I went up on my Zoloft from 25 to 37.5 yesterday evening, and my anxiety was THROUGH THE ROOF today. I know I am still on a small dose but it seems that I am super sensative. Anyone else experience extreme anxiety when going up even in small increments. I'm so on the fence as to whether or not this is the righte med for me, which I'm sure is contributing to my anxiety !

Hi! I am so sorry you feel this way... hopefully some of the gals with SSRI success stories will share since you already know that I did not do well with Zoloft. Before the actual allergic reaction I felt this same awful way so I am really sympathetic! I tried to describe it to people but it is so hard to... I felt seriously ill, like physically even. Kind of like a terrible stomach bug but you don't barf... yet you want to crawl out of your skin and just don't feel right AT ALL. Yep, it is a drag. I am told that it can pass when one adjusts but I did not continue long enough to find out! (Hives are taken pretty seriously by the docs, lol!)

I wish I had better advice but I definitely think you need to be in close touch with your docs because you are now not functional (and that was how I got) and they should be aware of that and taper you slower or wean you off. I personally don't think you should have to feel this way longer than necessary!

Ladies, what can you tell her about your experiences getting onto an SSRI? How long did the adjustment anxiety take for you? I was shocked at how bad it was for me because I know a number of people that felt no different for the adjustment period, and others who actually felt BETTER after just a few days...

At this point, I am strictly an Ativan girl and only once in awhile. My ride on Zoloft was one I wont be repeating

Hi MM--

I was wondering how you were doing today.....Arrgh. You can't catch a break.

The week I finally made it to my prescribed dose I felt waves of all day panic and feelings of "unreality"--like I was observing myself--which I have since read here can be a sign of over the top anxiety....I'm not sure in my case it was the ADs or the ADs combined with hormone hell, or just hormone hell that the ADs hadn't touched yet. (I hadn't started on bcps). This did pass for me but it was a rough ride. Still, maybe check in with your prescribing psych if you are feeling horrid--you have an expert who knows your case a bit....

Hope you feelbetter soon!

Anxiety is getting worse and worse. I've called my psych two days in a row and I'm not at all impressed with his responses. Basically he just tells me to up it one day and decrease it the next. He asks me if I am still taking the xanax (I'm now doing .5) and getting little to no relief, but he says nothing about that, except keep taking it. Other than that I feel I get no feedback or compassion from him. I have also been in touch with my pcp who is a wonderful woman and willing to spend lots of time on the phone with me (I know her somewhat personally because she works at the hospital where I do). She doesn't want to give me too much advice on dosing, since she know I am working with the psych and doesn't want to override what he is saying. At this point I feel he is pretty much a quack because I am not getting better, but worse!!! I even went so far as to call our local mental health clinic(a neighbor goes there for anxiety and really likes the counselor), I went in yesterday for an "intake" but did not have a real session. She sad it would take about a week to get someone. I have put myself into complete panic mode over thinking about going to work on monday. Then I pretty much convinced myself that I need to call HR about how I can utilize my sick time, fmla or whatever. That did calm me for awhile, so that does that tell you! Anxiety! Anyhow, that's more stoy for today! Yuck!

That stinks!!! What else do you hear at your hospital about the psych? Is he considered "good"? That may be good info..he may still think what you are experiencing is normal...transient ssri jitteriness syndrome even if it is hell to live through...I guess all you can do is push him at your next appointment--shouldn't I be feeling better by now? why does he think it is worth sticking with zoloft? is my anxiety within the typicl range of a patient starting this drug etc? See what he thinks is a criteria for stopping/changing drugs....What are his signs it is time to try a new course?


My social worker told me that sometimes the people who have the strongest reactions are those who were most seriously depleted in the first place...your brain may be going "Whoa! What is all this serotonin? I haven't seen this in years!" My friend who went on an SSRI for chronic pain didn't have a moment of anxiety, while I was climbing the walls...

Interestingly 2 of our Family Practice docs and the intake worker at the mental health center have never heard of this psych doc! This is a pretty small town so that did not give me a warm fuzzy! I got his name from one of the nurses who works at the hospital and she saw him and liked him, so that that's how I found him. Anyhow, my day today, after a terrible morning of anxiety I got really pissed and said to myself "you have two kids who need you!" Got out of bed and started cleaning. I am just going to let this stuff be there. If I feel bad, I feel bad. I WILL NOT be that crazy mom who always lays in bed and can't go places. I am tapering myself off zoloft. I hate it, I'm scared to death to go up. I am going to use my friend xanax, carefully, as I feel I have already built a tolerance. I have just changed my attitude. My kids need me. There is nothing wrong with my body! I need to eat, exercise and stay out of bed. I wlll flow with the bad feelings when then come, I will not die, and then they will come less often. I plan to see the counselor at the mental health center though. I definately need to have a professional to talk this through with and validate my plan and take any tools they are willing to give. Thoughts?

You go, Maine Mom!


I think getting up and putting one foot in front of the other is a huge part of feeling better too. Every time I went to a soccer game, made a deadline, made pancakes not cereal, I felt a little triumph over my fears. And it makes smaller the part of your life the anxiety has control over. That is the great thing about kids isn't it? They force you to rise to the occasional--even when you don't want to...

I really can't advise you on the drugs, yea or nay, tho for me they have been an important piece of the puzzle. Do you think tho you should talk that decision over with either your family doc or your psych maybe?

Cheering you on!

I'm so sorry this is starting up for you again. Psych Dr.s tend to just talk to you for 10 min. and give you your meds. Mine will speak with me and give me some feedback, he's okay and he listens, but, I'm not in there for more than 15 min. If you aren't feeling good on the Zoloft and feel like you have given it ample time then demand to try something different or ask how to wean off of it. I went through what you did and finally just decided to take a medical leave and went on disability, between body pains (from falling at work) and the mood swings, the thought of going into work made me ill. I will say taking time off from work is really helpful right now. I just couldn't be focused and my co workers deserve that from me and I deserve to be able to take care of myself without guilt. I'm doing okay, the Lexapro, is working decently I guess. I actually drove myself to Kaiser (on impulse) to get an urinalysis, you have no idea how terrifying it is for me to go to the Dr. it puts cold chills down my spine. They did the test, and, there is nothing major enough based on the urine test, though she did give me Cipro. I was in the office deep breathing, my blood pressure surprisingly was 120/84 which the 84 part is a little high for me, but, she said my heart was beating a little wildly. There were a few little abnormalities which of course I mildly am obsessing with. I hope the culture doesn't come back with anything serious..... My point being I guess the Lexapro has helped me, I'm not crying my eyes out worrying (as stupid as that sounds) plus I have extreme lower back pain where I couldn't walk.... My mind just takes off. I went and got a massage, came home and took 1mg of Xanax, screw it. I'm scared of hearing the stupid culture test. Frankly, like you I am sick of this symptom of the month club, it's exhausting (yet I don't sleep). Anyways, sorry this is about you not me, I do tend to go off on a tangent, sorry about that. Take a little more Xanax if you have too. Please don't suffer. I hope you get in to see the other doctor soon. Sometimes you have to kiss alot of "frog" Dr.s before you find the right one who becomes your "Dr. Prince".

(((Hugs)))
Mich

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Dear 'themainemom'
I think your attitude is great.Being positive is good and will help a lot to ease anxiety as you keep busy.
Take that tapering very slowly as it can be quite a trip for some as I experienced when trying to go off Prozac very,very slowly.However,hopefully you will respond well but do not be dis heartened by set backs.
Personally,I feel Xanax does help me as used on needed basis.
It is definitely better to work with a Psychiatrist whilst making dose changes on Meds
No you will not die,dear friend and will probably be a lot stronger and more positive as you complete this journey

I wish you lots of luck
And keep us up-dated on your progress
Warm Wishes
Elizabeth.

TY to all you! I feel pretty strongly about getting off the Zoloft. I just feelthat I am being held "hostage" by this pill with the ups and downs and not knowing if it's doing me any good or not. Michu, don't worry about going off on a tangent, that's just how our minds work right now. We're on a tanget 24/7!

Hi there,

I'm having the same problem with the Zoloft right now.

How long were you on it?

Read of my post titled Zoloft....ughh!