Sertraline for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Gooderz
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2020

"So I've been on sertraline for 8 weeks, 50mg. The first 5 weeks or so we're absolutely awful for me. Crazy intrusive thoughts, insane anxiety. In the first few weeks I practically spent my life on this checking reviews for some hope I'd get better. Fast forward to now and I feel 60% back to normal. Rather than obsess about a subject from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep, I now get short little 'blips' I'm positive the medication will work even better as time goes on! People just starting, bear with the side effects as you will thank yourself later on!"

• imnot...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2017

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have been on this medication for exactly 20 days now, and believe me when I say it has saved my life! I dealt with extremely disturbing intrusive thoughts, leading to to severe anxiety and depression for 4 years. After almost giving up come for my life completely, I finally told my GP about my situation, he and a pysch confirmed the OCD put me on 50mg of Zoloft first week then 100mg and I finally feel like myself again! OCD is minimal and definitely manageable, to the point where it barely bothers me and I only know it'll improve because its only been 20 days! It does give a little diarrhea but its so worth it."

• Sam
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 29, 2021

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have STRONG and SCARY intrusive thoughts that have been driving me crazy. At about 17 years of age I started off with fluvoxamine for about 2 years I was okay, then it started to come back so the doctor eventually increased my dose from 50mg to 100mg. I felt better for 6 months then again increased from 100mg to 150mg and so forth up until I reached 300mg. I saw a new psychiatrist and he changed it to fluoxetine went for months and didn’t help then I was put on clomipramine for months also didn’t work. The psychiatrist put me on clomipramine, risperedal and Zoloft that was just added now so I can’t say much about Zoloft just yet but I feel so hopeless not medication is helping AT ALL. What do I do someone help me through this night mare :(:("

• Anony...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 22, 2022

Zoloft (sertraline) "Medication gives you hope when you are done & desperate & also can help you stay balanced & not let OCD bring you down to the ground again. Zoloft needs time to help you. And you have to wait. I am having pure O since my teenage years. After a period of stress & bad days my OCD got worse. I had intrusive negative thoughts, lots of thinking all day even when I was trying to sleep. When depression comes & you have OCD you know it's a big problem. Panic & stress. You feel like you are losing your mind. Zoloft helps chemically your brain to feel better. 50mg is a small dosage but you have to try it for a start. Raising your dosage might help more. It helps you fight your thoughts and since chemically your mind is in a better state, this makes it easier for you. You have to let your self be helped chemically otherwise you are alone and struggling. You have to find the right medication and dosage for you. Don't let your self suffer. We need help to fight it. Good luck."

• Jenev...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 13, 2013

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have struggled with obsessive compulsive disorder since I was 6 years old hiding it from family and friends because I had no idea what was going on when I was little. I then got so stressed I had shooting pain through my whole body and went on Cymbalta for 6 months then got off of it and was back to normal with no pain, just OCD. I then got sick with vomiting, couldn't eat, felt scared to be alone. My doctor told me it was anxiety. He gave Zoloft 25 mg and stared me on it really slow. I am on 50mg and a half once a day and I am back to normal....no vomiting or no bad thoughts. I still have some bad moments of OCD but they don't last long. I have recommend this to people! I am 26 years old and finally can enjoy my life."

• lavid...
• March 1, 2012

Zoloft (sertraline) "I suffer from OCD and intrusive/compulsive thoughts that create almost unbearable anxiety. In Oct '11, I was prescribed Zoloft and found it to work incredibly. On 100mg, my OCD is 85-90% gone, and I can easily rationalize and even blow off my intrusive/compulsive thoughts about 95% of the time. I felt better within a week, but it did take 3-4 weeks for me to notice its full effect. I'd describe the feeling it gives as light, airy, and happy/drifty. I haven't experienced any side effects, and haven't gained any weight. On a side note, I also found that one huge factor contributing to my anxiety is too much caffeine, even when taking Zoloft (I still have one cup of coffee to wake up in the morning, but I've found that's my strict limit)."

• Spong...
• June 10, 2017

Zoloft (sertraline) "I developed a very specific form of OCD in my early 50's that is commonly described as "Ear Worms". It is where a song or a snippet of a song gets stuck in your head and keeps playing over and over. It got so bad it was literally driving me insane. I would have a snippet playing nonstop for WEEKS! Day and night (kept me awake until I fell asleep from exhaustion). Played at work CONSTANTLY where I couldn't focus. I would be in meetings unable to pay attention because I would have a song blaring over and over in my head. After ramping up doses, I settled at 100mg/day of Zoloft which has SAVED MY LIFE! It works! I can listen to music again and not yell at my wife when she sings. And I have no side effects."

• Gordon
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 20, 2024

Zoloft (sertraline) "I had taken Prozac and Lexapro separately as a middle-aged male and had horrible urine retention where I had to stop taking both. My last hope was Zoloft and I have been taking it for 1 month and the urine retention was not as bad and eventually I overcame it. The beautiful thing about Zoloft is it has less side effects as well for me than other SSRIs. It's been almost seamless as far as it working well with my system. After one month, it's caused my ruminations to decrease at least roughly by sixty percent. I never thought this was possible because my ruminations had gotten so bad I could no longer function. Anyone that is thinking of using this drug, just give it a chance. It is true you need at least 4 to 8 weeks to see the benefits."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 15, 2021

Zoloft (sertraline) "It has taken me 2 years to have the courage to write this post. I was incredibly desperate to find help for significant OCD (scrupulosity form mostly, among others) and at my worst was desperately combing this page looking and hoping for answers. It was terrifying. I had indications of OCD throughout my life but had some triggers 2 years ago that left me spiralling. I was very afraid to take a high dose of Zoloft and should have increased much faster. My first therapist did not get it. I then found someone on the OCD foundation website who was a godsend. The combination of working with her on ERP and 100 mg Zoloft has me happier than I’ve ever been. It took about 4 months to see a significant difference. I have virtually no side effects. Zoloft got me out of the thick of it, but my therapist brought me back to my best self. “Overcoming Intrusive Thoughts” was also a great read. Please know it’s a tough road but it’s worth it and you are not alone. You can get through this."

• Ash...
• September 10, 2016

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have OCD & PTSD. Zoloft is the only medication I've been prescribed. I have been taking it for 3 months, but am overjoyed at the results. I started at 25 mg. It took a month to start working. The first thing that I noticed was that I didn't feel as depressed anymore, and I lost the urge to do most of my compulsions. I am now taking 50 mg and barely have any anxiety anymore, and intrusive thoughts do not bother me anymore, though I do frequently have nightmares similar to the intrusive thoughts I used to have. I also have headaches and occasional diarrhea, but the benefits far outweigh these minor inconveniences."

• Blair...
• June 29, 2015

Zoloft (sertraline) "I began taking Zoloft four months ago after being diagnosed with OCD, which I have suffered with for probably 15 years. I started with a dosage of 25 mg and experienced quite a bit of nausea for the first few weeks. I also dealt with a spike in anxiety, which I combatted with Clonopin and relaxation techniques. My psychiatrist slowly increased the dosage to 150 mg over the past few months. During that time, with the addition of psychotherapy, I began to slowly recognize that my symptoms were decreasing. It has become much easier to recognize my intrusive thoughts as OCD, and to say "no" to the multitude of rituals that I engaged in on a daily basis. In fact, since I have reached 150 mg, my anxiety and other symptoms have almost disappeared."

• Sam
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 18, 2020

Zoloft (sertraline) "Zoloft works pretty well after being on it for nearly a month. In the first two weeks, my mood was bad, and I had very jittery hands and what not, this was while was on a 25mg dose. Then I started to feel slightly better, then upped the dose to 50mg. During this time, I felt the side effects all over again, and I believe now it's just levelling off, and I finally feel a shift again, where I am able to appreciate things more, laugh more, etc. The obsessive thoughts aren't gone, but they are way more manageable and I don't ruminate on them nearly as much."

• Nocd
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2022

Zoloft (sertraline) "I am on 200 mg of Zoloft and I had no worse side effects (compared to lower doses) but helped me more with my OCD thoughts. Yes. Night urination and less sex drive is true but not a big deal. If will be needed I'll go up to 400 mg. 200mg is maximum FDA approved for MDD. For OCD your doctor can take you up to 400 mg. Wish I never had OCD. Stupid pure O total waste of time thoughts fill us with fear and anxiety."

• Average...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 3, 2021

Zoloft (sertraline) "I started Zoloft after a period of stress led to me having a mental breakdown that led to weeks of crippling existential angst and depression. Before this I was studying at university and was extremely into bodybuilding and fitness. I would describe myself before this first breakdown as being a very happy person who definitely was highly strung but nothing severe or that I would classify as anxiety. After this mental breakdown occurred I was left devastated. I lost 10kg of muscle and I couldn’t eat or be bothered to look after myself. I started Zoloft at 50mg reluctantly and continued to live but barely existing. After a horrible couple of months of side effects I just woke up one morning feeling normal. The things that plagued my mind just disappeared and didn’t matter anymore. I felt myself again. This drug allowed me to save my life"

• duder...
• March 29, 2017

Zoloft (sertraline) "I started on 25mg and went up to 50mg/day for a relapse of pure-obsessional OCD. It took about a month for it to start working but this drug in combination with learning the principles of Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP Therapy) - a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) have allowed me to regain control of my mind. The depression that came with the relapse vanished in two weeks, anxiety and intrusive thoughts slowly dissipated/reduced in intensity about a month afterwards. I feel normal again and I couldn't be happier. If you're one of the unlucky folks who have been blessed with OCD, give sertraline (Zoloft) a shot. Just make sure to combine it with therapy otherwise it won't be as effective."

• moww
• January 30, 2013

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have OCD/general anxiety and depression as a result. I was considered a very severe case. A few months after the worst time in my life, I am happy and healthy. I am managing anxiety/OCD a lot better and I have VERY rare bad days. I have been taking Zoloft with therapy for a little over six months. I experienced about a week of side effects (nausea, increased anxiety, fatigue) but over quickly. I get away with taking 50 mg. Apparently the most common side effects are weight gain and loss of interest in sex. I am happy to say I am experiencing NEITHER! I gained a little bit of weight (5-10 lbs) in the last few months, but I lost about 30 lbs before Zoloft due to anxiety-linked anorexia. Now without depression/OCD, I finally have my sex drive!"

• Finally...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 6, 2015

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have always struggled with intrusive thoughts that manifest in various forms (obsession with being "perfect", eating disorders, social anxiety, etc.) But for several years of my adult life, I wanted help so bad because I was miserable... Just completely uncomfortable & restless with anxiety that would come and go but stayed with me much longer than it would stay away. I tried talking to local counselors & was very disappointed, as they were not educated on OCD. After a year of no luck with counselors, I found one (university counselor) who knew what I was going through & how to help me. Life is SO much better! I started at 50mg & currently take 200mg"

• jesssse
• November 8, 2015

Zoloft (sertraline) "Zoloft is an excellent medication for treating obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety..all of which I have. Ever since I started taking it I have been so much happier and worry free. However I am 24 years old and I enjoy to go out to the bar with my friends..and let me tell you. If you want to drink on this medication, be advised that it will completley cancel the drug out. Everytime I drink I have severe anxiety the next day. But other than that I would recomend this drug"

• ocdmu...
• March 7, 2012

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have been taking Zoloft now for 7 Years. I felt almost instant relief for about a week after first taking it only to come crashing back down again. I guess it was some kind of placebo effect. But sticking it out and uping my dose to 200mg a day, after about six weeks I felt so much better. I could function and instead of my mind having 100's of things running through it I could focus on the one thing and work through my problems. My only side effects was an upset tummy. But that passed. I'm grateful for this medication. It saved my life."

• noire
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2020

"Sertraline can make you feel on top of the world, or want to hide in the darkest depths of your mind. I struggled with OCD for 8 years (early signs at 11, bad at 15, now 19) and along with anorexia and high functioning autism, I hid in my brain and let it demonise everything that made me happy. I was losing myself. Been on it for 2 months. 50mg was numbing to begin with and felt distant. Had the nausea and insomnia. 100mg was the worst. I felt so irritable and annoyed and hot and stressed. 150mg was amazing, I felt so much better about myself and my OCD thoughts were massively reduced. 200mg reduced thoughts further, but the insomnia is bad. Without sleeping tablets I can't sleep, with them I'm lucky to get more than 4 hours a night. My advice is to push through it, don't focus on how sh*t it makes you feel in the moment, think about your life free from OCD, make that your goal, your motivation. Hope this helped and that you all find peace one day :)"

• Laven...
• March 12, 2020

"This is my 3rd time being on sertraline & it did not take full effect until 16 weeks of using. Till that time I experienced really hellish crazy side effects. My anxiety improved slightly after 1 month, my sleep also, but my depression got really worse. I experienced the worst side effects of suicidal thoughts for 3 months. They all went away at week 16. They appear randomly now but are not a danger for me anymore and I know they will pass away. As I have pure OCD this is medicine for it. And for this condition it really takes at least 4 months to feel positive effect to fully work. Another important thing is that do not rely only on medication itself... It is also your faith to get better and lifestyle with the drug before it turns your head clear. Never ever give up. Once you realize that depression is like being stuck in prison of your overwhelmed mind you can easier open the doors to your new thinking habits to stay healthy. Working with therapist is essential but you can the key to your life. Kissxx"

• rchip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 29, 2014

Zoloft (sertraline) "I was offered sertraline (Zoloft) after a relapse of Generalized Anxiety Disorder which brought with it a severe case of Pure-o intrusive thoughts of the harm variety. These thoughts were ruining my life and making me depressed. I was prescribed 50mg per day. The first 3 days were hell with a huge increase in fatigue, depression and intrusive thoughts. I almost gave up it was that bad. I was using diazepam 2mg In those first 3 days and thought they weren't playing nice with the Zoloft so I stopped them. I saw instant improvement after doing so. Now I am 7 days in and have had the best day ever. My intrusive thoughts are far fewer and far easier to simply dismiss. Amazed."

• Anonymous
• August 13, 2008

Zoloft (sertraline) "I've been on Zoloft (50mg) for 18 mos and the results are wonderful. (I had a hard time letting kids be kids; everything had to be done my way or I'd lose my temper; and I dreaded going to social events - I'd much rather stay at home by myself with a drink.) Not only is family life better but my outlook at life is better as well. I no longer fret over the little things. Heck, sometimes I don't even fret over the large things."

• Jojo
• June 21, 2018

Zoloft (sertraline) "Zoloft really changed my life for the better. I was struggling with intrusive thoughts and rituals as part of my OCD and while Zoloft didn’t completely eradicate all that, it really helped me combat it. 150mg gave me some minor side effects, 100mg is great."

• Ann
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 23, 2019

Zoloft (sertraline) "I recently got diagnosed with OCD (almost 2 mouths ago). My therapist suggested I start taking something to better deal with this issue and recommend Zoloft dose 50mg/per day. I can honestly say it changed my life for the better. Usually antidepressants work for OCD patients to around a 40%-80% improvement rate, and I can proudly say I am one of the people with higher percentage. When it comes to side effects I do get a little bit nauseous and I'm generally more tired, but apart from that I feel much better and my only concern at the moment is it stopping to work for me."