Restarting Zoloft

I was on 50 for 4 weeks and it wasn't enough so doctor upped to 100. I've very dizzy at the minute 😩

I'm still not feeling right because going through all the side effects again 😓

I'm so sorry to hear that Mandy  I don't seem to have a lot of physical side effects; mainly loss of appetite (which I might attribute to depression and not Zoloft) and increased anxiety. The issue I'm having is that I don't remember these side effects when I first started Zoloft about 2.5 years ago...

I've read on here a lot have heightened anxiety at first. I've got stomach acid either with the meds or with panicking so that's making me uncomfortable and more panicky.

I've also read that, which puts me a little more at ease. Can you take anything to relieve that?

I have something from the doc but it made me worse but with anxiety I panic about what I'm taking.

Thank you for your kind words AD!

When I first took Zoloft, around 2.5 years ago, I don't recall having these side effects (maybe increased anxiety, but no physical side effects). I understand that they take awhile to kick in. My doctor said that I should wait a week and if there's no side effects or improvements, then increase to 100 mg (which was the dosage I was on when I quit cold turkey). I'll probably reach out to my doctor when my week is up and talk to her about it all.

What are you using Zoloft for?

Anxiety. I was on venlafaxine for 12 years then weaned off them. Was off for 15 months and now it's back 😓 Hate Anxiety.

My story. :-)

I had massive panic attacks at start of January. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety by the GP. Looking back was suffering depression for some time as wasn't enjoying anything in my life.

I started on the zoloft/sertraline and went through a couple of weeks of no sleep, crying, obsessive analysis of myself and my treats. A milestone for me was I actually took a week of mertazapine which gave me 2 nights fantastic sleep. After that I began to regain perspective. I dropped the mertazapine because it seemed more intrusive in the long term( weight, drowsiness ) and stayed with sertraline.

I'm not sleeping either also hot sweats it's awful 😩 Hope we all feel better soon.

I have/had a similar experience. When I first starting Zoloft (2.5 years ago), it was because I had suffered a major panic attack and then had ensuing anxiety, which led to depression (w/ intrusive thoughts). Now that I'm remembering, I did go through a similar experience as you (minus mertazapine), in terms of side effects.

It's the same thing now, but I think for a different reason. I had a major panic attack two weekends ago, and I thought it was just a fluke. Turns out it wasn't: the following few days/week were anxiety ridden, so I contaced my doctor and asked her if I could start back up on Zoloft.

I think my issue now is that my first go around, I started at a lower dose (I think 25 mg) for longer and built my way up to 50mg and then 100mg. Now she started my off at 50mg, which she even acknowledged wasn't the best thing, and I think that was a lot to throw at me.

Yes probably was. Hopefully we'll get there it's just awful going through it every time we up the dose. I'm just hoping the 100mg kicks in soon.

On my first time around, I could concentrate on school work. It was a good way to distract myself from my thoughts (and anxiety kind of); however, this time around, I'm finding it harder to concentrate on school work and can't distract myself from my thoughts (and anxiety).

Yes I'm the same all I think of is anxiety.

Puts me somewhat at ease to know someone else is going through something similar. It is not fun, but I've been through this once before and I'm certain I can get through it again. That WE can get through this!

Yes I've been there too. Good luck anyway.

Agreed for the first weeks I just spent hours analysing my anxiety. When I was in full attack I was searching for it to see if it had stopped then would have another attack. The only respite was after a full 2 hours of exhausting attack i would seems to have drain myself for an hour. Then it would repeat

It is part of the illness to analyse it. The coaching I got was to accept it. To recognise the attack and to talk it through with yourself if you have no one you are comfortable to. The acceptance helped me lots. I began to tell myself I was just repeating the same issue and tried to convince myself I could laugh it off. It worked with the lesser issues and gave me space to put the ones that were real in perspective

My learning was accept the pain but don't become it's friend i.e. Don't let it rule you

Once I accepted it began to lessen

Least I hope I have this right! I still fear waking up and be back a square zero :-/

It's awful and not a lot of people or Doctors understand it. It scares the life out of me. Hope you're getting on top of it now then.

It worries me that it returns for so many people. Need to work out how to stop this.

Yes I think once you've had it you're stuck with it. Good luck you'll get there.