Made Me Crazy!!! What about you?
By Sweetpeas
@Sweetpeas (738)
Australia
February 4, 2007 4:29pm CST
Just wanted to share and let people know of my experience with this drug zoloft as I think it has the potential to be dangerous for some people. I was going through hard times some while ago now and my anxiety was through the roof so a doctor, not my normal doctor (as i had moved), prescribed Zoloft for me. I must say at first while i was taking it i just felt a little calmer and more relaxed, but eventually, maybe 3 weeks later, I started to feel a little anxious and confused. I started crying all the time and wanting to just sleep and stay in my room, i even had thoughts of suicide at one stage. Eventually i couldnt take it anymore and went back to this doctor telling him that i was going crazy on this stuff and wanted to stop. I had to be weaned off because if you just stop, it leaves your body with wihdrawel symtoms and can make you worse. So i got of them they way they said and have never looked back! Im wondering what experiences others have had and if the drug had the same effect on you? Thankyou for sharing.
3 people like this
13 responses
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I can't say that I have taken Zoloft. But I have taken Wellbutrin and it had the same reaction for me also.
First, very calm and able to take things going on around me pretty well.
But then I started crying all the time. I became super hyper-sensitive!
My partner was always doing something that I would cry about.
And if he wasn't doing anything to make me cry (in my eyes), I was crying and I had no clue why I was crying!
I had to stop taking it also. But it was a cold turkey thing...no one told me that I needed to be weened off of it. And I became agitated very easily.
I am never taking that stuff again! And now I know to make sure I stay away from Zoloft too! Thanks!
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Welbutrin left me feeling very anxious and I too did a lot of crying. My pcp put me on Lexapro and I did much better.
@Sweetpeas (738)
• Australia
5 Feb 07
Sounds like we had a similar reaction brokentia hun. Im glas we couls share.
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
8 Feb 07
I understand completely how you felt. I too, was on it many years ago, and it had the same effects on me. Recently, I have been put on a different one to deal with my husbands job loss, the anxiety and stress it was causing. It is called Lexapro. It is soooooooooooooo much better than Zoloft. I am a new women. But, I cannot quit it either, I have to be taken off it slowly. Check into that one. It's new, no side effects for me. Good luck and God bless you. M&M
1 person likes this
@sbeauty (5865)
• United States
5 Feb 07
No medication reacts exactly the same way with every person.
Personally, Zoloft is the only antidepressant that works with me. I've been on it for 10 years now, and I wouldn't want to try and live without it. I've tried to get off antidepressants several times in my life, and I've tried many different ones, and now I'm resigned that I'll have to be on Zoloft the rest of my life.
1 person likes this
@Sweetpeas (738)
• Australia
5 Feb 07
Thankyou for sharing hun, Im glad you you found something that worked for you especially if you're going to be on it for that long. Take Care.
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I got off of Zoloft and I am doing just fine. I keep myself busy and I do not have time to feel depressed or sad. I am actually a lot better without the pills than I was with the pills.
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Its very possible that you had an allergic reaction of some sort or it could just be that Zoloft isnt the one for you...I'm on it myself and ahve been for 3 yrs now and it works fabulously for me, however I know ppl who took it and it didnt work and actually an old friend of mine was on it and it ended up making her physcially ill....Luckily for you your doctor listened and had you weaned though! Some docs out there just dont listen and that could have very well been a dangerous thing for you from the sounds of it! if you dont mind my asking though, what dose were you started off with?
1 person likes this
@Sweetpeas (738)
• Australia
5 Feb 07
I actually cant remember what dosage they started me off on as it was like 5 years ago and I was in a daze lol, but yes they did increase it once before I got off it and yes I am lucky the doctor listened to me!! Thanks :)
@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
5 Feb 07
My husband worked in a dr's office many years ago and felt depressed. The doctor gave him samples of zoloft. He was on it for about 3 weeks and started acting really strange. He started being really disatisfied with our life. I couldn't do anything right in his eyes. He was so mean and I just couldn't take it anymore. I moved out. He detoxed and we started dating. I wanted to be sure he was better. When I went back to our apt after 3 months away, I needed a demolition crew for the mess! He didn't pick up a thing while I was gone and neither did his kid.
1 person likes this
@Sweetpeas (738)
• Australia
5 Feb 07
Aaaaw Bless, I understand, it can be a terrible time not just for the sufferer but also for everyone around them too. Im glad it eventually worked out for you.
@monkeygirl17 (167)
• United States
5 Feb 07
You would think with all the known side effect of psych meds they would have come up with something better by now! I took Zoloft for a short time and it only upset me stomach. Since then I have had more relief from Celexa and Imipramine. I have anxiety and depression issues that are bad enough to require medication most of the time.
@missmuffet (238)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I have been on zoloft for quite a while. I first thought I didn't need to be on it but it just keeps me on a even keel. I can tell if I don't take it...i get a little "testy".
1 person likes this
@unusualsuspect (2602)
• United States
5 Feb 07
All anti-depressants have the potential to create what is called a paradoxical reaction--the opposite of what it's supposed to do for you. I had this happen on Prozac. I developed paranoia and anxiety, and was so strung out that I couldn't relax or sleep at night. For people who are chronically depressed, this reaction is also a sign of possible type II bipolar.
@Sweetpeas (738)
• Australia
5 Feb 07
Yes this is what happened with me and Zoloft i would say, I was then put on anxiety meds which worked alot better. My anxiety was so bad at one stage that i was actually having fits. Thanks for the info hun.
@Sweetpeas (738)
• Australia
5 Feb 07
Thankyou very much,its actually been about 5 years since I have been off meds and Im doing great. I think my family was my salvation :)
@mnksmommy (301)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I took Zoloft for only two weeks. I stopped because I was having severe headaches--it just wasn't working for me either. I didn't have any withdrawls though because it was a short time period.
My friend who is a social worker said she has seen some clients who heard voices whild taking zoloft...or having hallucinations.
1 person likes this
@trickylacey (67)
• United States
28 Jul 07
Your situation sounds very similar to what I've been going through. For the past year or so I've been feeling extremely depressed and more situations seem to arrive daily to make my life that much more difficult. Recently, I had to go to the E.R. because I had overdosed on pain medication. That's when I started seeing a psychiatrist and he prescribed Zoloft 25mg for me. At first, I was like you and started feeling a little less anxious and actually started enjoying my life a little, but now a lot of those earlier feelings have started coming back and I'm more worried now than ever. My psychiatrist keeps asking me if I want a higher dosage, but I'm not sure if that would help or just make things worse. I'm sorry I can't give any help, but it might help just to know you're not alone.