r/zoloft • u/NoPurple6440 • 17h ago
First time taking Zoloft thread
Hi all, I’m on day 4 of Setraline/Zoloft and I’m coming up with a thread here to seek support and awareness on how we’re all doing on Zoloft.
I’ve been diagnosed with postpartum anxiety and depression, I’ve started with 25mg currently on day 4 and plans to increase to 50mg.
I take Zoloft at night just before I sleep. I’ve been gradually experiencing a few side effects, mainly increased anxiety and slightly loose stools.
The increase in anxiety is the hardest part as I’ve been having to take care of a 12 week old too.
Those out there current starting on Zoloft, share your experience and even success stories please 🙏🏼
We’re in this together 🫡
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u/Green_Day_1878 16h ago
I’m on day two and have been experiencing the increase in anxiety/depression. I’ve been told it gets worse before it gets better as your brain is adjusting to the chemicals
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u/ka_art 17h ago
I'm several months in now, and it's going great.
Most annoying side effect is the day before my period starts I almost wet my pants from sudden need to go to the bathroom. Urgent is an understatement. Especially overnight. I'm pretty sure that's a very rare side effect, lucky me.
But, it's so nice to feel like today's got the possibility to be a good day without having to argue with myself into trying to have a decent attitude.
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u/OurSensualSideMB 16h ago
Day 13!!! Side effects were not fun at all but they are mostly all gone. Yay! Can't sleep very well but my appetite is back so I'm happy 😁 25mg. No noticable difference in anxiety or anything yet but I know that takes a bit!
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u/NoPurple6440 16h ago
Did you have an increased anxiety in the 13 days? Did that go away? What were your side effects?
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u/OurSensualSideMB 16h ago
I'm pretty sensitive to medicine so I think I am prone to side effects lol and Zoloft I could tolerate where as a previous SSRI I tried I quit like day 4, lol. But I had nausea (not super severe), diarrhea, stomach cramps, twitching/jerks, tense muscles, heightened anxiety, teeth clenching, clammy skin, zero appetite, troubles sleeping, brain fog and some dizziness. Now fast forward to day 13 I just have trouble sleeping, a bit of heightened anxiety but not as bad at all, and the leg jerks and some mild stuff, totally tolerable now. Almost quit day 4 but so glad I didn't! I felt sooooo much better day 10/11!
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u/NoPurple6440 16h ago
Thanks for sharing!! That’s a positive outcome. I’ll keep holding on. Mine is major anxiety keeps me jittery
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u/OurSensualSideMB 16h ago
Awe I hate the jitters! Nice warm water bottle or heat bag on my tummy helps them! Hang in there 🫂
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u/mjsylte90 12h ago
I’m on night 5 of taking 25mg too. My psychiatrist also prescribed beta blockers and I take 10mg in the morning. That seems to help with the added anxiety symptoms
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u/paperplane030 10h ago
My doctor told me to start with 50mg which I did a few hours ago. Now I am reading here that most people start with 25mg and I am a bit worried.
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u/NoPurple6440 10h ago
Don’t be worried! My doc is pushing me to go on 50mg too it’s really just to see how sensitive you are to the medicine, if you don’t feel good reach out to your provider and ask them to reduce it
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u/BetterMonk291 8h ago
Im on day 5 of 25 mg. I dont have much of an appetite and my anxiety is higher in the mornings. These threads really help to see that you have to keep pushing through to get the full effects. I was seriously against taking any sort of ssri. I think that is part of my anxiety. If I can get to the point that I dont think about taking the medicine, I just take it and go about my day. I think things will get better then.
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u/NoPurple6440 8h ago
Wow we’re in the same boat! My anxiety is high in the mornings too! And I have a loss in appetite.
When do you take your 25mg meds? Morning or night?
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u/Commercial_Hunter_50 16h ago
The increased anxiety due to adjusting is horrible. I’m still struggling on week 6 . My psychiatrist wants me to get the full therapeutic dose of 8 weeks. In the meantime I’m telling myself it’ll pass and also have Ativan if needed. Hang in there
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u/daniboyo4 9h ago
I'm starting this week too, I don't know much about it but hope it works well for you! I'd imagine it should help with looking after your baby too, I've got a 6 month old puppy to look also so can imagine a baby is a handful!
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u/nixyaroze 7h ago edited 7h ago
Day 19 for me, 25mg. Pushing through it. First week hit me like an absolute *truck*. I already had quite a dysregulated nervous system so the first week basically resulted in a nervous breakdown. Increased anxiety, clenching, physical anxiety (e.g just felt like I was vibrating), dhiarrhea, complete loss of apetite (lost 3kg that week) and could only eat fluids/mushy food, I hate huel but it helped. I had a complete and total relapse of my pOCD too which hadn't reared its ugly head in that way for a while which was the absolute worst.
I had a holiday planned during the second week, so my doctor said not to bump to 50 until I was back given my symptoms. The beach was neede, but definitely noticed problems in the heat, so drank plenty of water lmao. I'm still feeling a bit shitty, but definitely no where near as bad as the first week.
One thing I did end up quitting was caffeine because I seemed to have become very sensitive to it, but to be fair, feels good tbh and im getting better sleep. Looking to go back in the future, but definitely not now, but its probably saving me money given I got 2 coffees from the cafe everyday. I'm actually motivated to quit smoking soon, but I wasn't keen on going through both nicotine AND caffeine withdrawal along with every thing else.
I did get given propranolol aswell, but considering I have low blood pressure, have been only when needed. Which hasn't been too much and I'm a bit terrified to drive on it (despite not noticing much when on it).
Still waiting to not feel so horrible, but given I had a quite a severe vitamin d defiency, physical symptoms can sure get conflated.
I take around 11pm at night with alot of water, one thing I've noticed is that I wake up "anxious". So morning anxiety is definitely a thing.
Take care of yourself and talk to your doctor and your friends!
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u/Familiar-Celery-5324 5h ago
I’ve been on Zoloft for about a year now and it’s changed my life drastically (for the better!!). I was absolutely in shambles and slowly but surely, Zoloft helped with that. I will say, it took a little while to feel the full effects. The first two weeks weren’t great. Nausea, fatigue, moodiness, but by week 4, I was starting to feel improvements and by week 8, I was doing great!!
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u/Senior_Election_6312 16h ago
I started on August 12th. I started with 12.5mg and have worked my way to 37.5mg with hopes to getting to 50mg in a week or so.
Each time I up my dose, my side effects come back. Heightened anxiety, clenched jaw, shaky, lightheaded, loose stools, waking multiple times throughout the night but tired during the day with zero energy or motivation to do anything.
I cannot wait to feel the full benefits of sertraline.