Zoloft - side effects? - Page 2

[jennybear]

I've gained 12 lbs in the few months I've been on it, but that may be due to me feeling good & enjoying food again. I'm going to join weight watchers in hopes I can take it off.

Otherwise, no major side effects (I'm on 100 mg). My libido seems okay given we have a six month old and I'm nursing.

I did feel sort of "foggy" for a few weeks, but that's gone now. I would say I am more mellow than flat.

[Queen of Cups]

I've been on Zoloft for about 2 years now. I'd had insomnia since I was a child and struggled anxiety/depression for several years. I had some stomach upset the first week I was on it, but after about 2 weeks I suddenly could sleep - its been wonderful! I don't know if fixing the insomnia fixed the anxiety or vise versa, but I have felt better the last couple of years than I ever have. When I first started Zoloft, I did have some decrease in libido and it took me longer to reach orgasm, but those side effects only lasted the first few weeks. Honestly, I don't have any side effects now.

[elfimka]

I recently tried Zoloft and stopped taking it after about a week. On the plus side, my anger and sadness definitely became more controllable. However, I just couldn't sleep. I'd be very very tired, but would just lay there staring at the wall. So I decided I'd rather be very sad than very sleep-deprived.

[mom0810]

Didn't your doctor tell you that insomnia is a very normal side effect when FIRST starting the medication? It goes away after about 2 weeks. I'm sorry that you didn't get the information you needed to help you stay on zoloft. But that is a very normal symptom when first starting or going off any ssri.

[kdaisy]

Originally Posted by 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.

Zoloft saved my life. But it did make it harder to orgasm. I have been on it 1.5 years approx. Through pregnancy and now a newborn.

[Mrs.Music]

I took zoloft for years as a teen. I was on 100mg. The only side effect I experienced was insomnia. I just took a second antidepressant at night that helped me sleep.

[swell_mel]

Zoloft worked very well for me. I used it for depression and anxiety. I have used it on and off for several years. The only side effect I can think of is that it would upset my stomach if I tried taking it on an empty stomach. I had to take it right before bed for several weeks. When I started taking it during the day I had to make sure I ate something first. Other than that zoloft really helped me feel like me again. At one point dh and I were very tight on money and I switched to Prozac since we could get it for $5/bottle. Prozac made me feel worse and crazy! I felt awful on it. It was a nightmare. Go figure. Needless to say I went back to Zoloft. All that to say it's hard to say what will work for you. The antidepressant route can be trial and error. Good luck! I hope you are able to find something that works well for you!

[Tattooed Hand]

I went to a doc and she didn't htink I had PPD, just that I needed to sleep and make some changes in my life. DD had been waking up every 1-2 hours for 6 weeks and sleeping only 9 hours a night and not napping for more than 30 minutes at a time. I was alone (with out DH) at my mom's house and my mom was the opposite of help. So I did make some changes. And I've been feeling alot better.

But the last 3 weeks all 4 of DD's top teeth have been coming in and I'm starting to feel aweful again. I still haven't gotten a lick of work done (I'm a grad student) yet, the nanny we spend thousands on is of limited use and she still won't sleep more than 3 hours in a row. And I still can't eat anything with wheat, dairy, soy, corn or nuts in it.

I decided not to go on meds *for now* because that's enough to make anyone mental. But I don't know if DD is going to change/grow quickly enough for me not to go postal in the meantime. It's aweful. I love her so much, but sometimes I feel like having a baby was the worst mistake of my life. Counseling seems pointless since I know what the problem is. Maybe meds are the answer to help me just endure.

[ferra]

Found this thread from a while ago. I am on day three of 25mg of Zoloft and going up to 50mg next week. All the effects people have been mentioning sound ok compared to how I am feeling. Although I really do not want to gain any weight. So far I feel a little funny and more anxious. I know it takes a while (a month or so) to feel the real effect. I have to say I am happy I finally made the decision to give this a try. So tired of struggling with moods and motherhood. This thread has been extremely helpful as support

[whozeyermamma]

I went on Zoloft about 2 weeks ago - only side effect has been occasional headaches.

I have to say that it has made a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference. I wish I had started it much sooner. I feel much happier, like myself again. I can cope with the bad days better, see the humor in things and I feel more connected to my baby. I'm less likely to obsess and get anxious too.

As for sexual side effects - hard to say - my libbido plunged for months after my DD was born - and it's pretty low now but honestly, it doesn't bother me or DH too much. We'd rather have me not depressed.

[ferra]

Wow you are lucky to feel it kicking in. I am at about a week and a half and at the moment I feel awful. So tired and nausous. Also super unmotivated. I hardly want to do anything. I really hope it gets better soon.

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by Tattooed Hand

Counseling seems pointless since I know what the problem is. Maybe meds are the answer to help me just endure.

Counseling is never pointless. At the very least, it's a supportive place to vent, to let out those big fears we all have that we are afraid of mentioning for fear of being labeled a 'bad' mom. I also find it validating when someone can either mention that what I'm feeling/going through is normal and when it's not. Plus, some of the techniques have saved me many, many times.

Ami

[wombato]

I tried Zoloft several years ago. It made me spacey and kind of dull, but it didn't help my problems at the time, which turned out to be about making the wrong life choices in which I had no soul-interest. I always thought something was wrong with me...well, there still is, I just have different ways of going about dealing with them now.

I also had a scary experience getting off of it. I ran out over the weekend (spacey!) and then went to the pharmacy on Monday to get some more so I could go back on and appropriately taper off, as best I could at that point. I ended up having near black-out episodes where I had to sit down, numerous times a day for several days, then less often over the next weeks. It was scary. I wonder if they were mild seizures.

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

i've been on it now since august, and the only side effects that really bother me much are the headache, but i had them before starting the med too so i can't say for sure the zoloft caused it; and insomnia, but i had that before as well due to my early morning pumping schedules to try to keep lil man in mama's milk through cold/flu/rsv season