New kid (on Zoloft) on the block....

[Lhchapa]

Hi all.... I'm new to the group but already in a week I have been very pleased with reading and commenting with the community on our shared struggles. I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and seasonal transition depression about six months ago because I was finally so miserable, tired of being in denial trying to hide my symptoms and ready to be honest with my doctor. As with most of us, there is usually a long story behind the short, and I am no exception, I have an incredibly complex past and have only gotten this far because of strong coping mechanisms and a husband and children who love and support me. Don't think I take that for granted, I totally realize how lucky I am and am mainly overwhelmed with feelings of never feeling worthy of them and the constant fear and anxiety of them being taken from me. So a few months back, to my protests and dismay, my Dr. prescribed me sertraline (Zoloft) starting at 50mg, then increased to 100mg after about 4 weeks. I felt defeated and weak because I NEVER wanted to have to take meds. I've been taking it now about 5 months and it seems to have really helped. (When I talked with my family about maybe getting off it they all enthusiasticly, and in unison, yelled "Please NO!" Lol!😂) I hadn't really felt like it was helping me, but My husband and children ensured me it was, which I guess is when I realized how much I had needed medicine, even though I was determined never to put chemicals in my body. I Googled everything I could about Zoloft and its side effects, which probably made my anxiety worse🤤, and talked to 3 friends who all had adverse reactions to it, but with my Dr's urging I tried it anyway, and am so happy I did, so for those of you considering medication but afraid because of what you've heard, talk to your Dr about the pros and cons. I will say there ARE side effects, and I had many (mild) ones, and not the common ones that are included in the pharmacy material, but the same as many that I have read about on forums like this. Some of my early side effects like fatigue, loss of appetite, and achy joints I no longer have. But others I still have, like muscle twitching, (mostly right before falling asleep) vivid dreams, (which a lot of people complain about but I happen to like) the sensation that I need to stretch and stretch and stretch, yawning or needing to take very deep breaths, and the only really negative one, biting my tongue in my sleep. That one suuuuuucks. other than that, the benefits way outweigh the downside. I feel way more centered and calm, less angry all the time, and little things don't set me off into a rage like they used to. ANYWAY I was going for short and sweet, LOL! Guess I missed that mark, but I'm really happy to be among others who get what it feels like to think and feel the way I do❤

[izzyx]

Hello, i started zoloft today and its a nightmare for me. I feel like my anxiety is worst and i feel depressed? Ive also starting getting intrustive thoughts and i dont know if these are normal side effects or something? Im really scared if they are making me worst or something!! Help?

[Lhchapa in reply to izzyx]

Hi Izzyx-So the first four days can be the absolute worst, my doctor even told me to try my best to get through the first four days, but be patient and try not to let yourself get too doubtful or fearful, try the best distractions you can, then by two weeks in you should really start to feel the benefits, such as sleeping better, calmness, focus, and clarity. What dosage are you on? Most doctors are very adamant about starting you out on a very low dosage, then slowly increasing. I have friends who could not tolerate it at all though, so keep in mind that everybody's responses differ. For me, the first few days I was so paranoid about what side effects that I would experience, that when I didn't even get any side effects, that made my paranoia and anxiety even worse! I did feel a little lofty and stupid, like, ditsy, but that did go away.... unless I'm just oblivious...lol. seriously though, if you continue to have intrusive or alarming thoughts, call your Dr right away as that could be signs that you're not tolerating the medicine. I will say it gets better, and if Zoloft doesn't work for you, make sure to be assertive with your doctor until you find something that does. Good luck on your journey, keep me posted how you're doing❤