Side Effects for Zoloft

Angkorwat

Well-known member
Hey everyone. I started taking Zoloft on Monday and now am on day 4. I know there are side effects within the first few weeks such as increased depression and restlessness, but I am experiencing a lot more than just those two. I have increased depression, I've only had about 5-6 hours of sleep total since Monday. I also have nausea, fever and mild headaches. I am in a state of dizziness which makes it hard to concentrate on school work, and recently my eyes became bloodshot. There are a few other symptoms I have but you get the idea. Is this normal to have almost ALL the symptoms, or is this an early sign of too much/little dosage or wrong medication altogether?
 

FountainandFairfax

in a VAN down by the RIVER
I think I had all of those, plus stomach cramps and dry-mouth. Most of my side effects went away after about a week-and-a-half or so, though. But I do remember almost quitting it when I was about 5-6 days in.

I hope you get used to it and that it works for you though. :D
 

planetweirdo

Well-known member
I take Zoloft. the side effects you mentioned are normal and should only last for about a week or so. but if it continues to bother you after the first couple of weeks you my want let your doctor know.

you should contact your doctor if you experience

bizarre behavior / hallucinations
bloody stools
chest pain
loss of bladder control
fainting
high fever
or any other severe rare condition.
 
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mismeek

Well-known member
I have those on top of a intestinal distress >.< lol but yeah they went away after a a week or two.. that was the best medicine i had ever taken.. it was a shame i became too crazy for it.
 

Kiwong

Well-known member
I take Zoloft. the side effects you mentioned are normal and should only last for about a week or so. but if it continues to bother you after the first couple of weeks you my want let your doctor know.

you should contact your doctor if you experience

bizarre behavior / hallucinations
bloody stools
chest pain
loss of bladder control
fainting
high fever
or any other severe rare condition.

I have been prescribed Zoloft, but I looked at the side effects, and thought, hell no, people are going to have to put up with my anxiety.
 
As others have said the side affects usually wear off after a week or two.

From my experience with Zoloft it is worth waiting for any side affects to wear off, as the benefits far outweigh the short term time of your body adjusting to it.
How much have you been put on the start with?
I found it helps to take it with a full stomach of food too, that stops the nausea. Good luck.:)
 

Angkorwat

Well-known member
Thank you all for the replies. Today was not easier than yesterday, but I'm taking it one day at a time. I feel more nauseous and have hardly any appetite. For those who have taken zoloft, would you say that it helped your condition?

Edit: @BlueDays They started me off with 50 mg
 
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Angkorwat

Well-known member
Ah, these medications take so long to kick in so it's hard to figure out if it works or not. Plus it took a month for me to even get my psychologist appointment.
 
Thank you all for the replies. Today was not easier than yesterday, but I'm taking it one day at a time. I feel more nauseous and have hardly any appetite. For those who have taken zoloft, would you say that it helped your condition?

Edit: @BlueDays They started me off with 50 mg
^when I have had to go back on Zoloft, I have used a pill cutter to cut the 50mg pill in half and take 25mg for a week first. But you would have to ok that with your doctor first.
You ask if it has helped the condition. I notice a big difference when I am on it. When I am not on it, the feelings of wanting to commit suicide are ever-present. When I am on it, although I still don't enjoy life as much as "normal" people, I never get to the point were I could do some harm to myself.
So in effect it has saved my life.

Ah, these medications take so long to kick in so it's hard to figure out if it works or not. Plus it took a month for me to even get my psychologist appointment.
^ I started to feel an elevation in my mood after 2 weeks on it. But it is different for everybody I guess.
 

Angkorwat

Well-known member
^when I have had to go back on Zoloft, I have used a pill cutter to cut the 50mg pill in half and take 25mg for a week first. But you would have to ok that with your doctor first.
You ask if it has helped the condition. I notice a big difference when I am on it. When I am not on it, the feelings of wanting to commit suicide are ever-present. When I am on it, although I still don't enjoy life as much as "normal" people, I never get to the point were I could do some harm to myself.
So in effect it has saved my life.


^ I started to feel an elevation in my mood after 2 weeks on it. But it is different for everybody I guess.

I'm glad that it worked out for you! My pills are actually 100mg but I have to split it in half for 50mg.
 

nothingmuch

Active member
This is a long shot, but maybe some of the side effects result from neglecting water or food? Try drinking plenty of water and eating the same foods that you normally eat (even if they don't taste good). Also if you are missing sleep, that can make you feel awful. Of course you need to be careful to check for drug interactions if you take a sleep aid.

BTW: I don't know what I'm talking about; I'm just brain storming.
 

Angkorwat

Well-known member
This is a long shot, but maybe some of the side effects result from neglecting water or food? Try drinking plenty of water and eating the same foods that you normally eat (even if they don't taste good). Also if you are missing sleep, that can make you feel awful. Of course you need to be careful to check for drug interactions if you take a sleep aid.

BTW: I don't know what I'm talking about; I'm just brain storming.

You are right about not eating and missing sleep causing intensified side effects. I was not eating because I had no appetite and that was a factor to my symptoms, but my appetite came back today in full swing! A few of the side effects are lessened now with the exception of stuffy nose and headaches.
 

planetweirdo

Well-known member
Thank you all for the replies. Today was not easier than yesterday, but I'm taking it one day at a time. I feel more nauseous and have hardly any appetite. For those who have taken zoloft, would you say that it helped your condition?

It helped me a lot. It didn't get rid of my depression and anxiety, but before I started taking it my depression and anxiety was very severe and unbearable. but everyone's different and it don't work for everyone. but I hope it works for you, so good luck. :thumbup:
 
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spearhunter

Well-known member
i have taken zoloft for almost a year. Didnt like the side effects which never went away. extreme tiredness, memory and concentration problems, brain fog,. It was okay for anxiety but the side effects made it not worth it. Now I take 5htp 400 mg a day. It helped a lot for my depression. I also take trazodone for sleep, with some benadryl, and I am trying a way to get of that very slowly.
 

Angkorwat

Well-known member
So it's been about 2 weeks since my last update. I'm on day 25 of zoloft and it's been a roller coaster with more of it leaning to the negative side. Today I had to give a speech in class and I was really nervous. It was a 3 hour lecture and I did not say a word for the entire class until it was my turn to do the speech. It was very short and they could tell I was nervous but it ended quickly. I knew that it wouldn't be hard to do once it was my turn, but all of the negative thoughts that cycled through my head in the course of 3 hours makes life mentally exhausting as my negative thoughts happen on a daily basis.

On week 3 of zoloft, my mood was positive that I noticed small improvement in my social interactions with people. My mistakes at work did not cause me to enter the mental torment that I implement on myself. I could see a clear picture of my goals and dreams for a brief period of time. This all ended on Monday when I entered week 4. I am hopeful that this negative spell of zoloft is only temporary and that I become happy again like I was on week 3 for good this time.

I went to an individual social skill improvement mentor last week. She gave me a few things to do until I see her again and I haven't done anything because of the amount of homework and studying that I have as well as my own laziness.
 

Angkorwat

Well-known member
Might as well update. Depression has gone down and social interactions have gone up, but not by much. I don't want to ask for an increased dosage because my hair has started to recede as well as my eyebrows losing hair. I am pretty sure that it is because of the zoloft and that's why I don't want an increased dosage. Still, my mood is mostly content throughout the day.
 

planetweirdo

Well-known member
Might as well update. Depression has gone down and social interactions have gone up, but not by much. I don't want to ask for an increased dosage because my hair has started to recede as well as my eyebrows losing hair. I am pretty sure that it is because of the zoloft and that's why I don't want an increased dosage. Still, my mood is mostly content throughout the day.

I'm glad to here that the Zoloft is helping with your depression and social interactions :thumbup:. Have you talked to your doctor about the hair loss?
 

Lavinialuna

Well-known member
Zoloft made me like a zombie. I didn't feel sad anymore, but I didn't feel happy either. I couldn't feel excited about things, and dare I say- I couldn't feel love :( It wasn't for me.
I am not bashing Medication at all as I know it helps a lot of people...
My sole problem as been my anxiety, not depression, and they always try to treat my anxiety with antidepressants. Those medications caused me horrible side effects, one being depression. I actually got into a downward spiral where I would start a med, it would make me depressed and so they would increase it, which would make me more depressed. Pushed me to a point where I was actually having suicidal thoughts and said to myself "it's not working, not worth the side effects" so I stopped them. Well, to my surprise the depression went away, as did the suicidal thoughts. The anxiety was back, but you can't trade one for the other, kwim?
Please keep your eyes open for these types of side effects as it can actually make things worse if it isn't a good match for you. You have to weigh the pros and cons.
Once again, not advocating for anyone to stop taking their meds as they and their Dr. know what is working for them, just relating my story with Zoloft and other antidepressants and how they reacted with my body and mind.
 
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