| Key to ratings for zoloft: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken | Date Added | |
| | F M | | | | ||||
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| 1 | anxiety and depression | Not sleeping for over 48 hours, heart palpitations, ending up in hospital in a manic state. Total sexual dysfunction which has continued for six months with no improvement after stopping the medication. | Taking this drug was the worst decision I've ever made. Quite simply this medication has destroyed my life. Facing the possibility of a lifetime with no sexual enjoyment (and the impaired relationships this implies) has been devastating. Ironically I am much more anxious and depressed than before I took this drug. | F | 28 | 6 days | 11/19/2009 | 4 | anxiety/depression | just felt a little sleepy when i first started them. | Never liked taking any kind of medicine but I've been on Sertraline for 2 weeks and have no real complaints. My depression has gone away and the anxiety is down a bunch. | F | 23 | 2 weeks | 11/18/2009 | 4 | Anxiety and Depression | First few days felt "drugged", mild headaches, stomach cramps, DRY MOUTH and very tired | I was very scared to start on Zoloft when my dr prescribed for anxiety and depression, I got online and read reviews and side effects every day for a month before I finally started. I am so glad that I started this med, I feel more relaxed and even happy. Everyone around me has noticed a difference as well. I think that I may have to ask my dr. to up my dosage because I am still having a little anxiety, though not nearly as much without the meds. | F | 34 | 25 days | 11/3/2009 | 2 | Anxiety | Tired, hot/cold flashes, shakes, can't think clearly. | Have been on for 10 days now and my head is still spinning w/ thoughts I can't make out and TIRED. Yesterday I was able to get out of the house to go to my sons soccer games, thought I was getting better. Today I am not doing well at all. How long does it take to get this drug into your system to start feeling a little bit of relief? I need to get back to work (which caused this in the 1st place). | M | 40 | 10 days | 11/1/2009 | 1 | Depression | Emotional numbness, flatness | It didn't work. I was fifteen when my incompetent psychiatrist prescribed it. Started out at a low dosage. Nothing happened. He went on increasing it, until I was taking 200mg a day of the stuff. No effect. Went right on being depressed and cutting myself. It did absolutely nothing for me. Quit taking it at eighteen and there was absolutely no difference. | F | 32 | 3 years | 10/29/2009 | 2 | Depression | nausea if I took on an empty stomach, diarrhea after dosage increase which subsided after a month | Started off on 50 mg Zoloft daily and gradually increased to 150 mg. Had about 1-2 weeks of feeling great on the 150 mg dosage (especially after the diarrhea subsided), and then suddenly symptoms returned. Added buproprion 100 mg twice daily and symptoms greatly improved after 4 weeks (which is where I'm at now). | F | 52 | 5 months | 10/28/2009 | 2 | Depression | Uncontrollable erections! Yes it's true. Anything even remotely stimulating (a nice view could do it) would give me a woody that even thinking about the ugly old lady in the cafateria wouldn't make go away. | I felt mildly better on this medication. | M | 32 | 60 days | 10/20/2009 | 4 | Depression | Sleepiness, delayed orgasm, withdrawal | When I first got on Zoloft it helped me tremendously. My suicide thoughts stopped right away, and this helped me realize that it was the actual depression, not me, that caused these thoughts. Unfortunately it made me tired all the time. I could sleep a full 8 hours every night and still need to take a 3-4 hour nap in the afternoons. I also had an extremely difficult time orgasming, which had never been a problem before. That was very frustrating and made me self-conscious in bed. The side effects were worth it for the increased quality of life, though. After 2 years, this drug is no longer working as well for me (I'm on 100 mg), and I'm going to try something else. The suicidal thoughts are still gone, but that's the only good it's doing. I only went through withdrawal if I was off it for 2-3 days, and then I got dizzy and light-headed. | F | 22 | 2 years | 10/14/2009 | 5 | GAD, Depression | Water stools, but it goes away. No other bad side effects | Zoloft has gone under the radar and quieted the constant stream of stressful thoughts and allowed me to relax for the first time ever. It's not a cure-all, however it helps - A LOT. I am very pleased! And feel normal again! | F | 32 | 4 weeks | 10/5/2009 | 1 | Depression | Headaches, Brain Jolts, Attempted suicide, weird dreams,Confusion. EVERYTHING! I went nuts because of Zoloft! | I had fought with depression for a few years on and off, Nothing really bad. I was going through a really rough time and went to the Doctor. He gave me Zoloft, After just a few days i noticed things were not getting any better. I called the doctor and he told me to stick it out for a few more days. A week or two after that I tried to kill myself. I went off the deep end totally. Never in my life have i felt that low until i started taking those pills. I was put in the nut ward for a few days Where they jacked up the dose and MADE me take it. I was on it a total of 3 weeks. When i got out i stopped taking it, I had the worst withdraws EVER! The headaches and Brain jolts were HORRIBLE! It's been almost 3 years now since being off of it, and still to this day i don't think my brain is right. These medications are VERY VERY dangerous! Please be cautious and READ EVERYTHING on them before taking! Remember your doctor does not know everything. He/She was given a license to PRACTICE medicine not to KNOW everything! Do research yourself people! | F | 24 | 3 weeks | 10/5/2009 | 1 | anxiety, depression | tiredness, jaw clenching, intense dreams, suicidal ideation | My anxiety decreased significantly and I felt a lot more motivated to do things, but it didn't take long before I felt spacey all the time and felt disinterested in everything. Now I have to discontinue use because all I can think about is committing suicide. I had thoughts of suicide prior to beginning Zoloft, but the drug has influenced me to have a certain emotional detachment so that I think these thoughts are somehow rational. | F | 22 | 3 months | 10/3/2009 | 1 | depression | After only two 25mg doses I experienced really disturbing agitation including leg jiggling, pacing, difficulty focusing or staying still. Also strange dreams and difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. | I requested zoloft because my sister and other friends had highly recommended it. So it seems to work well for many people. | F | 47 | 2 days | 10/2/2009 | 2 | Anxiety | Horrible diarrhea within 90 minutes of taking it, decreased libido. | In terms of controling my anxiety and anger, the drug was very effective. I felt like "me" for the first time in several years. However, I had horrible diarrhea to the extent that I would set my alarm for 90 minutes prior to my normal waking time just to be sure it was all done with before I left for work. After a month,, this effect had not abated. With regard to a decrease in libido, I found that if I concentrated a bit more, everything worked fine, but it did cause a delay in orgasm. I've since switched to Lexipro. | M | 48 | 6 weeks | 9/17/2009 | 5 | Post-Partum, Thoughts of doing Harm | I had very mild euphoria following the first several doses of 25mg, but not enough to really feel "out of it". When I miss a does or try to lower my dosage too fast I do experience the common "zaps" I've read others have experienced too. The "zaps" are best described as an electrical sensation behind your eyes after suddenly moving them sideways. (At first the zaps seemed more vague to me, but I started paying very close attention and realised that it is my eye movements that causes them). | Zoloft has helped me tremendously! I really don't know where I would be right now without it. I am a person who does NOT like to take medications or drugs of ANY KIND. After I had my son I experienced severe PPD with intrusive thoughts of doing harm to him and myself, so I made myself try a medication for him and I'm so glad I did. I was very scared I would have side effects of feeling "out of it" or worsening of my symptoms, but I had nothing like that. I started on a low does of 25mg and then increased it as needed. One unique thing about this med is that is has a very short time to go into effect, so when you start it, i think you feels it's benefits faster than with most other SSRIs & same when you stop it or lower the does too. Having thoughts of hurting or killing someone is the scariest thing ever - the way my doctor explained it to me is that, in humans, just like we can feel suicidal when depressed sometimes we can feel homicidal too. This helped me forgive myself a bit by being reassured that it was due to the imbalance of chemicals in my brain and that finding the right medicine could help. If you have thoughts like this I would strongly reccommed this medicine from my own personal experience. I have been told that medication is the most effective way to treat these kinds of thoughts, although counseling is helpful also - you won't feel so isolated like you're the only one harboring all these awful secrets of what goes on in your head | F | 25 | 3 years | 9/15/2009 | 5 | Anxiety/Phobia/Mild OCD | Small stomach problems, lowered sex drive, dry mouth | Zoloft is the best thing that has ever happened to me. After years of constant anxiety and thoughts of my phobia, I am the person I hoped I was underneath it all. The only side effect that sticks around for good is lowered sex drive. I can't comment on its effectiveness for depression (that was never my problem) but for anxiety, it changed my life. | F | 20 | 2 years | 9/15/2009 | 1 | Major Depression | Restless leg syndrome | The restless leg syndrome was so severe that I was only on this med for 24 hours. | F | 30 | 1 days | 9/8/2009 | 3 | suicidal ideation | I was on 5 mg and breaking that in half. once I went to one pill I be came MORE suicidal | didn't seem helpful | F | 60 | 2 weeks | 9/1/2009 | 1 | "mood disorder" | Made me a fat eunuch.....permanent ED and weight gain | One of the worst drugs ever marketed!!!!!!! | M | 40 | 9 months | 8/31/2009 | 5 | Depression/ Anxiety | Constipation, low sex drive, weight gain | Zoloft has really improved my quality of life. I'm happy & the anxiety is gone. The benifits outweigh the side effects for me. I try to eat well & exercise to fight the weight gain, also increase water intake. I take Zoloft in the morning & Trazadone at night to balence the increased energy from the Zoloft. I sleep GREAT. | F | 55 | 10 years | 8/29/2009 | 3 | POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, DEP | BEEN ON THIS FOR OVER A DECADE. IT HELPED MY DEPRESSION AND INCREASED MY APPETITE. BUT NO APPETITE WAS ONE OF MY PTSD SYMPTOMS. BIGGEST NEGATIVE IS VIRTIGO, BRAIN ZAPS WHEN I TURN MY HEAD QUICKLY. ESPECIALLY WHEN I FIRST STARTED. NOW IF I MISS A DOSE I KNOW WITHIN HOURS BECAUSE THE VIRTIGO STARTS AS A WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOM. NO LIBIDO ALSO IS A PROBLEM | THIS DRUG HELPED ME, BUT I THINK THERE ARE BETTER DRUGS AVAILABLE WHICH DO NOT CAUSE VIRTIGO. HAVE HAD TO ADD WELLBUTRIN NOW FOR DEPRESSION, ZOLOFT NOT WORKING WELL ENOUGH ON ITS OWN BUT NOT ABLE TO STOP DUE TO VIRTIGO | F | 58 | 12 years | 8/26/2009 | 1 | Postpartum OCD and depression | soon after take it, knocked out feeling, extreme yawning, foggy brain, and absolutely no sleep at 3 consecutive nights even with sleep aid!Took doctors to figure out to give me Trazodone to sleep. | NEVER ever try this, go and get Prozac!I had it for 1.5 years with no side effect at all. | F | 31 | 4 days | 8/25/2009 | 5 | Anxiety and Depression | The only side effect I have noticed is it makes me sleepy, so I take it at night and sleep well. I do have occassional, mild headaches but nothing worth stoping it over, that's why there's Motrin. | Zoloft has changed my life. Saved my life. I went from taking Xanax .5mg 3-4 times a day, to not taking it at all and still not having anxiety attacks. It took a good 4 weeks, but I am so calm, comparatively speaking. | F | 34 | 6 weeks | 8/20/2009 | 3 | Extreme anxiety | In the beginning, teeth grinding. Sleepy all the time. Daily headaches, severe weight gain. Feel numb/no feelings. Still have all side effects except the teeth grinding. | Ive been on Zoloft for about 2 yrs. Im now at 150mg. The side effects are very bothersome. My anxiety is completly gone. Im afraid to quit taking this med for fear of the anxiety returning. I would rather feel numb/no emotions than have the severe anxiety I felt before. | F | 47 | 2 years | 8/17/2009 | 4 | Panic, anxiety, depression | At first nausea,diareah,shakiness, sleeplessness, brain zaps, muscle twitches, jaw tightness, vivid/scary dreams,loss of sex drive | The side effects were like living a second version of my personal hell. I stuck with it, and now I am realizing what a sad, pathetic, lonley, afraid, antisocial, hermit I used to be. Now people enjoy being around me. I am actually funny! I can make friends. I miss orgasms, but I like the person I am now a lot better than I was. I think I will stay on it for a while! | F | 38 | 1 years | 8/13/2009 | 4 | anxiety/ depression | The first couple weeks i felt nausea, headache, diareha. I felt a little dopey....Started taking it at night and the dopey feeling went away. | I'm grateful for zoloft! It really has helped with social anxiety and my depression is better-not totally gone but better. I noticed right away that my thinking was clearer. It took about 1.5 months to really feel anxiety/depression lessen. I take 75mg. Started 1 week@25 then, 50mg for 1 month then up to 75mg. Less side effects if you slowly up your dose. Also, ive lost weight!! 20 lbs in 3 mo. I feel like taking better care of myself now! Its great. I'm finally living life! Good luck to you..give it a chance, it could change your life! | F | 36 | 3.5 months | 8/9/2009 | 4 | anxiety and depression | Decreased libido and insomnia | M | 44 | 9 years | 8/2/2009 | 1 | Depression/Anxiety | Total loss of libido, horrific nightmares, insomnia, weight fluctuations, irritability/angry all the time. | I was on Zoloft for about 4 months, and after the first 2 weeks I had absolutely no sex drive. After the first 3 weeks, the nightmares began, and became increasingly gorey and horrific, to the point I would become paranoid. I began sleeping in odd patterns, for only a few hours at a time. My weight would increase, then decrease, then increase again. When I went off of it, it was because I had become so angry and irritable I couldn't be around anyone because I would become violent at nothing. | M | 24 | 4 months | 7/27/2009 | 2 | Depression, anxiety | Weight gain, hair loss, headaches, insomnia. Bad side effects when weaned off like brain zaps, anxiety. | My depression was eleviated but I still wasn't myself, even when I went up to 200 mg. The side effects got to be too much (headaches everyday, problems sleeping, gained 10 pounds, would lose a handful of hair everyday) and I weaned myself off of it, only to experience strange seizure-like zaps in my brain that would last for just a second but were very distressing. | F | 37 | 1 years | 7/26/2009 | 4 | Severe-depression | nausea when not taken with food or water,diarrhea,severe insomnia | Before I was put on zoloft I was at my wits end, no joke I was terrible. But once I started taking it I improved greatly extremely fast. The only negative things I have to say about it is that when I miss a dose its almost like Im PMSing to the max. Also the side-effects were most unpleasant considering I started taking it during the school year. | F | 16 | 7 months | 7/22/2009 | 3 | depression | sweating, dry mouth, increased anxiety | worked wonderfully in the beginning...took away all the depression I was experiencing for three months...after 2 years, I built up a tolerance and had to increase it from 50 mg to 100 mg...the depression was creeping back again...I found nutritional supplements to deal with the depression...I am still on 25mg of Zoloft b/c it is IMPOSSIBLE to come off of...withdrawal is HORRIBLE!!!! It does nothing for the depression anymore but my body is too used to it to stop it | F | 37 | 13 years | 7/21/2009 | 4 | depression | exacerbated anxiety, loss of appetite, some insomnia | its better then the other ssri's and ssnri's that i have been on....i don't know why, i guess everyone is different. but i know its better than (for me) lexapro,remron, serezone,prozac, effexor, wellbutrin, paxil, celexa, cymbalta,and luvox. zoloft despite its side effects really seems to have the greatest effect on a certain seretonin receptor site....i believe the 5ht site, not sure. but withdrawl i have yet to experience. but i will tell u one thing effexor has the worst, celexa and wellbutrin is that much better. so zoloft in my opinion, even though its an older ssri is among the best. | M | 33 | 4 months | 7/19/2009 | 1 | severe depression | stoned feeling; hands shaking so bad couldnt hold a pencil; extreme crash | I took it for about a week and felt soo good like stoned out of my mind. But then I crashed so hard I was trying to scrape the skin off my back with my nails. I was suicidal and my parent's tried to admit me to a hospital. | F | 15 | 1 weeks | 7/19/2009 | 3 | Depression/Anger Issues | The first couple of days I noticed slight dizziness within an hour or so of taking it but it resolved itself. Dry mouth also for the first few days. Insomnia was horrid the first 2-3 days, not sleeping but 2-3 hours each night. Other than that, nothing - until week 3 when I all of the sudden experienced moderate nausea/vomiting and pretty good dizziness constantly. Also, about a 5 lb. weight loss in the 3 weeks I took it. Decreased appetite. | I'm disappointed. I debated and debated whether to try an anti-depressant and finally decided to go with Zoloft because I am nursing my 1 year old. I decided at this point the potential risk to my daughter was outweighed by my extreme mood swings/impatience/anger in general towards my kids. I started low, 25 mg's the first 7 days, then increased to 50. The first couple of days were rough with the insomnia but when that cleared up I felt fine, like I wasn't taking anything. It wasn't until the 3rd week that I started to feel as though I had the flu. I went to the dr. and he said no way could it be the Zoloft, said I had the stomach flu. Well, this lasted for 7 full days and I stay home with my 3 small children, it wasn't working! Today, I decided enough and did not take it. So far, no "withdrawal" effects but I'll be darned if I feel great. No nausea/dizziness like I experienced yesterday and the 7 days prior. I really wanted this to work and I do think it mellowed me out a bit, I wasn't so on edge, so jumpy and moody and irritable. I just can't go on indefinitely feeling like I was going to fall over or vomit all day. | F | 30 | 30 days | 7/17/2009 | 1 | anxiety | My 7 year old son took zoloft to help with anxiety. It made him exremely bouncy, violent and aggressive. He became delusional and his thoughts were scarey-violent. He also was more paranoid. | After more research and doc appts. we've learned there's a high chance my son has early onset bipolar disorder. Drugs like Zoloft and other SSRI's (ex. Prozac) will cause bipolar-like children to become aggressive, bouncy, violent and affect their thoughts. Please be careful giving this to your child if you suspect they have more of a "mood-based" disorder. If they haven't been diagnosed with a mood disorder but placed on a drug like Zoloft and respond similarly to how my son did, please call your doc right away and discuss the possibility of a mood disorder. My son no longer takes any SSRI meds and is back to his normal self. We found that a mood stabilizer works best! | M | 7 | 4 months | 7/16/2009 | 4 | Post Partum Depression, Panic Disor | Weight Gain while taking it, Complete hell to come off of; brain zaps, anger, agitation, dizziness, crying. | I was in a very bad place with my PPD and almost two days later I was miraculously better and able to function. Actually, Ive probably never felt so good. I did notice it caused weight gain and thought I would be okay to wean myself off...that is when the trouble began, it was hell. Now I am reconsidering it because I am in such a depression without it, but I know it must be addictive. I think Im going to try Lexapro. | F | 29 | 6 months | 7/14/2009 | 1 | Social anxiety. Depression. | Insomnia. Erectile dysfunction. Loss of libido. | Utterly useless. | M | 34 | 1 months | 7/14/2009 | 4 | OCD, dysthymia, anxiety | Only on day two. I had nausea and diarrhea. Nausea is already getting better (I was nauseous prior to starting) and bowls are better. A little bit spacey but that already seems to be passing. | So far so good. I'm sure the side-effects will fade over time. Very happy to have started this. I have moderate OCD with mild depression. No overt compulsions, I just annoy myself to death in my head. The Zoloft has had an almost instant effect on me. Already I want to start doing things again that I haven't done for years, but I am a little drowsy from the effects which will fade. I feel like I can start to get on with my life again. I will post again as I progress, just search the page for TWD, I'll add that to the next post. | M | 30 | 2 days | 7/11/2009 | 4 | Depression | Nausea if I dont take it with food, dry mouth, tiredness and bad dreams | I have tried many antidepressents and the only one that seems to work is zoloft. I have tried to go off antidepressants 3-4 times and always came back to zoloft. | F | 35 | 16 years | 7/1/2009 | 2 | anxiety disorder | nausea,diarrhea,headache,muscle pain,tingling,pins and needle feelings,abdominal pain, gas,dry mouth,altered sense of taste | F | 74 | 10 weeks | 7/1/2009 | 5 | PTSD | weight gain and decreased libido. Otherwise it has been life-changing. | Zoloft has been life-changing! I was put on it for PTSD and came on it after trying a number of therapies (EMDR, CBT) and meds (Ativan, Wellbutrin etc.).Now I am mostly symptom-free. | 36 | 1.5 years | 6/30/2009 | 4 | Depression | Initially had insomnia at night and SLEEPINESS during the day, tremor, dry mouth, and difficulty achieving orgasm. It is still difficult for me to orgasm, but the rest of the side effects went away after a few weeks. One other side effect I am experiencing is craving alcohol. I drink almost daily now, which is obviously not healthy. | Zoloft really works well for me in terms of depression (I would rate it a 5 in this respect), but I am considering switching to something else due to the alcohol cravings. | M | 31 | 2 months | 6/27/2009 | 1 | depression, social phobia | Weight gain, increased depression, mood swings | I took zoloft from the ages of 17 to 21, and unfortunately didn't realize that it was actually making things worse until several years in. My doctor assured me I would be less likely to gain weight while on it. I gained about 40 pounds, which I was not able to lose until after I went off it. I had terrible relationships with most of the people around me due to my difficult attitude, felt horrible about myself all the time, and was not remotely pleasant to be around. After going off it (despite my doctor's advice), it took about a year before I began feeling more positive about life, and was able to start losing the weight I had gained on it, plus some. I have been so much happier since I stopped taking it. | F | 23 | 4 years | 6/27/2009 | 1 | Depression + Anxiety + Panic Attack | major bruising, dizzyness, severe suicidal thoughts, frequent panic attacks, lack of coordination all off of 25mgs. | would not take nor recommend to anyone - I went thru hell for 3 weeks on this stuff - see by other posts it works for some -- I am stunned - now on 20mgs of Lexapro and after 4 weeks seeing a little bit more light. | M | 41 | 3 weeks | 6/22/2009 | 2 | bulimia | a little less interested in sex, increased depression at higher doses | I started on 50 mg with no side effects and no difference whatsoever in my mood. I was then moved up to 100 mg and quickly became extremely depressed and could barely get myself out of bed in the morning. | F | 19 | 3 months | 6/21/2009 | 4 | anxiety | weight gain and fatigue | F | 47 | 5 years | 6/18/2009 | 3 | Bi- Polar Disorder, Anxiety | jaw clenching, random leg twitches, restlessness at night, panicky feeling | i was only prescribed zoloft about a week or 2 ago and i was told that it would take a few weeks to get into my system. however, after day 3 of taking the once a day 50 mg pill, i started clenching my jaw really bad, especially after yawning, and i would have the urge to move my legs a lot. now after a week of being on it, i feel like i cant breathe, yet i am breathing fine. im panicky and i find myself worrying a lot more than usual. | F | 21 | 8 days | 6/17/2009 | 3 | OCD | tiredness, dizziness when standing up, a feeling like someone is electrocuting my brain (if that makes any sense), nausea and constant jaw clenching. also when i turn my head quickly it feels like my eyes can't keep up. | i'm at week 3 of 25mg a day. i dont think i will increase the dose as the doctor suggested. | F | 27 | 3 weeks | 6/17/2009 | 4 | depression, panic | none other than difficulty achieving an orgasm. | Very effective for my depression, anxiety though the sexual side effects are a pain, and are only somewhat improved after a 2 day "drug holiday". | M | 48 | 3 years | 6/16/2009 | 4 | NERVE | NONE | F | 16 | 1 days | 6/16/2009 | 4 | Depression | Took it at night and had a very strange reaction the first night. Shaking, everything looked tweaked, and diarrhea. Called doctor he told me to take it in the morning. This helped. It took about 3 or 4 weeks and then I feel like normal | A friend recommeneded this drug after she had tried to kill herself. She said this is the only drug that worked for her. It worked well, but I decided to get off of it after 6 months. Definite weight gain and sleepy. | F | 17 | 1 years | 6/14/2009 | 1 | GAD, Panic Attacks | Bright red/purple flushing of face, horrible panic attacks, nausea | I stopped taking zoloft (50mg) after 2 weeks due to extreme side effects & possible allergic reaction. Been off for 3 weeks and am experiencing severe muscle pains all over my legs, arms also feeling of weakness. How long before it gets out of my system? Made my panic/anxiety MUCH WORSE | F | 37 | 14 days | 6/12/2009 | 4 | depression | very low libido, no sex drive, intensified affects of alcohol tremendously, it relieved crying episodes, it helped me get my life back as far as enjoying things | F | 21 | 3 months | 6/9/2009 | 3 | F | 60 | 6/3/2009 | 1 | depression | brain damage | this drug will cause brain damage...speech problems, memory problems, pronunciation problems, movement disorders...well, u get the picture...and no, im not kidding..and no, im not a scientologist....you've been warned. | M | 33 | 2 months | 6/1/2009 | 3 | OCD-GAD | Very low sex drive, feeling sleepy | The drug helps with anxiety, nothing to say, it deffinitely does. But there are side effects: Libido is very low, and I also feel quite tired. It is very sad, to have to choose between anxiety or libido. | M | 26 | 8 years | 5/31/2009 | 1 | Clinical Depression | Suicidal ideation, weight gain, suicidal tendencies, tingling fingers, dizzy, tremor, insomnia | I was given zoloft from my pyschiatrist and started at 50mg per day and was steadily increased to 100mg. After taking this for three weeks I began to not process thoughts well and found it difficult to concentrate and function well. I felt very shakey in my hands especially in the afternoons making tying a bow or a knot very difficult. I found work hard to focus on and suffered some memory difficulties. I was carrying out 'risky' behaviours and after 4 weeks of taking it I ended up in the emergency department of the hospital twice in 4 days for over-dosing. This medication has not been at all pleasant and when put in hospital the doctors increased my dose to 150mg and this was terrible. I am now on my first complete day with taking no zoloft after slowing decreasing the dose and the withdrawal isn't pleasant but survivable so far. Headache, slight confusion, temperature and feeling very tired are some of the withdrawal symptoms I have so far felt but they are better than what zoloft was doing for me. Zoloft was prescribed to me to help with depression and if I knew that there were reported cases that this anti-depressant could increase the risk of suicide I NEVER would have agreed to take the medication. I have learnt that it is very important that you should ask your doctor questions when they prescribe you a medication and that it is essential to research the side effects. I had never previously carried out any risky suicidal behaviours until after taking zoloft for 3 weeks. | F | 28 | 2 months | 5/30/2009 | 1 | anxiety | Permanent impotence, weight gain, movement disorder (like Parkinsons), depression much worse after using drug. | Do not use!!!!!Should be banned from market!!!!!! | M | 50 | 3 years | 5/30/2009 | 1 | ANXIETY/ ANGER | WEIGHT LOSS / EXTREME ANGER !!! IRRITABLE BEYONDE BELIEF !! | BE CAREFULL !! JUST 25MG LANDED ME IN JAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE , MADE ME CONFRONTATIONAL AS HELL !! ACTUALLY VIOLENT WHEN I HAD NEVER BEEN BEFORE , STOPPED TAKING IT AND STARTED PAXIL NOW I FEEL LIKE ME AGAIN .. WAS NOT GOOD FOR ME !! | M | 45 | 1 years | 5/28/2009 | 4 | OCD &Anxiety | I started off on Zoloft 50mg about 2 years ago and I moved up to 100 mg with in about 4 months. I was doing fine and I thought I could come off. so I did I know I was wrong for not consulting with my doctor 1st. After this the next 7 months of my life was crazy and full of emotions Obsessive Compulsive thinking!! I called my doctore he tried me off on Wellbutrin XL did not work had me itching and brking out in Hives and crying more. I'm going back to zoloft 50mg until it'as time to move up. But I'm sticking with Zoloft I didn't have any weight gain and I felt happier with my life. I'll see what effects it has on my sex life I'll just have to work with it becasue Zoloft is great for me. | F | 44 | 5/26/2009 | 4 | Depression, Anxiety, OCD and BDD | Weight loss | I too Zoloft in the past to help relieve my depression and anxiety and was up to 100 mg and it did WONDERS. Within a few months I felt myself all happy again. I had to go off of it due to lack of insurance, but recently I was diagnosed with BDD and am trying it again. I hope it works this time around, just need to up my dose to about 100-150. Will repost in a few months with my progress :-) | F | 20 | 2 times | 5/23/2009 | 3 | depression, PTSD, Panic Attacks | Popping in brain, increased appetite if I missed a dose or was late on a dose, yawning (increases with continual use), weight gain (put on about 40lbs), increased fatigue (need nap every day round 3), zombie feeling, anxiety | If I miss a dose or am late, I start to eat everything, then I realize "oh I forgot my z". I become easily frustrated with my loved ones, Z probably has a diminished effect on me because of the timespan I have taken this drug, switching to Cymbalta, since it reuptakes norepenephrine as well as serotonin. However, this drug worked wonders for me for the first 7 years on 50 mg, then moved to 100 mg about 3 years ago, doesn't help so much anymore. | F | 39 | 10 years | 5/18/2009 | 4 | Depression and Anxiety | Sexual dysfunction, "mind zaps" while coming off, improved symptoms of depression and anxiety. | Did not enjoy sex at all while on this drug, but it did improve my depression and anxiety a great deal. If you decide to go off of this drug, please do so under a doctor's care. I decided to come off of it by myself and experienced dizziness and "mind zaps" for a few weeks afterwards... not a good idea. | F | 24 | 5 months | 5/17/2009 | 1 | GAD | Dizziness, nausea, no appetite, weakness in legs, muscle aches, flu-like symptoms, irritability, suicidal thoughts, depression, insomnia | I am so angry with docs who prescribe SSRIs to GAD patients. Not all of us have anxiety-depression. I just have anxiety, but docs insist that it can still be treated with antidepressants. Zoloft was the 3rd SSRI I've tried, and the 3rd to fail miserably. The side effects began after the 4th day of taking the lowest dose available. I missed 3 days of work, suffering through the side effects, unable to "wait until they wear off" like the doc suggested. | F | 34 | 4 days | 5/10/2009 | 5 | PMDD...Menopausal symptoms | Initially, I experienced a dry mouth, diarrhea, headaches,and dizziness. | I have been taking Zoloft for 10 years now and it really helped my severe PMS/Menopausal symptoms...However, I don't think the generic is working as well. Everytime I go and get a new batch, I experience what feels like withdrawal symptoms (body ache, down feeling, etc.) After a few weeks on the new batch my body seems to adjust, but I don't think I can continue going thru this, so may ask my doc. to switch me back to the brand name...Has anybody else experienced this??? I would appreciate feedback...THANKS!!! | F | 54 | 10 days | 5/9/2009 | 2 | Clinical Depression | Extreme neuropathic pain | I have been on quite a few antidepressants, and the doc and I decided to try Zoloft. Started with 50mg, then 100mg, then 150mg intending to work up to 200mg. By 150mg, I was in excruciating pain from my feet, burning and stinging and traveling up my legs. My back muscles also hurt, but the feet were by far the most unbearable. I am diabetic, with good blood sugar control, so this intense pain made no sense. I went back to Lexapro, and doc appointment is today - I think we are going to try Cymbalta. | F | 54 | 3 months | 5/4/2009 | 5 | Depression (borderline bi-polar) | The only significant side effect I have had with Zoloft is weight gain--I have been taking the drug for about 8 years, and have gained about 30 pounds over my normal weight. I never had a weight problem before this. When I first began taking the drug, I did have a few other side effects, but they only lasted a few weeks. Dry mouth and constant thirst were the negative ones (that only lasted 3-4 weeks, then went away), and, oddly enough, weight loss was the positive one (I lost about ten pounds, but obviously it all came back, and more.) | IMPORTANT---I was prescribed Zoloft by a psychiatrist after a thorough psychological exam. I go in for a re-check every three months. Having a psych professional regularly monitoring my mental health care has been the reason, I believe, for my success with Zoloft. If you are having problems with Zoloft, and have not consulted with a psychiatrist, you may want talk with one about your treatment. For me, Zoloft has been a life-saver. | F | 51 | 8 years | 5/2/2009 | 3 | 5/2/2009 | 1 | "depression" | Weight gain, hypomania, serotonin syndrome, total and permanent sexual dysfunction | Evil, pure poison....run for your life | M | 53 | 4 years | 4/29/2009 | 2 | Severe Restless Leg/Insomnia | Weight gain, it set off my irritable bowel with pain, cramping and high mucus content. Upper GI bloat and feeling like my guts were irritated. I felt floaty and confused, no concentration. Poor sleep. Over emotional. | It seemed to work for the first two weeks then my dancing legs came back, and I started to get over emotional, shaky, depressed, confused, crying, agitation and not helping with sleep. I will stop using it. | F | 54 | 2 months | 4/18/2009 | 5 | anxiety/depression | Jaw clenching, slight twitch over time, occasional dissociative behavior (feels like I'm high) | It really helped with my anxiety. It brought me back to my old self. I've only had one panic attack since I've started taking it. | F | 19 | 3 years | 4/14/2009 | 2 | depression and anxiety | worsening insomnia, more anxiety, sweating, diarrhea, fatigue, muscle aches in shoulders and neck, shaking leg, finally unable to sit still Dr. diagnosed me w/ Akathesia. went off cold turkey | I kept telling my doctor my anxiety was getting worse, couldn't sit still. Finally she diagnosed me with akathesia. You don't want to get this. It took a week for it to go away, and it is the worse feeling ever. Switched to Lamictal. 2 weks so far no side effects. | F | 40 | 6 weeks | 4/6/2009 | 4 | OCD, GAD, DEPRESSION | None, except some insomnia. | Works great for me, I take 200mg. | F | 21 | 8 years | 4/3/2009 | 3 | anxiety | Severe tiredness heavy eyes. | I took zoloft for about 3 weeks and had to get back on the lexapro. It has worked before quickly I just had some side effects with it. I liked the zoloft but it made my eyes feel extremly heavy and I was tired all the time. Has anyone else had this with zoloft? | F | 41 | 3 weeks | 4/2/2009 | 5 | Extreme GAD, agoraphobia, depressio | None really. Did not gain weight on this ssri. Groggy at first during day. Some people do better taking this in morning and some people do better taking this at night. | Wonder drug for my issues. Prefer it above all other ssris and I have tried most all of them. ATTN: AS FAR AS GENERICS ARE CONCERNED!!! I know that the brand name can be very costly and have seen on post here that the generic doesn't seem as effective. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!! After much research on google (look for yourself) the differences in the generics are this. Check with your pharmacy. If they use the pharmeceutical company TEVA, then you SHOULD NOT use this generic. Teva has had several lawsuits filed because it was found that they do not use the proper amount ingredients in their meds. CVS pharmacy uses Teva. Greenstone is the sister pharmaceutical of Pfizer and has an excellent reputation and their generics are 100%. Rite-Aid uses Greenstone and I get my generic zoloft and xanax from them and they both work the same as the name brand. I take 50 mgs at night and would up it if I needed to. | F | 42 | 2 years | 3/30/2009 | 5 | anxiety, couldn't sleep | I find myself rubbing my feet in bed (never did this before) and tend to want to shake my legs. Lost weight at first. | This medication has helped me reduce my level of anxiety. I sleep better at night (most nights). I used to wake up in the middle of the night and think about all the things I should have done and what I need to do, etc. The Zoloft has helped me a lot. | F | 51 | 3 months | 3/24/2009 | 5 | anxiety/panic attacks/agoraphobia | yawning, slight upset stomach on the brand name but when i switched to the generic stuff it was horrible, i was throwning up and had bad bad bad headaches. | i got off of zoloft when i got switched to the generic stuff. the brand name works awesome. ihave since tried buspar, prozac and lexapro ut all of them made me extremely sick. I am going back to zoloft brand name because its the only med i trust, i have no insurance and i dont mind paying top dollar because it works so good. | M | 29 | 5 years | 3/18/2009 | 2 | Depression | Shortly after taking this medication I would get severe stomach cramps that would last a few minutes. I also had the desire to drink alcohol heavily and got really drunk really fast. | I was on Lexapro before going into remission, but since I didnt have insurance and Lexapro cost moe than $100 per month my Dr. put me on Zoloft as a cheap alternative. Zoloft did nothing for my depression, just made me crave alcohol ( I was not a heavy drinker before or after taking Zoloft). Only stayed on it for a couple of weeks then Dr. switched me back to Lexapro. | F | 27 | 2 weeks | 3/14/2009 | 1 | msdiagnosed w depression but am BP | This medication caused me, like so many other people with bipolar disorder, to freak out. I cut off all my hair and took the remaining 40 pills after taking about 10 pills as prescribed so it did not take long for me to get into this semi-suicidal state. | Be careful of taking this if you have bipolar disorder! | F | 30 | 5 days | 3/12/2009 | 5 | severe depression | The first dose gave me a "spaced-out" feeling that continued for a few more doses. I also felt uncontrollably sleepy for over a week. I had no desire or energy to do anything but sleep. As I got adjusted to the medication, however, I felt less sleepy. I am managing much better, and I can stay awake longer now. By the end of the day, however, I crash. Overall, this medication has made a big difference in my life by managing my symptoms and allowing me to work and have a social life again. | M | 37 | 30 days | 3/11/2009 | 3 | General anxiety and insomnia | Sleepiness during the day yet sleeplessness at night- which is extremely frustrating because I was already not sleeping well b/c of anxiety in the first place. | I've been taking Sertraline (generic) for one day and yes, my thoughts are more positive and I feel less agitated but I didn't sleep a wink last night!! It's like exchanging one bad thing for another. All last night I tossed and turned and couldn't shut my brain off- God, I just want to sleep. I am going to stick with it for a few weeks b/c the recurring theme on this thread seems to be that "it takes awhile" to help you and then it's great. Honestly, I would take the weight gain, loss of sex drive, blurred vision and headaches if my brain would just shut off and let me sleep! :-( I will re-post within a week with progress. | F | 32 | 1 days | 3/11/2009 | 2 | Depression | Some days constant hunger, other days no appetite at all. NO SEX DRIVE whatsoever,insomina, no motivation, lack of energy | I've had major depression since my early teens. Got some help several years ago after a sucide attempt. Was on prozac back then but it didn't seem to be helping so stopped it after 3 months. Just recently started zoloft after my husband told me he couldn't handle it anymore. Been taking it for the last month and I can tell it is helping but the side effects are awful!! This is my second marriage and my husband is the only man I have ever been with that can make me have an orgasm. I'm 29 years old and have been with him for almost 3 years now. I knew that anti-depressants causes decrease in sex drive but this is off the charts. I cannot have an orgasm to save my life!!! It really pisses me off because if you spend most of your adult life married to someone who could care less if you cum or not, and then meet and marry a man that refuses to cum until you do its really bad for both of us. On top of that I cant sleep without a trazdone or ambien pill and when I get home from work | F | 29 | 6 weeks | 3/10/2009 | 5 | anxiety | diminished appetite | My anxiety problem developed from living with addicts. Zoloft totally normalizes me with no side-effect but the weightloss. I've gone from 135 to 103 lbs @ 5'6". My energy and sleeping, judgement, my lucidity are all great. This is an amazing drug in my opinion. | F | 47 | 7 months | 3/8/2009 | 4 | Depression, anxiety, anger | Vivid dreams, extreme exhaustion each night around 8pm | The first week I took 25 mg and in about 2 days I noticed my anxiety levels decreased significantly. That first week I felt like a zombie though, and definitely not like myself. The second week I started 50 mg and I felt like it stopped working. I'm on my 4th week at 50 mg and my depression has decreased slightly, my anxiety has decreased slightly, and my extreme anger is completely gone. I get VERY tired every night at 8pm. So tired, it's almost unbearable. I can tell it has the potential to help, but I'm thinking I might need a higher dose. No weight gain at all. Actually lost a few lbs by eating healthier. | F | 26 | 1 months | 3/8/2009 | 5 | Panic Attacks | Increased heart rate, cold sweats, nausea, migraines, was in constant fear of leaving the house/communicating with people. | I think this medicine is amazing. I am currently taking 50mg of this daily. Within 6 days I was able to be myself again. I would highly recommend this to anyone with panic attacks. I do take Sertraline instead of Zoloft. I believe it is the generic. | F | 21 | 3 years | 3/5/2009 | 5 | restless leg /insomnia/anxiety | A little nausea, off and on for the first week only. | It is the best medication that has ever happened to me. I go to bed, get a good nights sleep, no restless leg sydrome since the 4th day of taking Zoloft. I love each day. | F | 57 | 1 years | 2/26/2009 | 4 | 2/25/2009 | 4 | BPD, depression | I feel so much better after 4 days. My stomach is a little upset but I'm not sure if it's the drug. I feel happier, and am laughing again. | I had weened myself off of Effexor b/c I lost my health insurance. It was horrible and I crashed. I went back to the dr and he gave me 50mg of Zoloft. I feel SO much better already. I still don't want to do much but at least I am not crying all day. Now I find myself smiling and laughing. :) | F | 33 | 4 days | 2/23/2009 | 5 | Anxiety disorder and depression | Initially, nausea | It stopped by suicidal thoughts and I no longer randomly started hyperventilating. It was wonderful. | F | 19 | 3 months | 2/18/2009 | 3 | Depression & General Anxiety | Anxiety, mild panic attacks, fatigue, "spaciness", mild constipation | PRO: I started to feel a little better quite quickly CON: After upping my dose to only 25mg (1/2 of where MD wanted me to end up) I started having terrible anxiety & even a panic attack. I had heard this would go away, but after 1 week I couldn't take it anymore. | F | 42 | 20 days | 2/18/2009 | 1 | OCD, depression | throwing up | throwing up for 12 hours nonstop, near-fainting state, headache. | F | 34 | 2 days | 2/15/2009 | 3 | Borderline Personality, Depression | EXTREME jaw clenching and jaw pain. Weight gain. Excessive sweating. | My biggest complaint is the jaw pain I have experienced while taking this drug. Had thought about seeing an oral surgeon until I read that this could be caused by an SSRI. | F | 30 | 8 months | 2/12/2009 | 3 | major depression; ocd | breathlessness, twitch, sleeplessness, increased appetite | I am ramping up right now due to increased suicidal ideation. I don't like the way I feel physically but the intrusive thoughts have eased and the depresion seems to be lifting. Hope I can stay the course; it may be interacting with my blood pressure med--metoprolol. | F | 55 | 6 months | 2/12/2009 | 3 | Anxiety + Mild Depression, 25 mg | I had a very strange reaction to this drug, one which some people also seem to experience. If you have ever taken amphetamine (Dexedrine) you will know what I mean. I got very speedy and high off of this drug in addition to feeling standard SSRI effects. However, these speedy effects completely negate any sexual side effects and if anything will improve your sex life, making it great if you find SSRI's sexual side effects distressing. | I found this drug to not do much in the way of improving my anxiety problem, although it did work very well on depression. The "speed" side effect was very unusual, and I could see it casuing addiction in some people. This is a great, fairly mild drug with few long-term side effects if your symptoms are depression-specific. | M | 20 | 365 days | 2/10/2009 | 1 | depression | Horrible drug. It immediately turned me into space cadet zombie woman, after just 2 days. | This drug should be taken off the market. | F | 50 | 2 days | 2/10/2009 | 4 | bipolar II | Increase mania: raging, lack of patience and sensitivity, body clenching, and hyperactivity (which sometimes works in my favor). This drug also causes less or no sex drive (boo) and wieght loss (yeah). | This med. really works to alleviate depession. I'm on a mood stabilizer (lamictal) along with the zoloft to give me a little kick to alleviete my depression. However with it comes increased mania. So, while I may not be depressed, I'm rageful and insensitive a lot of the time! | F | 45 | 20 years | 2/8/2009 | 5 | heart palpitations | weight gain, nausea in the first week. | F | 44 | 2 years | 2/5/2009 | 4 | Anxiety, depression | None so far but it has only been 2 weeks. I'll report back again later. | Was taking Paxil CR but had too many side effects. I've been on 50mg of Zoloft for about 2 weeks now. Been having some dizzy spells but might be from coming off Paxil as I've read that is a common side effect. In the last two weeks, have had days that I feel good, days I'm grumpy and irritable and days of excesive, good energy. Will wait to see how things go once I adjust to the change. | M | 40 | 2 weeks | 2/5/2009 | 4 | Anxiety, Depression | Not many, headache if I missed a dose. I also gained weight | Zoloft really helped with anxiety. I had to keep increasing though, because you seem to build a tolerance. Eventually I was on 150 Mg. I was diagnosed with hypersomnia and needed to get off the zoloft. HELL. I had to get off pretty quickly.. about 4 weeks to get from 150 to 0. Ive been completely off it for about 3 weeks and am just starting to feel better. The withdrawal was SEVERE. Felt like I had the flu; dizziness, headaches and vomiting | F | 19 | 4 years | 2/3/2009 | 4 | Major Depression, Panic Disorder | anxiety (this is difficult to attribute to Zoloft, considering I have an anxiety disorder) | A new doc switched me from 20mg Prozac (generic) to 25mg Zoloft (generic) two weeks ago after a panic attack/depression landed me in the ER. The first day I took the Zoloft I felt slightly manic (went out on Friday night for the first time in weeks, danced all night, had new friends back to my house, etc etc) in comparison to the weeks of dark and lonely depression I had been feeling. Not sure if it kicked in so quickly because of the preceding four weeks of Prozac, or if Zoloft simply worked better for me. I think I will increase dosage to 50mg, but I hope to stay there. If you are still feeling hopeless on your current SSRI, you should try another...hang in there! | F | 19 | 2 weeks | 1/27/2009 | 3 | GAD, OCD features, mild depression | apathy, anehdonia, indifferent mood, sleep problems, fatigue | 1st time I took it for almost 1 year. It relieves anxiety quite well but it does not improve the mood. Instead it generated an indifferent, apathetic mood to me. 2nd time caused me sleep disturbances (waking up several times overnight) and I could not tolerate it longer than 1 month. | M | 29 | 1 years | 1/27/2009 |
| Key to
ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
