User Reviews for Sertraline (Zoloft)

100mg dose 2x day to control anxieties & outbursts of anger

I was a total wreck. I was severely depressed and had social phobia, agoraphobia and the feeling of always fainting in social situations. For example, when I was shopping or at work meetings or on the train. It all ended in hospital because I thought I was going to have a heart attack. It took me a while to realize that I was depressed and had an anxiety disorder. The first 8 weeks on Sertraline were pure horror. I no longer dared to leave my apartment. My anxiety was more pronounced than ever before. I couldn't sleep and hardly ate anything. Then it started to work slowly and unexpectedly. Today I'm at 75mg and my psychiatrist wants to increase the dose to 150mg. Every time I change the dose, side effects occur again. That's why I'm taking it very slowly. At first I thought it wasn't the right medication for me. I am now feeling much better. My fears are pushed into the background. I am calmer and more relaxed. My thoughts are no longer circling. Everything feels normal. For the first time in my life, I can do things that were previously unthinkable for me. It has taken a long time and my journey is not over yet, but I can only advise everyone to stick with it and get through everything, even if it takes a damn long time.Read More Read Less

words wonders for anxiety; both physical symptoms and thought patterns.

I have just started this, has been a week, start on the 50mg, as was on 25mg. Insomnia is really hard for me. Worried about going into higher dose, can you take any kind off sleeping tablet to help through this.

I have been taking sertraline for years since My baby was born over all i think it's a good medicine i tried coming off it several times and only then Is too when i realize how i feel without it, when i'm on it rarely anything bothers me i am not happy or sad i'm just blunt it numbs your feelings it does keep You going but i would Say like a robot you dont enjoy almost anything but also nothing seems to bother you your not living while your on sertraline you just exist .thats my experience so i just stay on it because i dont want to feel all the emotions the bad ones but i also dont want to be numb like a robotRead More Read Less

Exactly one year ago, I was a stressed mom scrolling through the comments about teenagers and Sertraline. My 13 year old daughter has anxiety and had tried Lexapro that resulted in extremely depressive thoughts after 2 weeks. We stopped treatment immediately. I was extremely hesitant to start Sertraline and many of the reviews didn’t help my concerns. I’m beyond happy to say that we are one year into treatment and my now 14 year old daughter has seen almost every aspect of her life changed for the better in a dramatic way. She started on 12.5mg and moved to 25mg after 3 weeks, which is where she has stayed. She had minor side effects for the first few weeks but I can’t say enough for how this drug has improved her quality of life. She was having daily panic attacks before the medicine and always worried about her breathing. All of that is a distant memory and she had the best 8th grade year imaginable. I was at my breaking point along with her last year because of the daily struggles her anxiety presented. Nothing is more heartbreaking than watching your child struggle with mental health. I truly can’t believe how much this medicine has changed my daughter’s life and our overall family dynamic. Read More Read Less

I have GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and depression and was put on this medication as my first antidepressant just to see how’d it go. So far I’ve been on it for almost a week and I’ve loved it. It makes me happy, stress-free and able to enjoy my life. The only downside to this medication is that the headaches during the first week are recurrent and last for a little while. While I may not stay on Zoloft, I have enjoyed it so far.

I have MDD, Anxiety, PTSD, and OCD. I started this medication in either September or October 2023. I took 25, 50, 75, and currently, 100 mg tablets. My heartbeat has sped up extremely fast, it was around 80 bpm before I started taking the medication, then sped up to 125 bpm. I usually took this every night and it affected my sleep schedule. Also, it made me more irritated than usual, and made me make an attempt to kill myself by overdosing, taking 400 mg worth of 25mg tablets. I've also been crying more than I did when I wasn't taking the medication. I feel numb, sad, and it feels like I'm suffering everyday. This medication has done absolutely nothing to help me.Read More Read Less

It's almost two years now and it has been so effective as I haven't been overthinking, anxious, depressed or having suicidal thoughts. I am able to process and think clearly. Getting on with everyday life :)

Iv been on this 4 weeks and iv never felt so angry, irritable and stressed. I had low mood, before. Given me rage. I'm coming off adap. Shouldn't hv to wait every day for improvement. Iv been on fluxetone year was fab. Citrapram 2 years . That was great. But wore off. This no good

Been taking sertraline for past 3 years. Had no side effects and no anxiety or panic attacks. Started with 25mg, but had to increase to 50mg as recent stress caused to anxiety to come back. Sertraline not gonna cure your problems, you still need to learn how to cope with them, but for sure it can help to look at the things adequately.

Of course, take this with a pinch of salt because everyone's chemistry is different, and I am DEFINITELY sensitive with medication of all sorts, but... Sertraline massively screwed me up. I had anxiety/panic for approx 14 months (traumatic events/stress etc), having never had it before. I was struggling but getting through most days...GP convinced me Sertraline was a magic bullet. For me 'twas a bullet, but some nasty magic... Loads of side effects - worse anxiety & panic, joint pain, headaches, chills, shakes etc ---where things got really bad is when, having tried 1 weeks on 25mg, then 2 weeks on 12.5mg but only gaining side effects, the GP told me to stop. I asked her about tapering, but she was dismissive given my dosage and duration. Turns out she was wrong. The 2 week descent into hell started. All the side effects remained, my anxiety & panic went through the roof, I started getting major muscle pain all over, joint pain, constant headaches, occasional vertigo, crazy mood swings, uncontrollable crying and anger, and hypersensitivity to sound and bright light - became jumpy as hell, and now can't even spend time with my 3 year old son as,being a lively toddler, he is for me a walking trigger system. Now can't work either at the mo... Gone from being struggling but functional to now being in the care of the mental health crisis team, now on mirtrazapine, and having my talking therapy and EMDR stopped because I'm too unstable. Basically a bomb dropping in my life. Mad thing is, most people I know who have tried sertraline had positive experiences, some with no side effects at all...that said further reading suggests its better for depression than panic/physically expressed anxiety.Read More Read Less

used for a while saw no effects.

I had a concussion 9 months before I took this. It gave me a terrible headache, and it took 9 months to treat my headaches! So no thanks! I have enough symptoms, I don’t need side affects from this garbage!

I was skeptical at first because I have been on a variety of anti-depressants throughout the years and they don't usually work well for me. However, this is a game changer! I started out with 25mg a day for a week then moved to 50 mg a day. I take my medication in the morning and no longer feel like a visitor in my own body. I don't have a feeling of doom and gloom. I also don't feel anxiety or that folks are out to get me.

My 9yo has moderate ADHD and this year the increased social pressure by peers and teachers resulted in continued anxiety and eventually intense panic attacks. Tried several ADHD medications but with limited success and alot of side affects. Decided to switch gears and deal with the anxiety and build self esteem. Sertraline has had zero side affects for him. He is relieved it works and is happy with it.

It's okay but it makes you feel numb no joy or happiness

I have depression that's a lot worse in winter and manageable in summer. I recently went thru a lot in past month , so I started lexapro I had prescribed from last year. 3 hours later cause severe depression thoughts and cause me severe anxiety attack. So started sertraline as it worked for my dad. I decided 25mg and took half and I was on 12.5 for 1 wk. From day 1 had belching, shortness of breath, day 5 and 7 severe acid in my throat and nasty taste in my mouth, also troubles sleeping. I've been having anxiety in my sleep because of crap im going thru. My daughter had issues with this med and basically all ssris and I decided to stop it today and have had no belching or acid. I decided to ask my Dr tomorrow for genesight as me ,my kids and my dad have issues with these type of meds. I was on lowest dose and have bad side effects. Thankfully I didn't take full 25mg I can only imagine how I'd feel on that. Read More Read Less

Started Sertraline after having the worst year of my life and feelings like I couldn't keep going the way I was, anxious, sad and feeling hopeless. The first two weeks were so bad, I didn't eat anything except 2 dry crackers per day, lost alot of weight. I switched to taking it at night and therefore began to sleep through some of the sickness. After 2 weeks everything started to improve. No more sickness. I finally started to feel really good again and more confident in my work and home life. I was having difficulty sleeping so once the sickness wore off I switched back to taking it in the morning. I sleep like a baby now and when something bad happens I just take a breath and go at any difficulties with a clear mind and with ease. I am taking 50mg once per day. It has saved my life. You have to fight through the first 2 weeks and then you will be a new person. Stick with it. Read More Read Less

Had a nervous breakdown along with diagnosed with pre-hypertension and pre-diabetes. I was near suicidal at one point, prescribed the Sertraline along with medications for the diabetes/hypertension and initially it seemed to help. But the negative side effects kicked in within a month and I was getting unsure of myself and afraid to do anything for fear it would set off a reaction. Worst side effects Couldn't reach a sexual climax, shuddering in my whole body, nausea Couldn't concentrate, constantly shaking, short breathless. Soon as I stop taking it the side effects lessened considerably Read More Read Less