Started taking Zoloft for my anxiety

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lace86

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I have been taking Zoloft for about a month and it feels like my mood/feelings have become worse, not better. Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this while taking anti-depressants because I am considering going off the medication.
 
What dosage are you taking? If what you are experiencing are side effects, then a change in dosage may help. I would check with your doctor and ask if you can adjust your dosage down or possibly even up. In any case, I would give it at least six to eight weeks before giving up on it. It is very common to feel worse before you feel better, when starting an antidepressant
 
Thank you for your reply! I am new to anti-depressants so thank you for your advice. I started at 50 mg a day and have recently increased dose to 100mg - I'm now into my 5th week of using Zoloft. Ok at least this is a common thing. How long does this 'feeling worse before feeling better' side effect last for? What anti-depressants have you used?
 
Well, doubling your dose like that can definitely cause some uncomfortable side effects. I would probably drop my dose back down to 50 mgs, and even though you have not been at 100 mgs very long, I would not drop back to 50 mgs all at once. It’s that immediate doubling or halving of your dosage that can cause the most uncomfortable side effects. If it were me, I would drop to 75 mgs (by cutting a quarter off the pill) hang there for a week, then drop to 50 mgs and stay there for an additional 3 to 4 weeks and see how you feel. It can take 6 to 8 weeks or more at a consistent dose before you begin to see the benefits. You could also ask your doctor if he/she would prescribe you a few Lorazepam or xanax to help with any anxiety during the start up phase of Zoloft. As far as how long the “feeling worse before feeling better” phase lasts, well, that is a very individual thing. For some it never happens and for some, such as myself, I have had it last a good 6 weeks. Probably in hinRABight, You might have lessened that feeling if you had started at an even lower dose of say 25 mgs and worked up slowly as needed. I learned that from experience. :) I have taken Zoloft and had very good results with it for many years. I am currently taking Paxil which is very similar if not basically the same as Paxil.
 
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