Zoloft

[Shamstalat]

Likewise. I started on medications because my parents were literally begging my psychiatrist to make their daughter "normal" again. "Please make her stop." My symptoms were pretty severe over the summer that I wasn't functioning. My therapist wanted to hospitalize me but my parents were opposed to that so they found a new therapist and begged her to put me on medication. So the main reason I started with medication was out of desperation. I was raised in a family that goes by the maxim of "no medication until you're at death's door."

 

[Ruth09]

I originally started Zoloft for only 3 days at 50mg at bed time and had a racing heart 1-2 hours after drinking a cup of coffee. It eventually sent me to the ER by the third day. Well, its been 6 days since I've stopped taking zoloft and even coffee, and I'm still having a bad reaction with coffee (I had a cup with breakfast, today.). I spent 3 hours in the ER twiddling my thumbs waiting for my heart to slow down. Ok, folks. Coffee was part of my diet for 20 years. I'm trying to figure out why all of a sudden I should have this sort of reaction, even after stopping zoloft. I read on the "internet" that caffeine take longer to metabolize due to Zoloft. Has anyone read anything in a good source about caffeine and zoloft reacting badly. And, why its taking so long for the zoloft to exit my system. The Docs are telling me its in my head. But, when my heart starts racing out of control for no reason while I'm reading emails after a cup of coffee. Its not in my head. I've had anxiety attacks before, but they have been at night, just before bed. And, I had those anoying thoughts with the anxiety attack. During this type of anxiety attack, yeah,...I know how to calm down, because they are just stupid thoughts. However, when I'm sitting there in the middle of the afternoon, calm, and my heart is still racing,...I know its not in my head.
Annoyed,.....with the real feeling I've been kicked in the chest.

 

[tazbat]

well just started my third week on zoloft and have to say the only chandge ive really noticed is that im really tired all the time i hope it doesnt continue like this...

 

[the racha]

Hey, Shamsi. I, too, am worried about potential withdrawal effects. But when I talked to my friends, therapists, and doctor about it I realized that my reality right now has to include Zoloft. I wish this weren't the case, but if I sit and worry about the zaps and other horrible things that people have described I'll just work myself up into a panic attack. So while I may or may not experience withdrawal symptoms, I've decided to cross that bridge when I get to it. I was in a similar situation to yours (i.e. not functioning-- in my case, I wouldn't shower or brush my teeth, was very suicidal, etc.), and the Zoloft was the best that medicine had to offer me so I took it. Wish I didn't have to, but what else is there? The depth of the sadness and the constant presence of the suicidal ideation and planning were overwhelming.

I do hope to go off of Zoloft some time in the next year or two and never have to get back on it, but sadly when it comes to prescription drugs we could all use more help.

 

[the racha]

Hey, Ruth09. Sounds to me like you're having panic attacks... after being on Zoloft, the nature of my panic attacks changed as well. I have two kinds now. One is the "old school" kind, as I call it, where my heart starts racing (122 bpm+) and I know it is in my head and I use my breathing techniques and calming techniques to ward it away. The second kind of panic attack is the "new school," kind that I've gotten ever since taking Zoloft. These panic attacks develop much more quickly-- i.e. I have less time to stem the tide with my techniques. My entire body starts to burn up (literally feels like my blood is boiling), and I get a weird taste in the back of my throat (I'm guessing it's from the jolt of adrenaline). More often than not, these types of panic attacks require a PRN (Klonopin in my case) to calm them down.

You sound frustrated, but this PTSD thing is frustrating. Once you think you have a handle on your symptoms and know yourself, something new and unexpected comes along to throw you for a loop. The first time I had a "new school" attack I, too, found myself in the ER. Now I just try my best to calm them in my head, and if it gets worse I take my PRN.

Good luck to you,
the racha

 

[Ruth09]

Racha,
I did take up my problem with my Doc, but all he did was give me xanax and told me not to take Zoloft anymore. But, he still didn't offer a replacement, just xanax as needed. I only had the "new school" panic attacks with coffee and zoloft. Once the zoloft got out of my system, which took a week after stopping, I could drink coffee without the panic attacks. He told me he would have to consult with another Doctor about a replacement, but he already had 7 days to figure this out. Because, 7 days had already passed since my ER visit (which he knew about). I complained to the head of the clinic and they "threw me out". They put in a consult for another facility within the same system, but with yet another doctor. I won't see the "new" doc until next wednesday. But, by then, I will have been without meds for 3 weeks. And, I'm dealing with any "thoughts/issues" on my own. Because, simply, no one at the psyc clinic wants to do their job. I truely understand why people within the VA system snap. Anyway, I'm glad you have such a good patient/doctor relationship. And just for info, since getting off of zoloft for two weeks, I am back to enjoying my morning cups of coffee without a single "afternoon" panic attack, which I never had, until taking zoloft. Thanks for the feed back, because I can identify the panic attacks I had with zoloft as "new school" to a prefect "T". Something no pharmacist, or doctor would explain to me. Again, Thanks.

 

[insomnia]

Zoloft [100mg] made me very depressed I was on it for years towards the end I was almost suicidal. I really dislike that drug and I had no with drawl symptoms when I got off it.

However I believe everyone's different for some people it works and for others like me it doesn't. So I guess you have to take any kind of medicine for yourself to know
how it will effect you. If you take it for a while and don't feel better and have a lot of bad side effects maybe you can talk to your DR about it and he can help you solve the problem.

 

[Cin]

I've been taking Zoloft (150mg) for about 3 years to manage anxiety. I couldn't function without it. I still get anxiety, but it is much reduced.

 

[anni]

Our bodies are one big collection of chemicals. We are a walking bag of chemistry, and our brain function is a very finely tuned, chemical reaction, really. Every one is also very different and what reacts with one person-well and how much- varies extremely. It's not like with an antibiotic where docs pretty much know the dose that will wipe out some specific nasty little bacteria. What a 'standard' dose for someone else is, made me an emotionless hulk. The dose which 'works' for me is ridiculously small and I found it by myself. I have a lovely friend who lost everything, including family, in Hurricane Katrina. She's still having a toughish time, is on Zoloft, and what 'works' for her is 3 times my dose.

It just seems to me that since everyone's chemistry is different and all these meds are chemicals, there can't be one drug or dose which works across the board for everyone. I think withdrawal is different also for people, but docs reallyyyy need to supervise that!

 

[Ruth09]

Well, I'm back on Zoloft. But, I'm starting at a less than theraputic dose, 12.5 mg. I'll do this for 2 weeks, then up it to 25mg, then up again in another 2 weeks. We will see.

But, when do you take your dosages?
Morning, evening, and or with a meal?

I have tried taking it at night together with my Trazadone, and I can't sleep at all.
I'm going to start taking it in the mornings. Lets see what happen's.

 

[Sazza]

I took mine of a morning i was only on it for a number of weeks before i requested to come off it. I hope the zoloft works for you. It didn't agree with me and when the dose was increased to 100mg i realised i needed to get off it quick. With permission of my gp stopped it without tapering and have to say i had no withdrawl but was so ill on it that probably wouldn't of noticed minor withdrawl as only on it about 5 weeks.

It seems most peeps have had better experience of zoloft so i hope it works for you, one thing did for me was made me very droswy amongst other things. Hope i have not put you off just thought would mention my experience and wish you well and a better jounrney on it as we are all very different with these things.

 

[Ruth09]

I haven't had a good night's sleep in 4 days. My mind is about to explode. ugh.
Zoloft is a rough start.