Aa
Zoloft side effect, is it serious?
I just started 25mg of Zoloft a week ago. (may9) and plan to move up to 50mg.
I've noticed side effects like insomnia, loss of appetite, tremor/shakey, headache, nausea, fatigue and such.
I've also noticed something different about my left foot. it feels very weird. it feels kinda like it wants to move on its own. at first it didn't, but now my toes kind of just twitch a little. it doesn't bother me to walk or anything. I feel it more when i'm laying down or just relaxed. i'm a little concerned that it might get worse when i move up doses. I read on the Zoloft website that "abnormal increase in muscle movement" was a common side effect in children and adolescents. i'm only 19 so would i apply to that? its kind of worrying me. i know that i should talk to my doctor and i plan to but i'm still wondering if anyone else has experienced this and if Zoloft still worked for them. Stay positive please. thanks.
I've noticed side effects like insomnia, loss of appetite, tremor/shakey, headache, nausea, fatigue and such.
I've also noticed something different about my left foot. it feels very weird. it feels kinda like it wants to move on its own. at first it didn't, but now my toes kind of just twitch a little. it doesn't bother me to walk or anything. I feel it more when i'm laying down or just relaxed. i'm a little concerned that it might get worse when i move up doses. I read on the Zoloft website that "abnormal increase in muscle movement" was a common side effect in children and adolescents. i'm only 19 so would i apply to that? its kind of worrying me. i know that i should talk to my doctor and i plan to but i'm still wondering if anyone else has experienced this and if Zoloft still worked for them. Stay positive please. thanks.
Give it a good six weeks! I know it stinks and it seems like it takes forever but give it a good six weeks! Be patient you WILL get there!!! I think most of your symptoms are anxiety not the zoloft. All those little happy/normal glimpses are signs that its working!!
ok thank you. that's a bit of relief. it just ***** that the anxiety/depression is still there :l
Remember that those symptoms could be the anxiety itself, and yes, especially if you are sensitive to meds, you could still be seeing some side effects. The fact that you don't notice them at all during distraction is pretty big proof they are anxiety related.
ah I've noticed that! I tend to forget about the jitteriness when i'm distracted. but I have to be like really distracted. then when I think back, I cant even remember if I felt my toes move or anything else. yesterday I was super busy getting ready for my bff's baby shower and don't remember noticing my toes or jitteriness at all if any, but today when I woke up I felt it a lot. its been a little over 3 weeks now since I've been on Zoloft. and while I've felt some improvements, today I've felt a bit of my anxiety and a bit down. idk why though. is it normal to still be experiencing some side effects like the shakiness and jitteriness and also still feeling the anxiety and depression after being on Zoloft for as long as I have?
yea, I still feel the shakiness and jitteriness. its mostly when i'm not doing anything but I also feel it sometimes when I'm driving. mornings are also the most difficult for me. not as bad as before but still. the chills is kinda what gets me though cuz i'll get them at the most random times. idk if its something to do with the Zoloft or if I'm just overthinking it.
You're over the hump, side effect wise.
I agree that you should try hard not to keep focusing on the side effects, or possible side effects. I think that's keeping you worrying more than you need to be. Keep yourself busy and distracted and when you find yourself worrying about side effects...get up and do something else, take your mind completely off of it.
Remind yourself of what you DO know that you ARE seeing improvements, and the side effects have mostly resolved, meaning you are tolerating the Zoloft well and following a very typical course. It's past the time where you would have had a severe reaction or side effect.
The more you can STOP thinking about the side effects, the better you will feel. Keep up the good work, you'll be feeling better and better as time goes on.
I agree that you should try hard not to keep focusing on the side effects, or possible side effects. I think that's keeping you worrying more than you need to be. Keep yourself busy and distracted and when you find yourself worrying about side effects...get up and do something else, take your mind completely off of it.
Remind yourself of what you DO know that you ARE seeing improvements, and the side effects have mostly resolved, meaning you are tolerating the Zoloft well and following a very typical course. It's past the time where you would have had a severe reaction or side effect.
The more you can STOP thinking about the side effects, the better you will feel. Keep up the good work, you'll be feeling better and better as time goes on.
Actualy most have mine have subsided as well! But when I am at work my legs with still twitch a bit. And I do get the chills as well! Morning is always the hardest for me but I am getting better. I just remind myself (a lot) that its just anxiety and that I am a good normal person. And yes jittery and shakey at times but that goes away and has subsided! I do still get heart palpitations but just take a deep breath. I also feel like I have something stuck in my chest, but thats just part of anxiety! I am functioning again which is amazing but don't feel fully back to myself yet.
thanks Kimberly, most of my side effects have subsided. I sleep better but I still wake up in the middle of the night at least once. but its just for like a minute and I go right back to sleep. my toes still move and sometimes I feel like jittery and shakey or something. sometimes I feel like I get the chills alot. did you ever experience anything like this?
I do sleep better as well! Not as much as I like and for some dang reason I always wake at four something in the morning. I still average 6-7 hours of sleep which is fine for me! Hang in there! It ***** BUT it will get better! I was misaerable 6 weeks ago and I am doing better. I had the same side affects as I did the first time when I just recently upped my dose but I knew they would go away! Don't doubt it!!!!
I think my anxiety just crept up on me a little while ago because I been feeling real uneasy for the past hour or so. idk why though. i'm seriously worried about the more serious possibilities of Zoloft, like the mania and behavior change possibility, the suicidal thoughts possibility and the fact that young adults are more prone to those effects. I keep trying to just stay positive but sometimes I get these little set back moments where I get scared and start doubting everything. :(
I'm glad you got even a little giggle out of my response............laughter IS the best medicine.
While I guess it's OK that you're keeping a journal at night about your daily side effects..............I sorta, kinda still think it's not such a great idea because while you ARE tracking the side effects that ARE diminishing, you're STILL focusing on the one's that aren't. (YET) I just worry that that will keep your anxiety level up.
I'd suggest instead that you read a good book that will get your mind totally off the side effect junk, or watch an hour of something funny on TV, a steaming mug of some incredible tea, do some Yoga........or write in your journal everything you're going to get done when you feel really good.
But, if what you are doing is really helping, then continue to do that. Again, I just think if you're at all like I was, you're thinking about those damn side effects ALL DAY LONG and I don't think it's the best thing you can do just before you turn the lights out on your day that your last thoughts are about the side effects that are STILL bothering you.
Here's something I started doing YEARS ago and I'm really good at it now. I decided that my bed was going to be my sanctuary. I was not allowed to worry or think about any of the bad/negative stuff going on in my life. I could only think of good stuff. And when my thoughts drifted onto the negative stuff, I'd say out loud "SANCTURY!" and force my thoughts back to good ones. Like any habit, it took time, but now when I go to bed, I just whisper that word and my brain responds like the tea cup poodle it is.
I figured that I'm awake and worrying for 16 hours...........I can take 8 hours and give my body AND my mind a rest.
Zoloft is one of the fasting acting ADs out there and you say you're feeling a wee bit better...........so make THAT one of your positive thoughts as you drift into sleep. Today was a little better and tomorrow will be even more better and this time next week you'll be gobs better!
NO BAD THOUGHTS!
Greenlydia
While I guess it's OK that you're keeping a journal at night about your daily side effects..............I sorta, kinda still think it's not such a great idea because while you ARE tracking the side effects that ARE diminishing, you're STILL focusing on the one's that aren't. (YET) I just worry that that will keep your anxiety level up.
I'd suggest instead that you read a good book that will get your mind totally off the side effect junk, or watch an hour of something funny on TV, a steaming mug of some incredible tea, do some Yoga........or write in your journal everything you're going to get done when you feel really good.
But, if what you are doing is really helping, then continue to do that. Again, I just think if you're at all like I was, you're thinking about those damn side effects ALL DAY LONG and I don't think it's the best thing you can do just before you turn the lights out on your day that your last thoughts are about the side effects that are STILL bothering you.
Here's something I started doing YEARS ago and I'm really good at it now. I decided that my bed was going to be my sanctuary. I was not allowed to worry or think about any of the bad/negative stuff going on in my life. I could only think of good stuff. And when my thoughts drifted onto the negative stuff, I'd say out loud "SANCTURY!" and force my thoughts back to good ones. Like any habit, it took time, but now when I go to bed, I just whisper that word and my brain responds like the tea cup poodle it is.
I figured that I'm awake and worrying for 16 hours...........I can take 8 hours and give my body AND my mind a rest.
Zoloft is one of the fasting acting ADs out there and you say you're feeling a wee bit better...........so make THAT one of your positive thoughts as you drift into sleep. Today was a little better and tomorrow will be even more better and this time next week you'll be gobs better!
NO BAD THOUGHTS!
Greenlydia
lol omgsh I laughed as I read that. i'm not to that point, but at the end of each day, I do write down everything I've felt that day, just to see if I've felt anything new or if anything has subsided even a little bit. I haven't read every single side effect listed because im afraid of what it might say. I only read about the common side effects just to reassure myself that what i'm feeling is normal. I have felt some sort of better since I've started on the Zoloft. of course not completely better, but enough to give me hope that it is going to work. and i hope it does. i still try to hang out with friends but that doesn't happen as often because of other circumstances. we just try to find time for each other when we can.
You said you upped your dose today and so far, so good............while that's VERY good, I'm definitely getting the feeling that you're sitting in a chair with notebook and stopwatch checking for anything weird every 11.5 minutes..........with special attention to that pesky left foot!
I AM teasing the heck out of you mainly because you remind me so much of myself!
You see that Kimberly had some funky side effects, but not only are they starting to subside, she is already feeling better! THAT is what you have to put your focus on. The side effects WILL diminish in time and one thing all of us who have ever been on an AD can tell you, patience is a must!!!! But the rewards are SO worth it.
A little advice, if I may? Stop looking up side effects on the Net!!!! Bad idea. That was where you found the weird foot/muscle/toe twitch thing, right?
I wonder if I told you that one of the biggest side effects I had from Zoloft was an increase in the amount of time I spent doing fun things with my friends...........maybe that would happen to you, too!
Peace
Greenlydia
I AM teasing the heck out of you mainly because you remind me so much of myself!
You see that Kimberly had some funky side effects, but not only are they starting to subside, she is already feeling better! THAT is what you have to put your focus on. The side effects WILL diminish in time and one thing all of us who have ever been on an AD can tell you, patience is a must!!!! But the rewards are SO worth it.
A little advice, if I may? Stop looking up side effects on the Net!!!! Bad idea. That was where you found the weird foot/muscle/toe twitch thing, right?
I wonder if I told you that one of the biggest side effects I had from Zoloft was an increase in the amount of time I spent doing fun things with my friends...........maybe that would happen to you, too!
Peace
Greenlydia
I had insomnia, leg twitching, no appetite. I was lethargic and also had tremor. It lasted for about 3-4 weeks and the past two days it has been gone mostly. I just upped my dose from 50 to 100 within the last 3 weeks and I am already feeling better. Hang in there and give it at least 4 weeks which seems like a lot but you can do it.
thanks greenlydia, I just upped today. so far not so much of a difference but I feel a bit anxious. along with the other side effects I had already felt before. I guess im just scared of getting all the bad/serious side effects that im just fueling my anxiety, but I am trying my best to stay positive because I really really want the zoloft to work for me.
I was on Zoloft for many years and while it's a bit difficult to remember all the initial side effects, I know I had quite a few. I also know that I called my doctor frequently to make sure all the side effects were normal and would eventually pass as my body adjusted.
And they did. Every single one of them!
And like Blu, I was on a way higher dose than you.
Your doctor should make you aware that each time your dose is increased, you MAY have some side effects while your body adjusts to the higher dose. But you also may not. We all react to these types of meds differently, so my best advice is go into this with a positive attitude, call your doctor with any questions about side effects you MAY be having and trust that with time, they WILL stop.
It is pretty common to have some anxiety when starting these meds because we don't know what to expect, we don't know what is normal and what's not. Like your left foot feeling weird. It is very, very possible that that has absolutely nothing to do with the Zoloft, but your anxiety about this med has made you hyper-vigilant about every little twitch.
I agree with Blu that keeping busy really IS the best thing you can do right now.
You're going to be just fine! You just have to relax and know that soon you're going to be feeling much better.
And you can always write to us if you get spooked about anything.......you've got hundreds of "old pros" to talk to here! LOL
Peace
Greenlydia
And they did. Every single one of them!
And like Blu, I was on a way higher dose than you.
Your doctor should make you aware that each time your dose is increased, you MAY have some side effects while your body adjusts to the higher dose. But you also may not. We all react to these types of meds differently, so my best advice is go into this with a positive attitude, call your doctor with any questions about side effects you MAY be having and trust that with time, they WILL stop.
It is pretty common to have some anxiety when starting these meds because we don't know what to expect, we don't know what is normal and what's not. Like your left foot feeling weird. It is very, very possible that that has absolutely nothing to do with the Zoloft, but your anxiety about this med has made you hyper-vigilant about every little twitch.
I agree with Blu that keeping busy really IS the best thing you can do right now.
You're going to be just fine! You just have to relax and know that soon you're going to be feeling much better.
And you can always write to us if you get spooked about anything.......you've got hundreds of "old pros" to talk to here! LOL
Peace
Greenlydia
I kinda thought so too, but I wasn't too sure. I don't notice it much at all when im walking or doing something. its mostly when im sitting or laying down. i'll even stop to watch it to see if it moves. do the other side effects I mentioned, including the insomnia ever go away?
Hi! :-) I have been on Zoloft for ten years, and my dosage is higher than yours. I recall at first feeling anxious about the med, too. But once I learned that it was not going to kill me, I did alright. The foot thing you mention may just be psychosomatic (created by your fear of it happening). I suggest you do your best to relax about it. Get busy doing something else, so you are not obsessing about it. :-) Blessings - Blu
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