did zoloft or other ADs do this to anyone else?

[[te...]]

I was just on here the other day talking to someone about zoloft and its potential side effects and benefits.. now I'm coming to ask similar questions!

 

Okay, dr started me on zoloft 50mg just over 2 weeks ago. the insomnia was REVVED up from day 1 but i wasn't certain if it was from physical dependence/withdrawal from my brief dance with benzos. the sleep improved in ebbs and flows, but even when I sleep, I wake up every 2 hours and I have a hell of a time falling asleep, even with a sleep aid (like trazodone or benedryl). now there's a new symptom, depression! and I did NOT have this before! i am always anxious and a neurotic mess, but I never feel depressed or hopeless. Two days ago, I had a daytime twinge of depression which i got myself out of. tonight, it was way worse. i couldn't sleep, and i tried so many coping skills, and started worrying that my husband is going to divorce me over all this. I have never thought that before, and then I started crying and couldn't stop. I'm trying to hard not to wake him up! (it's almost 3:30am here).

 

Tomorrow is 2 weeks off of benzos. I only took them for a week, with days off in between. I kind of think I *did* have a withdrawal response to stopping, but I wonder if the zoloft made everything worse! i also know side effects happen the first few weeks, but is it really worth sticking out?

 

I feel like such an idiot, changing my mind back and forth about things. I wanted to start the zoloft thinking it would help.. it had in the past. now I feel like i'm suffering way worse than I was before. all this because of ONE panic attack that kept me awake all night and made me take lorazepam in desperation of not sleeping. if I had only just gutted that out, maybe i wouldn't be here but I can't beat myself up.

 

How long should I try to wait this out before I know if it's just a passing thing, or if it's me?

[[Be...]]

Changing your mind is normal. One week on benzos is a very short time. If I were you, I would drop everything and ride it out. It may take a month or two, but you should be OK. But talk to you doctor:)

[[te...]]

Thank you

 

I definitely will be talking to my doctor soon. I have an appt next week, but I may try to get in sooner.  I just feel like this can't "all be in my head" and it definitely feels physical because mentally I am so tired and drained, and I want sleep so badly!

[[le...]]

Antidepressants can be very activating. I was on Effexor for a couple of weeks and I don't think I got a wink of sleep. I agree with Benzofree, I think you should ditch the ad and ride it out.

 

[[er...]]

I tried zoloft a few years back and it got me way more depressed than I was prior to starting it.. in my opinion, all these meds are absolutely terrible for us, and there's no quick fix.  I'm having a bitch of a time getting off of resperidal right now, wish I'd never started it..  and you sure are lucky you only took benzos for a week, you'll have no problems with them if you don't take them anymore..

[[te...]]

Yeah, that's how I feel too, about zoloft! I'm stuck with it for at least a month to see if it changes, after today's doctor's appointment. I am going to try and stay strong and gut this out and see if it keeps getting better. There are good moments and good days, so it isn't a constant stream of misery, and I wonder how much of this is my body recovering from the benzos too. It's only been 2 weeks, and yeah I only took them for a short time but I think my brain was sensitive. If I don't feel better after a month, and my sleep doesn't keep improving, I will ask if I can go down to 25 mg and try to taper off the zoloft.

[[ia...]]

tealwater11

I had a positive experience with Zoloft  WHEN I was on full dose Bezos.

Now that this depression from hell has taken foot, I want to try it once more because it helped make everything calm and peaceful for me in the past....but that was I believe the xanax and librium were keeping its stimulating effect from being too much.

 

Sometimes it take 4 to 6 weeks for zoloft to gain a strong effect, and most people state it lowers their anxiety AFTER the month. month or 6 weeks, and it always relieved my depression.

My 2 cents.

Hope you feel better

[[te...]]

Thank you, iamthird! I'm going to give it at least a month, so about another week and a half or so, to see if I have more change in the right direction. Hoping the side effects taper off too. I think they are getting better, but when I do get ramped up and feel upset about it, it feels miserable. However, I think those episodes are lasting longer now, so hope that's a sign things are taking a turn for the better.

[[Di...]]

My doc put me on Prozac (an A/D) when I first started to taper.

 

I only took it for 2 weeks, and had to stop taking it.  It made me feel like I was on a huge speed trip.  That's the only way I can think to describe it.  I did call the pharmacist before I stopped taking it, and he said as long as I hadn't been on it for more than 2 weeks, it was ok to stop taking it c/t.

 

It's weird though, because back in 2000 I went through a divorce, and doc put me on Prozac for depression, and it worked wonders for me, yet the 2nd time on Prozac was just too much stimulation.

 

I've read and heard that Zoloft isn't as activating and stimulating, but it's still an A/D, and I could see it being activating in the beginning.

 

Wishing all the best for you. 

 

[[Ma...]]

I would never in my life ever - never ever - take an AD, antipsychotic, benzo or any other psycho-stuff again.

The hole diagnoses I was given were effects due to these products.

So my answer is clear. No chemical stuff for my brain again.

 

Whenever it comes to your mind "perhaps this would help me heal quicker" - don't do it.

[[te...]]

Thanks, everybody.

 

I'm pretty upset that I'm having bad insomnia again tonight I really am starting to think it is the zoloft. The unisom that worked beautifully last night did nothing tonight. I am supposed to have a busy and fun weekend and I am really worried about not sleeping and not being able to enjoy myself. Then again, we are going away and staying in a hotel, so maybe the hotel will help me sleep better because it's a change of pace. I don't know.

[[Tr...]]

It can take up to a month for Zoloft to work. The first few weeks can have increased anxiety and insomnia, no doubt. If you can ride that out you may be in a better place. But you have to get through that ramping up period to see if it's effective. Many people quit in the first couple weeks, which is unfortunate because those symptoms only really last for a few weeks in the beginning.

[[te...]]

Thanks, Travis! Sometimes I definitely think I'm noticing some differences, but I am still not sleeping normally and it's really bugging me. That is the only thing really causing anxiety for me, and it was the main problem when I started the zoloft.

[[Tr...]]

You may find it going the opposite way eventually. One problem from Zoloft is fatigue. I used to sleep in a lot while on Zoloft, and took naps.

[Guest [ch...]]

Doctors love to put people on this sh*t but I think it is best to stay away from all psych medicines including A/D's. There are entire sites similar to benzobuddies but dealing with antidepressants. See http://survivingantidepressants.org/ for example. Also see Robert Whitaker's book "Anatomy of an Epidemic". I go to a support group in Boston for people withdrawing from psych drugs, and there are as many people there with A/D issues are there are with benzo issues, and with equally bad problems. All of them wish they never had started A/D's.

 

All of the SSRI's can rev you up and cause insomnia. All can lead to major problems, including depression, when you try to stop.

 

Do you really want to get addicted to Zoloft? You don't have to do what your doctor says, you are in charge of your own health.

 

This post will probably get deleted due to being anti-doctor/anti-medicine, but so be it. I say what I think...

[[te...]]

Doctors love to put people on this sh*t but I think it is best to stay away from all psych medicines including A/D's. There are entire sites similar to benzobuddies but dealing with antidepressants. See http://survivingantidepressants.org/ for example. Also see Robert Whitaker's book "Anatomy of an Epidemic". I go to a support group in Boston for people withdrawing from psych drugs, and there are as many people there with A/D issues are there are with benzo issues, and with equally bad problems. All of them wish they never had started A/D's.

 

All of the SSRI's can rev you up and cause insomnia. All can lead to major problems, including depression, when you try to stop.

 

Thank you for your honesty. I do not want to be on these meds, or any for that matter. I got stuck in this pharmaceutical cycle last year because of several trigger happy doctors and I'm trying to get out. I trusted them and I feel like I got screwed! I definitely want to go off this Zoloft. I've only been on it a month, so hopefully tapering down and off won't be too terrible. My original problem was insomnia, I wish my doctor would have treated it as that.

 

Do you really want to get addicted to Zoloft? You don't have to do what your doctor says, you are in charge of your own health.

 

This post will probably get deleted due to being anti-doctor/anti-medicine, but so be it. I say what I think...

[[Va...]]

As an ex Zoloft use I would not start them up again. Did you need them before the benzos?  Why didn't your dr. Have you start an AD first before the Benzos?  If you didn't need AD before benzos I wouldn't start them after ward. My provider did that to me 10 months after I had stopped Zoloft. My mind was ok and healed.  I had a reaction to some meds so they gave me Ativan. And then added lexapro. The lexapro made me feel worse and then I took the Ativan daily instead of as needed.  The provider decided to take me off the lexapro after 3 weeks because she said I couldn't take AD. The rest is how I gotten into the benzo mess. Then I changed providers and that one talked me into Zoloft again. And what a mess I've been in since then. But I am getting better slowly. So if you didn't need the AD before the benzos I wouldn't continue with them. And taper off them too. Go to surviving antidepressants website for that and was suggested to you already. Zoloft will not even out your benzo anxiety. I know from my own experience. Save your brain. I'm sorry to be so passionate about this but this has been a very rough year and going on 2 for me and my family. If I had someone tell me this instead of waiting and seeing how my brain would react I would not be on this awesome website.

Think hard about your decision on this!!

Val

[[te...]]

Doctors love to put people on this sh*t but I think it is best to stay away from all psych medicines including A/D's. There are entire sites similar to benzobuddies but dealing with antidepressants. See http://survivingantidepressants.org/ for example. Also see Robert Whitaker's book "Anatomy of an Epidemic". I go to a support group in Boston for people withdrawing from psych drugs, and there are as many people there with A/D issues are there are with benzo issues, and with equally bad problems. All of them wish they never had started A/D's.

 

All of the SSRI's can rev you up and cause insomnia. All can lead to major problems, including depression, when you try to stop.

 

Do you really want to get addicted to Zoloft? You don't have to do what your doctor says, you are in charge of your own health.

 

This post will probably get deleted due to being anti-doctor/anti-medicine, but so be it. I say what I think...

 

I tried to reply earlier and it didn't post! Thank you for your response I appreciate the honesty, and agree with you. It is okay to be anti medicine! I hope my withdrawal from the SSRI won't be as bad since it's only been a month.. fingers crossed.

[[te...]]

As an ex Zoloft use I would not start them up again. Did you need them before the benzos?  Why didn't your dr. Have you start an AD first before the Benzos?  If you didn't need AD before benzos I wouldn't start them after ward. My provider did that to me 10 months after I had stopped Zoloft. My mind was ok and healed.  I had a reaction to some meds so they gave me Ativan. And then added lexapro. The lexapro made me feel worse and then I took the Ativan daily instead of as needed.  The provider decided to take me off the lexapro after 3 weeks because she said I couldn't take AD. The rest is how I gotten into the benzo mess. Then I changed providers and that one talked me into Zoloft again. And what a mess I've been in since then. But I am getting better slowly. So if you didn't need the AD before the benzos I wouldn't continue with them. And taper off them too. Go to surviving antidepressants website for that and was suggested to you already. Zoloft will not even out your benzo anxiety. I know from my own experience. Save your brain. I'm sorry to be so passionate about this but this has been a very rough year and going on 2 for me and my family. If I had someone tell me this instead of waiting and seeing how my brain would react I would not be on this awesome website.

Think hard about your decision on this!!

Val

 

Hi Val,

It's a long story, but he didn't ever prescribe benzos. An ER doc did, this was from last spring. I didn't really use them after the ER visit, but had them around for some reason, and resorted to them because I was so disturbed I couldn't sleep!

 

I was on sertraline a few times before, for limited amounts of time (usually about a year- year and a half or so) and then I would always taper off. The last time I went off was last August. I was fine, I get my anxiety about stuff but I found a really good therapist, I have lots of great friends and coping skills, I dealt with it. I suppose I was so freaked out by not sleeping I impulsively wanted medication because I thought it would help. I was also so freaked out by my heart palpitations that were keeping me up that night, I thought something was wrong and thought the beta blocker would help. It probably was just a really bad panic attack. I suppose the sertraline helped me, but I really did not like being on medicine, and I still don't now. Not even the high blood pressure medicine! I have a strong feeling that this high blood pressure medicine was the root of everything that started my downward spiral.

 

There is a chance the insomnia IS something else - like hormones, or a medical condition. I went and had my cortisol levels tested, and I am waiting for that to come back. I also am considering having a sleep study done just to see. I know when I tell my doctor this and ask about it, he is going to blame everything on anxiety like he always does and continue this cycle of me blaming myself. I did not cause this insomnia cycle!

 

In any case, it has been a month on Zoloft and I am still really struggling with sleep. At this point, I think it's worth it to try tapering off to see if that helps. I am going to call and make an appointment right now.

[[Va...]]

Sounds like more to the story than I thought. All this getting on and off of the different meds are probably causing the insomnia. Any of them need to be tapered slowly if you decide to get off of them. The serial one won't smooth out the insomnia. Plus you mentioned the unisom that may be contributing to any side effects of the other meds.

 

Val

[[te...]]

Sounds like more to the story than I thought. All this getting on and off of the different meds are probably causing the insomnia. Any of them need to be tapered slowly if you decide to get off of them. The serial one won't smooth out the insomnia. Plus you mentioned the unisom that may be contributing to any side effects of the other meds.

 

Val

 

Possibly true! (The going on and off the meds). I didn't have any insomnia though prior to August 15. I was only on one med then, a blood pressure med, losartan. Perhaps using lorazepam made things worse, and I should have just pushed through instead of re-starting other meds. Live and learn. I'm ready to go off everything and just do naturopathic stuff instead. I was having great luck with magnesium glycinate before everything went to hell. I have a naturopath who prescribed supplements but I'm not taking them because I feel like I'm on way too many things already and things need to even out! I still feel like there is something else going on, something medical that triggered the insomnia to begin with. Because I don't think I got dependent on Ativan after using it one night! Yes I did use it multiple nights after that because it worked and the insomnia was continuing, and this is coming from a person who never had insomnia in my life. I'm sure all my anxiety about this doesn't help. I was on the fence about the Zoloft, but after speaking to my mom this morning I'm convinced I need to ditch it. She knows me more than anyone and she's convinced it's worsening things.

 

For those of you who had insomnia bc of ADs, how long did it take after going off them for sleep to normalize?

[[te...]]

Update:

 

Things did not go so well with my doctor today. I really thought about what I wanted to say, and explain myself. Well, he did not agree. And I can tell he was getting agitated with me. His immediate response was "let's try lexapro!" and I said "Shouldn't we taper off the zoloft before we add something else?" And he disagreed and started getting annoyed with me for asking.. he then implied I was making up that insomnia is a side effect of zoloft and metoprolol, and said that "you will probably find some other weird side effect to have a reason to go off meds." He implied that I need to be on anti-depressants forever, in order to be "stable." He also said something about how he has worked with so many people with mood disorders like me, and no one ever had insomnia from zoloft....firstly, I don't and never had "a mood disorder." I have freaking anxiety. Even when I am super anxious, I never am depressed! I never lost motivation for things, didn't get bummed out for long periods of time, etc.. but when I started the zoloft, I started feeling hopeless! THIS WAS NOT CHARACTERISTIC OF ME. Anyway, I could tell he was getting frustrated. He "gave in" and said I could drop down to take 1/2 a pill, so 25mg. Needless to say, it was stressful. I walked out of the appointment, went to my car and cried out my frustration to my mom. I then called my ObGyn, who is an excellent doctor, and the receptionist passed on information to me about another local Primary Care clinic with a great new PA I could try. In fact, I had researched this place already and heard it was a good one! I called and am getting in right away next week to start with them. I am looking forward to it. I knew that I probably needed to switch doctors, and today was definitely a sign of that. I can't feel like I'm afraid to be myself, or that my doctor is condescending. I find it very offensive that he dismisses my concerns, and makes it sound like everything is my anxiety... mind you, I am a freaking psychologist, I know about neurotransmitters, and other coping skills, and I know I can live without being on an AD. Yes, sometimes it is hard, but I function just fine!!! Thank you guys for listening and supporting me. After the appointment I went to the gym and went to a relaxing yoga class, it helped a lot. I think going through this is making me a stronger person, and I'm realizing anxiety isn't something to get rid of, it's a survival mechanism, we just need to learn how to challenge it and drive it, and not let it drive us. I want to write a letter to my anxiety and apologize for trying to get rid of it. There are underlying reasons for everything, and I look forward to figuring them out, with the help of professionals that are supportive and not dismissive. Off my soapbox!