Posted by Joy on December 13, 2000, at 8:14:03
In reply to zoloft for anxiety seems to make me more anxious, posted by PamB on December 12, 2000, at 22:12:26
I just started Zoloft 3 weeks ago at 25 mg for a week
and a half and then went gradually upp to 50 mg. I had some cramping and low back pain, and a week of headaches. I have read that anxiety can worsen in the very beginning of taking Zoloft and then goes away. I just started 75 mg yesterday and will stay on a week, and go to 100 mg in another week. I too have high hopes for this med. So far, I have not noticed a change but I'm giving it a couple of weeks [4-6 weeks]. I have a bit of insomnia and take Xanax .5 at night which helps a lot.[I never take it during the day]. Give the Zoloft 5 to 6 weeks, and if you go up gradually to the 100 mg your doc wants you on, you should be okay. When going from 25 to 50 mg I actually cut the pill and was getting about 35-37 mg for a few days before going up to 50 mg. I think it's better to go up slowly. By the way, I always take it with food in the morning. I hope it works out for you and you feel better.
> Please help me with my Zoloft dosage and side effects.
>
> After suffering a panic attack ten years ago, I have lived with generalized anxiety. It came and went for several years, without a specific pattern. Then a pattern seemed to occur, winter in Michigan, hormonal fluctuations, etc. I have tried various holistic approaches to help and nothing has been the magic bullet.
>
> Within the last year or so, I have seen an increase in my fear. I used to always be anxious about social situations, but always did them anyway. I always did fine meaning that I survived them. Sometimes I would forget my anxiety and relax. Sometimes I remained anxious throughout. Always, I never felt as if getting throught these situations ever helped me to feel as if the next one would be o.k.
>
> Lately, I have been feeling as if I just want to avoid these situations altogether. That is when I decided I should not rule out medical drugs.
>
> I tried Buspar and it made me depressed and fearful. So I quit it.
>
> I tried Paxil and it made me sweat all the time and then after a couple weeks I started to get burning sensations that spread throughout my whole body.
>
> Several months later, I am trying Zoloft. I took 25 mg. for a week. I took it at night and I had trouble sleeping and some tension. So I switched to taking it in the morning. This has helped somewhat. I cycled up to 50 mg. The first day was o.k. The next three were not good. I felt so tense and tight as if my jaw were clenched, etc. I sleep, but feel as if I am partially awake all night.
>
> I called my doctor about the tension and sleeping problem and he said I should go up to 100 mg. That seemed too scary to me - I felt I might have a stroke or something! So I took a day off. Today, I took 25 mg. and did o.k. Not sure what my next step should be.
>
> I was so hopeful this would help me. My sister takes Zoloft and, although she has suffered side effects, she felt relaxation almost immediately, and the benefits outweigh the side effects.
>
> Another annoying problem is that it feels as if the area under my ribcage on the left side is swollen. I don't know if this is from the Zoloft or not. Don't know if it is an internal organ that could be reacting.
>
> Also, are there other meds out there that might be better suited to my needs. I have some Xanax that I have had to use to alleviate the Zoloft tension. At 50 mg. Zoloft, the Xanax didn't even seem to relieve that tension.
>
> Thanks in advance for reading my lengthy story.
poster:Joy
thread:50454
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001130/msgs/50481.html