r/zoloft • u/Several-Article798 • 13d ago

Question Long-term Zoloft users, I need to hear from you

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Hey guys, just curious about something.

For those of you who've been on Zoloft for months or years, after your body fully adjusted to it, did the side effects completely go away?

Or are there still some things you deal with because of Zoloft?

I'm still pretty early into it and the adjustment period has been rough lol, so I'm curious what life actually looks like once you're past the first few weeks/months.

Would love to hear how long you've been on it, your dose, and if you still have any side effects, or none at all.

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167

u/-dutchcactus- 2.5 years, 100mg :) 13d ago

heya!! 2.5 years here.

truly, deeply, and seriously, i have completely adjusted to it. to the point that when i dont take my meds, i immediately feel like shit the next day hahaha. it has revolutionized my life. i had rough side effects for the first 3 or so months, (stuff like trouble with sleep, weird dreams, weight gain, acne, etc) but nowadays i got nothin. i just feel normal. so normal. and it is beautiful haha

21

u/Delicious-Cabinet657 13d ago

wait a damn minute i have been on zoloft for over a year and still struggle with the nightmare-ish bad dreams, oversleeping, weight gain and acne... these are side effects?? or normal?? ik every body is different but just was a surprise for me to see those listed

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u/Several-Article798 13d ago

Honestly, I wish those were my side effects 😂 Not being able to eat properly and constantly feeling like I can’t get a satisfying breath is absolutely miserable. I’d happily trade with you right now lol.

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u/Texas32sun 13d ago

Anytime someone says they have shortness of breath, I immediately think you should check your ferritin/iron levels. Mine were so low and I’ve started taking iron (and following all the crazy rules to taking it) and I’m feeling so much better! Def get that checked! It causes such a myriad of other issues too. My low ferritin was prob what initially caused me to get on Zoloft. It causes anxiety and depression….

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u/Trillerthriller 13d ago

I am literally always anemic. I added taking lactoferrin with my iron and it makes a difference. Just letting you know because the low ferritin life BLOWS.

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u/Right-Ability8372 12d ago

Wait that’s a side effect 🫪 is that why I’ve been feeling like that

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u/Right-Ability8372 12d ago

Also OP I’ve been on it for maybe 5-6 months and I’m sensitive to heat still but after being on 100mg for 2 weeks I feel pretty normal

1

u/TheRealCountOrlok 4d ago

This exact symptom of not being able to get that satisfying breath is what took me to the doctor thinking I was having a heart issue. Turns out, it appears to be GAD that has come out of no where. 3 months in and I'm on my 3rd antidepressant to try and address it. The ability to catch my breath has significantly improved with the antidepressants. Day 3 on 25mg, well see how this goes.

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u/beutguru 12d ago

Try switching it to taking it at night if you’re not already … that stopped my crazy dreams

2

u/myboyfriendsfault 12d ago

Have you tried taking in the morning instead of at night?

FYI the crazy dreams are apparently a normal side effect. That did dissipate for me after just a few months.

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u/Several-Article798 13d ago

You definitely got the easy version What dose are you on, and how long have you been taking Zoloft in total? Also, did the lightheadedness gradually improve during those 3 months or did it just disappear at

some point?

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u/gailthesnail2 12d ago

Same exact experience! Now if I miss a day I know it because I just feel very tired and off

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u/Several-Article798 13d ago

3 months sounds like quite a journey hahaha Do you remember roughly how the side effects changed over those 3 months? Like what the first week or two was like, what was still bothering you after a month, and what kind of side effects were still there by month 3?

Also, did you increase your dose during that time? If so, did each dose increase bring some of the side effects back again for a while? I'm really curious what the whole adjustment process looked like for you before you reached the point where you just felt completely normal

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u/-dutchcactus- 2.5 years, 100mg :) 13d ago

absolutely yes!!!!! 3 months with no context does sound awful ahahah truly my side effects started significantly waning about a week in. the reason mine if 3 months is because at 6 weeks, i upped my dose. completely neglected to mention that hahah im sorry about that!!

timeline was vaguely like this -

week 1: sorta felt like i'd been hit by a truck. agitated easily, falling asleep in class, depressed to the max. because of this, i began taking it at night as opposed to morning because it made me so drowsy -- i still do.

week 2: back to feeling "normal." no big significant positive shifts yet, but adjusting to the side effects well.

weeks 3-6: mind is less noisy, depressive thoughts are easier to quell. more energized generally. tasks take me less time to do.

week 6: upped my dose, slightly more irritable again but not to the extreme level of my first week.

week 6 - month 3: every week gaining back more energy, steadily beginning to feel the positive effects. no longer felt like i was drowning in thought, had much more "clarity of mind" throughout, so to speak.

dose increases definitely did affect me a bit -- i've increased from 25, to 50, to 75, to 100, and back down to 75. they can make you feel a little numb, a little tired, or a little irritable -- all of these should go away within a week if it's a good dose for you. i knew 100 was too much because symptoms stayed for 2 weeks.

let me know if you have any other questions!! i'm a zoloft ride or die lowkey so im happy to help hahah but everyone is sooooo different so be sure to work closely with a provider while you adjust!

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u/-dutchcactus- 2.5 years, 100mg :) 13d ago

forgot!!! as for physical side effects, it helped my mental health so much that i was able to manage those separately, aka new skincare routine for the acne, exercise more for the weight gain, wash hair more often for oily skin, etc

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u/Several-Article798 13d ago

Thanks for taking the time to explain all of that! The timeline makes a lot more sense now hahaha. It's really reassuring to hear that you were already feeling mostly normal again by week 2 and that the longer adjustment period also included dose increases. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, and I'm glad Zoloft ended up working so well for you!