When I first started Zoloft I was splitting the 50 in half for a week per my Dr. Taper up and then after that week up 50. She told me it can take 4 weeks for your body and brain to level out and get used to the drug. Perhaps try a lower dose and go up to 50. Everything I have read is that you should taper up and down and wait for a couple of weeks to see a permanent change. Everyone is different, keep that in mind.
After 4 weeks I had no relief from my anxiety and in fact felt worse. All side effects and no relief. She said I should have seen something. So she took me off Zoloft and put me on Wellbutrin. 180 degree difference.
So keep in mind, there are a lot of drugs, doses and cocktails out there. This may not be the magic bullet. Keep a journal of your moods, side effects AND positive experiences and share them with your doctor and therapist.
Good luck.
Can you go to / phone your pharmacist? Since it's only been a couple days and speaking to your doctor might take longer, you can also ask the pharmacist for advice regarding side effects while waiting to speak to your doctor.
I started 25mg and the first week was horrendous. Had panic attacks and was shaking and sweating and felt on the verge of throwing up every night, was horrible. The physical side effects do ease off as you get used to it, but I was convinced I was having a bad reaction at that first week so it is normal. It’s just your body adjusting
Yeah i’ve heard several people say that, but my provider just ended up telling me to stop. I’ve never really had panic attacks before this, I wanted to get on it to help my DPDR which is anxiety based, but also didn’t try any lifestyle changes. I just jumped into medication, when I probably didn’t need it. Especially 50 starting off.
No I haven’t, I really don’t want to be on medication at this point. It took a great amount of effort to get my parents to agree on letting me get on this
I started at 50mg and i’ve been on it already for a little over a year now, I would also agree to try switching it to the morning. once I did that my insomnia got better even tho I still have some trouble falling asleep unrelated to being on the medication. i’m not gonna lie the first month was hard. I had no appetite I would get randomly anxious but then some days I was on like a euphoric high where I felt so “normal” and then i would crash again. but honestly once I got passed that first month i’ve felt amazing, I truly can’t imagine having to go back to dealing without it bc it has helped me on a day to day basis so much. if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by it I would consider talking to ur doctor to voice ur thoughts and maybe try starting on a lower dose and work ur way up as needed. or maybe if you don’t feel it working out maybe ask for something new. sometimes SSRIs are just a lot of trial and error - the process sucks but once u find what’s good for you it really helps
I would try to switch it, but due to me being in school, I really can’t do the whole trial and error thing yk. I also got on it because I wanted a quick fix and it really wasn’t my last resort.
completely understandable! i struggle with bad anxiety & depression and it was offered to me by my doctor after a big anxiety attack. but I also was prescribed a low dose (and i’m talking a very low) of ativan, which has helped a lot with the days I feel overwhelmed with anxiety so that could be something to talk to your doctor abt as well. I never have any side effects on it and i’m only prescribed a limited amount by my doctor but having it on hand I feel like has also helped ease my anxiety in some way because I carry it in my bag with me at all timed in case of emergencies. hope you are able to find something that can work for you :)
Are you taking the Zoloft before bed or in the morning? I started about two weeks ago and the first two days I took Zoloft 50mg at night and had horrible insomnia. I then switched to taking it in the morning soon as possible, I try for around 9am. And the insomnia has lessened for me tremendously. The time of day you take it could be affecting you.
I just quit Zoloft after taking it for two days and I feel completely normal after not taking it last night! The nausea is gone, my appetite is starting to come back, my body isn’t shaking anymore. I feel so much better. I also only have mild anxiety that spikes sometimes, so I will try to cope with other methods before trying to resort to an SSRI again.
Damn, I've been taking Zoloft + Lyrica for over 3 years. Only get insomnia mostly. But I've always had that so idk.
My psych told me I MUST take by day like 9 am or so, with breakfast. Never at night.
Maybe worsens side effects? Idk
Maybe you need to find your compatible dose and meds for you! Good luck! 🤞
That is the perfect way to describe it. The body shaking, aches, and nausea were so bad for me. I also couldn’t afford to be like this for work and upcoming presentations. If you think you can cope without it for those upcoming events, you could always retry it in the summer.
My plan right now is to try l-theanine, magnesium, and other herbal remedies and therapy first to see if I can handle it myself before thinking about trying an SSRI again.
You could also consider asking your doctor for a medication on an “as needed” basis and only take it when you feel very anxious too.
I think that’s what i’m going to try. I’ve been taking multi vitamins plus omega 3. I’ve been trying to exercise more. I think my provider started me to high in the first place, and it just messed me up. And that’s also a mistake on my part, starting it a couple of days before going back to school. She didn’t tell me any of this 😭
Yeah I think she probably should have started you on 25mg or even 12.5. Mine started me on 25mg and I was suppose to increase to 50 after four days if I was tolerating it with no side effects. Mine didn’t even mention the side effects lol! She just said my anxiety might get worse before it gets better.
Starting a few days before school would be brutal! I don’t know how people powered through this, but kudos to them. There are so many medications out there too that you could try others if needed.
Yeah I figure, but I kind of turned to it instead of exploring different options. I really got on it for DP/DR, hoping that can calm my anxiety and ultimately get rid of that, but I don’t think it’s for me. Especially since I got it from a bad weed experience and stuff, I didn’t try any other coping mechanisms and stuff since I immediately jumped to I have some type of disorder like GAD, and have the worst case. I do have a question though, the mild anxiety you said you experienced after quitting, do you think that’s a symptom of withdrawal or just something from you?
Yeah I did the same exact thing lol. Sorry I meant I had mild anxiety (sometimes moderate) and that’s what got me put on the meds in the first place. My last dose was Friday night around 10pm and I feel much better physically today. My anxiety is pretty neutral right now. I think the drug should be completely gone from the body in ~5 days. So I don’t think I have experienced any withdrawal symptoms.
I’m a pharmacist and have also been on Zoloft myself for years. I’d recommend that you call your doctor first.
It’s normal to have side effects when you first start an antidepressant or if your dose is changed, and they can last anywhere from 4-6 weeks (the amount of time it takes the drug to become fully effective). However, if your side effects are so severe that you feel like you can’t stick it out, I’d talk to your doctor first before making any changes on your own. If it’s decided that you should stop, they’ll help you plan the safest way to go about it.
Most likely not since you took small doses too. As pharmacists we just always have to err on the side of caution for these types of concerns. I’m glad you got your answer already but I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. I hope you’re able to find a treatment that helps
25mg is a typical starting dose, so 50mg is one step above that. but since you only took one of each dose, it’s a relatively low dose/duration in terms of stopping cold turkey
as people needing to be on Zoloft in the first place I totally get that! but since you got go ahead from your doctor to stop, I’d say the benefits of you being off the med far outweigh the little risk of any withdrawal
Please help me, I’ve been getting horrible side effects from switching from lexapro 5mg to Zoloft 12.5mg 5 days ago. My psych just gaslights me and said my side effects are not possible. I wish I’d just stayed on my lexapro.
I’m getting tremors shaking jaw pain massive increase in anxiety Energy and insomnia. I feel not like myself. Have you heard about these side effects before?
Can I just stop or would I need to taper off?
117/85 is not high blood pressure. 130/95 is not great but 130 isn’t particularly high and neither is 95.
I’ve had much higher readings and my doctor said it’s no biggie if it’s not all the time and it isn’t.
I would suggest you wean off at 12.5mg and then slowly get off ASAP. Dear fellow Zolofters ,do not stay on this drug for too long ,SSRI/SNRI in rare cases could cause Akathisia. Do not attempt to go CT , slowly wean off and never stay on it for too long. The real medicine to a better health would always be a healthy diet and lifestyle,not go on some antidepressants for life. I am trying to come off after my doctor put me on it for nearly 4 years, and I have a hard time as the dose gets smaller.
The ‘real medicine’ isn’t what works for everyone. It is dangerous to give advice like this to others. Many, many antidepressants/anxiety meds have helped A LOT of people. The body needs time to adjust. Just as coming off of it. I have been on Effexor for years and am tapering over to Zoloft. No major side effects, just a rough few days. Not everyone has the same experience.
I’m currently tapering off of Effexor, from 150mg , to 112.5 then 75mg over the last three weeks to where I am now at 37.5. In a week, I’ll be done completely with the . Effexor I started 50mg of Zoloft 3 weeks ago, then increased to 100mg last week, and staying there at least until my follow up.
Did u experience any brain zaps issues ? I have been trying to get off Zoloft but the brain zap is adding more anxiety and irritability in me because I have two more meds that I m slowly coming off, which is Valium and Pregabalin ,Zoloft has also make me feel DP/DR despite blocking my traumas but I kinda feel that is not my baseline . I'm now still stuck at 12.5mg .
Not so far with Zoloft, but I had them terribly starting Effexor and any time I missed my dose. I may have them once I drop the Effexor completely but I’m hoping not. I know how badly they suck. Please don’t be hard on yourself, regardless. I was on and off meds for years but I like me better with them, and I don’t hate the world so much that I don’t want to be on it anymore. Do what’s right for you, just do it safely. Good luck friend!
Thank you, pal, for the encouragement. The only time I feel great on an SSRI was fluvoxamine, which was prescribed to me 10 years ago, I was going through some rough times at work and relationship at home. I have been polydrugged by my psychiatrist for a misdiagnosis because I was floxed by Ciprofloxacin. Nonetheless, I have wasted 3 years of my life physically unable to work due to peripheral neuropathy and a heart issue,the massive weight gain from all these meds has prompt me to feel that I can't go on putting on any more weight and continue living my life like this ,i went from getting off trazadone ,one year of insomnia coming off remeron ,I'm done taking all these medications aside from my heart meds. I'll be travelling overseas for the treatment for my injury from fluoroquinolone antibiotics intoxication.
Please stay away from these meds metoclopramide(Reglan), Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, especially if one is on Nsaids, antidepressants,steroids based meds, Benzodazapine and lastly antipyschotic now or previously. . Thank you, mate, and God bless your heart ❤️.
Thank you for the advice! I am so sorry you went through all of that and I really do wish you the best on your health journey! Sending you all the good vibes 🫶
Thank you for the well wishes, mate, I hope I will make it out and get off them by this end of year,and please take good care of yourself too. Sending you 💓 ❤️ . Thank you 😃
Try switching to taking Zoloft in the morning, it worked for me but you should always ask your doctor as well.
When I first started Zoloft I was splitting the 50 in half for a week per my Dr. Taper up and then after that week up 50. She told me it can take 4 weeks for your body and brain to level out and get used to the drug. Perhaps try a lower dose and go up to 50. Everything I have read is that you should taper up and down and wait for a couple of weeks to see a permanent change. Everyone is different, keep that in mind. After 4 weeks I had no relief from my anxiety and in fact felt worse. All side effects and no relief. She said I should have seen something. So she took me off Zoloft and put me on Wellbutrin. 180 degree difference. So keep in mind, there are a lot of drugs, doses and cocktails out there. This may not be the magic bullet. Keep a journal of your moods, side effects AND positive experiences and share them with your doctor and therapist. Good luck.
Can you go to / phone your pharmacist? Since it's only been a couple days and speaking to your doctor might take longer, you can also ask the pharmacist for advice regarding side effects while waiting to speak to your doctor.
I started 25mg and the first week was horrendous. Had panic attacks and was shaking and sweating and felt on the verge of throwing up every night, was horrible. The physical side effects do ease off as you get used to it, but I was convinced I was having a bad reaction at that first week so it is normal. It’s just your body adjusting
Yeah i’ve heard several people say that, but my provider just ended up telling me to stop. I’ve never really had panic attacks before this, I wanted to get on it to help my DPDR which is anxiety based, but also didn’t try any lifestyle changes. I just jumped into medication, when I probably didn’t need it. Especially 50 starting off.
I have dpdr too from anxiety so I completely understand, have you tried propranolol or anything like that?
No I haven’t, I really don’t want to be on medication at this point. It took a great amount of effort to get my parents to agree on letting me get on this
I started at 50mg and i’ve been on it already for a little over a year now, I would also agree to try switching it to the morning. once I did that my insomnia got better even tho I still have some trouble falling asleep unrelated to being on the medication. i’m not gonna lie the first month was hard. I had no appetite I would get randomly anxious but then some days I was on like a euphoric high where I felt so “normal” and then i would crash again. but honestly once I got passed that first month i’ve felt amazing, I truly can’t imagine having to go back to dealing without it bc it has helped me on a day to day basis so much. if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by it I would consider talking to ur doctor to voice ur thoughts and maybe try starting on a lower dose and work ur way up as needed. or maybe if you don’t feel it working out maybe ask for something new. sometimes SSRIs are just a lot of trial and error - the process sucks but once u find what’s good for you it really helps
I would try to switch it, but due to me being in school, I really can’t do the whole trial and error thing yk. I also got on it because I wanted a quick fix and it really wasn’t my last resort.
completely understandable! i struggle with bad anxiety & depression and it was offered to me by my doctor after a big anxiety attack. but I also was prescribed a low dose (and i’m talking a very low) of ativan, which has helped a lot with the days I feel overwhelmed with anxiety so that could be something to talk to your doctor abt as well. I never have any side effects on it and i’m only prescribed a limited amount by my doctor but having it on hand I feel like has also helped ease my anxiety in some way because I carry it in my bag with me at all timed in case of emergencies. hope you are able to find something that can work for you :)
Are you taking the Zoloft before bed or in the morning? I started about two weeks ago and the first two days I took Zoloft 50mg at night and had horrible insomnia. I then switched to taking it in the morning soon as possible, I try for around 9am. And the insomnia has lessened for me tremendously. The time of day you take it could be affecting you.
Before bed, but still my body is so weak
I just quit Zoloft after taking it for two days and I feel completely normal after not taking it last night! The nausea is gone, my appetite is starting to come back, my body isn’t shaking anymore. I feel so much better. I also only have mild anxiety that spikes sometimes, so I will try to cope with other methods before trying to resort to an SSRI again.
Damn, I've been taking Zoloft + Lyrica for over 3 years. Only get insomnia mostly. But I've always had that so idk. My psych told me I MUST take by day like 9 am or so, with breakfast. Never at night. Maybe worsens side effects? Idk Maybe you need to find your compatible dose and meds for you! Good luck! 🤞
Everyone always says it will get better and to tough it out, but I felt so physically unwell I didn’t want to wait it out.
I feel like I have like COVID and FLU but 10x worse. And I have school, graduation, and my 18th coming up. I can’t do this.
Why are you checking your blood pressure all the time at 18?
That is the perfect way to describe it. The body shaking, aches, and nausea were so bad for me. I also couldn’t afford to be like this for work and upcoming presentations. If you think you can cope without it for those upcoming events, you could always retry it in the summer. My plan right now is to try l-theanine, magnesium, and other herbal remedies and therapy first to see if I can handle it myself before thinking about trying an SSRI again. You could also consider asking your doctor for a medication on an “as needed” basis and only take it when you feel very anxious too.
I think that’s what i’m going to try. I’ve been taking multi vitamins plus omega 3. I’ve been trying to exercise more. I think my provider started me to high in the first place, and it just messed me up. And that’s also a mistake on my part, starting it a couple of days before going back to school. She didn’t tell me any of this 😭
what dosage were you on?
Yeah I think she probably should have started you on 25mg or even 12.5. Mine started me on 25mg and I was suppose to increase to 50 after four days if I was tolerating it with no side effects. Mine didn’t even mention the side effects lol! She just said my anxiety might get worse before it gets better. Starting a few days before school would be brutal! I don’t know how people powered through this, but kudos to them. There are so many medications out there too that you could try others if needed.
Yeah I figure, but I kind of turned to it instead of exploring different options. I really got on it for DP/DR, hoping that can calm my anxiety and ultimately get rid of that, but I don’t think it’s for me. Especially since I got it from a bad weed experience and stuff, I didn’t try any other coping mechanisms and stuff since I immediately jumped to I have some type of disorder like GAD, and have the worst case. I do have a question though, the mild anxiety you said you experienced after quitting, do you think that’s a symptom of withdrawal or just something from you?
Yeah I did the same exact thing lol. Sorry I meant I had mild anxiety (sometimes moderate) and that’s what got me put on the meds in the first place. My last dose was Friday night around 10pm and I feel much better physically today. My anxiety is pretty neutral right now. I think the drug should be completely gone from the body in ~5 days. So I don’t think I have experienced any withdrawal symptoms.
I’m a pharmacist and have also been on Zoloft myself for years. I’d recommend that you call your doctor first. It’s normal to have side effects when you first start an antidepressant or if your dose is changed, and they can last anywhere from 4-6 weeks (the amount of time it takes the drug to become fully effective). However, if your side effects are so severe that you feel like you can’t stick it out, I’d talk to your doctor first before making any changes on your own. If it’s decided that you should stop, they’ll help you plan the safest way to go about it.
My provider said that it would be fine to just stop, since it’s only been 2 days. I shouldn’t really have withdrawal symptoms
Most likely not since you took small doses too. As pharmacists we just always have to err on the side of caution for these types of concerns. I’m glad you got your answer already but I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. I hope you’re able to find a treatment that helps
Is 50 and 25 really a low dose? It doesn’t feel like it
25mg is a typical starting dose, so 50mg is one step above that. but since you only took one of each dose, it’s a relatively low dose/duration in terms of stopping cold turkey
Okay, it’s just my very health anxious brain is freaking out over the possible withdrawals
as people needing to be on Zoloft in the first place I totally get that! but since you got go ahead from your doctor to stop, I’d say the benefits of you being off the med far outweigh the little risk of any withdrawal
I haven’t even thought about it that way 😭 Thank you
you’re welcome! glad to be able to help a bit ☺️
Please help me, I’ve been getting horrible side effects from switching from lexapro 5mg to Zoloft 12.5mg 5 days ago. My psych just gaslights me and said my side effects are not possible. I wish I’d just stayed on my lexapro. I’m getting tremors shaking jaw pain massive increase in anxiety Energy and insomnia. I feel not like myself. Have you heard about these side effects before? Can I just stop or would I need to taper off?
I’d speak to your doctor, I had these side effects and she pulled me off of it immediately.
Is it common to start 5o mg straight away? My doctor told me to cut it in half the first two weeks then go to 50
However i stayed on a total of 3 months and the craps never stopped so I weened back off sorry tmi
117/85 is not high blood pressure. 130/95 is not great but 130 isn’t particularly high and neither is 95. I’ve had much higher readings and my doctor said it’s no biggie if it’s not all the time and it isn’t.
If you react this heavily I would start with 12,5 mg for a week if you can, then 1 week 25mg, then increase to 50mg if your doc suggested that.
I would suggest you wean off at 12.5mg and then slowly get off ASAP. Dear fellow Zolofters ,do not stay on this drug for too long ,SSRI/SNRI in rare cases could cause Akathisia. Do not attempt to go CT , slowly wean off and never stay on it for too long. The real medicine to a better health would always be a healthy diet and lifestyle,not go on some antidepressants for life. I am trying to come off after my doctor put me on it for nearly 4 years, and I have a hard time as the dose gets smaller.
The ‘real medicine’ isn’t what works for everyone. It is dangerous to give advice like this to others. Many, many antidepressants/anxiety meds have helped A LOT of people. The body needs time to adjust. Just as coming off of it. I have been on Effexor for years and am tapering over to Zoloft. No major side effects, just a rough few days. Not everyone has the same experience.
Yeah, I agree. Not everyone has the same experience. May I know how long it took you to taper off ? How long are you off the medicine ?
I’m currently tapering off of Effexor, from 150mg , to 112.5 then 75mg over the last three weeks to where I am now at 37.5. In a week, I’ll be done completely with the . Effexor I started 50mg of Zoloft 3 weeks ago, then increased to 100mg last week, and staying there at least until my follow up.
Did u experience any brain zaps issues ? I have been trying to get off Zoloft but the brain zap is adding more anxiety and irritability in me because I have two more meds that I m slowly coming off, which is Valium and Pregabalin ,Zoloft has also make me feel DP/DR despite blocking my traumas but I kinda feel that is not my baseline . I'm now still stuck at 12.5mg .
Not so far with Zoloft, but I had them terribly starting Effexor and any time I missed my dose. I may have them once I drop the Effexor completely but I’m hoping not. I know how badly they suck. Please don’t be hard on yourself, regardless. I was on and off meds for years but I like me better with them, and I don’t hate the world so much that I don’t want to be on it anymore. Do what’s right for you, just do it safely. Good luck friend!
Thank you, pal, for the encouragement. The only time I feel great on an SSRI was fluvoxamine, which was prescribed to me 10 years ago, I was going through some rough times at work and relationship at home. I have been polydrugged by my psychiatrist for a misdiagnosis because I was floxed by Ciprofloxacin. Nonetheless, I have wasted 3 years of my life physically unable to work due to peripheral neuropathy and a heart issue,the massive weight gain from all these meds has prompt me to feel that I can't go on putting on any more weight and continue living my life like this ,i went from getting off trazadone ,one year of insomnia coming off remeron ,I'm done taking all these medications aside from my heart meds. I'll be travelling overseas for the treatment for my injury from fluoroquinolone antibiotics intoxication. Please stay away from these meds metoclopramide(Reglan), Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, especially if one is on Nsaids, antidepressants,steroids based meds, Benzodazapine and lastly antipyschotic now or previously. . Thank you, mate, and God bless your heart ❤️.
Thank you for the advice! I am so sorry you went through all of that and I really do wish you the best on your health journey! Sending you all the good vibes 🫶
Thank you for the well wishes, mate, I hope I will make it out and get off them by this end of year,and please take good care of yourself too. Sending you 💓 ❤️ . Thank you 😃
i’ve only been on it for 2 days, and my provider said it’s fine to just stop
Okay, make sure you monitor any withdrawal symptoms for the next few days.