# Help - Zoloft is making me feel weird



## Anachiel

I took half a tablet of Zoloft a couple of hours ago, Ive never taken any sort of medication before. My doctor prescribed it yesterday and Im starting to feel real weird all ready, is this normal?
My head feels a little foggy and I don't want to do anything except sit and stare at things and I feel worried. Ive got tonnes of things to do today and Id normally get stuck into it but I feel a little nauseas and I just feel apathetic. If this is what medication is like I don't think Im going to enjoy it. Can someone respond quick Im real worried.


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## Inturmal

Unless you're reacting badly to it (rash, etc), give it a few days/weeks. Personally, I hated Zoloft. All it did was make me agitated.


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## Noca

When starting anti-depressants for the first time ever you will prolly get a bunch of side effects. Dont let these scare you away for they will most likely dissapear in a few days or a week.


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## Anachiel

Well right now Im trying to go to sleep cause Im tired and my body is feeling this dry/tingly feeling all over and I feel like if Im going to go to sleep I may not wake up, I just dozed off and then I woke up in a bit of a panic cause I thought I was not going to breathe anymore cause I felt like my sleep was going to stop my heart beating, does this medication do this to you the first few days. I just have this feeling that my heart may stop beating if I fall asleep. I feel scared.


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## paperstars

It's normal. Give it a couple weeks.


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## Toad Licker

Everyone reacts to meds differently, I couldn't take zoloft because of the way it made me feel. I've heard the same from several others I've talked to who have taken zoloft.

If you don't like the way it makes you feel then you should probably try something else.


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## Anachiel

Thanks for your responses guys, well I survived the evening I did fall asleep and woke up late, I'll give it a bit more time and see how I go. Please don't stop responding, I'd like to hear more about how you guys have been going with this medication, it's just kinda freaking me out a bit, feels strange, may be Im medication phobic, lol! I even phoned the poisons information line for advice, that's how much of a chicken I was!


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## CoconutHolder

(((((hugs)))))

I couldn't take zoloft. I hated the feeling it gave me. I felt like I was speeding but couldn't move at the same time & I felt like ants were crawling under my skin. Good luck to you. I hope you find something that works for you in the end whether it be Zoloft or something else.


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## jab_au

CoconutHolder said:


> (((((hugs)))))
> 
> I couldn't take zoloft. I hated the feeling it gave me. I felt like I was speeding but couldn't move at the same time & I felt like ants were crawling under my skin. Good luck to you. I hope you find something that works for you in the end whether it be Zoloft or something else.


I've had that happen to me once while taking Zoloft. It was some kind of a one off, it's never happened to me again though.

All I can say is Zoloft takes a while to work, and your body has to get used to the medication. One thing I found was to take it at a consistent time each day, I found that if I deviated I started to get side effects.

Remember that your body chemistry is different to everyone so it may effect you in different ways. Give it some time, but if you feel you can't handle what it's doing to you then maybe you should try something else. Theres a bit of trial and error finding whats right for you.


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## Anachiel

Well today's the third day Im on Zoloft and it's starting to settle. Im feeling much more calm, the nausea has settled too so has the headaches. Im not getting any more tingly feelings anymore either so hopefully it will work for me.


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## Anachiel

Today's the 6th Day. It does calm me but Im finding Im getting a bit of an off feeling from time to time and Im just switching off from people when I don't find their conversations interesting, Im a little depressed and I feel tired towards the afternoon like I just want to find a sofa and collapse and sleep, did any of you get these side effects too? I'll be seeing the doctor again cause I really don't want to increase the dose at all. Im kind of feeling a bit negative about this again.


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## scotthallkevinnash

I was on Zoloft up until the max dose (200Mg). I never experienced any benefits at all from the drug. All I had was no boner and slightly more depression as well as increased apathy. 

But each med reacts different to every person. I think you should give it at least 3 weeks to determine if if works for you. 

If it dont work, then ask for Klonopin to take on an as needed basis because it is most effective this way.


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## puppyluv

Hang in there. The side effects can be really intense at first with any anti-depressant. It usually takes 3 to 4 weeks before you'll know if it's going to work for you. Those of us with anxiety can be more sensitive to meds. Being sleepy may be a side effect that may or may not go away. I take Paxil and it makes me pretty sleepy but for me that's better than the crippling anxiety. When I first started taking it I had panic attacks. Weird Huh
I tried 4 different kinds of antidepressants before I found one that worked. I hope it doesn't take that long for you. 
Are you depressed and anxious or just anxious?


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## Anachiel

puppyluv said:


> Are you depressed and anxious or just anxious?


Anxious for years and years, since my teens, I think no amount of psychology or meditation will ever help that, it's just how my body naturally is and it seems to be hereditary in my family, I go through cycles with it and the doctor mainly prescribed this medication because he told me that if I were a lot more relaxed and less anxious my hyperhidrosis (sweating) would be at a minimal. Depressed - only over one thing in my life which may/or may not work out, overall everything else in my life is good and I have a lot of things to be grateful for. So the main reason Im doing this is to lower my anxiety level which hopefully will lower the hyperhidrosis which is my main physical obstacle. Overall Im pretty positive and hopeful. Also I saw the doctor again today cause Im not ready to take a full tablet 50mg so Im just going to stay on 25mg (that's the lowest dose). Today though I feel a lot more better.


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## skydancer

I,ve had two tries at Zoloft and felt so ill with nausea I lasted 2 days the first time and 3 days the second. Thats a few years ago now and havn,t tried medication since. If you can ride out those first bad days many people have had sucess with it. Good luck from Skye


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## Bandit6

Paxil made me feel like that initially, I was ready to ride it out for the 1st days but the 3rd day I was unsually deeply depressed. I couldn't concentrate on anything and had to leave my job at mid-day. When I got home I just laid flat on my bed doing nothing for the rest of the day and feeling really miserable(real dark thoughts also). Since I've never been like that before in my life and it was crippling me from my job, I stopped it at once and 2 days later I was fortunately back to "normal".

My doc. had Zoloft in mind if I couldn't handle Paxil, I'll check how you're going with it...


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## Djinn

Back in my teenage years I was on just about everything at one time or another. Zoloft did work for me for a little while but I also experienced the weird buzzing/tiredness at first. Then it just stopped working suddenly, which evidently is common for people of Asian descent.

Paxil was the absolute worst for me. Every time I moved my eyes it felt like someone was taking jumper cables to my brain. Seriously.

Prozac worked great. I think the only side effect was a very slightly spacey feeling if I wasn't actively doing something. However, the extended release (once weekly) version didn't work at all.

I'm currently on Lexapro. The first week was... interesting. I experienced extreme lethargy and "medicine head." Then I figured out that I should take it at night instead of in the morning. Duh.  It's been three weeks and so far so good. And the best part is that my appetite is down a lot -- a very good thing for me!


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## kokoloko

Zoloft made me stare into space from the beginning, I became deeply unhappy and disillusioned with life, and then I had two heavy seizures within a month (never before had that happened) and we stopped it. I also felt my brain moving around in my head occasionally (!)


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## Anachiel

Thanks for all those replies,
It's now almost 2 weeks that Ive been taking Zoloft and Im still on only 25mg. I must say that it has relaxed me to a fair extent and that I am a lot more placid in my dealings with people, especially the ones that annoy me. As far as the SA is concerned it's still too early to say whether it will help with that. Im still getting hyperhidrosis but it's not as dramatic as it was before I started the medication, it has just reduced it slightly but at least Im not getting that clammy cold feeling anymore because my body feels a lot more warmer. The only strange feeling Im getting is that wave of botox feeling running across my forehead (like a numbness) but it doesn't really bother me too much. I lost my appetite for about 10 days and went off coffee also, and now my appetite is back (was hoping that feeling might stay to lose a few pounds, lol!)
Overall it's going OK so far. I think all medications have side effects initially.


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## Anachiel

It's been over a month since taking Zoloft and although Im only on 25 mg per day (the lowest dose). I can honestly say it has saved me from having a nervous breakdown. All the side effects have now dissappeared and I think it has done me the world of good as far as being a more calmer person and not losing my temper so quick. I sleep better also. My hyperhidrosis isn't as severe as what it was before also, I mean I still get sweating but not as bad as it was before the medication. I have other problems in my life to deal with so it has helped me to cope better. As far as the SA is concerned, I haven't noticed a dramatic change in that area but more of a suttle one if you want to call it that. Really I think Zoloft is great if you have general anxiety and your life has a lot of pressures and stress to deal with and if you have a bit of depression, but then again I can't fully justify this as Im only on the lowest dose and I was told by my doctor to take a full tablet after a week but at the time and even now I don't think I need to go that far. As far as SA is concerned, Im not sure whether it's the no 1 drug for SA but then again like I said before Im only on the lowest dose and I can't fully justify that. 

Hope you guys can post back and comment whether it has helped you with SA.


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## solid71

Anyone get flu-like symptoms and wiped out tired the first week on Zoloft?
Does that go away?
I'm on 100mg/day


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## Anachiel

I almost forgot about this post. Ive been on Zoloft now for a few months. Im now up to 50mg (the normal low dose). I just started taking 50mg a few days ago, after taking 25mg for a long time cause I was too scared to increase but 50mg is what the doctor told me to take after one week anyway. 

It has reduced my general anxiety level quite well, and has taken the "edge" off. As far as SA is concerned, I will still get a moderate panic attack if Im in one of those situations that make me nervous but Im probably more likely to deal with it a bit better than before. The only thing that annoys me about it is the fact that when I get upset with my kids and they bring me to screaming point I feel my ears vibrate a bit, so I stop doing it, and I don't get angry as much and generally I am more calmer. The hyperhidrosis has settled to a fair extent since taking it, it comes and goes but it's not as bad as before. Generally I feel happier and my "down" moods don't last long at all, Im more optimistic.


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## AussiePea

Good to hear it has seemingly worked for you. How are you going now after another month on 50mg? I just started taking it 5 days ago straight on 50mg and the only side effect i still have is diarrhea occasionally. No major improvements on the SA just yet but that should come within the next few weeks (fingers crossed).


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## Anachiel

Thanks Ospi,
No major change since the last time I posted on this. I still have the problem with the vibrating ears after being effected by loud noises, that is annoying. As far as SA is concerned I wouldn't say it is a miracle cure, I still avoid doing certain things mainly because of the hyperhidrosis. Overall it just makes me feel more relaxed generally than what I was when I was on no medication. I last posted that I felt the hyperhidrosis had reduced but now it feels like it has increased again, I go through cycles with that problem and it is very uncomfortable, I don't think anything will ever dramatically change that. Apparently antidepressants can one day just suddenly stop working, has this happened to anyone??

Havva nice day.


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## frenchie

ive been on zoloft before for anxiety and yeah i did feel some weird side effects at the start (though not as bad as urs seem to be). but these defenetly wore off and the meds were really great for me - helped soo much with the SA. anti-depressants always take awhile to work properly - the benefits of my current SSRI didnt kick in for 3 months.


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## hellothere19

i just started zoloft today and im feeling these side effects (nasuea, grogginess, headache's) but it also made me feel calm as well. im starting at 25 mg for the first week, then 50 mg after that.


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## HalfMagic

I just started Zoloft today, I have not taken medication for many years. I took 25 mg, and so far I have terrible heart burn and i feel groggy, worn out and my head feels hot. Typing is difficult because I feel like I have no strength in my... anywhere... I was supposed to go work out but I canceled it because I feel so ... blah... I was feeling great before I took it, definitely worried about this down feeling... and regretting taking anything.. not sure how long I will be able to take the meds if this is how I will be feeling...


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