Have you taken this medicine?

[sms]

Zoloft. If you don't want to share info I understand. If there is anyone who will... How many mg's do you take? How often and what do you take it for? Does it really help? Any side effects? I know this is personal but would really like your feedback on it! Thanks ahead of time!!!

 

[pilotwife_02]

Yes, I took it for post partum depression. I took 50 mg a day and was on it for 18 months. It was hard for me to wean off of and took me 3 tries before I was able to do it successfully, but I think it was just hard since I have 2 small kids so close in age (14 months apart) and a DH that is gone so much for work.

I KNOW it helped me a lot and glad I went on it. I don't really think I had any side effects from it besides the lack of depression...lol.

 

[minkydog]

Zolooft can be a good medication for some people. My niece takes it and it has made a remarkable difference in her anxiety(she's 11). However, my son took Zoloft when he was 17 and it precipitates his first manic episode. People with depression that waxes and wanes with periods of hyperactivity should be closely monitored--there is some risk of suicide with Zoloft, primarily in those who have undiagnoses bipolar disorder.

 

[disneyfanforever]

I took Zoloft several years ago for anxiety. I took 100mg daily, and I had some side effects but they weren't severe and went away. It worked great for awhile but then it seemed to lose its effectiveness.

 

[pearlieq]

I took it in late adolescence (from about 18-20). Here were my key takeaways from the experience:

1.) It worked in terms of improving my depressive symptoms.
2.) I also believe it helped me lose weight and maintain that weight loss. I've had a lifelong problem with obesity (not just 10 extra pounds) and I've never had success like I did while on Zoloft.
3.) I did experience sexual side effects that were disruptive and frustrating and that contributed to my stopping the medication. This wasn't the sole reason I stopped (I had gotten much better) but it was an argument in favor of transitioning off.
4.) Transitioning off was a little rough. You taper off, and I had a few weeks of feeling very emotionally "shaky".
5.) I have some occasional vertigo that may or may not be related to having taken the zoloft.

It's been 10 years since I've been on it, but it did what it needed to do and I would do it again. Mercifully I haven't had any trouble with depression since.

If Zoloft doesn't work for you, talk to your doctor right away. There are plenty of mediciation to try--odds are you can find something that will work. The important thing is to just stick with it.

Good luck!

 

[CharityLynn]

I took it shortly aftyer I had my son, wasn't diagnosed with postpartum though. I personally took too many once, luckily not enough to do too much damage. I don't know that it was the medication or the dperession that cause me to do it, probably the depression.

 

[SDFgirl]

I took it for Postpartum Anxiety after the birth of my first daughter. It was wonderful for me. Luckily, I haven't needed it with my second DD (3 weeks old).

I took the lowest dosage (25mg? 50? Can't remember!) and I was on it for 8 months. It really helped with the anxiety I was dealing with after having the baby.

I didn't experience any emotional withdrawl symptoms, but I felt very lightheaded in the first few weeks after I stopped taking the meds. The dizziness wore off after 1 or 2 weeks.

I wouldn't hesitate to take it again. It really helped me stop worrying and enjoy being a mom!

 

[clgwli]

I also took it for PPD and anxiety a few months after giving birth. I was on 50 mg and was only on it for a few months. It really helped me out as I was going through all those hormonal swings. I had no issues going off of it since we slowly weaned and it wasn't a very high dose.

 

[sms]

Thanks for the replies! Helps alot!!!!

 

[daisax]

I took it for a little over a year about 10 years ago. I don't remember the dosage -- I do remember the doc saying that he personally thought the initial recommended dose was way too high and always started people on half that, and the numbers people talk about now seem to be more like what I was probably taking (50?) so maybe everybody else decided the same thing he did!

The only side effects I experienced were dry eyes (had to stop wearing contacts) and some insomnia (I would fall asleep easily but wake up a few hours later and be unable to go back to sleep). He gave me another med to take when that happened, but I really tried to avoid taking it, probably foolishly.

Both side effects paled in comparison to the benefits I got from the drug -- it started working within 3 days for me (I know the norm is 6 weeks) and it was like the weight of the world came off my shoulders.

I had no problem tapering down and off it at all.

If I ever fall into clinical depression again, I'd take it again in a heartbeat, and if I had had to stay on it for life, I would have done so happily.

 

[tasha99]

I took it for a few weeks years and years ago. It gave me horrible headaches, and my doctor switched me to Wellbutrin, which I took for years.

 

[MoniqueU]

I took it at a regular dose about 5 years ago. All I know is you shouldn't drink on it. I had a not so pleasant experience under the christmas tree after going to a christmas party and taking this. My youngest dd still wonders how all the christmas presents got smashed that one year. Not good. That was the last time I took that. I wasn't on it long so didn't have trouble getting off of it. I know alot of people that have success with it and with alot of other things. It seems I have tried them all and for me the one with the most success and fewest bad side effects is Pristiq. Different things work for different people and y0u normally have to give it some time to work.

 

[DznyLvr2005]

yes took it years ago for anxiety. I was taking 50mg/day. It made me so zombielike and my head felt like butter. I didn't like how I felt on it at all!!!

 

[lsyorke]

Do the research and understand the risk and benefits of this category of drugs.
Here is the FDA mandated medication guide, which is a good place to start.

http://media.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_zoloft.pdf#page=43

 

[LindaG4458]

I started taking zoloft when the MAO inhibitor side effects bacame unbearable for me. It's been 20 years and the 100 mg daily dose wonders. Every once in a while my doctor will suggest a new, fancier, more expensive drug. It has never worked as well as zoloft and I go back to the old standby.

 

[C.Ann]

Adult DD has been taking it for several years - for depression and PTSD.. At one point she was up to 100 mgs. a day - the past year and a half or so she's down to 50 mgs. a day.. Works great for her and no side effects..

I started taking it in March - for severe depression, agoraphobia, and some fairly significant OCD issues I was having.. I'm extremely sensitive to medications so the doctor has me on half of a children's dose (that's half of a 25 mg. each day - so I take 12.5 mgs.).. Almost immediately it stopped the emotional issues (crying all the time - everything made me cry - even hearing people laugh).. I don't really have any side effects from it that I'm aware of..

However, at the same time I had the opportunity to go into CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) because the traditional talk therapy (which I refer to as "wash, rinse, repeat" - talk about the same issues over and over and over with no guidance on what to do about them - other than more talk) was actually making matters worse.. The CBT is what really turned things around for me.. Might not have worked as well without the small dose of Zoloft to stop the crying jags, but it's been a real life saver for me.. Depression is gone - agoraphobia is gone - and the unusual OCD issues are gone.. It's not an "easy" form of therapy - lots of work involved (reading; worksheets to be completed; sessions; etc.) -but once you learn the skills that are necessary to retrain your brain, that's it - no years and years of therapy.. Medication alone never would have done it for me - nor would I want to be on medication for an extended length of time - which is another reason I chose to go with the CBT.. At this point my therapist thinks I'll be able to start weaning off the Zoloft by late summer, early fall - although we still haven't figured out how I'm going to cut that tiny pill any smaller.. LOL.. May have to go the every other day route instead and keep tapering down from there..

Having said all of that, every person responds to antidepressants (and various doses) in a different way.. I would ask your doctor to start you on the smallest dose possible - maybe the same as mine - and if you tolerate it well, but it's not quite "enough", they can slowly bump it up from there..

You didn't mention "why" you were asking about it (which is fine), but if it's for depression, I would strongly suggest that you look for a good CBT therapist.. The combination of the two things together can really turn your life around 180 degrees and you won't need to be in therapy "forever and a day"..

Good luck!