Zoloft for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• OhN...
• April 16, 2011

"I got diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in February of 2011. I started taking Zoloft at 50 mg in the morning on April 8 (1 week ago), and my oh my, what a difference! The depression is lifting significantly! I'd say it has gone from a 2 to about a 7 in just a week's time. The intrusive/obsessive thoughts have dropped about 75-80%, the compulsions are all but gone, and the general anxiety is all but gone. The next to go are the annoying ruminating thoughts and the difficulty concentrating and organizing thoughts (but since I've been so depressed for so long, I think those parts of my brain had forgotten how to function). Starting tomorrow, I kick it up to 100 mg a day. Hoping for the continued improvement."

• geo...
• May 10, 2017

"I had OCD for 3 years. I could not sit down. I was eating while I was unable to concentrate on anything else than my thoughts. I would avoid going to the bathroom because I could not sit down on the toilet. In order to avoid my thoughts, I was walking about 11 km per day. I would fall asleep thinking about something, and in the next morning, I would wake up thinking the same thing. I had the same exact thought for 3 days until something else stuck in my mind. I am taking 250 mg a day now, and everything is good. The only thing is that coffee and alcohol mess up the medication. One day after two coffees, I had to take something else to calm myself down."

• 2Pi...
• March 1, 2008

"Very effective in controlling OCD and associated panic disorder. However, gained 70 lbs (not by changing eating habits, but it's as though it raised my metabolic 'setpoint'). Decreased sex drive. Despite the side effects, this medication has been a Godsend."

• Lee...
• June 1, 2015

"I have suffered from OCD for over a decade, and it has taken over my life. I've been on Zoloft for three months and am seeing progress. It has helped mildly with the anxiety. I am finding that my life choices are changing. I am eating healthier, going outside more, taking up new hobbies, reconnecting with old friends, maintaining a healthier relationship with my family members, my anger has decreased significantly, and I am not ruminating on repetitive thoughts quite as often. This medication is very helpful for getting on the road to recovery. I am using it in conjunction with meditation and mindfulness therapy. The only drawback is that it gives me diarrhea and short-term memory loss. I have been using Post-it notes."

• Gri...
• November 5, 2011

"I've suffered from OCD since about the age of 9, but wasn't diagnosed until I was 44. I was prescribed Zoloft at 100 mg a day at first, combined with some cognitive therapy. After around a month, the dose was increased to 200 mg/day, which seemed to work more effectively. I have now been taking Zoloft for 10 years with no significant side effects (only feeling slightly hotter than before). I found if I didn't take the Zoloft with a meal or on an empty stomach, I would feel very nauseous. But all is great if taking it with my meal. Zoloft has helped my life considerably. My wife often comments on how much more chilled I am and how easy it is to get along with me, and we can talk about OCD openly with an understanding of why these compulsions were there, etc."

• zol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 12, 2022

"Three months ago, I was a total mess. Suffering from the way my mind was working. Was feeling like I am losing it. I went up to 200 mg by increasing doses by 25 mg after 6-7 days. Side effects? Night urination, less sex drive, and sometimes dry mouth. My sleep time got more peaceful, although sometimes I couldn't sleep. Sometimes I feel tired but never felt like a zombie. I have started feeling like depression is leaving me, and my OCD is better. I know it will always be with me. I visit a psychiatrist, and I won't stop having sessions. Started feeling like my mind is approaching a more normal state. I had reached the bottom, and I want to forget all the negative thoughts I had. Fear of my thoughts. Harm OCD, etc. OCD is so hard, but there are other mental illnesses that are worse, i.e., bipolar. Luckily, I am still thinking logically, although my mind is working in a tricky way ... always there to stress me and to harass me. I read fluvoxamine is good for OCD too. Good luck, OCD survivors."

• jim...
• October 19, 2015

"I started having panic attacks when I was 20. The docs put me on Zoloft, and it helped me tremendously. Not only that, I stopped being the shy person that I had been prior to that. However, I stopped taking it after a year because I figured I had been cured. I spent years after that without any anxiety until I had a severe bout of OCD at the age of 27, which was threatening to really destroy my life. I resisted taking medication for 2 years, which was such a stupid idea. I don't know why I chose to suffer, even though I knew Zoloft would help me again. Anyhow, I went back on Zoloft, and poof! Problem solved. But then I quit again, and now after many years that I tried going back on it, it's not working as much. I wish I had stayed on it :("

• Cal...
• November 22, 2014

"There was a point where I had been forgetting to take the Zoloft that had been prescribed to me for social anxiety (and it had worked quite well in decreasing the symptoms of that disorder), and during the time I had been forgetting to take the meds, things took a turn for the worse. It all started with an intrusive thought, and that was what triggered my first, horrific episode of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It took me a while to piece together the reason why the OCD had developed and persisted, but finally, I realized that my Zoloft had possibly been suppressing an earlier development of OCD due to its anti-anxiety effects (OCD is characterized by anxiety). I then got back on the medication, and it literally only took an hour for the OCD to significantly vanish."

• Joe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 18, 2021

"I've come to the realization over the past year that all my life I've struggled with OCD. Intrusive thoughts and obsessive behaviors have just been something I've grown to accept without knowing it. Prozac made me way too anxious, and I gave up and thought I just wasn't meant for SSRIs. I was prescribed Zoloft a few months ago, and it was the perfect fit. It took a while for me to find my perfect dose (150 mg), but now I am a completely different person. Of course, prescription meds are only one part of the equation (in addition to diet, exercise, therapy, etc.), but this was a miracle. I'm writing this to say to anyone who is curious about medication for OCD or anyone who is struggling in general, there is hope, and if you are patient, you will see the light and find something that works. Give it time, it took me over a month to get it just right, but it was so worth it!"

• j...
• February 21, 2012

"Zoloft at first helped with the immediate lifting of my moderately to severely depressed state, while undergoing treatment with the medication I have been, in so many words, transformed (as far as OCD symptomatologies go). I stopped my continuous ritualistic, obsessive habits such as checking, obsessive cleaning, etc., and began instead to be noticed by everyone as having a relatively light and airy disposition as opposed to my former, neurotic and morose self. The dose had to be increased to work optimally, in fact, several times. I had no noticeable sexual side effects, as other SSRIs I had used. The change I experienced as far as mood, behaviors, etc., were first in fact noticed by others, then by myself."

• son...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2022

"Zoloft actually saved my life. I'm currently on 50 mg, which I do need to bump up after talking with my doctor. I've been taking it for around 6 months, and the difference between then and now is incredible. I have always dealt with debilitating OCD, intrusive thoughts, and mainly just constant obsessions. I was consistently awake and detached from my surroundings because I was trapped in my head, panicking about how I can't fix everybody's lives. I still get those feelings sometimes, and I still get upset like the average person, but I can actually work, sleep, read, and eat without the incessant voices in my head. I don't feel like I am being controlled by some external demon manifestation of myself, rather, I am the controller of myself. It's insane. At first, I was very loopy on Zoloft, in the sense that I just felt so awake all the time. That lasted about two weeks at most. The drug fully kicked in around a month and a half in."

• kyr...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 26, 2016

"30/F. I developed severe anxiety due to obsessive 'bang your head against a wall to make it stop' intrusive thoughts at age 7. I 'grew out' of it as I got older, but it hit back in full swing at 18. After years of walking around with a constant stomachache and having obsessive thought-induced panic attacks (all while living a 'normal' life), I finally went to see a doctor. I started out at 50 mg and later bumped up to 100. The first few days felt like I had mild morning sickness and brain fog, but faded quickly. The only real lasting symptom is restless legs/sleeplessness at night, and I'd rather be awake and restless than awake and hysterical. I do think about/initiate sex less, but have found that (for me) getting started anyway does the trick."

• Ale...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 26, 2023

"I have been suffering from OCD since I was young, but always it was manageable for me until I reached 27 years old. I couldn’t handle it anymore, and it affected my entire life. Started taking Zoloft 50 mg first, 3 days then 100 mg. I started feeling better on day 9. Now I'm on day 16, and I feel amazing. Zoloft changed my entire life with almost no side effects."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 26, 2022

"I have suffered from Pure O for a few months before my psychologist advised starting Zoloft. This medicine is a lifesaver, and I've currently been trying to wane off after a 7-month remission period, but unfortunately, my OCD is slowly coming back, so I'm staying at 50 mg for now and keep doing my CBT sessions. At 100 mg, however, I never had any symptoms and had 100% gone back to normal. Truly blessed medicine."

• Anonymous
• September 7, 2010

"I was prescribed Zoloft in late 2008, and I have been on it ever since. I have a minor case of OCD, which is all in my head. I tend to be obsessive with repetitive thoughts, and if I don't think about it, then I basically freak out with anxiety. I know it's so weird, but I guess God made everyone unique in their own way. Anyway, did Zoloft help me? I must say definitely YES. Although my OCD does come back from time to time, it is nowhere near as bad now compared to how it used to be. The repetitive thoughts have decreased by about 80%, and that is more than I can ever ask for. However, I experience weird side effects when I forget to take it, like nausea, lightheadedness, and 'brain zaps.' Got to take the good with the bad, I guess."

• Lin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2020

"I was on Zoloft about 15 years ago under the care of a psychiatrist. She had me on a few different things at once, and I remember feeling great for the first time in a long time. I haven’t been on medication for over 10 years, however, the pandemic has brought my OCD to the surface. My general practitioner gave me 50 mg of Zoloft because I told her it worked in the past. I am on day 25, and I feel awful!!! The mornings are the worst. I feel jittery and emotional. I have to take Xanax to even function. I have had this weird pressure and tingling in my head for about 10 days, and I wake up 4 times a night in a sweat. With my OCD, I, of course, thought I must be dying. Then I started reading this thread and realized that the sensations and emotions could be coming from the Zoloft. I made an appointment with a psychiatrist who specializes in psychopharmacology, but I have to wait until next Monday (6 days away)."

• den...
• September 15, 2011

"Have had a long history of having 'racing' thoughts. Finally, after many years and missed diagnoses with accompanying different medicines, my current psych doctor said that I might have a touch of obsessive-compulsive disorder. He placed me on 25 mg per day for a week, then 50 mg per day. Finally, I feel much better, and my mind is finally more at rest. I was supposed to increase the dose to 75 mg after one week, which I tried for one day, but I had some weird side effects that I attributed to the 75 mg dose. Back at 50 mg and am happy with the results. Time will tell."

• DHH...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2013

"I can remember being on this for just two months last year. What did improve while I was taking it was my concentration. I started reading every book in sight. I stopped taking the Zoloft because I thought it made me sick to my stomach and also gave me tics. I guess I should have waited out the side effects because I thought my ability to read was fantastic."

• TSG...
• January 18, 2017

"I'm a young man, 24 years old. I have several issues with my brain from many years ago. I have Major Depression, GAD, SAD, OCD, and Panic Disorder. I've tried many options. I tried Hypnotherapy, Emotional Therapy, CBT, also, I've been to some psychiatrists in Indonesia and Singapore. Finally, I met the best psychiatrist in my country, and with him, I found the best meds and finally cured my problem. You all have to try this too and talk to your psychiatrist to ask for a prescription. Every morning, I take 1 mg Ativan, and every night, I take 5 mg Zyprexa and 150 mg Zoloft. Please try this, please. Enjoy your life. Also, CBT is good as well."

• Anonymous
• March 8, 2008

"I have been on Zoloft for a year to treat OCD. This drug has taken away my painful and destructive symptoms, though this is a process that has been aided by intensive talk therapy. My side effects are increasing in intensity as time goes on; mainly dry mouth and nausea. However terrible these side effects may sound, I would rather deal with them than the symptoms of OCD and depression on any given day."

• Mat...
• August 26, 2017

"I was on 50 mg for a month, and it seemed to help a bit. My doctor and I agreed to up to 100 mg last week. Since then, my anxiety and intrusive thoughts have been awful. Is this just a side effect until it balances out?!"

• Obs...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 8, 2016

"I was prescribed this for OCD, PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and severe depression. First, it didn't do so much, if anything, for my depression. In fact, I had less energy and experienced apathy on this drug. That being said, when it came to my OCD, hyper-vigilance, and anxiety, this drug was a miracle drug. It took away 85% of my obsessions and became apathetic to my rituals. Unfortunately, after being on this for 5-6 years (and being above the absolute maximum dose at 250 mg), I've been experiencing major 'poop-out' effect. I'm worried that something is not going to work as well and work with the very minimal side effects that I experienced with Zoloft, as I have exhausted countless drugs."

• nel...
• June 4, 2016

"First month, bad side effects. Felt worsening anxiety and felt like a zombie. After about 4 weeks, the magic happened. My obsessions became minimal, and my depression/PMDD improved immensely. Side effects include some weight gain, like 15 lbs, and loss of sex drive. However, I was on 50 mg, and the improvement in my mental state was worth it. I could only take this drug at night, in the morning, it would make me dizzy. I was in this for 4 years, it does improve obsessive worrying and depression."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 12, 2022

"I had a mental breakdown, which I attribute either to late onset OCD or my OCD rearing its head. I couldn’t stop thinking and believing I had cheated on a homework assignment in university 5 years ago and wanted to get myself expelled from university. I had multiple people, including a professor and academic advisor, tell me it wasn’t cheating, but I couldn’t stop thinking this. I had panic attacks daily until I went on Zoloft. I started on 25 mg of Zoloft and then went to 50 mg. Now, if those obsessive thoughts start crawling into my mind, I can just brush them away. This medication probably saved my life because I was getting to the point of considering suicide. I had zero side effects with this drug."

• Mun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2022

"I was having crazy intrusive thoughts, bed bound for about 4 months and very suicidal. Depressed and really had no hope. Started taking 25 mg and now 50 mg, thoughts are disappearing slowly, but left me scared, no doubt. Medication working very well, but I think I need to increase to 100 mg. Really good medication, took time to work, but doing a great job!"