Sertraline for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder User Reviews (Page 5)

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

Zoloft (sertraline) "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."

• saras...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 7, 2023

"This medication saved me. I have had lifelong OCD and anxiety. I started this medication when I was 16 and it worked SO well. I switched to a different med when I had breakthrough anxiety a couple years later- now looking back I’m pretty sure all I needed to do was just increase my dosage. Anyway- fast forward to 25 years old and I was back on Zoloft and doing well. So well in fact that I convinced myself to try going off of it completely. LISTEN, IF YOU FEEL GREAT ITS NOT BECAUSE YOU’RE CURED, ITS BECAUSE YOUR MEDS ARE WORKING. I landed in the ER with a severe panic attack from OCD. I immediately started increasing my dosage again and I worked back up to 150mg/day over the course of 9 or 10 weeks. I didn’t start feeling better until probably week 8. If you have OCD it can take 12 weeks to feel better, and you probably need at least 150-200mg/day. I know it feels like you’ll never get better but you will. I feel peace again and optimism about the future. THANK YOU ZOLOFT."

• Munir
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2022

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

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

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

• kyriej
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 26, 2016

Zoloft (sertraline) "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 50mg and later bumped up to 100. 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."

• Mddd
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2024

"This is my second time taking sertraline. In 2020, during the pandemic, I started getting unwanted suicidal thoughts that would get pretty scary. So, I went to the hospital where they diagnosed me with Harm-OCD and gave me sertraline. In the beginning of 2023, I thought I had been cured from the OCD, so I stopped taking them on my own initiative. But in October, the thoughts started to come back. So, I restarted taking sertraline. The first 6 weeks were horrible. Every morning I got up, I thought it would be my last day. That I would impulsively act on my suicidal thoughts because I had no idea how long I could take this anxiety anymore. But luckily, somewhere between week 7, I noticed better days. I'm currently at week 16 and have been taking 200mg a day. Not all days are good, but I have more good days than bad days. This thing works, but it takes time. But don't quit. I did a lot of meditation and kept a journal every day. Also, medication to sleep at night. I hope this helps someone who just started."

• YourV...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 13, 2013

Zoloft (sertraline) "I was on 150 mg Zoloft for about 2 years. It worked fairly well at combating my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and depression however, it gave me horrible insomnia/nausea. I probably would've given it a seven if it weren't for the side effects. They're just something that everyone who takes it should be aware of."

• Cvinkie
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 13, 2022

Zoloft (sertraline) "Summary: 9/10 for me. I know I’m in the minority but just my luck, an SSRI actually does it’s job and doesn’t leave me feeling flat as a pancake. Something does look flatter much more often though. I have been taking Zoloft for 3 months now, and it has, quite literally, transformed my perception of almost everything. I began at 25 mg. A normal starting dose for those sensitive to medicines like this. I then began to work my way up to, get this, 400 mg. I took 2.5 months to get to that dosage. Nonetheless, I am essentially asymptomatic. Sure I probably still have a personality disorder but I’m able to put myself out there, act the way I feel, and just be able to focus on the thing that I want to be focusing on, not focusing on “did I set the thermostat to exactly 68 degrees” every 10 minutes."

• TSG...
• January 18, 2017

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

• nellie...
• June 4, 2016

Zoloft (sertraline) "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 imensely. Sideeffects 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 4years, it does improve obsessive worrying and depression."

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

Zoloft (sertraline) "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 & anxiety, this drug was a miracle drug. It took away 85% of my obsessions & became apathetic to my rituals. Unfortunately, after being on this for 5-6 years (and being above the absolute maximum dose @ 250mg), 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."

• Anonymous
• September 7, 2010

Zoloft (sertraline) "I was prescribed Zoloft in late of 2008 and I have been on it ever since. I have a minor case if 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 no where nearly as bad now compared to how it used to be. The repetitive thoughts have decreased by about 80% and that is more then I can ever ask for. However, I experience weird side effects when I forget to take it like nausea, light headedness and "brain zaps." Got to take the good with the bad I guess."

• NikNak
• October 26, 2020

"I started at a dose of 50 mg of sertraline and slowly moved up to 150 mg. For OCD, typically a higher dose is required. After about 4 weeks on 50 mg, I noticed a decrease in anxiety and an improvement in my mood. After 6 weeks on 150mg, there has been a further reduction in anxiety and overall intrusive thoughts/compulsions. Although sertraline has reduced my anxiety and intrusive thoughts, it has not stopped the thoughts. I think it's important to know that EVERYONE has intrusive thoughts. A major part of OCD recovery is acceptance of these thoughts. That's why I highly recommend seeing a therapist who specializes in CBT, specifically Exposure and Response Prevention in addition to taking sertraline. Medication can certainly be helpful but you also have to do the hard work to truly conquer OCD. The International OCD Foundation has some great resources."

• NAano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2019

"I never thought I’d ever experience mental health issues but after leaving university it happened. It began with depression and then followed with anxiety and last of all Intrusive thoughts. I couldn’t stop constantly thinking about subjects and didn’t know what to do. I started having panic attack’s and anxiety episodes 2/3 times a day. I decided instead of suffering without medication I reluctantly decided to start taking sertraline. The first 2 weeks were a nightmare, nausea, vomiting, aching and no concentration, felt even worse even though I didn’t think that was possible. But then I woke up one morning, Like a clear vision it was odd? I felt almost relieved. It had finally started working. Currently I am still having intrusive thoughts but they don’t effect me any more, I notice them but don’t have emotion to them. For anyone reading this Medication is different for everyone but if you are being prescribed this get through the worst of it and I hope it works for you!"

• steve
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 21, 2022

Zoloft (sertraline) "My 37-year-old son has taken this drug. It helps a bit but still has problems. Anyone who lives with someone that has these tendencies, your life is hard. Be prepared for that. Don't pretend it will get better. It won't."

• xoxob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2017

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have been on this medication for two days and I have had a significant improvement in obsessive thoughts and my anxiety. I had insomnia last night, but I heard that subsides. I have tons of energy and want to go do things I had lost interest in doing. I don't know if this is just going to be in the beginning, but I have read it only gets better. I have a little nausea, but I have stomach problems as well so I'm used to it. I will put an update later on. I am going to stick this out! update: two weeks on zoloft and my OCD going insane. going to up to 50mg tomorrow. will update."

• Tom...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 4, 2019

"Sertraline is a beautiful drug. It has helped me immensely with my OCD symptoms - from intrusive thoughts to feeling anxious for no reason. I believe this drug will work best when used in combination with therapy. I would also recommend reading the book "The Dare Response". This has helped me move forward with my anxious sensations and nonsense thoughts. The drug (sertraline has helped me implement what I needed to do. I have tried coming off sertraline twice now and my OCD relapses very hard. I believe I will use this drug for most of my life (I don't mind as long term side effects is next zero) I just need to remind myself that I need to stay on the medication as it helps me big time. I recommend giving it a go, but please learn CBT, ERP or adopt healthy habits along side the medication, you will feel much better for it."

• Anony...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2022

Zoloft (sertraline) "I am suffering from HOCD, harming OCD and Pure O. Harming OCD came recently. Little more than a month ago I broke up. This triggered a mental break down for a reason! Headaches, depression. I was like losing my mind. Uncontrollable thoughts made me feel scared & desperate. I had panic attacks & I was thinking so much. Couldn't sleep. Feared of the worst. I was so tired from my brain & my thinking rituals (that were a "solution" for many years now). Lexotanil (Bromazepam - sth like zanax) helped me at the begining of my break down but I had so many intrusive thoughts. I was prescribed Zoloft. I started with 0.25 mg & went up to 0.50 mg & stayed there for some days. Then I went up to 0.75 mg for 2 days but it was feeling "too much" & went back to 0.50 mg. I am less than a month on zoloft and started feeling better. More relaxed and my mind did calm down a bit. At the beginning I was against medication. It was my only choice. Needs time. I am optimistic. Side effects subside I guess."

• Anonymous
• March 8, 2008

Zoloft (sertraline) "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."

• Mary
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 12, 2022

Zoloft (sertraline) "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 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."

• dendoc
• September 15, 2011

Zoloft (sertraline) "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 25mg 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 50mg and am happy with the results. Time will tell."

• life...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 8, 2023

Zoloft (sertraline) "As a 13-year-old, I was having severe panic attacks and anxiety, and intrusive thoughts about suicide. This led me to become so depressed I thought I would never be happy again. The medicine took a few months to work, but I remember one day just looking around and realizing how life felt livable again and not like a chore. I was on it until age 20 when I thought my life was better and I could 'get back to my normal self.' STAY ON YOUR MEDS!! Six months into being off of them, the panic attacks were back, and the intrusive thoughts were so debilitating that I had to leave college and move back home to be with my parents. I was scared of myself and thought I could never find a way out. I've been back on Zoloft for 2.5 weeks now and am already starting to see a change. Zoloft has saved my life twice, and it's absolutely worth feeling a little bit numb every once in a while because I'm also able to function as a human and be myself again. It's so worth it!"

• Dijon
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2019

"This medication changed my life. I have managed OCD with CBT in the past but about 3 months ago I got really ill. I was crippled with OCD and anxiety. I couldn't get CBT right away and I was hardly managing to function as I was so utterly terrified and catastrophising everything. Started the Sertaline and it's been brilliant. On 50mg and at first I felt really high but it only lasted a couple of days. The sickness lasted just over a week but it was so worth it. I am nearly 3 weeks in and really settled, calm, capable, and enjoying life again. I still get the thoughts but I am able to handle them now. Plus side was that I lost weight in the first 2 weeks due to having no appetite so that's a nice bonus. Highly recommended"

• Skitt...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 13, 2012

Zoloft (sertraline) "I suffer from moderate to severe OCD (with mild depression due to it) and I was prescribed Zoloft. It helped me to control my obsessive thoughts, I was able to get fully-rested sleeps and I was more social and outgoing. Unfortunately, I stayed on it for only 6 months before weaning myself off of it due to weight gain (20 lbs) in a short amount of time and my lifestyle was a lot more active when I started taking it too, I also had very vivid and detailed dreams, which wasn't horrible, but it was nice to be able to fall asleep easier."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 4, 2012

Zoloft (sertraline) "I am 14, female, and I am diagnosed with an anxiety disorder NOS, moderate depression, and dermatillomania (compulsive skin picking). I have been on 200mg for a few months now. I am much, much happier and more stable. My side effects have been dizziness, I haven't had weight gain. If I miss a day, I can feel a little depressed towards the end of that day. I have had NO relief from my skin picking. It may have gotten worse. I tried to add Wellbutrin, 150mg to my Zoloft. I took it two days and I felt AWFUL so I've stopped that. Looking into a treatment center, OCD specialist, or dermatillomania-specialized doctor."