Posts by Larry Howard8

For those of you who have taken Zoloft,
what kind of side effects did you deal with?

I’ve never been on such a high dose before—100 mg,
and I've been on it for two weeks now, but the side effects are hitting me hard.
Nausea, anxiety, trouble sleeping, shaky hands,
aching muscles... honestly, I just feel like I want to crawl out of my own skin.

Is this stuff normal while your brain adjusts to this much Zoloft,
or what?

What has your experience been like?

Taylor Miller10 said:Hey everyone!
Here’s my update...

...I've been on a full dose of Zoloft (50 mg) for two weeks now, and I have to admit, I’m actually feeling okay.
When I first started the full dosage, I honestly thought about quitting immediately because I felt completely drugged. It gave me such an intense surge of energy that it actually terrified me.
Still, I decided to grit my teeth and push through it, and now it feels like my body is finally starting to adjust.
I've even regained my appetite; I've actually lost three pounds since I started taking it.
Honestly, it’s a relief... finally!😉

Also, I can't tell if I'm slowly getting over my breakup, or if the Zoloft is just giving me the courage to move on...

Sending love to you all!

I’ve been on 100 mg for two weeks already, and I’m still crying and dealing with dark thoughts.
I lost 3 pounds too.
I really hope this dose actually starts working this time.
😢

velvetsailor26 said:I’m not actually afraid of it... honestly, there are moments where I almost wish I had it, just so I wouldn't have to be so painfully aware of my own head right now.

Maybe deep down you kind of want to be "crazy,"
just so you can blame the illness for why you aren't getting things done...

🤷

velvetsailor26 said:So, I’m sitting there in my follow-up appointment, and the doctor drops this line about me having "psychotic elements." Honestly, it just went completely over my head. I've been staring at the ceiling trying to wrap my brain around what that actually implies, because, frankly, none of it makes any sense to me.

I’ll probably have to sit down and hash this out with her for a bit.☕

Just remember, psychosis doesn't always mean schizophrenia.

Though, if I'm being real, that's the part that scares me the most.

😲

coastalowl7 said:It’s super likely it’ll kick in. I was on a lower dose for months and when nothing changed, I switched to a higher one, so give this increased dosage some actual time to start working its magic.

I totally get where you're coming from. I spent some time reading through your posts and honestly, I'm in a really similar boat. This is my first time ever being on a dose this high, so I started getting pretty anxious about it. I kept wondering why the smaller dose worked fine before, but now even this much doesn't seem to be hitting the spot. My psychiatrist told me not to freak out—it's not like I've become "resistant" to the meds or anything, it's just about finding that chemical balance in my brain. Basically, I just need more support right now, and that doesn't necessarily mean I'll be stuck on this level forever...

I’ve been on it for a long time, and honestly, it’s always helped me out,
so I’m really hoping it won't let me down this time either.
The instructions say it can take anywhere from two to six weeks to start working.

So, there’s still plenty of hope.
🙂

Back when I went through the same crisis three years ago,
it took me a full two months before I finally felt things leveling out.
Mind you, I was only on 75 mg back then.
But hey, we aren't giving up.
I really hope it starts working for you soon!

👍

coastalowl7 said:Man, I totally feel you. It’s like I’m living it myself... when my doctor bumped my Zoloft up to 100mg, nothing happened at first. My therapist eventually suggested I take an extra half pill, so now I'm just sitting here praying it actually works. I'm starting to get hit with this massive wave of panic that nothing is ever going to help, and honestly, I just really wanted to be through this whole mess a few months ago...

My therapist mentioned things should start looking up once spring hits and the weather gets nice, and maybe then we can talk about tapering down if everything stays steady...🙂

Since you've been on the increased dose for about 13 days now, just try to hang in there a little longer...🙂

I've been on it for two weeks now. Hopefully, it kicks in soon.

I hope so.

Robert Collins2 said:Nah, I didn't, and clearly you didn't either, because something about your whole vibe and everything going on around you just isn't adding up...

Yeah, honestly? I’ve been unhappy with myself and my life for years now.
I try to push it all down for a while,
but once I hit my limit, everything just falls apart on me.

Robert Collins2 said:Dammit, why am I even asking if I wanted to end it all? It’s like, honestly, such a stupid question. Like, hello? Doesn't anyone realize that depression - the invisible killer comes with suicidal thoughts and attempts baked right in? It’s basic math at this point... about 60% of suicides are people dealing with depression.

Look, you didn't just fall into depression out of nowhere,
you mentioned having some trauma.
That’s what I meant.

But anyway, never mind.

The main thing is that you're doing better now.
🙂

Robert Collins2 said:IT’S A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL, plain and simple. There isn't any bigger goal than just staying alive. I wasn't about to let myself end up in a cemetery when I was only 25 years old, as simple as that...

But why did you want to take your own life in the first place?
I don't get it...🤷

Robert Collins2 said:So, I’m currently on Effexor, Helix, and Luvox, and honestly? The pills alone didn't pull me out of the trenches. Don't get me wrong, they definitely helped, but at the end of the day, those little tablets aren't going to save you unless you actually decide to step up and fight for yourself. You've gotta be the one to make that move.

So, what was it that finally pushed you to make that change? What were you aiming for?

Robert Collins2 said:That’s not even the point, man. I was already dealing with suicidal thoughts, and this stuff just pushed me right over the edge because that dosage absolutely wrecked my brain. Honestly, who knows, maybe Prozac would have actually worked if they'd tapered me on slowly or mixed it with other meds instead of just throwing me into the deep end like this. I mean, any idiot knows you don't treat someone who's potentially suicidal by just hitting them "straight in the head" with a dose like, "here, take 50mg and see how you feel"... what an absolute moron...

Yeah, the instructions clearly state the patient needs constant supervision,
especially if they're dealing with suicidal thoughts.

So, what antidepressant did you switch to after that Prozac mess nearly finished you off?

Robert Collins2 said:Heh, I hit 50 immediately, totally solo without needing any extra anxiety meds or antipsychotics to hold my hand...

Well, 50 isn't actually that high a dose,
maybe you just haven't found the right medication yet...

🤷

Robert Collins2 said:I ended up hitting a massive serotonin storm after taking way too much Zoloft, which pretty much led to a suicide attempt. I’m doing okay now, thank God, but honestly, it pisses me off how many indifferent, incompetent psychiatrists are out there. They can look a potential suicide victim right in the face and just screw them over without even blinking. In my opinion, they should have their licenses stripped and be thrown straight into prison. Absolute bottom-feeders.

How much were you taking?

When using Zoloft, you really need to start low, like 25 mg, and work your way up from there...

🤷