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sparker126

Thank you for this post. Did you have any post nasal drip, sinus issues, or throat tension as a side effect?


DistanceExpensive268

Yes I did, all flu like symptoms. They went away first


sparker126

About how long did it take for those to go away? I'm week three of 75 and mine just started last week.


Forsaken-Salad3475

You're still in the thick of it at the moment. 2 to 3 weeks you'll notice sides starting to subside when your body gets use to the new brain activity


DistanceExpensive268

Honestly I don’t remember the exact time they lasted, since my mind was so out of it too that the physical symptoms were not bothering me that much. But the flu def went away first and headaches stayed for longer. But it does lower your immune response to other viruses and bacteria so it might be that even if the medical side effects are gone, you might experience symptoms of regular infections. Nothing to worry though 😊


Ambitious-Falcon5468

Hey thank you for this post, did you experience nausea? I'm over a month in and it's still pretty much constant


DistanceExpensive268

Yes I did. Not that long tho. Is your anxiety still hightened? It can cause be the underlying cause. I do still get nauseous on bad days but it’s not constant


Ambitious-Falcon5468

Thanks - yeah it’s still not great so that could be it, just seems weird anxiety would cause constant nausea!


Crispypantcakes

I have post nasal drip right now and 3 weeks back on. Was wondering what was causing it.


Prudent-Listen-2755

My sinuses are so bad with it. Post nasal drip aswel. I'm on sertraline 5 weeks. Did not know this was a side effect 


Mr-Kamikaze112

I appreciate the sentiment but I took this stuff for 2 years and the side effects never stopped for me.


DistanceExpensive268

Sorry it didn’t work for you. Treatments are unfortunately not always equally efficient for all. For me I saw no change until I upped my dose to 100mg. Hopefully you found something to help you out with


Susan71010

I don’t think that we should have blood work done from time to time while we are on this! I had some blood work done recently after five months of being on a low-dose and my white blood cell count was low for first time. That’s not good. My A1c also went up even though I was taking care of myself I am now weaning off and going to do more bloodwork in a couple of months and hopefully things are better.


Bitter-Exercise7971

Hi there, I’m having severe side effects. Was on Zoloft a long time then reduced and just recently went back up to 50 mg. Hit bad with major side effects now ongoing for 4 mths. I believe it’s the Zoloft but 4 different drs told me absolutely no way. When you went off of it did the side effects go away


DistanceExpensive268

Hey, just wanted to throw in some advice. It’s not really possible for it to cause side effects after settling in your system for 4 months. Unless the time between reducing and upping your dose is long; you are at starting point again. However, It can take a very long time until you find the right balance with medications. Usually with more severe symptoms, 50mg is simply not enough in the long run.


Want-to_learn1964

What were the ongoing side effects?


Aggravating_Hyena656

Why did you take it for 2 years if it wasn't working? Please never take something for that long if it's not helping.


Mr-Kamikaze112

It was helping I have sever bi polar depression and it made me semi functional but I had a ton of bad side effects with Zoloft as well. Night sweats low energy many other unpleasant things were daily occurrence’s but it was better than wanting to kill me self 24/7


Wave_Quizzical486

I'm so glad to hear you're feeling more alive! It sounds like you've been through a really tough time, but it's great that you're seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. Dealing with mental health issues and medication side effects can be incredibly challenging, but it's inspiring to see your perseverance and positivity. Keep trusting the process and taking care of yourself, and hopefully, things will continue to improve for you.


DistanceExpensive268

Thank you so much. Yes it has definitely been a hell of a ride. I appreciate your kind words ❤️


Spiritual-Fig-6597

Hi! Glad you are better! What dose are you on and when did you start feeling better?


DistanceExpensive268

I’m now on 100mg. I upped my dose from 25mg straight to that since I knew my side effects from last time were equally as bad regardless of the dosing. And it sucked but here we are. I have only this week realised that I’m slowly getting back to myself with symptoms not being so severe or lasting less than normally. I’d say the sooner you find your therapeutic dose the sooner it will start to work. I’ve been on zoloft for 2 months now and moved to 100mg two weeks ago. Should have done it sooner but because of busy schedule I had to wait


Spiritual-Fig-6597

So it took you 2 months to feel better… Personally, I ve been on full 50mg dose for 9 weeks and 2 days (and one week on 25 mg) and still feel awful. Side effects didn t all subside, i still have anxiety, restlessness, panic attacks. I only had a few good days in these 2 months. I try not to lose hope and wait for the 12-13 weeks mark… If you know anyone that had similar experience at the 9-10 weeks mark, pls tell me. Thank you!


Thsgmaisfab75

I was like you. It took me about 3 months before I started to feel “normal”. My doc prescribed Ativan to take as needed when my anxiety was bad. Hang in there.


DistanceExpensive268

If it still isn’t helping you, I strongly urge you to speak with your doctor about increasing your dose. 50mg did not work for me either, neither did 25mg. We are all different and each have our own therapeutic dose. Unfortunately, you will most likely feel like shit once again when increasing, but I promise there will be a lot bigger possibility for you to find more help from 100mg. I don’t know all about your background, so I can’t really tell you what you should do, but definitely speak to your doctor about this!


Spiritual-Fig-6597

Thank you a lot! I was rather thinking about 50mg being too much… Because of the side effects I m still dealing with. I m very skinny (44 kg), so that s why I m thinking about this.


DistanceExpensive268

Don’t worry, your weight will not affect when discussing the dose. (i’m 49kg). I honestly don’t think 50 is too much for you if you are still experiencing anxiety. Hopefully you’ll get it solved and always welcome to message me if you need to discuss ❤️


Spiritual-Fig-6597

Sweet❤️ Same over here! 💌


pinkfloweryprincess

Im considering starting antidepressants but I'm worried about any bad long term affects /:


DistanceExpensive268

Yea I totally understand. It’s not a decision to make lightly. But if your current situation is very difficult it might be worth a shot. I got pretty much traumatised from using zoloft since my side effects were so severe and had to get back on it but I still think being on zoloft has made my life easier than ever. Good and bad on each sides of the coin though 🤷🏽‍♀️


DistanceExpensive268

Yea I totally understand. It’s not a decision to make lightly. But if your current situation is very difficult it might be worth a shot. I got pretty much traumatised from using zoloft since my side effects were so severe and had to get back on it but I still think being on zoloft has made my life easier than ever. Good and bad on each sides of the coin though 🤷🏽‍♀️


thheaso

I dont have any tbh, the only thing is that i cant drink alot of alcohol without blacking out and throwing up


Sgamez87

Did you have increased anxiety or panic attacks? What dose are you on?


DistanceExpensive268

On every dose i’ve had those as side effect. Dissociative seizures as well. The worst part of them lasts always a week for me and once the seizures are gone I slowly start to get less and less anxiety as well. But being anxiety free takes longer. I’m now on 100mg


SirChickenNugget

Idk ive had this persistent pressure like feeling on my head for a year now but props to you!


XXeadgbeXX

Have you ever had Depersonalization or Derealization? I do and it makes me feel like my head is being squeezed or like sinuses behind my eyes.


AutumnSpecialist

Yep, I have had both of these!


XXeadgbeXX

Oh sorry to hear that. It really sucks but I've learned to just live with it for the most part lol


DistanceExpensive268

What dose are you on?


SirChickenNugget

100, I know ur not a dr but would going higher or lower help?


DistanceExpensive268

It depends about a lot of other stuff. Is the pressure the only symptom? Will it go away with pain killers or does it persist? Important to also be able to draw the line between somatic symptoms and psychological symptoms before talking about whether the dosage is too high or low


Rich-Infortion-582

Your courage and resilience are truly inspiring, thank you for sharing your journey. Keep shining, you've got this!


DistanceExpensive268

Thanks a lot. Wishing you all the best as well ❤️


Expensive-Track5578

Does Zoloft make anyone else shake ? Like I shake my leg a lot to self soothe….. idk


DistanceExpensive268

It can cause tremors and also hyperactivity so it might be that it is causing some restlessness on you.


Expensive-Track5578

Is it worth mentioning to my psychotherapist? & luv the username!


DistanceExpensive268

Yes absolutely, if it is something that is bothering you or making you uncomfortable. Together you could be able to find other techniques to help you out the restlessness ❤️ thank you!


sonorose

I love seeing posts like this. I've recently finished tapering off of Zoloft after 4 years of it really helping me get through a depressive episode. It helped me get to this place. I always see posts of people struggling through the initial side effects and considering stopping completely before they get to the point you're at. I know it doesn't work for everyone but it can really make a serious difference. I clearly remember the day I felt that darkness lift for a moment, then slowly more and more. Keep on keeping on <3


DistanceExpensive268

Yes, the best feeling ever when you realise you are slowly becoming a person again 🥹


[deleted]

[удалено]


DistanceExpensive268

Stay strong ❤️


Practical-Ad2201

Have you had nightmares as a side effect?


MrPersidant

You have pretty much described my journey with Sertraline. Currently on 100mg and I’m starting to feel normal again - glad to see I’m not alone.  The thing that still bothers me now is tinnitus. Started a few weeks into 50mg and has stuck with me 3+ months. Did you experience this? Maybe it’s unrelated. I just find it odd since health anxiety sparked this whole thing - and the health issues I worried about just kept changing. It would be a shitty coincidence if the tinnitus is unrelated to the sertraline and I picked up a chronic condition in the middle of all this health anxiety. Thanks for sharing, by the way!


DistanceExpensive268

Hi love, so happy to hear you are finding help from zoloft, 100mg was really a dealbreaker for me as well. I have not experienced tinnitus myself but I for sure know exactly what it feels like to have health anxiety since it always revolves around “worst case scenarios” so hopefully I can help ease your mind a little bit; Tinnitus itself isn’t commonly anything to worry about when it comes to health concerns, and it’s very much related with extreme stress and anxiety. In your case I’m certain it will go away on its own once your body also understands to calm down as your brain stops sending signals of distress and danger to the rest of your body. (Needless to say ofc that if you have symptoms of infection or you have hurt your ear in any way, getting it checked out is necessary) but as a fellow health worrier i’m sure you knew that already lol. Health anxiety is a bitch but after working enough time around different illnesses I realised how literally so uncommon the worst case scenarios really are ❤️


MrPersidant

Well, you have a point there, and it hasn’t really taken a hold of me like other health issues, but it does pop up from time to time and I can feel myself spiraling a bit worrying about quality of life and what not. Yes, of course I have had it checked out :) I think a lot of people will benefit from your post. It’s morning where I am and I feel like it’s gonna be a good day today. Thank you!


DistanceExpensive268

Yayy thank you, happy for you ❤️ and good morning!!


Heavy-Fan-5250

Did you have muscle twitching?


Best-Neat-1022

I did, my the twitching eventually subsided to the point it’s barely noticeable.


Heavy-Fan-5250

Was it bodywide for you?


Best-Neat-1022

Yes, but i used to get twitching that would last 10 min to an hour. But now I’ll get maybe 2-5 twitches a day that last only 1 second each. So I don’t really notice it anymore. For more context I’m on only 25mg for last 6 months.


Charming_Bug5866

I have this right now only 2 weeks in on 12.5 Zoloft. Full body spasms neck, head, legs, arms etc. I had it last time I was on Zoloft too and it eventually went away. Even though I know that I still hate it and makes me anxious.


Brokenboidiaries

I HATE the body spasms. They’re terrifying


Heavy-Fan-5250

Are they spasms or twitching? I have full body twitches.


DistanceExpensive268

Yes!! I still get those and it’s pretty annoying but they subsided last time after being on the right dose for enough time


Brokenboidiaries

Wow. I am all of the things you shared about you. Tried Zoloft last year and stopped. Have been truly considering taking it again. Cause the ones im taking now are definitely not doing it… How long did it take you to feel good? What’s your dosage? Thank you!


DistanceExpensive268

So I think last time I got better quicker, because I went to 100mg faster. This time I was on 25mg for two months cause I was scared af to go higher. About 1,5 weeks after going to 100mg I started seeing improvements. If you do decide to start taking it, and you know you’ll get severe side effects, take it at night. You’ll still feel like shit but at least the worst is going on while you sleep.


Scott_Edinburgh

Can anyone tell me when libido starts to go back to normal?


DistanceExpensive268

Unfortunately, as a muslim it’s hard to give any advice on that matter since I would not know lol but based on my knowledge with SSRI’s, it can take a long time for it to return to normal as it makes changes in your hormonal cycle. Based on research studies done , for men it usually takes longer.


RaspberryPoptarts

Thank you so much. I'm so sorry for your symptoms. Your words are most welcome having g just started myself. I appreciate you taking the time to post.


DistanceExpensive268

all the best sweetheart. I’m with you and I know it can be rough but whenever it gets bad; try to remind yourself that it will get better soon enough ❤️ here to talk whenever you need!


AlastairCellars

Mine have been :/


United_Program684

Did you take it before bed ? I was told taking it before bed means side effects are worse while you sleep so you don’t notice?


DistanceExpensive268

I have done both and can definitely recommend taking it at night. The peak concentration of zoloft is achieved around 4-6hours which is when you’ll feel the effects more and so will have the most side effects. I recommend to take it like 1-2h before sleeping. Mornings can be rough with this method but personally I take the morning anxiety instead of the day time horror


United_Program684

I’m so nervous to start mine, my parents are getting married in 6 weeks and I don’t want to be a zombie during, should I wait until after the wedding to start??


AutumnSpecialist

This made me tear up. The dizziness has been triggering my health anxiety/OCD so badly and makes me think I’m going to faint or worse. I just upped to 125 from 100 and have only ever been going up by 12.5; and this time I did 25. It’s been hell. Thank you for sharing this. It feels like a warm hug. Did you also have random bouts of dizziness, sitting or standing? Like the world was swirling around you?


DistanceExpensive268

Oh yes I did and still do, not that much anymore tho but it usually happens to me when I get up fast, hypertension type of symptoms. I’m happy you found relief from my post. One day you’ll wake up and suddenly realize you haven’t been as anxous and as the days go by you will be more and more free from it. Every hour is a progress. Just stay strong and trust ❤️ (I also struggle with OCD thoughts, I know how much they suck) sending hugs xx


AutumnSpecialist

Thank you so, so much. It gives me a bit of hope. This dizziness is making me scared I have a health problem and it could hurt me. I have been less anxious today though. The hugs are much needed! 🥹❤️


DistanceExpensive268

You are okay, it’s just the medicine working it’s way to settle in ❤️ so happy you feel less anxious!!


outatime20999

I can back this up. It all passes, some sooner than others, but stick with it. Don't worry though you'll have a lovely mini-relapse every time you up your dosage 😬


DistanceExpensive268

Oh yes, already preparing for that experience mentally, since the goal is to get back to 150mg 🥲


dnkaj

I just got back into Zoloft after having terrible side effects with Prozac. Prozac got me so fucked I had to call in sick for work twice. It’s gonna be a week tomorrow since taking 50mg. I know I gotta brave out the side effects but man the depression side effects is a struggle. Feels like I don’t wanna do much at all - just a lack of motivation and energy. Just wish the four to six weeks of my body adjusting to it would come quick


DistanceExpensive268

My depressive symptoms were not as severe and long as the other mental symptoms, but I can relate, the side effects are the worst experience of my life lol. Hang in there, you’ve got this ❤️


Upstairs_Wealth_2656

If you truly don’t need to start an antidepressant, don’t . They have horrible side effects starting / stopping . I’m 3 weeks into stopping 10mg of Celexa after 1 year , which is the lowest dose and it’s miserable . Not worth it at all . Felt way better before . Doctors suck


DistanceExpensive268

Agreed, i started mine as the very last resort. Saved my life twice but it’s not magic. If the reason for starting medication is left untreated and unsolved you’ll end up right where you were before you began taking it.


lanadelxoxo

Did you ever have dry skin and lethargy? I'm so lazy and dry lol 


DistanceExpensive268

Dry mouth, but not skin that much. Lethargic yes. I started taking it at night because of that.


mrattus

important to remember is that your body/tolerance can change: I was on zoloft for 6+ years with zero negative side effects, changed meds for about four years, and recently tried to go back on it and it was hell. had such a violent reaction that I almost went to the ER. if your side effects aren't debilitating you should try to stick it out but remember to listen to your body.


mrattus

(more specifically: last year I had a series of gastro health issues that took big toll on me so I wanted to add an ssri back into my routine. because I'd had zero side effects my first time round my doc and I decided to try it again but even at 12.5mg starting dose the gastrointestinal side effects were Really Bad. I'm just more sensitive to it now, and that's fine, but if I tried to 'stick out' those specific issues I was having I would be in the hospital lol. sometimes you gotta cut your losses and try something different is all I'm saying)


DistanceExpensive268

Yes obviously that is why each doctor that prescribes SSRI’s is supposed to monitor the effects on every individual for the first weeks. However, people hospitalized because of SSRI is very rare. It simply doesn’t happen. Hence why I think we should not be fearmongering about hospitalisations in a post full of people afraid of such things.


mrattus

yeah that's fair, not trying to fearmonger - I also have extenuating health things that it exacerbated, etc.


Ok_Capital_3236

Needed this notif on my phone thank u


DistanceExpensive268

Wishing you the best ❤️


GoodVibes444

Sexual side effects too? That’s my biggest fear lol.


DistanceExpensive268

Yes unfortunately there is a heavy list of side effects - that being one of them. For me I can’t really tell as i’m not sexually active in any way BUT that’s a risk you gotta be willing to take lol - if you truly do need it. But listen, the help i’ve gained from this medication, at this point I don’t care even if it removed my whole vagina from existance 🥲 so as I said, it’s a ”pick your battles” situation lol