Zoloft...Any Personal or Professional Advice?

nsgstudentjen · Jul 19, 2004

hi there - I was on 50mg (started at 25mg) qd a few years ago for anxiety/depression. I didn't notice a change in weight, but I did have some side effects...nausea/dizzyness the first few weeks. I had to take with food and not too early in the am. The most negative side effect was loss of sex drive - and inablility to have an orgasm (sorry if this is too much info, just wanted to let you know) which is a commons side effect.

However, this drug did help me pull myself out of a dark hole so to speak. Things changed in my life for the better, so I was able to manage with talk therapy and no meds. Good luck to you - my advice is start slow and build up your dose slowl to avoid adverse reactions...

Jen

leslie :-D · Jul 19, 2004

hi....is your name ali??

zoloft, classified as an ssri, is known to treat depressions, anxieties, ocd and panic disorders.

the first few weeks there will probably be gi s.e., changes in sleep patterns perhaps, or whatever the s.e.'s unique to your body's chemistry....but they are temporary. that is important to remember when adjusting to any antidepressant. also w/antidepressants, there's always a small risk of increased depression and suicidal ideations...if it ever gets to that (which is highly unlikely but risk still exists), call your md stat.

with that said, i've been on paxil for years, which is also an ssri. it has served me well and has taken care of any anxieties i've had in the past. of course i still get depressed, but i have a feeling of well being and being able to cope. so it is certainly not a 'happy' pill, but one that should provide you with the tools necessary to function in qd life. much luck to you, ali???? :chuckle

leslie

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jul 19, 2004

hmmmmmm... interesting about the weight gain question. My dtr. is on Zoloft, and yes, she has gained a LOT over the past few years. She used to be skinnier than I, and since being on antidepressants has gradually gained over 50 #.

She started on Paxil for the first couple years, (which started the weight gain), then went to Zoloft which works better.. ( no more sweat attacks!)... but the weight gain overall from either or both of them was shocking.

So of course THIS bothers her as well.... a LOT.

PennyLane, RN · Jul 19, 2004

I wasn't on Zoloft, but was on Paxil for a while. I didn't gain any weight, but like Jen I had sexual side effects which I couldn't tolerate. That and palpitations and muscle twitches. Oh, and going off of it was pretty bad. But it DID help with my mood tremendously. I've never felt as good emotionally as I did when I was on it.

lsyorke, RN · Jul 19, 2004

"there's always a small risk of increased depression and suicidal ideations...if it ever gets to that (which is highly unlikely but risk still exists"

This is a VERY real risk!! The scariest part is that there are no predisposing behaviors that would identify who might be at risk. Instituting an SSRI, changing dose, or discontinuing any SSRI hold a very real risk of suicidal ideation.Its in the news all the time now regarding teenagers, but it exists for all on SSRI's. A congressional hearing that was supposed to take place today, but got postponed, is looking at the pharmaceuticals inaccurate reporting of clinical trial data.Clinical trial data was essentially negative but the only report made public was minimally positive. Please research Zoloft before you continue taking it. These drugs while appear to help some, can be devastating to others.And yes, weight gain is a side effect of Zoloft.

http://psychrights.org/Litigation/ProzacZoloftPaxilClassActions.htm

http://www.drugawareness.org/home.html

nycegyrl · Jul 19, 2004

I have taken Zoloft and it worked very well for me also. I had to be used to it because it does make you feel dizzy at first. It made me tired in the beginning but I was so desperate for help I wouldn't have quit taking it for nothing. I have been on Paxil. It worked pretty good for awhile. If you need it you should take it. Talk therapy helps so much. 3 months after you are on Zoloft you will be glad you started on it. Good luck.

December716 · Jul 19, 2004

I've been on Celexa (20mg) since January of this year (before that I was on it (40mg) for a year and stopped). I'm on it to treat anxiety and depression and it's worked wonders for me. I've had no weight gain (in fact, the first time I was on it, I actually lost weight, which was bad because of how thin I am to begin with), my moods have been so much better, and I feel that this great dark cloud has been lifted off of me.

The first couple weeks of taking it were very bad, though. I couldn't function at all. I was just so tired. But that went away and I've experienced no negative side effects (not even sexual side effects).

The only thing I worry about is that I think it loses its effectiveness. That's why I stopped it before. After a year, I sunk into a major depression and stopped taking it because it seemed very useless. So I'm worried that that'll happen again. I've heard of people going through all the antidepressants because they grow tolerant to them. That's why I'm on a 20mg dose right now. If I feel that happening, I plan taking to the doctor about increasing my dosage.

Oh, by the way, I find doctors that doctors just don't know the facts of antidepressants. I was told that there was absolutely no withdrawal effects (which turned out to be VERY wrong) and that it was something that would cause no side effects at all (luckily, it didn't for me, but MANY people experience side effects).

I think the only way you'll know how well you'll do on it is to go on it and try it for a few months. Weigh out the pros and cons of it, though. Realize that the side effects can be VERY real. Research it. There's more to it than the doctors tell you.

Good luck!

P_RN, ADN, RN · Jul 19, 2004

To me Zoloft is a literal lifesaver. But I did put on weight. That is most likely not caused by the Zoloft but by my not being able to bike and walk. Good stuff when it works.

TexasPoodleMix · Jul 19, 2004

I took Zoloft for a very short amount of time to deal with some mild anxiety (mostly situational) and frequent worry. I believe it did help but caused me to not enjoy sex so I stopped taking it . :)

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Jul 20, 2004

i was on zoloft for a short time a few years ago, and didn't notice any difference (prolly because I was on it for only about a month... didn't have time to completely work), and I too noticed sexual side effects.

i've had a ton of stress lately, and begun to seek help. i was recently perscribed welbutrin, and has helped me a lot. also, it has no sexual side effects (drive has gone up because i feel better!) and i have lost 7lbs. of course, its not for everyone, but its some good stuff....

PennyLane, RN · Jul 20, 2004

Oh, by the way, I find doctors that doctors just don't know the facts of antidepressants. I was told that there was absolutely no withdrawal effects (which turned out to be VERY wrong) and that it was something that would cause no side effects at all (luckily, it didn't for me, but MANY people experience side effects).

Sooooo true about docs not knowing all the facts. It never ceases to amaze me. A friend of mine is trying to get pregnant and her ob/gyn said it was okay to take Ativan--she said it was a pregnancy class B drug!!! I told her it wasn't and suggested she speak to her doctor about Buspar, which she had taken before, and which is pregnancy class B. Her doctor had to drag out her med book and look it up, and then conceded that she was wrong! :uhoh3: