I searched the forums here and i see alot about zoloft but i am interested in anyone who recently started or can offer support with this med,  i started taking it yesterday,  i am amazed how awful i feel,  i know its is suppossed to increase your symptoms for the first few weeks or so, but i feel like taking a holiday just to start this med because i can not function properly, example,  my insomnia, tension, compulsions are over the roof,  i am thankful i dont have strong suisidal tendencies, because i would be really worried right now. but i can hardly work or do anything.  can someone help.  how long did it take to adjust? did you stick to your normal rutine or allow yourself time off? i am very afraid to change my normal program but i feel too stressed.  and yes i have talked about it with my doc, but i want advice from people who have or are going through this right now.  please

It took 2- weeks before I really started noticing positive effects. Just be calm and stick with it, if you feel really out of it, make sure you have someone to talk to, whether a family member, friend or one of those support hotlines!

I agree with yahvinah.   Two weeks for it to make you feel positive.  I had to work my way through a headach and tummy ache almost everyday for those two weeks, but in the end its really worth it for me.  Personally, i also attend Alanon and go to couseling which helps with my issues as well.  Good luck and hang in there.

i also agree with the two previous posts. It took me about 2 weeks, however my body reacted quite weird to zoloft. my body became WAYYYY to dependent on it. I ended up switching to effexor, and that was much better for me. Its so important to find an anti depressant that is right for you. If the side effects of zoloft end up bothering you too much you may want to consider a different medication.

Hi there!

I'm actually surprised to hear that you are having side effects with Zoloft..... but maybe that means that your body chemistry doesn't vibe well with it.

I tried several different medications (under doctor's supervision) before finding one that I liked (Lexapro.... which ended up causing weight gain, so I switched to Zoloft, which I LOVE). There were several different medications that made my symptoms worse...... which I believe means they are the WRONG medication to take.

While you are correct in assuming that it will take a couple of weeks for you to experience the full extent of the benefits of Zoloft.... I'm not sure having NEGATIVE side effects is "normal."

Let me ask - are you seeing a psychiatrist or a general doctor? Seeing a professional who is well versed in side effects and drug interactions might be a good idea if you're not already seeing one.

 

hi,  i went to 1-4th of my 50mg and it was alot better. i am seeing a psychatrist as well as my father is a psychatrist and i have been on and off med...since i was 16 and on and off therapy since i was 10.  lexapro helped me me, but he wants to try zoloft my main problem is an anxiety disorder and some other stuff this causes insomnia and really unpleasent nagging intrusive thoughts and panic attacks,  ya he saifd the first two weeks might make things worse but that it will get better. thanks for all the remarks

ARGH we have the exact same thing going on, I was having insomnia, panic attacks, intrusive thought (they gave me clorpromazine for those) and they classed me as an axiety person too! ARGH, I soooo feel your pain!!!!

 My doc put me up to 2 pills a month or too ago and it was too much for me and i WAS LIKE GRINDING MY TEETH AND and tapping CONSTANTLY, argh, it was soooo horrible, then she put me back down to 1.5... Yeesh, just stay strong, and try to distract yourself when you find that you are feeling off balance. I started drawing, braiding my husbands hair, crotcheting, cooking (sometime in the middle of the night - not good - but that was the best pizza I ever made) and just doing what made me feel good, and push the negative thoughts away, now I hardly have them, no more chlorpromazine, and I should be off the zoloft in 6-8months... whew, thank goodness post natal depression doesnt last forever!!! I thought I was going nuts...

I know that they should have starter packs. I know if I started a medication at full dose I had bad effects. This happened with effexor they started me off with the full dose and I had bad side effects.

I think starting off with 25 mg. and then increasing.......or even 15?? NOt sure. Zoloft may not work for you. Each person needs to find the right one for them.

I took it was a short time.  I felt very fuzzy and my eyesight was weird.  I stopped taking it.  Switched to exercise and light therapy.  That did the trick.

My daughter was on zoloft.  She had a grand mal seizure.  Dr. took her off the Zoloft immediately as they weren't sure if it was a factor that helped trigger the seizure.  She switched to a homeopathic remedy and kicked the depression the same day.  She had to go back every month/ half for another remedy.  Most amazing.  Unfortunately, her practitioner retired. 

Not everything comes from Walgreens.  SOmetimes natural  works better.

April

I started Zoloft a little over a year ago. For the 1st four days I was like a zombie. I can only describe it best as being "violently tired" (think uncontrollable yawning). Personally, I went on it for anxiety but I found that it helped with eating too. It's been proven to help with binge eating. Not that I'm a binge eater.......or at least, I don't think I am. But none the less, it was the best thing I ever did. I highly recommend it to everyone. fyi: I started, and am currently on, 50 mg.  But I do have a friend who is on 200 mg......but's that a whole different story.

I took zoloft a number of years ago and didn't find it particularly helpful.  Nor do I remember any problems with side effects. 

It takes about 4-6 weeks of regularly taking any anti-depressant to reach its maximum effectiveness, though that doesn't account for possibly needing to adjust the dosage, etc.

I currently take Effexor.