Feedback on Zoloft Side Effects and Usage, page 12
About Zoloft
If you use Zoloft, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history.
Subj: Zoloft helped with depression
Date: 4/5/2007
I’ve been on Zoloft for about 6 months to help with my depression and social anxiety. The side effects were horrible at first: insomnia, drowsiness during the day, nausea, and a drop in sex drive. To cope with insomnia I’ve been taking Ambien every night, which works for me. After 6 months, the side effects that persist for me are nightmares, unbearably annoying night sweats (almost every night) and decreased sex drive. I’ve gained weight since being on it but I can’t say for sure it’s the zoloft or just my lifestyle. I would quit in a heartbeat, but I’m afraid that depression might come back, and it’s such a pain starting up/withdrawing from antidepressants. But lately my night sweats have been so horrible that I’ve been considering looking into quitting. But it definitely helped with my depression.
Michelle
Subj: Jerking
Date: 4/10/2007
I started taking Zoloft after I had a miscarriage last year. The miscarriage on top of being in a non-supportive relationship made me so depressed I felt I needed to see a MD. The doctor was very nice and gave me samples of the Zoloft. I am honestly not sure which milligram I was on. It worked well for about 2 weeks then I started having side effects. I had absolutely no interest in having sex with my Partner and about 1-hour after I would take it I was so tired I just had to go to sleep. I am the type of person who doesn’t even like to take Tylenol when my head hurts, I just have a fear of medication. After about a month on it I felt I was pulling away from my family and friends. I didn’t care about anything. I stopped taking it then. I didn’t have any withdrawal side effects that I realized until after reading other people’s entries. I do have the jerking that is described on this site, but usually only when I sleep. My fiance’ has complained about it since I stopped taking Zoloft…. I didn’t do it before. I don’t recommend it unless it’s a last option.
Ashley
Subj: Missing a dose?
Date: 4/16/2007
I have been on Zoloft for over a year now, 25mg dose. I use it to treat anxiety. It has worked well for me but in the past couple months have started to get night sweats (BAD)and then I have a hard time falling back to sleep. I have also noticed that the pills effectiveness is not the same. I am starting to have panic attacks every so often again. Could this be due to missing a dose?
Carrie
AskDocWeb: Yes.
Subj: Relacore and Zoloft?
Date: 4/18/2007
I’ve been on zoloft for nine years. I didn’t really experience side effects. Low libido at first, but it came back. No weight gain. I’m on 100 mg. I had someone suggest Relacore, is it safe to take with zoloft?
Michelle
AskDocWeb: Relacore is a new product and we have no information on combining it with Zoloft.
Subj: Painful cycle
Date: 4/23/2007
I have been on Zoloft and its generic for a year. It took the 100 mg dosage to get my anxiety/depression under control. I have been under care of a counselor for about 6 years. He was thrilled that I finally agreed to medication. My weight gain began slowly, but started accelerating, and I went to my doctor in tears. Also, my energy level was horrible. I was told that because ANXIETY was my primary symptom and the medicine was slowing me down, that my body didn’t even know true energy…only adrenaline rush to exhaustion… and that the weight gain was to be expected in my case. However, my doctor and I agreed that I could try a lower dosage. That worked very well…the 50 mg…except my weight has been so stubborn. I can’t find anyone who has NOT gained weight on ZOLOFT/SERTRALINE! Why weight gain doesn’t make it into the side effects listed…I don’t know. I am told not everyone does gain, that those who are brought up in activity actually may lose. Sex drive…has been gone!!! I am on 25 mg now…doing a slow weaning…and I certainly encourage behavioral therapy. Without it, I would still have all my relationships so codependent and toxic through ridiculous people pleasing, and just keep the PAINFUL cycle going. Now….that my anxiety has been brought under control…my CORRECTED THINKING is retraining my mind and the PTSD is remarkably improved. So, I NEEDED pharmacological help to support my therapy. I have experienced some negative side effects, but as I am moving forward with better thinking, healthier people skills, I believe I will be able to lose the weight and look forward to seducing my husband again!
ST
Subj: Posterior Vitreous Detachment
Date: 4/29/2007
A few months ago I went to the Eye Dr and was told I have Posterior Vitreous Detachment….Things have calmed down on that eye…I started taking Zoloft with the lowest dose for five days… Then 50 Mg a day….I have been doing this for just a week…. I have had a new flare up with the Posterior Detachment and many huge floaters this time… Zero floaters before, but this time huge floaters…Dr said worst she has ever seen. Could this have happened from the Zoloft? Thank you,
Belinda
AskDocWeb: It’s difficult to say what caused it, but talk with your eye doctor about getting off Zoloft for a week or so to see if the symptoms go away, then you will know for sure. Vision abnormalities were reported by 3% of patients using Zoloft.
Subj: Zoloft helped
Date: 5/9/2007
Hi, I have been taking only a half a 50mg so 25mg a day for my constant mild anxiety, due to my past xanax abuse. I only took Zoloft for 8 months. It helped me through the anxiety 98%, I just quit 3 days ago and I have weird head feelings, not bad, so I figure it will go away soon. Hopefully. Overall it did me right. No weight gain but I am only 21 and workout alot.
Jeremy
Subj: Crippled by depression
Date: 5/12/2007
I started on 25mg of Zoloft 12 years ago when my partner was dying slowly. I was crippled by depression. Gradually, my Dr. upped the dose to 200 mg a day. I maintained that dose for about 10 years. The side effects were mainly sexual, inability to achieve orgasm. Still, it made me feel much brighter and more optimistic. Two years ago, I decided it might be worth sacrificing some of the good effects for a better sex life. I gradually reduced the dose over two years until I was taking 25mg every other day. No problems, except that I was still without orgasms. For the past six weeks or so, I’ve taken nothing. My orgasms have returned, no depression, except for unpleasant dreams (not nightmares, just very unpleasant dreams). But since I’ve been off it, I’ve had varying degrees of tinnitus. It can drive me to distraction. After reading some of the other users experiences, I should probably count myself lucky that it’s only tinnitus. I think, though, that I probably would not have survived the terrible years of my partner’s illness and death without this drug.
Norman
Subj: Sweat terribly
Date: 5/30/2007
I was on lexapro for years and I stopped it both because it stopped working and I had a horrible side effect of it causing me to sweat terribly. I switched to zoloft a few months ago and it has helped very much with the depression, however, the same annoying side effect has come back. I can’t walk across the room without breaking a sweat ad can’t exercise because after 4 minutes I get so hot and sweaty I feel as if I am going to pass out. Is there anything I can do to counteract this? Now that it is summer I am suffering horribly with this irritating side effect. I don’t like always looking like a sweaty pig all the time its embarrassing!
Erin
AskDocWeb: Please report this to your doctor and ask about an alternative medicine.
Subj: Seasonal affective disorder
Date: 6/4/2007
I’ve been taking 50 mg Zoloft for approx. 6 months for SAD (seasonal affective disorder) every winter I would suffer with depression, because the sun wasn’t out, and it would cause me to constantly reevaluate my life. Summertime has always been an awesome time for me. I’m very happy when the sun shines bright. Well the zoloft worked great for me this year, the 1st yr. NO SAD. I did have sweating at 1st, but went away. My husband and I were getting along better too. But now were not, so I don’t know if it was wearing off, so my doctor up the dose to 100 mg. Hope this works.
Tracy
Subj: Increased my dose
Date: 6/22/2007
Zoloft was great for 3 months until I felt like it stopped working. I experienced kind of a flat feeling. When Zoloft was working I felt the best I have felt in years. I took it upon myself to increase my dose from 100mg to 150mg. I found out not a good thing to do. I take Ambian cr for insomnia and it worked great until the increase in meds. Also can’t stay asleep now. I have not experienced any horrible dreams on Zoloft. Since I increased my MGS my hair has been falling out in 1/2 hand full a day. Long story short Zoloft has saved my life and I was feeling great. I will decrease my dosage to 100mg again and never play doctor again.
Annmarie
Subj: Definitely helped moods
Date: 7/3/2007
I have been on Zoloft 100mg/day for the past few months for depression/anxiety. I definitely think it’s helped my moods. However, I definitely get exhausted more easily than I used to. I guess am the rare breed when it comes to sexual side effects from this drug. I now experience the most powerful and longest-lasting orgasms of my life on Zoloft. My doctor says that a lot of people cannot achieve orgasm on Zoloft. It takes me much longer to do so (not complaining about that), and then when it arrives…wow. I will consider staying on this drug for this very reason when my doc thinks I should go off of it.
Ryan
Subj: Cannot ejaculate
Date: 7/4/2007
My boyfriend is on zoloft and he cannot ejaculate is this normal? And how long will it take with him being on this zoloft before he can ejaculate?
Cindy
AskDocWeb: It is possible that it will continue as long as he is on this drug. He needs to report this to his doctor.
Subj: Question
Date: 7/8/2007
I have been on zoloft 100mg for 11 months and it worked beautifully for me. I wanted to get pregnant so my psychiatrist got me down to 50mg no problem. I have been on 50mg for 3 months now, and I am 6 weeks pregnant and just had a return of symptoms. I am so frightened. My psychiatrist upped me to 100mg and I’ve been on it for 3 days with no change yet. I’m so nervous that it won’t work but are my fears irrational? It worked before so why wouldn’t it work again? Any feedback would be most appreciated.
Frightened and worried
AskDocWeb: Your psychiatrist thinks it will work, that’s why it was prescribed.
Subj: Laser hair removal
Date: 7/13/2007
I am currently taking 200mg of Zoloft and have been for a few years. Last October I started laser hair removal of the upper lip. Does this delay the results or affect the results?
Amy
AskDocWeb: There is no physical reason why laser treatment would affect as antidepressant. Read more feedback. Zoloft Report – 10 – 11 – Page 12 – 13 – 14 – Last Page 34
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