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I am not sure what to do anymore. Zoloft, anxiety, and depression. Please help! :)

Posted , 5 users are following.

Olivia12345
Olivia12345

Hello,

I have accepted that I am a person who will deal with anxiety and depression here and there. It's just part of who I am. I usually can kick it after a month or two but recently it has gotten intolerable. I went to see my doctor about getting a prescription for xanax, but knowing that I don't like the idea of habit forming drugs, he suggested zoloft. I was instantly hesitant because I have tried lexapro multiple times and even though it did help in the beginning, within a month I always called it quits. I just would feel wonky and not like myself. He assured me that zoloft was a less intense antidepressant and that it's worth a try if am wanted a less extreme fix. So anyway, he put me on 25mg for a month. The first few weeks I felt okay a little better, I didn't think about death or an extreme level of hopelessness that was becoming a norm.   But after taking it for a month I just started to feel blah again. I went to see him for a follow up where he told me 50mg is still a low dosage but he thinks I should try it because my symptoms were reduced even mildly by the 25mg. 

Okay, Now here is where things get weird. First week on 50mg, I don't feel much. Second week though, (Where i'm at right now) HOLY SMOKES. I feel the worst anxiety I have felt in months. I mean the feeling where heart is coming out of your chest, hot and cold, just seriously the most uncomfortable panicky feeling. Anyone who has had anxiety already understands this. On top of that extreme panic I can't sleep. I have no slept more than 7 hours within the last three nights in total. I keep reading that it get's better before it get's worse but i'm scared to even take another full 50mg. I really just want to feel like me again and enjoy life. I am taking 23 credit hours and working two jobs and I feel like it's just too much with the depression and anxiety. Is there anyway reassurance or advice anyone can give me? I feel pretty alone in this. Another concern for me is weight gain. I am a healthy in shape person and I know if I end up gaining a ton of weight it will not help my mental state. Okay, I'm done venting. Sorry for the storybook. I'm just at that point where I have already came this far and do not know if I should stick it out or just give up. 

Really appreciate any help I can get....feeling desperate.  

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • seth05325
    seth05325 Olivia12345

    Posted

    Olivia,

    I was right where you were at, except I got the worst symptoms at 25 mg. The anxiety, nausea, headaches, body aches were so bad I thought about calling it quits after a week. But stick with it because after a month and a half, I am finally starting to see the light. It may not seem like it right now, but things really DO get better. Please don’t feel like you are alone. So many of us have gone through this. I just turned 23 a few days ago and a couple months ago that seemed impossible (I didnt think I would make it). If you need anything, message me smile

    • Olivia12345
      Olivia12345 seth05325

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the response. It's really hard to find anyone to relate with when everyone else around you seems okay. I'm also only 24 and feel like being young makes it more strange...I don't know if that's true or not. It sounds like you shared the same symptoms as well. May I ask if your weight fluctuated at all? I know that shouldn't be a huge concern but it does matter to me too. Thank you for the support.

    • seth05325
      seth05325 Olivia12345

      Posted

      I agree. Being younger does seem to make a difference. ESPECially when all your friends want to go out and have fun and all you want to do js stay in bed. I lost quite a bit of weight at first due to lack of appetite. But it has been slowly coming back around. I have gained some weight back. But like you have heard one million times before, medsfgive everyone different side effects because we are all individuals. Please don’t hesistate to private message me or add me on facebook if you would like to talk more. Good luck! 
  • 2chr2015
    2chr2015 Olivia12345

    Posted

    Hi Olivia.  Ive been on Zoloft for about 20 years.  It did not make me gain weight.  I would give it a few more weeks.  I do know from adjusting my dosage over the years that sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.  Also, you may consider at some point adding a different antidepressant to it.  I have had to do that before and it did make a difference. It really just depends on your situation and if you get any relief from it.  I wouldn't use xanax for sleep.  But, that's just me.  I would use something that is more specific for sleep instead of an anti anxiety.  ((Hugs)). Hope you get some relief soon

    • Olivia12345
      Olivia12345 2chr2015

      Posted

      Thank you for the response. What do you mean exactly by adding another antidepressant? 
    • 2chr2015
      2chr2015 Olivia12345

      Posted

      I had to take zoloft which is an ssri and I also had to take a different type of antidepressant.
  • laetitia_1
    laetitia_1 Olivia12345

    Posted

    Hi Olivia, I think you've experienced the "serotonin syndrome" (look it up) and that you should immediately go back 25 mg. Then I suggest you speak with your doctor and decide whether you want to stay at 25 mg or wean off the drug. If you read the instructions sheet of the medicine, it mentions the serotonin syndrome. 

  • Guest
    Guest Olivia12345

    Posted

    Hi Olivia - I've been on Sertraline for almost 7 months now for my severe Fibromyalgia. Initial dosage - 25mg/10 days then 50mg from there.

    So a little brief about Fibro - it's a conditions which progresses from severe anxiety disorder to full body muscle tension, very distressing debilitating fatigue, always drowsy and brain fog . So on 50mg my symptoms thrice as bad - No sleep, intense pain and crazy fatigue coupled with cognitive issues such as heightened anxiety, agitation , very senitive to any kind of sound , light and touch which lasted for 8 weeks non stop. It was unbearable and is unexplainabe . After 8 weeks very slight improvement in symptons but nothing like what i was before starting the med. However symptons were very bad till week 24 and i was bedridden after which i increased it to 75mg for 2 weeks no help then 100 mg for 2 weeks with no relief and finally this week (week 27) i upped it to 150 and ALHAMDULILLAH the doom and gloom and zombie feeling started to lift.

    Titrating up i had very minimal or no side effects so don't worry about that.

    My suggestion , if you don't feel good a dose in a week max then up it by 25mg/week. But i assure you InshAllah you will feel better soon. It took me almost 7 months to start feeling the therapeutic effects. Nobody would know more than me how hard this period can be. I've battled Fibro for almost 12 years with the last 3 years pretty much bedridden. Hang in there, you're not far from peace and happiness. And yes weight gain is not an issue - it's negligible .Please let me know if you have any query. Wish you speedy recovery and patience to sail through this. Thanks.

    • Olivia12345
      Olivia12345 Guest

      Posted

      Thank you for this comment. Seriously, it means a lot. I honestly kind of gave up the last 3 days and have just been taking 25mg. Today I feel so weird. Brain fog and really depressed. After reading this I decided to take the other half and I suppose if the side effects worsen I can try the 100. I'm really nervous about it all. I just don't want to live in such a fog everyday hoping everyday I will feel better. My doctor said if the 50 doesn't help I can up it to 100 before my next visit. What scares me about this is for one, if my side effects are bad at 50 I'm really scared what they'd be like at 100! Also, I read that the higher the dosage the more weight people gain. I really hope that isn't the case. I really appreciate your response though and am hopeful enough after reading it that I should stick it out a little longer. Also another bad side effect I have been having a terrible dreams. Like crazy realistic and then waking up having to tell myself they aren't real. Did you have any experiences like this?

  • Guest
    Guest Olivia12345

    Posted

    Ya i did have all those weird kind of dream probably for 3-4 weeks so now let me guess ..the drug has still not levelled out in your system and that's why all these side effects cuz i had all these and more initially on my therapeutic dose of 50 and intense side effects like yours lasted for 8 weeks like mentioned earlier.

    Give it some more time as we all go through this and you should be better in a week or so but you should up your dose as the vivid dreams go away. I can for sure tell you from my exp that Sertraline is definitely a good medicine for Anx/dep.

    Also i was on 10mg amitryptyline for sleep and it helps.

    The weight thing is only your anxiety as nobody gains weight as such.

    Do feel better.

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