# Zoloft or Prozac?



## McMillan

I'm off Klonopin now as I think that was the wrong road to take.

Taking a benzo is nice to have for situational situations but my anxiety, especially social, spikes exponentially when I'm away from my house. Taking 'as needed' is a daily thing for me so I'm going to my doctor to try an SSRI.

My appointment is Monday so I'm brushing up on what I want to try. Though, it'll be entirely up to him to prescribe me what he thinks I need anyways, it's just for my own peace of mind. 

Like any medication I'm extremely afraid of what may or may not happen with the side effects. Will an SSRI make me act out of character? Will an SSRI make me do something I'll regret? etc. 

So, what is the 'smoother' SSRI: Prozac or Zoloft? Or maybe I should re-word that, what SSRI is the better option for strong Social Anxiety/Phobia? 

Thanks!

-McMillan

P.S. An energizing SSRI is appealing to me that's why I'm intrigued by Prozac.


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## hensley258

McMillan said:


> I'm off Klonopin now as I think that was the wrong road to take.
> 
> Taking a benzo is nice to have for situational situations but my anxiety, especially social, spikes exponentially when I'm away from my house. Taking 'as needed' is a daily thing for me so I'm going to my doctor to try an SSRI.
> 
> My appointment is Monday so I'm brushing up on what I want to try. Though, it'll be entirely up to him to prescribe me what he thinks I need anyways, it's just for my own peace of mind.
> 
> Like any medication I'm extremely afraid of what may or may not happen with the side effects. Will an SSRI make me act out of character? Will an SSRI make me do something I'll regret? etc.
> 
> So, what is the 'smoother' SSRI: Prozac or Zoloft? Or maybe I should re-word that, what SSRI is the better option for strong Social Anxiety/Phobia?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> -McMillan
> 
> P.S. An energizing SSRI is appealing to me that's why I'm intrigued by Prozac.


Both are SSRI's, but Prozac is a bit more energizing and some people with bad anxiety say this slight energizing effect from Prozac doesn't help anxiety matters. Then again I suppose you could find some folks here that like Prozacs action better.

For a problem containing more SA anxiety than Depression your doc will probably select Zoloft and I think he or she would be right on that accord.

Not saying Prozac is crazy energizing, but more so than Zoloft.
All you may have (falsly heard) about SSRI's.....No it will not make you a different person or act wild and crazy (unless you want to act wild and crazy) This BS about SSRI's blunting "my creativity" no offence to anyone, but I just don't get what people mean when they say that.

With Zoloft it's a slow road to feeling better. Doc will probably start you low and work up from that point. When I was taking it I was at 200Mgs a day, but started at 100. You may start at 50.

(Not saying all people) but most find final relief between 100 to 200Mgs a day. That means 6 full weeks at that dosage before you can see full effect. Could be 4 weeks before detecting any effect. That is if it even works at all for you.

Expect sexual side effects to some degree. I was able to tolerate them and still get er done in the Bedroom very well. I still had them though.


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## chocp

You may wanna check something called mirtazpine which is a tetra cyclic type antidepprasant and is proved very effcetive in the treatment of social anxiety disorder/social phobia and also has less side effects. Wikipedia it to find more.


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## Ehsan

i've been on both for a long time.
none of them are good choices for SAD if benzos haven't work.

anyway, high doses of zoloft(>=100mg) is a better choice, i think.
adding propranolol to zoloft is a good idea.


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## hensley258

100Mgs would actually be a moderate dosage with Sertraline. 200 to 250Mgs would be a high dose mark, but can still be very tolerable.

Remeron as mentioned in above post.... Good drug and I liked it well enough, but it made me fat. Actually it gave me bad munchies and I made me fat with the drug so I had to stop before I wound up being a star on the biggest Loser show.


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## tutliputli

Since I've tried both I thought I'd tell you my experiences. I was only on Prozac for a month because it gave me horrible side-effects - I felt very depressed (suicidal at one point) and constantly on edge, so the doctor took me off it. I don't know if it would've worked if I'd stayed on it. I just couldn't put up with how bad it made me feel.

I'm on Zoloft now, have been for about 6 weeks. I felt a bit shaky and panicky at times but those effects are subsiding now. Although I think it's too early to tell if they're working properly, I feel more confident and less sensitive/fragile (which is great, because I was painfully sensitive before). 

Obviously medication affects everyone differently so you could potentially have the opposite effects to what I've had, but for me Zoloft is working out pretty damn well. Good luck, I hope whatever you decide to try works out for you!


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## Melinda

I've tried both with minimal success, but I have to say that prozac was much "smoother" for me. Of all the SSRIs I've tried, I had the least problem with the side effects from prozac. Zoloft on the other hand made me feel physically horrible. But then I've heard that zoloft is better for SA--so it may be worthwhile for you to try depending on your sensitivity.


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## thatoddquietgirl

zoloft works really well for me!! i tried prozac but i had bad side effects so i stopped. i think you should go for zoloft


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## McMillan

Thanks for all your input!

I also have ADD-I to go along with my social anxiety. One makes the other worse, it's such a horrible combo to have! 

How would this combo work: Zoloft + Vyvanse?


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## CopadoMexicano

zoloft made me feel happier and hungry


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## xJoshx

everyone usually handles each different. My experience with zoloft was all side effects, I was on 50mg at the time, so a higher dose probably may have worked better for me.


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## hensley258

On the forums we hear over and over again about, "everyones different and reacts a different way to every AD."

Maybe a bit true, but way over exadurated IMO. Last time I checked were are all of the same species.

I hear much about: "50Mgs of Zoloft didn't work for me." Well no kidding, a 90 LBS person could handle such a tiny dosage and not get relief from SA or depression. 50Mgs of Zoloft is like Placebo. Better to take nothing at such a low dosage.

Then you get this one: "I had bad side effects so I stoped it," only to discover later that this person was only on the drug for 5 weeks not even giving the body time to adjust.

Are we all having different specialized allergic reactions to AD's nearly 90% of the time? I don't think so. I think it's usually wrong dosage or not enough time given in many cases.

I just took an advil for my headache. If you take an Advil will it make you sick? Not really in almost every case.

As far as efficacy, I have found that once a person has burned out on an SSRI or SNRI or Tricyclic that switching to another in the same class is always met with lack luster results. Matters not that it's Lexipro this time and was Prozac last time. If you really watch what people are reporting you will see the above is true.

Example: Bob takes Lexapro with effective results for 4 years and then it slowly stops working. He must change meds so he changes to Paxil, both SSRI's. The result? I have $500 that says Bob finds little relief from Paxil or any SSRI at least not for long.

If Bobs first SSRI was Paxil then he would have found it effective. You can switch it either way. Then people go from SSRI to another SSRI until none are even left and get no relief. I Here it all the time on the forum. This person never thinking, "I'm burned out of this class of drugs, lets try an SNRI to get relief." Odds are better that change of class will be much more activating and work better.

It reminds me of putting sour milk in the fridge, then going back two days later expecting it to be fresh.


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## ktbare

For me prozac by far. Zoloft made me sick most of the time.


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## jim_morrison

Generally, 'Response to a drug = Dosage + Time' thats the way I see it. Which means getting it up to a theraputic dosage and then taking it for atleast the amount of time required for that specific drug to start working.


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## hensley258

jim_morrison said:


> Generally, 'Response to a drug = Dosage + Time' thats the way I see it. Which means getting it up to a theraputic dosage and then taking it for atleast the amount of time required for that specific drug to start working.


My neighbor was prescribed Effexor XR last month. I asked her how she was feeling, and she says "Oh not so good, My GP put me on 37.5Mgs a day, But I just stopped taking it two weeks ago because it was making me feel just a bit funny" (she was only on it for like 13 days!)

I felt like saying, "how does your depression make you feel funny? Does it make you feel good and well adjusted?"

I mean she didn't even give it a chance. Had she given it some time I bet that funny feeling would have gone away in 5 weeks at 75Mgs.

She chomps them Xanax down like they are candy though. Her doc allows her 6Mgs a day! I tell her "Margret your wiped out because of the depression and Xanax rollor coaster and you have to cut back that dosage."

She is like 60 years old and shouldn't be taking that much Xanax. She's going to be so sick when she quits that dosage, but she won't listen to me.


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## Himi Jendrix

Prozac for sure man. I have been on every SSRI and the only one better might be Celexa but it wears off quickly for some people. (aka me)

Prozac has some unique effects that no other SSRI's have so it seems to make me the most chilled out. Something like 5-ht2c antagonism which increase dopamine release in the brain. Anyways, it makes you feel real good and thats all I care to know about that. 

Serenic is good word to describe the feeling. Especially with weed. lol


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## jim_morrison

To the OP; I remember my Psychiatrist once telling me that guys tend to respond better to prozac than to the other SSRI's, so if your a guy then you may (possibly) respond somewhat better to prozac than to zoloft, otherwise I'd say take your pick.


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## beaches09

Prozac is supposed to be more energizing.


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## hensley258

Yea, they say as far as SSRI's go that Prozac is a bit more energizing. I did prozac for about 7 Months at a pretty high dosage, but it was just to weak to put a real dent in my depression or anxiety even with augmentation.

I Found Effexor XR at 300Mgs with 900Mgs of Lithium CR to have a good kick. Much better than Prozac.


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## Lex Lewis

*Llex Lewis*

Many years ago I used Prozac for a few months. For a few days I experienced a bit of heartburn, but that stopped and didn't return. I found it did help to get me through a crisis. A few years later I was prescribed Remeron. It was somewhat helpful but the side effects were bad so I stopped taking it.

I have been taking Zoloft for a few years and it is extremely helpful for my depression and obsessiveness. It has been the all around best med for my emotional health, even for my dream life.


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## Flex4life

I have been on Zoloft for years (50mg) and it has not done too much for me. Of course it helps some anxiety but it also squashes all of my other feel good emotions such as love and general appreciation for a touching movie or a sad song. I literally do not remember crying while on this drug, some cathartic release beckons in me which I cannot seem to find. I am trying to wean off of the zoloft now as I need my othe emotions. I am a writer and this medicine has blocked all creative reservoirs.


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## AlexP7

Everyone is different so you might respond totally different to Prozac or Zoloft than someone else. That said, in terms of activation, Prozac seems to be the most activating, then Zoloft, then Paxil, in that order. Depends on the individual, and if you're taking it more for SA or Depression. I tried Zoloft & it made me feel hyper & wired & I didn't like that feeling because it made my anxiety get worse, but sometimes I think I didn't stick it out long enough. I have been on Paxil since, & it has worked decent for my SA with Propranolol. I've never tried Prozac, so not sure about it. Prozac works really well for a lot of people though.


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## invisiblestar

Neither.


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## Lex Lewis

*Lex Lewis*

A few months ago I was sick and had to stop taking Zoloft. I handled the anxiety and other side effects pretty well. Of course, the symptoms gradually returned, though I had learned to handle things much better. 
I recently resumed taking Zoloft. I must say I'm relieved to know that it will be of help to me, as it was before.

We are fortunate that such treatments are available.


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## SwtSurrender

Cool thread man, yeah I only got on prozac so far in my life only 20 mg and I do feel very energized and goofy, I do embarrassing things that normal people or people with social anxiety/selective mutism would never do, and it makes me act childish at times, super happy too happy and hyper at times, alot of energy at times, sometimes I feel down, so interesting to see that prozac makes you a little more crazier, yeah I agree. Prozac was my first lover, I'm gonna try zoloft in a few days to see how I am, yeah. Prozac was a nice lover, he taught me alot, maybe I can take my prozac experience on to my zoloft lover and see how we work together lol.


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