. It does seem to be getting better Thank God.

I have th 1mg tabs. But cut them in half when needed. Just to take the anxiety edge off.

I also have the 1mg but cut them out of fear of getting addicted to them. They do seem to help. I also will cut the half into quarters and sometimes take a quarter twice a day. It is amazing how I can read so many of the side effects and relate to them. This scary anxious feeling in my stomache with feelings of no hope is frightening. I am a Christian and I have to put my Hope and Trust in The Lord. I pray everyone on here gets well soon.