Zoloft Side Effects
Q: I started taking Zoloft last friday(25mg/day) and I've already started
feeling more relaxed, but I'm getting some unpleasant side effects.
I'm having problems concentrating & sleeping and my head feels heavy
and as if an uncomfortable amount of presure was being applied to it.
I've lowered my dosage to 5mg a day and the problems concentrating has
mostly gone and the other problems aren't as bad but are still there.
Can I expect these side effects to go away with time? If so, how long?
If they don't go away, am I likely to have better luck with a different
SSRI or to have the same problems?
A:I have tried many SSRI's for my anxiety, and have not found one I am
completely happy with yet. I have consistently been on clonazepam, though,
and it works wonderfully. My doctor says the SSRI's have different side
effects for everyone...your individual brain's biochemistry will determine
how well each one works for you and how many side effects you encounter. I
am currently on Prozac, but it, like all the SSRI's I have tried, have sexual
side effects for me. But certainly some have been much better than others.
Sexual effects aside, Zoloft was by far the worst for me (I couldn't stop
tensing up, grinding my teeth, even on 1/2 of the lowest dosage) while Paxil
had the best anxiolytic effects. So my opinion would be to give it a shot.
If the side effects remain, keep trying the other ones until you find one
that works for you.
All anti-depressants can cause a increase in anxiety while weaning on them. It
really is a normal, and quite common to experience some side-effects while
weaning on Ad`s. You could switch from Zoloft to Paxil, and find you have the
same side-effects, or it is much worse on Paxil. No one can tell you how you
will react on any medication, it is a matter of you getting on the med and
seeing for yourself.
Please don`t get discouraged, it does get better. Let me suggest instead of
taking 25mgs of Zoloft, go to 12.5mgs, and do all your increases in 12.5mg
increments, and stay at each increase for one week. You may find this helps
lessen those side-effects you were feeling. We have a poster here that has had
great success weaning on Zoloft in this manner.