Okay. I thought to write this in hopes of helping someone consider Zoloft. Or not, if you choose. I know when I personally was searching, I could not get enough information. I could not hear enough of people's personal experiences in regards to trying Zoloft. Because my doctor took away my Xanax, and told me sorry, but you are taking Zoloft now. Lol. My story started 4 years ago. One fine day I was driving, feeling fine, and than all of a sudden, I thought I was going to DIE! I started sweating, I was clammy. My heart started racing. I felt light headed, like I was going to black out. Which scared me the most because I was by myself, driving. So I quickly PANICKED, and pulled over, and was almost feeling like I was in another reality. I felt like I was going crazy. It was so scary. After what seemed like an eternity (really probably only 10 minutes ) I drove myself to the E.R. and told them I thought I was dying. I felt I was going crazy, that I felt SO weird. The Dr. laughed and after I explained what happened told me I had a panic attack. I was in tears, still shaken up from it, and I said " Panic Attack!? What in the hell is THAT!? And how and what do I have to do to NEVER feel like that again? " He told me to go see my regular Dr. I did. He went over the whole what a panic attack thing is again, and prescribed me Xanax and Paxil. Paxil I discarded I think after the first week. It made me feel like it was a horrible rainy day everyday. Like I have not showered in a year, like I was just, uncomfortable, and gross. Lol. I felt horrible. So out with that. Kept taking the Xanax, truly as needed. Sometimes I needed it 4 times a day (in the beginning of this journey) and sometime later, did not take one for several weeks. And for a while I took it about
once, twice a week, but even cutting my already low dose in half, and it worked just fine. I had my son April 15 2010, and have had MUCH stress and hardships since then. Looking back, I do think I started getting depressed about
6 months after my son's birth all throughout recent times. I was never depressed before in my life. Also a reminder, these panic attacks came up just in 2008. So after the birth of my 2nd child, my daughter born March 27 2012 I was told, nope, sorry, let's try something else. No more Xanax, and let us get something to help with what has possibly been depression. So on came the Zoloft. 25 mg for a week, then to 50 mg for 8 weeks. Then I felt it could work just a bit better, so I went back and asked for a spike up in dose, and it went to 100 mg since. That was 2 weeks ago. That is my story. My uh...journey. Lol. Now about
the little details on why I started this post to begin with. Week 1-2 of no more Xanax and only Zoloft. Had a few, just a few days of dizziness. It was manageable and very brief. I felt it work for my anxiety IMMEDIATELY! From day 1. I know they say it's impossible, and maybe it is. Maybe I always looked at this as a new and very effective way of possibly helping my anxiety. So my mind was SO VERY
open to this trial. So then the power of suggestion is powerful! NO anxiety. I mean it. None. It's gone. I never think, like I used to, i'm going to the mall, do I have my Xanax? What if it's crowded, what if....what if.....NO MORE. It just does not cross my mind. I get up and GO, and I don't look back. I wanted to eat the world! Well, a world made out of CARBS! Lol. Bread, pasta, sweet bread, buttered bread, pasta, and bread, bread, BREAD! That lasted just about
a short week, 5 days maybe? Week 3-4 I am WAY less irritated by small things that used to drive me up a wall. I stop and do realize, that would have driven me crazy before, and I am just barely now noticing it. Did have a day or two, here and there where I cried like a baby. Odd, but expected with my current life situation. I see a lot of people say they have insomnia. Not me. It helps me to sleep like a log, since day 1. I take it early, i'm an early riser because of my two little one's. So anywhere from 7 a.m to 8 a.m every day. I do get very tired mid day, but that happened before anyway, and I crash anywhere from 9 p.m to 12 midnight, and I am OUT. Feeling like I want to clean more. Get out more, walk more. Energy. BUT, not a 10 coffee, wired up, nervous energy. Normal, balanced energy. Week 5-6 I feel a great sense of well being. Mind you, I should NOT feel this way, due to the recent trauma's in my life. New experiences, and extremely trying times. Not getting into it on here, but if your curious, I will answer any and all of your questions : ) Just ask : ) I noticed a pattern week 1-2 Zoloft effects your appetite. Week 3-4 it effects your energy levels. Week 5-6 it effects your mood. Everything remained the same until my spike up from 50 mg to 100 mg. I have more of a headache then before. Had them anyway for the last year. But it's a bit more now. Oh, sorry, forgot to mention since about
a week after starting Zoloft, even before it got hot as heck here in Orange County, California, I was sweating like a pig throughout the night. It's hard to say too if the way I react to Zoloft is truly side effects from Zoloft, OR post pregnancy symptoms. I feel mostly it's the Zoloft. So bottom line, for myself, VERY few side effects from Zoloft. It does in fact work, and it works well. Just give it a chance, and a full, fair chance. Wait 6-8 weeks to know for sure : ) Hopes this helps. Stay happy : )
Post Edited (AngelAnn) : 8/16/2012 1:39:04 PM (GMT-6)