Zoloft for severe dizziness
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi ladies - I am about to try Zoloft in an effort to clear my head of this debilitating dizziness I have been experiencing 24/7 the last five months. Spent yesterday in the ER for the third time in less than a year after suffering a panic attack (room spinning; profuse sweating; couldn't stand up - my children had to hold me up to get me to the car so my husband could drive me to the ER). I have tried everything, including psychotherapy, acupuncture, relaxation techniques. Nothing has helped. Been to every specialist there is and the only diagnosis is anxiety. My hormones fluctuate wildly (I am 52); sometimes I'm shown as post-menopausal, sometimes not, and the two OB/GYNs I've seen do not believe HRT is warranted in my case. Vaginal ultrasound the other day was normal. Tried 20 mg Prozac this summer which was too high of a dose and I only lasted 9 days. I am terrified to take the Zoloft, but my GP and the ER doctor, along with my family, have tried to convince me that I at least have to try as I can not go on living like this. I plan to take 1/2 (maybe even 1/4) of a 25 mg pill daily to start. I know there is good and bad on these SSRIs, but I am hoping that for those of you who have had success on this medication, you could please share with me how you managed through the side effects and how it has helped you. I need all the encouragement i can get! Thank you so very much!
0 likes, 9 replies
jude84900 karen156794231
Posted
Hi Karen,
Sounds like your hormones are at the bottom of the barrel. Not unusual for a woman that is right at menopause age. General doctors typically don't run blood work on our hormones. I'm 58 and all the years I doctored not one time did I have hormones tested. At 55 my periods ended and lots of unpleasant issues started. After extensive reading I realized this is lack of hormones. Once my periods started winding down and eventually stopping things got ugly. My GP assured me this is all part of aging and once your body gets "use" to this lack of hormones all will be well. This coming from a early 40s female doctor that hasn't had the joy of this in her own life yet. A bottle of anti depressants was prescribed and out the door you go. No Good! I knew this doctor was not well versed on hormone replacement or knowledgeable on women and menopause so I moved on and found a holistic doc that knew his stuff. He had practiced as a general doctor for 22 years before going into holistic medicine. First visit he ran extensive lab work on every hormone, vitamin and mineral. Best decision I could have made. Proper supplements were put in place to compliment my hormone replacement consisting of estriol, estrodial, testosterone and progesterone. That was three years ago. No more hot flashes, sleepless nights, anxiety and I feel great. My lubrication is back, sexual desire is back and I'm a much happier person. I started with creams and just recently had pellets placed in my upper buttocks. Those last 3-4 months in women. Best advice I can give is read! There is a lot of good information out there on Bio Identical hormone replacement. Stay away from synthetic hormones. My guess is your not depressed, its your body needs hormones, the right ones and only what you need, monitored by a knowledgeable doc. There is only one draw back, bio identical hormones and holistic docs are not covered under insurance. I will stay on this the rest of my life. My health and happiness are worth every penny. Good Luck!
Guest karen156794231
Posted
Hi Karen, I have not tried zoloft, but I just wanted to wish you good luck. I have been dizzy for over a year now, it is no way to live. I too tried natural things, meditation, acupuncture, yoga, etc...I have always eaten pretty well. It is my migraines since peri that is causing my vestibular issues. Before, I was told anxiety and tried lexapro. I lasted 3 months, it made my head pressure and dizzies worse...very tired. The side effects were mostly nausea, loss if appetite, sweating...not much different from peri/meno anyways. Keep the saltine crackers and water close by.
I am now on nortriptyline, which is a tricyclic AD dosage for migraine control. Only a couple weeks in, so I am still battling side effects.
Just hang in there with it...at least a couple of months, unless your side effects are severe. Stay strong! Best of luck to you!
susane84679 karen156794231
Posted
hi Karen, I was on zoloft for 10 years for my anxiety and it worked for me. the only side effect is weight gain, which is what happened to me. I dont take it any more because I dont need it. when I came off of it 6 years ago I went cold Turkey with no withdrawal at all. I would suggest taking the prescribed dose and give it a couple of weeks to get into your system. it's not an immediate cure but given time it is effective. good luck and hang in there!
Gypsy014 karen156794231
Posted
Hi Karen, sounds like migraine associated vertigo MAV silent or not... You are right about hrt not for you with the migraines.. But the thing about these migraines silent or not auras or not is that they come on very very strong in terms of symptoms while going through the change.. (Menopause) and they most certainly cause all the dizziness, some days are better than others, and really all you can do on the days where they are really bad with the dizziness is to rest maybe even stay in bed for the day until it passes and it will pass, and return, eventually they will cycle themselves, and settle after about 6 months of straight hell.. Really not much you can do other than go easy on yourself when they are flaring up on you with the dizziness and when not so bad then do what you can when not so bad, you have to live around them and all their nasty symptoms so to speak for a while.. Some woman do have much sucess from trying the migraine meds from their neurologist and some don't.. Also try the big glasses with the rose tint that has the fl- 41 tint in them when out and indoors under any kind of lighting they truly are a life saver with the migraines and dizziness which go together.. Look up the glasses (fl-41) and rheir reviews.. Hope you are feeling better soon..
Gypsy014
Posted
Also all my prescription glasses are tinted rose to help with all artificial lighting which sets off the dizziness and migraines 24/7 and I wear the hats too, I just ordered my first pair of the fl-41 tinted glasses waiting on them now can't wait to give a try, I'm sure I will be living with them on my face, I will wear anything to not suffer so bad from these mugraines and dizziness, and lighting is my biggest trigger.. I didn't even know until I started putting 2 and 2 together feeling like I was walking sideways or like I was going to tip over or spin or like I was standing still and everything was flying by me like space until I would be under the lighting in big stores or using my computer or phones, we become much more sensitive to these triggers while going through Menopause , its NOT in your head,(well it is) but not really in your head you are NOT imaginiing it , its very real, and these big stores have no filters some of them over their fluorescent lights (shame on them) for that, and the computers phone LCD high definition tv's you need to put filters on them...if you want to be able to use them and cut down on the dizziness..
Gypsy014
Posted
The fl-41 glasses are suppose to filter all your lights and gadgets that we use daily,will let you know how they work when I get them and try ..
Gypsy014
Posted
Sorry Karen one more thingy lol I keep realizing I have one more thing to add ha ha.. Well just wanted to let you know its natural to panic be sweaty experience the anxiety (health anxiety) and panic attacks when you are dizzy and off balance and spinning, all natural because we are worried about ourselves, we start to panic, that is separate from the very real migraines and dizziness that we experience from menopause, we are just panicking because we think the worst and even feel like we could be dying or having a stroke or something, so just wanted to say that's all natural to feel that way and yes when we are full of health anxiety and panicking you can calm yourself with the breathing meditation yoga Zoloft whatever it takes to calm yourself out of your fear for that moment it all helps until it passes..
laura21869 karen156794231
Posted
it's just an anti depressant, and a low dose at that. it's not going to do much for anxiety.
Louise4586 karen156794231
Posted
Hi Karen
My advise is to take the tablets. I battled
against taking anti depressants
for months as felt a failure.
Sertraline made me feel so bad. I spent the first week in bed, it was horrific. By week 3,
I saw improvements and i am now on week 11 and have my life back. I take 50mg a day. Dont cut the tablets, i tried that and it just prolongs the side effects. I did start hrt at the very same time .
GOOD LUCK X