Hi all,
I am 23 years old male, university student. I recently started on Zoloft, 50 mg, six days ago and I have had many aide effects the most severe one being insomnia. I've had barey 2-3 hrs of sleep for the first four night and my doctor prescribed me zolpidem which helped me sleep last night. But I still feel anxious as soon as i wake up and the muscles around my neck and stomach are extremely tense, its the kind of feeling i have when I'm having some sorta panic attack or anxiety attack. Will this improve with the medication? I also skipped my uni for a full week now i dont feel like doing anything apart from lying on the couch.
Anyone experienced the same?
Hi Robin I am on 50mg off Zoloft and I had all the symptoms your going through except the insomnia ! This drug seems to affect so many people in different ways ! I started taking it in June of last year and I can honestly tell you that it was late September before I felt any benifit from taking it ! My anxiety levels went through the roof I couldn't cope I should have gone back to doctor immediately as there are drugs out there that can help with there's extreme side affects ! My advice to youwould be to stick with it ! And you will reap the rewards someday ! And you will begin to feel like a new man again . Regarding time off from Uni ? Don't beat yourself up about it No one can go without sleep so if you need to take time out ! Then do so . Don't feel bad about it ! I think I might need to go up to a100mg like you but hate to go through the awful side affects I was doing so well then earlier this year a big milk creamery lorry drove me off the road in my car as he was in the wrong lane !! Both my friend and I we're hurt trying to avoid him He never stopped to see if we were ok ! Now I can't bear the anxieties off driving again So I'm going to see if my doctor advises me to go up to a stronger doesage !I did read somewhere that this drug can be taken at night It might help you with your sleep problem ! But obvisley you would need to check with your doctor if it would be ok to do so ! Go on the sleeping tablets if they help also ? You will not get addicted to them if you'd don't take them for more than 2 weeks Amitriptaleen is another tablet you could ask your doctor about as they help with sleeping ! I need to take them because I have arthritis but a friend off mine takes them for anxiety and not being able to sleep at night. Hope this helps you Robin my heart goes out to you as you need your sleep to be able to keep up with your studies and remember we all care about you so all the best for the future They will work soon bye for now
Hi Mary,
Thank you so much for you reply. I am on my 7th weeks of sertraline 50mg. Its safe to say I could feel the benefit of sertraline by the 3-4 weeks. I can go to uni and even sat exam last week, which i never thought i would be able to do so. Now, I am perfectly fine and I haven't had anxiety attack ever since. I think the drug has done me a big favour. I hope to continue this drug fo a forseable future, at lest 6 months, until my doctor tells me to stop so i can tamper off.
I hope you are doing okay too.
Many thanks
Robin