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Zoloft and Heart Arrythmia?

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Posted 12/8/2006 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
I started my zoloft for anxiety in August and for a month and a half i was only on the .25 mg.  I wasn't having normal panic attacks (heart racing, faint, scared, etc) I was having outbursts of anger.  I was extremely short tempered and making lists of "to do" and schedules for every hour of the day.

I could feel myself getting very tense at times (mostly work) so increased dosage to 50 mg. 

Since then i have intermittent episodes of 'brachycardia'  So i dont haev the increased heart rate, but rather the skipping and 'gurgling' feeling that my heart is not beating.  It has woken me up out of a dead sleep!

I have had a heart murmur since birth, they thought I had a MVP, and they have sent me to a cardiologist who cleared me 2 years ago.  However this is happening about once a day now and occurs mostly when i'm 'resting'  It's like if I am not exercising my heart it wants to just stop beating for a minute. 

Does anyone else on Zoloft experience this?  I'm making an appt with my psychologist and my doc to discuss it.

Posted 12/8/2006 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry, i couldnt take zoloft, it did all kinds of crazy things lol but i do have heart palps, but the beta blocker helps tremendously. Best of luck with you appt!
shell
Posted 12/8/2006 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Greeves, WELCOME to Healing Well. I have never experienced what you are experiencing but I'm very glad to know that you are taking charge by getting in to see your doctor and your psychologist. Have you ever taken an anti-anxiety med as needed for the anger and compulsion? A psychiatrist is the best person to talk to you about this. Their are some meds that they prescribe as needed for periods of mania or agitation. You don't have to have bi-polar but they can help a lot with the symptoms you are describing. Let us know how things go.
Posted 12/8/2006 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Greeves

 

Welcome to HW as you can see you will recive great support and information from members going thru the same things you are suffering from.

 

I personally don't take zoloft they have me on Oxazepam and Traxodone for my anxiety it also helps me sleep. My symtems were dizziness, shortness of breath, panic and heart pounding not to mention the things that would be going thru my head.

 

I Hope this info helps you some. Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

Posted 12/8/2006 7:38 PM (GMT 0)

if th4e problems started after starting the zoloft these are possible early side effects or the med may be making all your anxiety problems worse, which often happens for up to 6 weeks

so if you associate the problems with the zoloft I suggest you ask doc about a swap to another zoloft type med such as generic prozac that may suit you better

if you started the zoloft for the anger it seems after now, that again its not the med for you and a swap is indicated

some docs are very stubborn and persist with the same med when they shouldnt

Posted 12/8/2006 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on paxil in the past but it made me a zombie and the yawning side effect was horrible. I had been off meds for close to 5 years. I had been controlling it with therapy but a series of events brought the anxiety back. It used to be a classic anxiety case of dizziness, shortness of breath, panic and heart pounding and fear of death but this time its all about the anger.

I've been on the zoloft for 4 months now so it's not new med side effects but it has been since I increased the dosage so i wanted to know if this could be a regular side effect. The anger is all under control now and the only problem besides heart palps is some nightmares.
Posted 5/10/2023 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
Yes!!!!! I was on Zoloft for years for PTSD, anxiety, and very slowly got off it. I started having EXACTLY what you are saying only it was when I was lying down or sitting, then when I would stand up. It sorr of takes your breath away! This happened last year, went to cardiologist, did stress test, ecg and holter monitor, nothing but PVCs less than a low percent of the time. Started having them a few months ago again! They were gone until my dogs started fighting and it scared the heck out of me, I think it triggered them again! I feel like my position of sitting, bending, lying down makes it happen and if I am tired, stressed, emotional, excited, etc, it happens more. What IS this?!?
Posted 5/11/2023 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
You said you were on Zoloft and had this chest reaction and then you slowly and with a doctor's help went off of Zoloft and then everything went OK and then an unusual event caused the chest problems again.

Went to the net and Heart.org said:

"Yes, zoloft can slow down your heart rate, but this side effect is not so common. Some people suffer from zoloft induced heart palpitations in which they complain of unusually fast heartbeats. It indicates that zoloft affects heart rate differently in different individuals."

"Zoloft, when stopped abruptly, produces a number of withdrawal symptoms, which can affect your heart health even more. If your treatment needs to be stopped, your doctor will taper you off zoloft gradually."

I'm glad you are seeing your heart doctor and your psychiatrist.

This data is from what I've read on the net and typing "zoloft and brachycardia" into the search engine.

I have some heart problems myself and find that a heating pad on my chest, usually with a towel to absorb some of the heat, can help with some of the chest problems. I think the heat can enlarge the blood vessels and make the blood flow more easily and put the heart under less stress.

When I have chest discomfort, what helps me is Ativan tranquilizer. I only take it when I'm having an emergency with that, when the pain keeps increasing. I take 1 mg of that, and then take go ahead and take 1 more mg., because that's what it takes to stop it, for a total of 2 mg. of Ativan tranquilizer. My heart doctor said, yeah, keep taking your usual dosage of Ativan when you're in an emergency.

As for myself, I am a Bipolar who has no medical training.
Posted 8/3/2023 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
hello tim tam old friend
Posted 8/3/2023 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, Dan. How's it going.

Been wondering where you were. I'm having so many problems I can't even begin to list them.

Let us know how it's going.
Posted 8/3/2023 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
anxiety wise i am ok. health wise its bad. i have advanced prostate cancer . just finished radiation treatments. am on female hormones to try and keep my testorone down as thats what has been feeding the cancer. too soon to have a longterm prognosis. but this is my second bout with prostate cancer. that dosnt bode well. thought i had it beat. went 6 yrs and then its back. are you sleeping well? still taking mirtazapene? great to hear from you
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