zoloft - dont know what to do

[2karen]

I've been on Zoloft for about 3 weeks now, but I dont feel any better, as a matter of fact I think I feel worse, I have been tried and flat in mood, which I wasn't feeling like that before, I went on it to try and improve my anxiety levels, cause the palpitations, nausea symptoms are driving me mad, so I dont know whether to presevere or to give up, I'm on 25mg, I was ment to go up to 50mg but when I did I got very anxious, I'm going back to my doctor tomorrow, any ideas? Karen

[winegirl]

Hi Karen

I was put on fluoxetine initially for the anxiety but it certainly made me worse! After 3 weeks I was begging the dr to take me of th stuff. He switched me on to cipralex and since then I have finally been gradually improving.

Like you the nausea symptoms etc were driving me mad. But the fluoxetine made me so much worse i had to be signed off work. Now some people swear by fluoxetine, the same way som people swear by zoloft, t's just that different meds suit different people. I would imagine your gp may take you off the zoloft and try you on somthing else.

After 3 weeks I think it is safe to say you should know whether or not these things suit. I gave my drugs three weeks and because I was getting worse I knew it wasnt for me. They do say that these drugs can sometimes make your symptoms worse for the first couple of weeks, but I think by the end of week three things should be easing off a bit.

Good luck with the GP tomorrow. Let us know what happens?

Winegirl x

[Harriet]

Hi Karen i have been on zoloft for about 13 weeks now and I also felt worse in the beginning. It took about just over 4 weeks for me to start feeling better. Up until then I was scared everyday to take it because i know it made me feel terrible. I wouldn't take it unless my sister came over everyday just to be there. I couldn't do anything and was so much more down and anxious - so i thought what is the point of this? I was told to give it at least 4 weeks, but the full effect usually doesn't take until 6-8 weeks, so it is very early days for you in my oponion. I'm glad i stuck it out because i am a lot better these days, still climbing that mountain but i can now see the top. I was told for it to start working you need to go up to the therapeutic dose of 50mg. your body has been adjusting to the meds so don't be afraid to go up. Things will only get better. I have slowly made my way up to 200mg and i can feel my life slowly returning back to normal.i look forward to waking in the morn I think you should still let your dr know what's happening so you can both decide what's best for you. Good luck with whatever you choose to do. Harriet (newie) xx

[bam02]

It is difficult for us to comment on individual drugs as we only know from our own experience and we are not medically qualified - but it can take time to adjust to new meds as both the above have said and its best talk to your doctor.

I too have had drugs where I have been on lower doses to start and need for the body to adjust before you can get to a dose that is called a theraputic dose as Harriet says and so to actally work to make you feel better.

Then some can stay on that lower dose that works for them and others need more to have an impact - for instance for of the drugs i am on is Cipralex and you can have 5mg doses for some effect - and it works well for a lot of people - but i am on what I have been told is the max dose ( not definite about that ) which is 20mg.. Strange when other drugs go up in 100's mine stops at 20....

I also have another drug added a mood stabliser.

So it does seem a bit of a testing time - unfortunately not one works for all.

Good luck at your doctors and you can talk here as much as you like - it is difficult to see the other side sometimes when you are going through bad days ,but they will come.

hugs

Bam

[Scarlet]

Hi Karen,

Sorry to hear about the zoloft. I know a lot of the American ladies on the other forums swear by this one and it's very popular in the States. I don't have any experience of this AD myself and like the others say, I should mention the symptoms you are having to your GP when you see him/her tomorrow. Some doctors may suggest you try them for a little longer (my psychiatrist said he always tries ADs for 6 weeks because it could take that long for them to start working), but it may be that he moves you to one which is better suited. Let us know how you get on at the doctors tomorrow hun.


Bam, I was on Cipralex too and the psych told me it's one of the new generations of SSRIs, which is more efficient at a lower dose than it's predecessor citalopram. So 20g of cipralex is equivalent to 40g citalopram.

[bam02]

Thanx for info Scarlet...

[Scarlet]

no probs Bam, hope you are having a great weekend hun

[winegirl]

I am on 5mg of cipralex which is equal to 10mg of citalopram or fluoxetine. I am upping to 10mg soon which is the same as 20mg of the others, so 20mg af cipralex is the same as 40mg of ordinary SSRI's. Does that make any sense?

[stevensmummy]

Hi Karen,

i suggest like the others have said that you discuss your symptoms with your doc. I am by the way of thinking that you most likely have not been on the drugs for long enough for it to make a decison although this is not from experience. I have no long term experience of anti-d's as the one I was prescribed was of no use to me and i decided against all of them. However this is not the case for the majority and you should not let my experience be of any judgement to yourself.

I hope it goes well, do let us know how you get on

Sarah x

[2karen]

:)Well I decided to go off them, it took about 5-6 days for the symptoms to where off, but I am feeling better, will be interesting to see what happens when I ovulate this time, as that seems to be when I get anxious, but at least I'm not feeling tried and flat all the time, I'II just have to put up with the palpitations or benign ectopic beats as the dr calls them, I've heard that they can also be hormonal as well, but my mood is great at the moment, which I love, I just wish I could stay this way. Karen

[marion]

Glad to hear that things are better for you Karen.
You say that your anxiety is worse when you ovulte - have you tried evening primrose oil 1000mg (available from health food shops). I know that this is traditionally for pmt but it may help in some way. i take it everyday and dont suffer pmt at all.

Love
Marion.