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On the Panic - Anxiety Disorders Forum, medications and side effects are often discussed. It may be alarming to start a new medication and experience different problems. These links will take you to specific discussions about Zoloft (sertraline, Lustral). You may click on the link and read the messages as a Forum Guest. To post your own messages on the Forum, you will need to register (free). For more information on using the Forum, please see the Forum How To's.
Arm Numbness and Zoloft
"I have been on Zoloft for 4 weeks now. It has stopped the panic attacks, but I am getting some numbness in my left arm. Does anyone get this kind of feeling? Was wondering if it is the Zoloft or the stress."
Constipation and Zoloft
"I have taken Zoloft now for 3 weeks and now I'm constipated. First time in my life this has happened. Is it the medicine? Does anyone else have this problem and if so what do you take for it?"
Diarrhea and Zoloft
"My doc keeps increasing my Zoloft. It is really helping alot, but the embarrassing thing is loose stools every day since this increase. (I really am embarrassed, I didn't know where else to ask.) This happened with each time it was increased but only lasted a few days. It's now been six days. Anyone else go through this?"
Dizziness and Zoloft
"The last several days I've been staying dizzy a lot. Also, it feels like my breathing just isn't quite right. But the dizziness is what I have a hard time living with. I started Zoloft 2 weeks ago, made it up to the one pill daily, and decided to go back down to half a pill. Could this be making me dizzy?"
Dry Mouth and Zoloft
"I am on 25 mg of Zoloft, and take an occasional Klonopin for those anxious times. I have severe (or what I think is severe!) dry mouth and just hate it. Does anyone else have this? How do you deal with it? My doctor said it is a definite side effect, nothing to worry about, very common and to drink lots of water."
Hair Thinning and Zoloft
"I am a 24 y/o female and I have recently noticed that my once very thick hair seems to be getting a lot thinner. Does anyone think that the Zoloft could have anything to do with this or do you think that it is just a normal change my body is going through?"
Headaches and Insomnia and Zoloft
"I have been taking Zoloft for about 4 weeks now and honestly it has been wonderful. The question I have is, I am now taking 100 mg but am thinking it may be too much. Since starting the 100's I have had constant tension in my neck, which result in headaches. I am not sleeping well either."
Headaches and Zoloft
"Been taking 50 mgs Zoloft now for 2 weeks for panic after going off Prozac, and the headaches have been pretty constant since I started. Is it a symptom that will go away? Panic is about gone, but the headaches are pretty much continuous."
Increased Anxiety and Zoloft
"I just starting taking Zoloft and I am more panicky than ever plus the anxiety is bad. Is this normal? I'm thinking about quitting it. I felt better without it. This is my second med and I feel like there is no hope for me. The first med they put me on did this, too. So I went back to the doctor and she said I didn't give them a chance. This time I want to give them a chance but I'm scared."
Increased Anxiety and Zoloft
"Has anyone had good results on Zoloft? I've now been taking it two weeks and initially my anxiety was worse, especially because I had major insomnia. I now am doing a little better, but still more anxious than before I went on meds. I'm willing to stick it out if it's going to help. Is there anyone out there who really benefited from Zoloft?"
Increased Panic and Zoloft
"I am taking Zoloft, which gives me about 5 panic attacks every day. The worst is when I try to go to sleep. I have been on zoloft for about 2 months, and it seems like at first it helped with the anxiety, but now it's contributing. Can anyone help me? My doc seems to think it's all in my head."
Increased Symptoms and Zoloft
"I have been on Zoloft for 13 days and feel like a different person. I am anxious, nervous, feel 'not real,' have blurry vision, headaches, no appetite and feel very emotional. I feel confused and like I am going crazy. I just don't feel normal. I feel worse than before I started."
Memory Loss and Zoloft
"I have been taking Zoloft for depression and anxiety for about the last 4 months. During that time I've noticed a decline in my ability to remember many things from the mundane to the most important. Has anyone else had any experience with Zoloft and memory loss?"
Missed Periods and Zoloft
"I've been on Zoloft for about 2 years and I'm trying to wean. I just started this process this week on Tuesday. My period was due Wednesday, but I always give or take a couple of days so I figured at the latest Thursday, the 20th. Here I am now and it's the 24th and still no period. Does anyone know if weaning from Zoloft can mess up your cycle?"
Mood Swings and Zoloft
"When I started the full dose of Zoloft, I noticed, off and on, I had crazy mood swings, like real high, euphoric, then real sad and emotional. I have NEVER been like this. I have never really been 'that' depressed, maybe mildly lately, as a result of the panic attacks, but nothing real moody or wild swings. Has anyone else been like this on Zoloft?"
Multiple Side Effects and Zoloft
"I have been on Zoloft for 15 days. Should the side effects -- shakiness, achey chest, unreal feeling, insomnia, and anxiety -- be gone by now, or do I still need to give it time?"
Nausea and Zoloft
"I started taking Zoloft about 1-1/2 weeks ago. On the fifth day, I felt really nauseous. I felt really sick for 5 days and thought it must be the Zoloft. So, I stopped taking it 2 days ago. I felt better the next day, but now today, I am feeling nauseous again (I guess from the anxiety)."
Numbness and Zoloft
"My doctor increased my Zoloft to 100 mg two weeks ago.I started feeling numbness in my hands yesterday. It went away this morning but now it's back, and my feet and mouth feel a little numb, too. It kind of feels like limbs when they go to sleep but at moments I can barely tell that my hands are there."
Sexual Side Effects and Zoloft
"I just started taking Zoloft about 2 weeks ago with great results except for 1 minor side affect which is embarrassing. The one good thing that my husband loves is it makes me want to do something more. The bad part is I'm having a lot of trouble having an 'O' if you know what I mean."
Sleepiness and Zoloft
"I love the Zoloft as it has given me my life back. However, I don't seem to be getting good rest during sleep any more. Regardless if I get 8-9 hours of sleep at night, I still can take a 2-hour nap and still sleep 8-9 hours again, day after day. If I don't have something to stay focused on, like work or a busy activitiy, I can't stay awake."
Tapering Off Zoloft
"I have been debating for months now to try and get off my meds. I have tried a couple of times but the withdrawals (side-effects) are worse than my panic sometimes. From what I understand Zoloft is the 2nd hardest med to come off of next to Paxil. So has anyone here gotten off of them? If so, how did you do it?"
Tremors or Twitches and Zoloft
"I've been taking Zoloft for about a week now and notice that I have some slight tremors. My arm, hand or leg will twitch once in a while. It's only happened when laying still. I also feel a kind of pulling feeling on the bottom of my toes, sometimes legs too. I'm wondering if anyone else has experinced this with Zoloft."
Vivid Dreams and Zoloft
"I am taking Zoloft 50mg for GAD, and ever since I've been taking it I have extremely vivid dreams (not all bad) every night. The images are often so real that it wakes me up, and the images stay with me all day. Does anyone have a similar reaction to your SSRIs?"
Weight Gain and Sex Drive and Zoloft
"I was put on Zoloft last June, and I have gained 60 pounds since then. Why does this stuff make some of us gain like crazy? It's really depressed me being so over weight. And it killed any sex in my life - just didn't want it at all. Why can they not make a pill to help out that doesn't have all the side effects?"
Weight Gain and Zoloft - 14 Pounds
"I have been on Zoloft, 25 mg daily for some time. I gained weight with it and started 25 mg every other day and the weight started coming off. I have kept off about 14 lbs but need to lose about 15 more. I do better with anxiety if I take the daily dose - but it is hard to lose weight. Have any of you who gained weight on SSRI's have any tips on how you could stay on them and still lose weight?"
Weight Gain and Zoloft - 20 pounds
"Since taking Zoloft I have gained 20 pounds and it seems to now negate the benefits I was experiencing from beginning medication in the first place. I was never heavy before and now I feel tremendous. I don't want to go out because I'm so embarrassed and self-conscious of how I look which is basically how I felt before."
Weird Dreams and Zoloft
"I started Zoloft almost a month ago. From my first pill I started having really weird dreams every time I fell asleep (including naps). We finally put me on the 25 mg dose a week ago and the dreams seem to be even weirder. And they seem to be more frequent. Last night I woke up 4 times and each time had a different dream (that ended up waking me up). It's messing with my head."
Withdrawal From Zoloft - Cold Turkey
"I have been on Zoloft for about 5 months and stopped cold turkey a bit over a week ago. I had gained nearly 10 pounds even though I exercise 5 days a week and follow the Weight Watchers Plan faithfully. Right now the withdrawal is tough. I've had a headache for 6 days, very dizzy, throwing up."
Withdrawal Symptoms From Zoloft
"I am trying to get off Zoloft for the second time. It has been 2 months since I started to wean off. I have been completely off for 7 days and I feel sick. I am pretty much confined to bed or the couch. Any movement makes me dizzy and nauseus and I have the zapping feeling in my head. I just want to know how long this withdrawal will last so I can move on with my life!!!"
Sertraline (Zoloft) - Side Effects
Includes common side effects, less common side effects, when to call the doctor, withdrawal side effects, and overdose side effects. From Kimberly Bailey & Marcia Purse, About Bipolar.
Zoloft (sertraline)
Discussions about side effects from the forum community at Nancy Schimelpfening's About Depression site.
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