My Setraline Story - can anyone relate?

How long did it take you to feel better on the 100? Ive been on the 100 fpr nearly 3 weeks but feeling worse at the mo

I was on 50mg for about five weeks, it wasn't really doing anything for me, mood and anixety was low. Raised my dose to 100mg and it's been four weeks now and I'm definitely seeing a difference. My mood has improved so has my confidence. Anixety has improved although I do get the pounding heart in the morning but I use apps and relaxation audios to help with that but I can manage it now. Hang on in there!

Hi Jacquiski, 

I’m happy to hear you are feeling better! I can relate to feeling like I’ll never get to that point., but having this support really helps. Thanks for the reply!! 

Emma, I am on tablets at 50mg for almost 3 weeks now. Like you first 2 weeks were deadly. Sleep is a nightmare, did your sleep settle?

Hey, my sleep has got better than when I first started, I would fall asleep then wake up soon after but after been in a deep sleep I would think it was morning then I found falling back to sleep difficult, that has changed now but I will fall asleep easily and wake up around 4 hours after falling asleep around 2-3am i check the time then fall back asleep no problem. I don't know maybe I might be waking up throughout the night because I'm not doing much throughout the day, but it's not really an issue anymore because I can just roll over and fall back asleep, hope this helps you 😊...oh and also I get some very realistic but weird dreams!!! 

Hey Emma

Thanks for the reply. My GP has been out of town but I have an appointment in a week when she returns. I heard that it can take a full 8 weeks or longer to feel effects so I guess I’m really hesitant to bump the dose again... especially since the experience I had that alone is giving me anxiety. I just feel like this will never end and I’ll  never feel my normal self again . The first time I took zoloft I was really lucky in the sense the only side effects I had was fatigue and loss of appetite, and it didn’t last long. I didn’t know all of this was normal so I was convinced I had gone nuts lol! Thank you for your reply, the support really does help xx 

It can be so scary though!! I came on here to find some reassurance when I started because I thought something was seriously wrong, I was SO anxious, more than I was before so I thought why am I putting myself through this to feel like that? Didn't make sense but after reading up on other people reviews I decided to give it time, one day I couldn't get out of bed was dizzy and just awful then slowly after that day I got moving again and went up from there. 

We're all in a very similar boat here so we can go through it together 😊 im fairly quick at replying so if you feel like a chat 👋🏻 I'm here.... take care xx 

I couldn’t have said it better myself lol - if I was doing anything, it was searching forums.. hearing about people that have similar stories really does help. That’s actually a huge thing I wonder all the time - before I went back on zoloft I was honestly a MUCH better than I have been since August.. it doesn’t make much sense, we up our medication to make us feel better from the side effects the medication is giving us in the first place lol! 

Thanks Emma same to you! I’ll be here xx

It's so confusing isn't it! It's good to talk to people who can relate because as much as family love us they don't quite understand fully. I'm only 22 and feel like my life's on hold at the moment! We will get there I'm sure 😊 xx 

That it is! I’m 23 and in the exact same boat. Love my family but you’re right, it’s hard to fully understand something you’ve never experienced. I’m just not sure on if I should stay at 75mg for the 8 weeks and see if it helps or up to 100mg. I have a feeling my GP will want to do the increase, but then more side effects  

Try and remember though once you get past them side effects how good you will feel then! I was surprised the dr didn't put me up a dose when she saw me the other week she just kept me on 50mg and signed me off for 4 weeks, so hope they work because I can't afford any more time off work with rent to pay it's getting hard, id rather up dose and get side effects over with rather than prolonging it xx

I hope so! I just keep remembering all the posts I’ve read where people have upped to 100mg and it didn’t help. And honestly thinking of another 8 weeks of this or worse makes me nauseous. But I can’t keep thinking that way I know, I have to try to be positive but man, it’s hard lol! 

Hey Emma! I am on a measly 12.5 mg because I had nightmarish side effects at 25mg. I have been on 12.5 mg for almost 2 weeks now and the side effects have calmed down some. My doctor wants me to up it to 25 but I am seriously freaked out because I am still struggling to eat and drink, and sleep has been a burden. I keep having the thoughts if I don't eat enough or what not I am going to starve to death, but I literally have no appetite until like 10 pm. Any suggestions on how to continue on?

Hey Seth,

I was reading about your loss of appetite.  It is something many of us have gone or go through with starting Zoloft.  My therapist suggested that I try those protein meal replacement drinks,  so I just sip on those during the day.  They taste awful, but I know protein is really important for your mood.  Maybe something like that might help you?

Hey Ashley,

I too am 22 years old. I have attempted the protein shakes thing and it hasn't really done a whole lot of good. Not quite sure where to go from here. I have an appointment with my PCP on  10/18, yet that still seems to be forever away.

Hey Seth - I had this too for quite a while... as Emma mentioned, as terrible as the meal replacement shakes are, just plug your nose and chug! Your body will thank you for it.., it’s a terrible 10 seconds but it’s worth it. When my nausea wasn’t so bad (usually late at night) I would try to at least have toast or a couple of crackers although I would have rather had nothing - some days all I had was a shake or two. every little bit helps! Your appetite will return, but your body will need something in the mean-time. Best of luck!!

Hey Seth, 

I'm so sorry to hear your having such a bad time with the side effect ?? It sucks doesn't it? You are on a really low dose though and 50-100mg is probably where you want to be for that 'therapeutic dose' unfortunately though we can't avoid the side effects, each time you up your dose them side effects will come back again, but remember it will only be temporary even though at the time you question yourself like why am I taking something to make me feel like this? I didn't have any appetite when I first started too. Maybe you feel like eating more at 10pm because your body clock might not know what time it is because the tablets are affecting your sleep..and don't worry you won't have time to starve to death because your appetite will be back before you have chance too 😊 try to keep drinking though! I use to get really hungry at some weird times! I use to have potato waffles with beans and cheese for tea, I had no appetite but that went down quite well haha. 

How bad were your side effects? I wanted to give in on 50mg it was awful! Worst I have ever felt, couldn't get out of bed one day, was so dizzy! I felt like I was just in bed and hardly living, I got anxiety like never before, it was really scary, then after the worse day each day after that got better and better I would start eating more actually get out of bed, finally I  had a bath (gross I know but I didn't even have it in me to bath for a few days) 

I would up your dose and try push through them side effects because what you are on now isn't really going to do much for you. After the worst few weeks on your next dose you will start to see positive changes, I didn't think I would but i started doing things I wouldn't of done before on my own and just generally have days where I feel great!!. I don't really have much of a social life as it is to be honest, wish I had some friends to do things/chat too with. How bad is that I'm 22 and no real friends, anyway going off track! Sorry this is a really long reply I hope it helps a little bit 😊 Keep us updated and take care, we're all here for you xx 

Thanks for your reply Emma. My side effects at 25 were terrible. On day 3 I had one of the worst panic attacks of my life. On day four I was so dizzy and nauseous that I was throwing up in my mouth all day. I felt like I had a fever and I would get hot and cold flashes. While all of this has been going on I moved home with my mom because my girlfriend if 3 years left me because she "couldn't deal with this". My mom was so worried about me that she took me the the ER and I didnt fight her. Of course the doctors told me nothing was wrong and that I just had severe side effects so my doctor lowered the dose. I am on these tabs for panic and anxiety. 

I can relate to your reply so much! I'm sorry to hear about your girlfriend, I know how hard it is when it starts to effect people around you, as much as they love you they don't quite understand unless they've been there themselves. Try and focus on yourself, that's the last thing you probably needed. 

If you up your dose just try and push through the first awful week or two and it will be so worth it!! Although it feels like the worst thing ever and it's scary it is only temporary 😊 And your not alone! You'll find so many people will reply to you  who can relate, it surprised me how fast someone replied to me when I first posted on here for reassurance. Hang on in there. You've done so well to get to past the point of making an appointment with the gp, I put it off for so long and tried to hide my anxiety. You should be proud of that 😊