Zoloft - side effects?

[Tattooed Hand]

Have any of you ladies been on Zoloft? What sort of side effects have you experienced?

[HappilyEvrAfter]

It pretty much made me a zombie....which was probably preferred to the depressive that I was, but I didn't enjoy feeling passionless so I found other ways to manage.

Helpful for me at the time, but not preffered.

[broodymama]

It did make me a bit of an emotional zombie - really damped out the emotional highs and lows. Nothing made me happy, nothing made me sad, just kind of there. It helped cut down on the rage breaking through, but eventually it would again. It totally killed my sex drive though, and made the good parts of sex very difficult to reach, IYKWIM.

[dancerwritermom]

I had a slightly different experience...I did not feel like an "emotional zombie" although I really thought I would. I do feel nauseated if I take it on an empty stomach, I had some sexual side effects that went away, and I developed a tolerance to the dose and had to keep increasing, but other than that, no problems.

I am weaning off of it now and had no side effects going from 150 to 100.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

I didn't take it for PPD, but was on it for 11 years.

-didn't feel emotionally like myself, cut out highs and lows
-really thirsty
-nauseous if taken on an empty stomach
-reduced sex drive and function

[azgirl]

It made me sleepy and a little bit zombie-ish. Since some of my worst symptoms of PPD where insomnia and panic attacks, the side effects were good for me. Overall Zoloft was a miracle drug for me...was only on it for 8 months but it gave me the ability to make the changes I needed and get through therapy. I would take it again in a heartbeat and I would encourage anyone who was suffering to try meds. Good luck feeling better soon!

[estercita]

The only side effects for me were sexual. Zoloft allowed me finally to sleep and enjoy my life and my baby after several months of insomnia hell. The issue is that side effects and effectiveness are highly individualized, so the only way to know if it will help *you* is to try it.

[ihugtrees]

I had severe dizziness & it totally zapped my sex drive, and made it hard to enjoy sex even when I attempted.

[mojobin]

I have been on Zoloft for 3 years and it has changed my life. I used to be constantly on edge and irritable about everything. I am on a very low dose 50mg. I stayed on it through my pregnancy and am currently breastfeeding my 6 month old. It may affect my sex drive, but not my enjoyment of sex or feeling emotions. I am not a zombie. Must be different for everyone!

[coldandsleepy]

When I first started taking it (for PPD), I had a couple of side effects... loss of appetite for the first 2-3 weeks and recurring rash/hives. I decided to wait it out and see what would happen, as I noticed some positive effects (FAR fewer obsessive thoughts, less anxiety) by the second week or so.

All my bad symptoms went away, and I'm pleased to say that it's been really helpful to me since then. I feel like I am FINALLY able to enjoy my baby, and like I'm finally getting some of my self back. I'm on a very low dosage and don't know when/if I plan to stop taking it.

[momo7]

Originally Posted by Red Sonja

It did make me a bit of an emotional zombie - really damped out the emotional highs and lows. Nothing made me happy, nothing made me sad, just kind of there. It helped cut down on the rage breaking through, but eventually it would again. It totally killed my sex drive though, and made the good parts of sex very difficult to reach, IYKWIM.

I could have written this. But I know that I can't be without my medication. I have been off and on it several times, with years in between. I am just unmanageable without it. I just have to deal with the "indifference" of it all....because everything with me has become....indifference.

I miss being horny.

[Tiffanoodle]

I packed on weight like you wouldn't believe. I actually joined Weight Watchers and GAINED 10 pounds in a month despite following their program to the letter.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Libido went to non existent, hard time reaching orgasm other than that I did well on it.

[mom0810]

For those of you who felt flat on zoloft, did you ever try and augment it with something else? (Wellbutrin) or did you switch to another ssri, or did you just deal with the side effects?

I'm asking because I am trying to decide if I want to go back on meds again, and my pdoc has suggested a VERY low dose of prozac this time instead of zoloft. I am afraid to try a different ssri... since I KNOW how I feel on zoloft, I am more comfortable with trying that. But I did gain a lot of weight on it (stil haven't lost it) and I did feel low energy, just kind of flat on it. And the no libido thing (although I have that now, too, without any meds).

Sorry, not meaning to hijack here... I just had the question pop into my mind and thought I would ask.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

My side effects on wellburtrin were 100 times worse than on zoloft. I actually lost the feeling in my genitals. I didnt have libido issues however but that didnt matter because of the loss of sensation that kept me from feeling anything pleasurable down there.

I was on paxil while pg with ds because of pg depression and didnt have any side effects while on it though I weaned off at 7 months due to possible issues for baby at birth.

[ananas]

I was on it for...hmm, I actually have no idea how long. Maybe 8-9 months? It was less than a year...

Anyway, it made me numb. Very, very numb. I felt *nothing* (good or bad), and then every once in a while it would all randomly catch up to me and I would be a mess, on the verge of a total breakdown each time. So, I found different ways to deal.

[ammommyx2]

I have been on zoloft for years and took it throughout my pregnancy and am still on it. What puzzles me is I'm a normally pretty happy person thanks to zoloft yet two months out from delivering twins and I'm still experiencing postpartum depression. I guess it affects everyone differently. You have to do what feels right for you...with that said you need to give it a couple of weeks to kick in that's just the way that particular medication works.

[mom0810]

Ammommy, I know it's not uncommon to need a boost in your dose of zoloft after giving birth. I had to go up to 50 mg after giving birth to ds2, because my depression/anxiety got worse after he was born. Just a thought, you might need to bump it up a little bit for a while to compensate for losing that bath of progesterone your brain got while pregnant.

[Calee]

I take a VERY low dose (25 mg) and I take it before bed.... It puts me to sleep, but I am fine the next day. I have actually lost weight while being on it.

[momo7]

I still have bouts of depression with Zoloft, but it's nothing, anywhere NEAR what it used to be. I can deal with the "down" times I have now, where before it felt like a deep black pit I couldn't get out of.

I have been on higher dosages before, 75mg and also 100mg.......all it did was make me feel like I was putting my finger in a light socket. I am on 50mg now and I think that it's where it should be. I can deal with the weight gain and the loss of libido, what I can't deal with is the outbursts of uncontrollable anger, and the breakdowns that would happen for any reason no matter what.

You know you're doing something right when your children tell you: "Wow, mommy, you are being really nice today!"