I have taken 25 mg of zoloft for 20 days and stomach does not feel well. has anyone else had this issue? I am taking zoloft for anxiety . tried some many different antidepressants ,still no luck
Zoloft and stomach issues?
Question posted by charliebella on 25 May 2022
Last updated on 20 August 2022
Answers
Catholicmom
30 May 2022
I had awful stomach issues/diarrhoea for the first 5-6 weeks of starting Zoloft. Luckily I was able to be home based during that time which made it easier. By week 7 it had cleared up.
25mg is a low dose but probably best to stay there till the side effects pass.
Give it at least 8 weeks before making any judgement. It took me that long before I felt better.
WildcatVet
25 May 2022
Hi, charliebella!
GI problems are fairly common side effects when first starting a medication like Zoloft but they generally resolve within 2-3 weeks. You should let your doctor know that you're still feeling bad and get their professional advice.
"Very common (10% or more of users): Nausea (up to 26%), diarrhea/loose stools (up to 20%), dry mouth (up to 14%)
Common (1% to 10% of users): Abdominal pain, constipation, dyspepsia, flatulence, vomiting"
Zoloft is a good choice but anxiety is much slower to respond than depression. Do you think that it's starting to help you? If you've noticed no improvement at all let your doctor know that too.
Keep in mind though that it can take 6-8 weeks to get the full benefits of the medication.
Best regards and hang in there!
Wildcat
charliebella
26 May 2022
My psychiatric nurse practitioner said to take it early afternoon so if nausea occurs it will be while I sleep... She wants me to try and hang in there, but pretty difficult when your stomach feels horrible. Have been taking 3 weeks, would think I would be past nausea . Its easy for them to say but they are not the one taking it. Tried so many different meds for anxiety with no relief. Ativan helped some but made me so tired
WildcatVet
26 May 2022
Did she suggest anything you could take to control the nausea? There are even some OTC products that might be helpful.
Don't give up! It took me forever but we finally got the meds right and I feel good. It's worth the time and effort.
WC
charliebella
27 May 2022
I do not notice any change in helping with anxiety, its been 3 weeks. I have been dealing with this for a year and seems I have tried so many different meds. One I have not tried is Lexapro... I am taking valium 2 to 4 mg twice a day. it last about 6 hours but do have anxiety in between.. Is it uncommon to have this issue for so long with no results?? Very frustrating
WildcatVet
27 May 2022
You're on a low initial dose which may not be therapeutic for you. The nausea needs to resolve but you should consider upping your dosage... the daily recommended dose is 50 - 200mg.
Although it seems like an eternity three weeks is not a long time and anxiety is harder to treat. It may take longer for you to start seeing the benefits and a fair trial is generally about 6-8 weeks.
Are you in touch with your doctor? Have you or are you willing to try talk therapy? It can help you to see your triggers and how you respond to them. You can learn better ways of controlling your symptoms.
Hang in there!!!
WC
charliebella
27 May 2022
My doctor only works 3 days a week and schedules my appt a month apart. I can call her and sometimes do. I am half afraid to up dosage because afraid will make stomach issues worse. Nausea is not how I would describe stomach now, it feels like a nervous wreck. She does want me to do talk therapy. Which I scheduled with reluctance. I don't have any issues in my life to create anxiety. I feel it's more of a chemical imbalance. I took Paxil for 40 years when it stopped working a year ago.
WildcatVet
28 May 2022
It's true that increasing your dose may create more problems with your tummy so that needs to be resolved one way or another.
Too bad the Paxil quit working... the same thing happened to me both with Lexapro and then Effexor after many years.
My therapist combined both CBT and another therapy for PTSD. I have had personal problems recently but they only exacerbated my underlying anxiety disorders. I learned to control the symptoms rather than addressing the the root cause which is the job of medication. It's a combined effort which has worked very well for me. I think you may benefit from it.
WC
WildcatVet
28 May 2022
Meaning the root cause is most likely an imbalance of the brain's neurotransmitters and receptor sites in many cases.
charliebella
28 May 2022
What is CBT? and thank you for discussing this with me, very much appreciated!
WildcatVet
28 May 2022
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Google "CBT therapy" and look for the article from the Mayo Clinic. It goes into the subject quite nicely without a lot of technical jargon and there are many other articles but they're kind of redundant.
Don't be alarmed if you see references to PTSD. It's an anxiety disorder too. Not saying you have it.
BTW, You're welcome!
charliebella
19 Aug 2022
Still taking Zoloft, now at 75 mg. Been taking since first of may and not getting any relief for my anxiety. Also just have no ambition, energy or desire to do anythng. That's is just not me. I have tried so many other antidepressants with no luck. Feeling like Zoloft isn't for me either. The only one I haven tried is Lexapro... Any opinions on Lexapro?
WildcatVet
20 Aug 2022
You might consider increasing your dosage... the maximum is 200mg/day... not that you necessarily need that much but the 75mg may not be enough to be therapeutic for you. Talk to your doctor.
I loved my Lexapro (escitalopram) but I loved Zoloft too. The only reason I stopped it was because it "pooped out" on me after many years. Lexapro was also very effective.
WC
Related topics
zoloft, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, antidepressant, stomach, antidepressants
Further information
- Zoloft uses and safety info
- Zoloft prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Zoloft (detailed)
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