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New to Sertraline (Zoloft)

Posted , 9 users are following.

allie15023
allie15023

Here goes nothing. (LONG POST) These forums having been my only small hope for the past (almost) 2 weeks. I'm going to share my story and progress in hopes it helps someone one day (plus I could seriously use the extra motivation). I've always OVER thought and stressed out about EVERYTHING, and I mean everything. Even in grade school. I also grew up with a pretty messed up childhood (sexual, physical, and mental abuse). Despite it all, I was a pretty happy person. However I could not stop having panic attacks and anxiety, and as I get further in college, the more often it happens. I finally broke with a MAJOR panic attack. I couldn't stop shaking for days, and my boyfriend had to call in to work to stay with me because I was so scared of being alone with no one to calm me down in case it happened again. I even made an emergency trip the next day to see my couselor (who I've only been seeing for 3 weeks now). I thought I was going to have to go to a mental hospital to be evaluated. Long story short, I went to the doctors 3 days later. They prescribed me Buspar (5mg day and night) and Citalopram (10mg). They are small doses, but I'm very sensitive to medications. Let me just start off by saying citalopram was NOT for me. The side effects were terrible. I would wake up shaking and so scared/paranoid. My hands were sweating 24/7. I couldn't eat, and panic attacks happened every morning. I was physically exhausted, and would wake up every 1-1 1/2 hours when sleeping (when I could sleep). After the 5th day I called the doctor (freaking out with anxiety) and he took me off the citalopram and switched me to Zoloft as well as upped my Buspar to 10mg day and night. Today is my 5th day with Zoloft. My appetite is slowly coming back, and sleep is a bit better. I'm not sweating nearly as bad. It does however make me have "bathroom" issues, but only in the morning. I yawn and I'm tired a lot (could be from lack of sleep). As far as my mood, I do not feel as anxious. It's still there, but most times I'm able to control it. I believe it's slowly helping with my intrusive negative thoughts. I will say I do feel a bit down and dull. Like a "hopeless" feeling and lack of motivation, even though I know logically things get better. I was not depressed before this, but I just think my body is tired now from everything. I try eating because I'm at a healthy weight now (20 y/o female 130 lbs.). I may not have waited to get the full effects of the citalopram, but I'm determined (within a heathy mental state of mind) to get through the first weeks of Zoloft. 

If you made it through reading all this, I thank you!! I will keep posting my progress 

If anyone has questions or would like to keep in touch to support each other let me know!

Support and positivity,

Allie

1 like, 44 replies

44 Replies

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  • jay_babes
    jay_babes allie15023

    Posted

    Hi your story is so close to my heart because its like reading my own life except i have had a lot more illnesses , it is so good to feel people like you care and want to share your story to help others, i joined this forum 9 days ago not knowing if it would help, i am 54 and have been through so much in my life i could write a book, i have severe migraines for over 30yrs which there is no cure, also an eating disorder which lead to me getting ibs, i also had terrible happen to me through my childhood into my teens , and it did not stop there when i left home this was nothing to do with my family in school, i like you was a fun loving bubbly person, i got my perfect job , hairdressing and beautician, but had to give it up due to a illness that nearly killed me, i am in remission now, but decided to get out of london, and head to the countryside, thinking the peace and quiet would do me good, boy was i wrong, at first it was lovely, but with no job, no friends, and say no life i became, very depressed, i had a lot of time to think, too much time, and did i think , of all that i had lost and all that had happened to me, i became a recluse did not want to go out had panic attacks, anxiety, i did not know what was happening to me, so i rang the doctor, he put me on the same drug as you at first citalopram like you it had trrible side effects, so he changed it ti sertraaline, 50mg for 3 weeks then up it to 100mg,to be honest my migraines went through the roof, and do not tell you about the vomiting, but i thought i need to stick to it so i got extra strong painkillers for my migraines, just to lift it slightly, but i still felt terrible, till my family and partner said you have always taken such good care of yourself and always looked so beautiful and that has been down to your strong mind and helping others and alternative medicine, eating healthy exercise, talking therapy, and valerian to get sleep, sleep is so important, it stops you thinking negative, i still have bad days but i also have lots of good with a support scheme, and i am going to see a councillor starting on the 30th , so your story helped me, i hoe my story,helps others, this forum is helping i just wish more people would open up, not just talk about the drug, it does make you feel better
  • jay_babes
    jay_babes allie15023

    Posted

    Hi i told you my life story and at the time i was doing well but i have relapsed , i think its the sertraline, if i take 50mg it gives me bad migraines and i have side effects, but i was told by my doctor to stick with it so i did and he up it to 100mg, but i got worse hot sweats bad head, the shakes, and vomiting, doctor put me back to 50mg, the worse part is no sleep, for the past 2 weeks i am lucky to have 8hrs, i feel dreadful, i feel so dizzy and now i have loss of appetite, i really though i was getting better now i am so confused, and very weepy, is anyone out there can help me
    • allie15023
      allie15023 jay_babes

      Posted

      Hey jay! 

      I hope you are doing okay. If it's any help, I actually found Zoloft was not for me. It made me feel very down and depressed, so doc put me on Prozac. I cried when I found out I was switching medications again (my 3rd ssri) because I was scared to be starting over. I'm on day 5 of Prozac and I feel much better. I'm not sure if it's being off Zoloft, or if the Prozac has kicked in. Of course your doctor will know best for what would suit you and your needs to your other illnesses. I think it's important to put trust in the professionals, and maybe Zoloft isn't right for you? 

      Recovery is tricky. Every time you start to feel bad, you think "great I'm back at square one, and nothing is working" but you have to remember the good times and how these bad "moments" are just that, MOMENTS. I've heard it's like 2 steps forward, one step back. And that's how it feels for me too. I know it's scary, and tough, but you have to hang in there <3 

      Let me know how you're doing!

    • madeleine80638
      madeleine80638 allie15023

      Posted

      Glad the Prozac is going well. I’m off sertraline too and feeling loads better. It broke the cycle of obsessional thinking by making me feel so ill, but I couldn’t carry on feeling like that. So far so good. Trying to keep super busy to not allow my brain to have time to think. Xx
    • allie15023
      allie15023 madeleine80638

      Posted

      Sounds weird but I was actually thinking of you and how you were holding up!! Are you planning to try something else? And I agree, being off the Zoloft has made me feel better. The only side effect I'm having with Prozac is headaches in the evening (knock on wood) and I'd much rather take that than feeling anxious, sick, and depressed. 

    • madeleine80638
      madeleine80638 allie15023

      Posted

      Haha same I was glad to see you had written on here. 

      I’m a bit nervous to try anything else haha. I went to see a homeopath yesterday and she gave me some things to try. My body just doesn’t seem to react well to medication at all. 

      So glad the Prozac is working better, shame about the headaches though but yeah I bet that’s nothing compared to the sertraline. 

      My body still getting back to normal after the sertraline and it’s been nearly a week and I only took them for 2. I’m glad I didn’t do it for longer. But my mind is a lot lot lot better. Feeling a lot less negative and anxious and my stomach has settled and it normal which is so nice haha. Xxx

  • jay_babes
    jay_babes allie15023

    Posted

    Hi thank you so much for your advice very kind of you, i am still on sertraline 50mg and still feeling terrible not sure what to do, i having terrible migraines and still lost of appetite, all i want is to be at least half normal of my former self, to be honest i would trust my doctor but i am fed up with keep changing my pills and still feeling rough, i would love to come off all these drugs and detox myself , and hope i do not feel the way i felt before i took them, but this is no better, i believe if i could sleep i could think more clearly, i heard terrible things about this drug and not sure if i really want to continue, the drug your now on what is that for 
    • allie15023
      allie15023 jay_babes

      Posted

      Prozac is another ssri, just like Zoloft and celexa, just a different chemical make up and sometimes that makes all the difference! Just like there are different forms of headache medicine, they all have the same goal, but are different in the drug used to achieve the goal. I was super upset when I kept switching too. In fact, I cried on the phone to the nurse I was speaking too 
    • jay_babes
      jay_babes allie15023

      Posted

      Well i am back and not having a brilliant day but i just think now its everything , lack of sleep, lack of food, looking like rubbish, black eyes, large lump came up on my face this morning , i look like the elephant man, other than that i think i will just stay here till winter lol, tell me all will change if i come of these drugs or do i have to go through more hell to get better
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