Feedback on Zoloft Side Effects and Usage, page 19
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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: Amazing for depression and anxiety but…
Date: 9/19/2008
Hi, I have been on Zoloft for about 4 years now at 100mg daily for my depression/anxiety. It was really fun starting Zoloft due to increased energy and lack of anxiety but that of course subsided after a few months. I can relate to the Zombie-like feeling and add that I would be numb to others’ feelings and be a little inappropriate with my words. It could also be that I was actually free to express myself with the anxiety removed. It was nice being a little numb but I had difficulty falling asleep and a lack of energy after a few years of being on it.
I would advise anyone considering Zoloft that it is amazing for depression and anxiety for the short term but be aware that it is a drug and there are going to be some side effects and the cost/benefit ratio might not be worth it to you but whatever you do, don’t quit cold-turkey. I have been having “mini-seizures/electrical shocks” throughout my body and might see a doctor tomorrow to ask about tapering Vs getting another drug to wean off; i.e., benzos or anticonvulsants. Overall, It was good while it lasted but its time to get off and try fighting the good fight all by myself.
Jeremy
Subj: Too much pain
Date: 9/19/2008
I’ve been on zoloft for 4 years, only 25mg a day so I decided to quit cold turkey since I had been on it so long. For about 2 weeks I had the usual withdrawl sypmtoms that I had read about…virtigo, dizziness, irratated,..then about 2 months of being “clean” I began to have severe abdominal pain. Never once considering it was due to quitting zoloft, I went to see a couple of doctors, ran several tests that all came back normal, and a thousand dollars later still with no answers. I never mentioned that I had been on zoloft since that was the furthest thing from my mind at the time. Finally after 4 months of being a raging bitch, I decided to go back to taking zoloft and what do ya know…all my pain went away. I now have an appointment with the original doctor that prescribed the zoloft to me but that’s still a couple weeks away. He’s my OBGYN by the way. Hope he has some answers for me because now I’m afraid to ever quit taking it again. That’s too much pain to endure.
Samantha
Subj: Horrible!
Date: 9/20/2008
Day 4 on Zoloft. Horrible! I’m throwing it in the trash! Cant stop shaking, snxiety is sky rocketed, nervous, jittery, heart pounding, wandering in circles. Near lethargic, feel flu like almost, Can’t stop sleeping and havent ate for 2 days. Doc said to wait it out and I cant!
Andrea
Subj: Zoloft side effects
Date: 9/24/2008
I have been on Zoloft for over a year know and though the drugs have helped my anxiety tremendously. I have experienced all of the following side effect: low sex drive as well as erection and ejaculation problems(not severe but none the less…) nightmares, night sweats(which have almost stopped completely but still may occur), sleep deprivation, loss of energy(take in too account I don’t exercise ever and poor eating habits), extreme weight gain(40 lbs in past year, again I don’t exercise at all I’m 32 and when I felt anxious had a loss of appetite and was scared to eat fast food or junk because of anxiety and scared if I ate bad I would die of a heart attack but when I started feeling better I got my appetite back and then some). So I have to take all the above into consideration). Lately I have notice my hairline receding but again I am 32 and this could be normal but I feel like maybe a lot of these are the Zoloft. What should I do? I am prescribed 100mg a day.
Charles
AskDocWeb: 6% of those taking Zoloft report a decrease in sex drive, 21% report insomnia, and 12% report fatigue. The hair loss and nightmares are listed as infrequent side effects and others using Zoloft have reported them here. You might consider checking with a dermatologist about your hair loss or check out our tips to prevent hair loss.
Subj: Side effects of Zoloft
Date: 9/24/2008
I’m 46, male and taking 50mg for almost 3 weeks now. I take it in the morning after breakfast as my doctor suggested. I’m mainly taking it for OCD symptoms, but also have anxiety problems. I had tried lexapro last year but was waking up at 4am unable to go to sleep so I quit. I’ve had night sweats off and on. They were pretty bad the first weekend after I started and I had to get up and change my shirt a couple of times a night. I’ve had some trouble falling asleep. I also have sleep apnea, and my apneas increased, but that might be unrelated as it was doing that before and it’s responded to a pressure change on my machine. I’ve had some weight loss, about 3-5 pounds and my appetite went away, but seems to be returning now. I’ve had nausea fairly often, but it’s gotten better and some mild dizziness but it’s been pretty constant. I have some slight, mild headaches that at times last all day. I do feel a bit tired and feel a sort of disconnected feeling and sort of “buzzed”. Hard to describe.
I had only some mild relief from my OCD (it worked best when the side effects were worse at the beginning). Friday I missed a pill, and actually I felt better, but also my OCD returned with a vengeance the next two nights. I’m trying to decide now whether to increase the dosage or get off it (with my doctor’s help). My OCD includes some risky sexual behaviors, so it’s pretty serious that I get it under control. I’ve had a loss in libido and have difficulty having an orgasm now and also the orgasm is not as pleasurable. My doctor suggested a small dose of viagra or skipping the pill the day I’m going to have sex. The anorgasmia seems to be a little better now 2 weeks into it. The worst was the first week. I’ve already tried 7 years of different talk therapies and my OCD has gotten worse with that alone. Not sure what to do at this point. Reading about all these negative side effects is making me a bit anxious about continuing on the drug and now I’m thinking about quitting it altogether.
Todd
Subj: Tired and lethargic
Date: 9/24/2008
My son is taking Zoloft. He was on it at age 5 for OCD. We went off this summer and tried the vitamin route but it didn’t work so we went back on Zoloft. I am noticing he is more tired now. He’s on 12.5mg and I’m thinking maybe it should be higher but will that make him more tired/lethargic? Is that a common side-effect? He also is going through allergy testing so I don’t know if it could be from some allergy. Thanks for your help.
Katie
AskDocWeb: About 3 out of every 25 patients taking Zoloft report fatigue.
Subj: Bad nightmares
Date: 9/27/2008
I’ve been taking zoloft for about 7 years. That last 2 or so years I have been experiencing bad nightmares. Which involve persons who have died or people from my earily childhood, people who have been long forgotten. What is going on? What should I do? Im afraid to switch but I want it to stop. I tried taking it at night in the morning and even mid day I still get the same results. Help.
Wanda
AskDocWeb: Since you admit that there is nothing you can do about it, it is time to discuss this with the doctor that prescribed the Zoloft. Switching may turn out better than you think.
Subj: Depressed, cry alot, tired, restless
Date: 9/30/2008
I have been on zoloft for 7 years and it helped me alot! Because of my medical aid I had to switch to generic, after a while I went down from 50mg to 25 mg. I went back on zoloft 25mg and then 50mg again! I have been on zoloft again for 3 weeks and I am very depressed, cry alot, tired, restless. Is it that the zoloft stopped working or is it the mixing of the pills? What’s going on with me?
Nanine
AskDocWeb: Since it is unlikely that the Zoloft stopped working we suggest you consult with your doctor.
Subj: Making my hair fall out
Date: 10/10/2008
I was diagnosed with PMDD about 3 years ago. The symptoms of irritability, sever lethargy, lack of focus, moodyness and no interest in anything were debilitating, especailly increasing near the time of my monthly cycles. My doctor prescribed Zoloft 25mg then 50mg. I felt as if it literally saved my personal, social and work life.
With in six months I stopped taking it abruptly, because I felt like me again. Not realizing I wasn’t suppose to stop without being weaned off. Consequently, I felt dizziness and brain clapping. So my doctor put me back on it with a plan to wean me off. Following about half a year later, I was weaned off. Eventually about another year later the PMDD symptoms began to come back but not as severe. As of now I am back on Zoloft at 50mg for 8 months now.
After reading the comments on this site a lot of things are really now making sense to me; such as why is my hair thinning? I have experienced hair thinning over the past three years and I come from a family with a full head of thick hair-mother and father. Occasionally, but not bothersome I have experienced night sweats. Recently, I have been experiencing occasional nightmares! I am going to talk to my doctor about weaning me off again of this chemical and research alternative means of controlling PMDD. I really beleive this medicine is making my hair fall out which is devastating for a woman. I usually enjoy pleasant dreams. Don’t want anymore nightmares!!!
DiAnna
Subj: It is gut wrenching
Date: 11/12/2008
I took zoloft for one month for PMS. 50 mg. I had shooting pains in my brain, lethargy, extreme fatigue, depression and physical pains and aches. I felt like I was slowly dying. Lost interest in sex and my PMS was worse at the end of one month. I decided to wean myself off. Half pill every day then every other day first week. Withdraws started in. electric shocks down my arms, brain, tired, irritable. So I began taking xanax and klonopin to ease the withdrawl, but only at peak times of the day so I don’t develop a dependancy on these. I also became extremely constipated, took large amounts of magnesium to help with this. Week two I am taking half every other day. Week three every three days week four I will stop. It is gut wrenching. I also take advil pm only one at 8 PM each night to insure I sleep. insomnia has also been a problem. Find ways to aleviate the suffering. Don’t change to a new psychotropic to solve the problem. Let your body and brain recalibrate itself first. Drink a beer or glass of wine to pull u thru the really tough times.
Connie
Subj: Gained significant weight and hair loss
Date: 11/22/2008
I’m 17 and I’ve been taking zoloft for 5 or so years. Since I’ve gained significant weight even though I don’t eat very much (I don’t exercise a lot but it wouldn’t account for this much) and recently I’ve noticed that my hair is thinning and my hairline is receding a bit. It used to work for me for awhile but I’m not sure if it does anymore, and I’m considering stopping it. Does anyone know if there’s anyway to regain the hair I’ve lost, I feel that starting to go bald at 17 is unacceptable, please help.
Lee
AskDocWeb: In most cases, once the drug is discontinued hair growth should return to normal. If it doesn’t then you may want to take a look at the products for hair loss reviewed here.
Subj: Abdominal pain vanished
Date: 11/27/2008
I had been taking zoloft for about 5 years for seasonal depression when I decided I didn’t want to be on it anymore. I was only on 25mg a day so I didn’t wean myself. I was fine with some side effects but nothing drastic. About 8 weeks later I started having severe abdominal pain, I went to the ER twice but never mentioned I had been on zoloft because I didn’t think that had anything to do with it at the time. I went back on the zoloft shortly after only because I was so hateful and depressed. The abdominal pain vanished almost immediately.
Sam
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