Starting Zoloft - Input from others using this drug?

[Dave G]

Hey guys,

After battling anxiety for a few years unaided I finally mustered up the motivation to see a doctor yesterday. He prescribed me the drug Zoloft, which I've seen many people mention throughout these threads. He prescribed 50 mg pills, but suggested I take half a pill for the first week (25 mg) then begin taking the whole 50 after the first week. He said not to expect to feel any differently for a few weeks.

I'm not expecting this to be a miracle cure, but I am curious as to how I will feel once it begins to kick in and how it will help my symptoms. I told the doctor about my fears and nervousness in social settings and he said this should help me to be more calm and maybe not pay so much attention to these external factors that drive me crazy. I'm hoping the drug will help me worry less and just live.

Any input from others using this drug?

Thanks,
Dave

[trinidiva]

I, too, was prescribed Zoloft by my doctor.....I already take 45mg of Buspirone per day, and now I'm supposed to be adding 5ml of liquid Zoloft to start. I don't know why, but I've been putting and putting it off. I'm just really nervous about taking it---maybe because I had a bad reaction to Lexapro when I tried it. I KNOW that I need to take something though because the Buspirone is just not cutting it!!!!!! Well, when you take it, can you tell me how the side effects are for you?

[forwells]

Howdy Dave

What to expect ??

Well i guess if it was like the one i took in the past you will more than likely notice a little increase in anxiety until the drugs starts to do its job .

Then you will notice not much at all . Your doctor is right in that you just stop focusing on things . One day you might be doing something and you will just think Hey i haven't had this or that for a while .

Many things you dont even notice they are gone . I stopped my drug after 2 months because of a side effect and it was only after this that i noticed things return .

It is very mild the way they work when they start .

Cheers kev

[laurandisorder]

Zoloft was the first anti depressant medication I tried and here in Australia, it is the most widely used because of its very minimal side effects.

My experience will be different to yours, I had a placebo reaction to it instantly. I felt better than I had in months the first week of trying it. It's really important to be consistent and take it as instructed. It takes about a month to work properly in your system.

It was extremely effective as an anti-depressant for me for a good couple of years.

Good luck!!

[cac17]

Hey Dave, consulting the Dr. was a really good choice.

Sertraline, is one of the first line drugs used in the treatment of anxiety, and other problems (panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety, depression..).

I've taken Sertraline for months, in many occasions, and the behavioral effect it has caused in me, is mostly to calm me down. It doesn't make any miracles, but it seems to neutralize things.

The problem with anxiety is that there is a moment when you see yourself so trapped, there is no way you can help yourself.
This treatment, helped me get into a point where i could be calmed, and have a moment to breath and see things different.
I still got anxious, and still felt bad. But the frequency and intensity of the ups and downs where lower than before taking the drug.

What i suggest you is, that once you get better, you also try to help yourself with psychotherapy.

After a few months of taking Sertraline, i decided to dropped it, and after a few weeks i started feeling bad again. And this scenario was present at least in 3-4 occasions of taking it and dropping it.
So, my conclusions from this, is that as anxiety is a really complex condition, taking a drug that helps with the neurotransmitter unbalances help but doesn't entirely solve the problem.

You need to train yourself, and to develop a system where you gain some control over it, and Sertraline is a start but not the final battle.


I really hope you get better.

Good luck!

[Dave G]

Thanks for the input guys. I started taking it 5 days ago - no placebo effect yet, so I'll let you all know what kind of changes I see when it takes effect.

[sunnier]

hi dave, i ave been on Zoloft off and on for the last 20 years, the only sucky thing for me is the sexual side effect, but other than that, it has helped me with my OCD thinking and anixety. i think i may have to be on it for the rest of my life, even if at 25 mg a day which is not alot, right now i had it upped to 75mg, due to some stress in my life right now. Good luck it does take 4-6 weeks to get into your system

[anxiousmess]

hi dave. i've just finished my first course of them. i had the placebo effect too to start off with. but i'm not knocking it.
anything to make myself feel better :D

i have to say though, what cac says is very true for me.
it seems to have made me see things a little bit better. rather than being sucked directly toward the anxiety, i am not able to stop and think...which prevents me from being sucked into the vicious cycle.

so far so good for me!
i had minimal side effects!

i have also been on this med before. along with many others... and i constantly found myself stopping each and every med when i thought i was better. only to find the problems creep back up after i stopped.
this time, i'm definitely sticking it out.

good luck :) i hope it works as well for you as it seems to be for me!

[trinidiva]

So Dave, any updates on how the Zoloft has been working for you? I'm finally breaking down and trying it tonight...I'm totally scared....I guess because my experience with another SSRI.....