Took Zoloft for 7 moths 8 years ago

offzoloft · Newbie Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 1

hey everyone just wanted to share my zoloft experience. I am a 24 y/o female btw. I began taking zoloft back in 1998 when I was 16 years old for severe anxiety/panic attacks which ultimately was causing my depression. As a child I was normal and healthy and was never anxious I went through the ups and downs of life but was always able to cope. I don't what the hell happened when I hit puberty but I'm guessing all the hormonal changes triggered severe anxiety that started when I was 13. I literally remember the moment when I had my first anxious feelings and my first panic attack. As I transitioned into highschool the anxiexty had gotten severly worse and had manifested itself into a social anxiety disorder, paranoia (i had an extreme fear of dying which I still have to this day, especially about dying while asleep) phobias of large spaces etc.
I told my dad that i was severly sad and depressed and wanted to see a psychiatrist. After seeing the dr a few times and explaining my symptoms she stated that the root of all of my problems was the anxiety. She prescribed me zoloft. Back then it was a brand new drug and I was closely monitored since I was under 18 when taking it. I started out on 25mg a day and was eventually upped to 50mg a day. Within the first 2 weeks my anxiety and depression literally disappeared. I was sitting in my second period algebra class and just remembered not feeling depressed. It was one of the best feelings of my life. I was no longer nervous jittery or antsy was not self conscious about talking to people and made a ton of friends that year. I don't how my life would have turned out without zoloft. As far as side effects go I did experience some minor to moderate brain zaps in the begging, i also did experience that feeling of mania where you are so happy its uncontrallable although that could have been b/c i was just so gratefull to not be anxious and depressed any more. I had insomnia but it was manageable. I both gained and lost weight with this drug. At certain time it suppressed my appetite and stimulated it. I felt a little shaky in the begging but since i was only on 25mg it wasnt anything i couldnt handle. eventually after 6 months the drug no longer had the same effect I didnt was to up my dosage so i stopped taking it. I had pretty much leveled out ot the point where not only was i not feeling sadness or depresed but i was not feeling happiness either. I didnt want to take a drug for the rest of my life so I stopped taking it. Like an idiot I did not properly wean myself off of it but withdraw was not that severe I had brain zaps stronger then when i first began taking the medicine and also an outer body feeling as if i was watching myself and not in control of my own body. Moderate headaches and tiredness but not too bad considering i just stopped one day. I still struggle with anxiety to this day but not once has it every gotten close to the extreme I was in highschool. So i guess overall zoloft worked for me

good luck to all who are taking it now

Took Zoloft for 7 moths 8 years ago

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