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6 weeks Zoloft help!!!!

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jenna324
jenna324

Hello fellow members 

Today marks 6 weeks I’ve been on Zoloft. I was put on 50 for a week then up to 100 for 3 weeks and I think it was too soon so my doc put me back down to 50 which I’ve been on for 2 weeks since. ( sorry if that’s confusing) I still don’t have much appetite and I have on and off anxiety through out the day. I don’t wake up in panic anymore, although I am up fairly early and that’s when I notice my anxiety starts. Is this common?! I am not sure if I should stick to 8 weeks and then go up again in dosage. I literally have no desire for food and I’m wondering if it’s because I am still experiencing on and off anxiety. I take a Xanax sometimes to help calm down and also it helps me have an appetite. Any reassurance would be wonderful!! Thank you 

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest jenna324

    Posted

    Hi Jenna, this sounds very similar to my experience. I found the side affects returned each time I up’d the dose. However once I had stabilised on one dose  that all went away. My mistake was not giving each dose enough time.  It was about 8 weeks before the side effects calmed down. It was really worth persevering though as I feel a million percent better and now back to my old self. The morning anxiety was a real thing for me too. I thought it might never go away but now it has totally gone.  Best wishes 

    Paul 

    • jenna324
      jenna324 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Paula 

      Thanks ja for replying. Maybe that is why I am still experiencing side effects because even though I did lower my dosesge it I still haven’t had it in my system for that long. I prob need to give it more time. It’s horrible not wanting to eat because I really enjoy food and it no fun 

    • debra34304
      debra34304 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Paul I’ve been on 100mgs now for nearly 5wks and the doctor as told me to stay at this dose for 8wks. Should things start to be getting by then? And will the tablets av kicked in properly 🌹

    • Guest
      Guest jenna324

      Posted

      Yes I lost nearly 2 stone on the anxiety diet! But I soon put it back on when the side affects went. You will get there you really will!
    • debra34304
      debra34304 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Paula how many weeks did it take you to start feeling like ureself again🌹

  • joss23656
    joss23656 jenna324

    Edited

    Hi Jenna - I think you're probably right, that one week on 50mg is not long enough for your system to acclimatise and that's it's a good idea to stay on 50mg for 8 weeks. I was on 50 for seven weeks, terrible side effects for the first two weeks, they went and then jaw clenching and music tinnitus started in third week, they have mostly gone now.

    I went up to 75 at seven and a half weeks, been on that dose for ten days. No return of side effects apart from sleepiness and a bit of jaw clenching. Depression is much better, still get a bit anxious but not as bad as it was.

    My doctor told me that it's best to increase gradually and slowly, that it's slow acting med and you can't see full results of dosage for weeks and that if you increase little by little the risks of return of side effects is reduced.

    Hope this helps, I remember that onset of side effects, it was hellish and made me feel worse. But they do go!

    • jenna324
      jenna324 joss23656

      Posted

      I am just so tired of feeling anxious all the time! It’s lkke go away already. I don’t think it’s a side effect of Zoloft anymore, maybe just my anxiety. It makes me think and think and not want to do anything and I can’t eat . 
    • joss23656
      joss23656 jenna324

      Posted

      Yes, I know what you mean Jenna. I had an anxiety attack this afternoon, luckily I don't get full blown panic attacks.

      I read a lot on these boards and it seems the norm for depression to lift before anxiety. My anxiety levels increased during the first few weeks, diminishing now but still get them. I wonder if your anxiety has been affected by the rapid increase from 50 to 100, it's a slog I know but patience is needed.

      Hard when you don't feel good but it does improve with time and gentle increases.

      Stick with 50mg for a few weeks, it does get better. My original scrip was for 50mg for a week then increasing to 100mg, I'm glad I stayed with 50mg for seven weeks and, as I said, the side effects of the increase to 75mg were not nearly as bad as the initial side effects.

      When I have an anxiety attack I tell myself that it will pass, in time, difficult I know but patience. Something we don't have much of when we feel awful, but, it's worth it. x

    • jenna324
      jenna324 joss23656

      Posted

      Yes. I agree. I need to give the 50 a few more weeks. I def noticed that my mood is better but anxiety isn’t much. So maybe you’re right about it lifting depression before anxiety. It seems like it’s the last to go?!
    • joss23656
      joss23656 jenna324

      Edited

      From reading the boards Jenna, and my experience, depression seems to improve before anxiety. I noticed that my anxiety got worse about week 4 - 6, but this seems not to be unusual. It's not as bad now but, as I said, I had an anxiety attack today but it's gone now. Patience, but it's hard when you're in the middle of it!

  • armelle88733
    armelle88733 jenna324

    Posted

    Hello. I have been on sertraline 50 mg since September and the side effects were horrendous for about 3 weeks. I suffer from health anxiety. Yesterday I woke up exhausted, shaky, weak and sweaty. I thought I was going to pass out in the shower. Then, it passed in the afternoon and I went to the cinéma last night. So it must be a panic attack. I have these episodes out of the blue and I think I am going to drop dead any minute. I am dreading upping the dose as I don’t want a reccurence of the side effects. I was on citalopram once before and I don’t remember any side effects. But how do you change medication if it takes ages to get off sertraline? Any ideas. I’ll speak to my gp next week. 

    • jenna324
      jenna324 armelle88733

      Posted

      I think if you talk to your doctor he will figure out the best way to get off Zoloft and try another anti depressant.
    • jenna324
      jenna324 armelle88733

      Posted

      Do you think it’s still fairly common for me to have to take a Xanax at this point to help my appetite and anxiety? My anxiety has definitely decreased a lot but it’s still there and when it is present I don’t have an appetite all day. I had to rely on a Xanax which helps me have an appetite. It’s kind of scaring me that’s i still don’t really have a desire to eat at this point ( 6 weeks now) and when I do eat it’s very little. ( unless I have a a Xanax) I want to be able to wake up and be hungry and eat without relying on a Xanax for that. Maybe around 8 weeks it will come back ( hoping) 
    • armelle88733
      armelle88733 jenna324

      Posted

      When I started sertraline 50mg last October, I felt nauseous and I completely lost my appetite. I lost a stone which I was very happy about as I put it on while being on steroids. My appetite is back but not fully. I am quite happy the way it is at the moment. 

      When i mentioned to gp this morning that I had no side effects with citalopram, she questioned why the other gp changed my medication. Well, I stopped taking it as I felt I didn’t need it. Big mistake. Now, it is a matter of increasing sertraline to 100mg over 4 weeks or weaned myself off sertraline and start again with cit. I can’t face this at the moment. Fingers crossed I feel better in a higher dose.

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