So, I have been dealing with depression and anxiety for probably a couple of years, now, if I really am honest with myself. I'm not excited about going on meds, but I'm also worried about all the depression, yelling & anger I'm expressing at home. That is not normal for me & I need to find my way back to the easy-going person who loved life that I once was.
I *just* started taking Zoloft, so I don't even know if it'll work for me, but I have already noticed some nausea and a very mild "buzz" feeling, similar to having drunk alcohol, along with feeling so tired. I will, of course share this with my Dr., but I wondered if any of you who do take it, or have in the past, felt your side effects subside, or not. Did your side effects change at all? Thanks for any info you can share. 
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Yes, it definitely got better. The nausea was particularly bad for me for the first several days but got better within a week or less. The tiredness it’s always so hard to tell- am I tired because of a med, or because of the anxiety that keeps me awake at night and i don’t sleep and I’m exhausted? Have you tried taking them at bedtime? That’s what my doctor had suggested for the tiredness and buzzed feeling, but I found it actually kept me awake so I switched to the morning. I would say maybe 3 days were the worst then it got noticeably better. And within a week or so I noticed I could keep my anger in check more, which was my biggest concern and the reason I started it. It was so worth it for me.
I started on a low dose of Zoloft when my youngest was a year and a half old and should have started way sooner. I was on for a little over a year when i started thinking about coming off, got too nervous so stuck with what worked, and now I’ve just tapered off and feel totally fine. So I was on t for less than a year and a half I guess and it helped so much and now I feel more like my normal self. Not perfect, not screaming with rage at my kids or crying in the car. Just, me.
Good luck. I hope the side effects less quickly and it helps. It’s such a crappy feeling and I was really hesitant to take them and felt so weird about it but it was so so helpful.
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I was on Zoloft many years ago (15 years ago) while going through my messy 2-year divorce after finding out EX-H cheated and was still communicating with his old flame - UGH. Talk about hitting rock bottom and needing "something." I began on a low dose and, while it began to help within a couple of weeks, I had a "high" and "nervous" feeling on it. Those feelings subsided after 5 weeks or so. Then, my doctor increased the dose during the start of divorce proceedings. Same side effects but with a side of nauseam. They did not last as long the second time, nor after the 3rd dose adjustment. After about 3 years on Zoloft, I was able to wean off it. Residual headaches were the only effect of that change. My advice is to hang in there unless it is absolutely unbearable as the medication can be extremely beneficial. Take them in the evening (IDK if you are administered Zoloft 1x daily or 2x) and with food if it helps. If the side effects are too much for you, discuss it with your physician or see if there is a suitable alternative treatment for your depression. A healthy and "happy" you is the best you. Good luck and I hope that everything works out. *hugs*
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@Kaohinani: did you get headaches as you weaned off? I’ve had a lot of headaches this week but the weather has also been crazy which is a headache trigger for me. And I weaned slowly off a low dose to begin with, but I wondered if it was related.
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@Foodnerd81:
Yes, but I had to use a "step method" since I also take Topamax (an anticonvulsant). I was on a fairly high dose of Zoloft at the 3-year mark so my physician had me began with that dose, then one half dose morning/full dose night for 3 days, half dose/half dose for 3 days, .25 pill morning/half dose for 3 days, .25/.25 for 3 days, no morning/.25 night for 3 days ... then nothing. I get migraines as is, but I found with the fluctuations in the medication as I trailed it off, it gave me a "tension headache" feeling. It was annoying. -
@GoGoSnoGirl: following b/c everyone is my life is encouraging me to take Zoloft but the side effects I've heard can be kinda bad.
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I started taking Zoloft for PPA/PPD, I felt tired/drowsy and a little out of it for the first 10-14 days. I started on 50 mg, and when I was increased to 100 mg I had the same side effects again but quit altogether because I felt like a zombie. A year later I started it again at 50 mg because of all the issues I was having TTC #2, then upped it to 100 after about a month on 50; this time I had very few side effects (tired, and started sleep walking again after 12 years of not) and have benefited from it greatly.
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@Foodnerd81: I'm glad to hear your experiences with Zoloft have been positive. Thank you for sharing. Yes, my anger is the motivation to try this, but I also don't want to feel awful in exchange. I am going to try taking it in the evening with dinner, though, I am concerned about it affecting my sleep. I was awake last night at 3am for no reason and had trouble falling back asleep.
@Kaohinani: thank you for your well wishes and all the info you shared. I rarely prefer to take medication, so I know I'm a bit reluctant & suspicious of the potential side effects/risks, but felt like I must give this a chance. In these first days, it's hard to see how the benefits will outweigh feeling just yucky. I'm just taking a single pill, so will adjust timing, but I'm hoping it won't take me the 5 weeks it took for you to feel better! -
@Sams Mom: interesting that your second time around your side effects were less--though sleep walking sounds a little scary! It seems ironic that a lot of the side effects are an exaggeration of symptoms that might lead someone to take it. I wish there were a test that could determine exactly what would help before needing to go through the trial period. I know my sister has had to go through this several times. I'll have to ask her what she ended up on.
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@pachamama: I totally feel you on the hesitation. I've been trying to keep myself in check, but my husband & 3yo are receiving the brunt of my frustration & anger. I owe them the chance this might work for me. I'll keep sharing how things go..
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@GoGoSnoGirl: I think my side effect were not too bad because I was on a low dose to begin with- only 25 mg. as for the timing I think you have to play around with what works. Good luck. It was really so helpful for me.
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@GoGoSnoGirl: you sound literally exactly like me!!
I was reading this woman's story about depressing/anxiety/ zoloft and she said you really need to start slow, like 25 and then increase to 50mg (if that's what your doctor has prescribed). It can be a lot on your system to just go to 50 if that's what you're taking. my OB said she sees the best results from 50mg-fwiw.
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It took my friend 6 weeks of gradually building up the dosage, but now she wouldn’t look back and is glad to be taking it. During the first two weeks she was tired and nauseous and second guessing whether she should have started it.
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@GoGoSnoGirl: I slept walk from like 2-17 years old consistently, then only on occasion if I was somewhere unfamiliar-mainly hotels. I scared the crap out of myself when I started sleep walking again though. Left a light on in my living room, woke up and saw the glow, thought my husband just got home (gets off at 3 AM) so I fell back asleep. Then he calls me at 5 AM to tell me he's going to be late, and I freaked out because I thought someone was in my house for the last 2 hours 🤦♀️
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@Sams Mom: I did that (and sleep ate!
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@Petitduck: yes, I've already wondered if it'll be worth it, myself.
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@GoGoSnoGirl: just an FYI if this one doesn’t work out I have heard of dna or genetic testing to see which meds you would react best too? The person I’m thinking of had her therapist recommend it because she wasn’t tolerating meds
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@gotkimchi: oh! Interesting! Thanks for bringing that up.
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@Foodnerd81: one more question: (or for any others who want to share)
Did your sleep disturbance show up as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep & did that improve? -
@GoGoSnoGirl: it actually helped my insomnia exponentially. I would get drowsy on it, so that ended up helping me. I don't get drowsy on it anymore, but I sleep normal.
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@GoGoSnoGirl: mostly trouble falling asleep, but sometimes staying asleep too. But I have always been prone to insomnia anyway and my anxiety certainly didn’t help it. But yes when I was taking the Zoloft at night I would feel awake like I’d had a cup of coffee before bed, and even once I fell asleep I felt like I was sleeping very lightly. I don’t know if switching to the morning helped or just the Zoloft started helping everything anxiety related and that helped my sleep. By its still something I often struggle with (and I’ve been totall off for a week)
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@Sams Mom: @Foodnerd81: thanks, ladies! Ive had 2 out of 3 nights where I wake around 3am & have trouble falling back asleep for maybe an hour. I don't love that, but am hoping it'll go away. My other side effects seem to be easing up already. I switched to taking it with my dinner.
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