Can Zoloft make you feel worse before better?

Even though sertraline is a preferred medication to treat depression, it might actually make you feel worse before you feel better. After you start taking sertraline — or after your dose is changed — thoughts of suicide are possible.

Does Zoloft make you feel worse at first?

Taking Zoloft may make you feel uncomfortable or weird at first as your body starts to process the medication. After a week or two these side effects will go away for most people as their bodies get used to the medication.

Why do you feel worse before better on Zoloft?

SSRIs release two chemicals in the brain that kick in at different times, causing a period of negative effects on mental health, the authors report. The first chemical is serotonin, which is released very soon after an SSRI is taken but might not lessen depressive symptoms until after a couple of weeks.

Does anxiety get worse before better on Zoloft?

Antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft offer relief for over 100 million people around the world who have depression, but with a potentially serious side effect. In the first few weeks, feelings of fear and anxiety can get worse.

Do antidepressants make you feel worse before better?

When you start an antidepressant medicine, you may feel worse before you feel better. This is because the side effects often happen before your symptoms improve. Remember: Over time, many of the side effects of the medicine go down and the benefits increase.

Why Antidepressants Make You Feel Worse - At First

Can Zoloft cause anxiety at first?

More than 100 million people worldwide take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac and Zoloft, to treat depression, anxiety and related conditions, but these drugs have a common and mysterious side effect: they can worsen anxiety in the first few weeks of use, which leads many patients to stop ...

How do you know if Zoloft is working?

Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working. Depressed mood and lack of interest in activities may need up to 6-8 weeks to fully improve.

How long does increased anxiety last with sertraline?

These symptoms should stop after two to three weeks for most people, but a very few people can get them for two to three months or more. Most people get mild symptoms, but for a very few people they can be very intense.

What happens if Zoloft doesn't work for anxiety?

Zoloft doesn't work for everyone. Lexapro, Prozac, Effexor, Cymbalta, and Wellbutrin are some Zoloft alternatives.

How long does Zoloft take to work for anxiety?

Zoloft doesn't work immediately, so don't stop taking Zoloft if your symptoms don't improve right away. It takes two to six weeks to start reducing anxiety symptoms. Some people may feel a reduction in their anxiety symptoms within the first week of taking Zoloft, but this shouldn't be expected for everyone.

How long do initial side effects of Zoloft last?

Your doctor may start you on a low dose and gradually increase the dose over time. It's common to experience headaches, nausea, and fatigue during your first week on Zoloft. These side effects often get better over the first week or two.

How does Zoloft make you feel the first week?

Like most antidepressant medications, Zoloft can produce side effects. The most common side effects to expect within the first week of starting the medication are: Headache. Nausea.

Can an antidepressant make you feel worse?

Some can cause your antidepressants to act differently, and that can make your symptoms worse. Make sure your doctor knows about all medications you are taking. The side effects are too much for you: As with any medication, antidepressants can come with side effects. The most common ones are nausea and diarrhea.

Can you feel worse on sertraline?

Some people who take sertraline for panic attacks find their anxiety gets worse during the first few weeks of treatment. This usually wears off after a few weeks, but speak to your doctor if it bothers you. A lower dose may help reduce your symptoms.

Can sertraline worsen anxiety?

Psychiatrists should always bear in mind the possibility of the development of jitteriness/anxiety syndrome when prescribing sertraline. It should be noted that jitteriness/anxiety syndrome may develop rapidly after the initiation of oral administration of even low-dose sertraline.

How long does it take for Zoloft to kick in?

Zoloft (sertraline), a common selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, can take about 4 to 6 weeks of regular dosing to reach its full therapeutic effect for depression. The initial effects may begin within the first 1 to 2 weeks of treatment. Some patients may require a longer time period.

What is better than Zoloft for anxiety?

A 2014 study published in International Clinical Psychopharmacology suggested that Lexapro may be more effective and better tolerated than Zoloft or Paxil. Lexapro has different binding site interactions which may lead to better efficacy and tolerability.

Why is my Zoloft not working?

If you feel like your antidepressant has stopped working, you're not alone. It's common for a medication that once worked wonders to become ineffective, especially if you've been taking it for a long time. Symptoms return for up to 33% of people using antidepressants — it's called breakthrough depression.

Which SSRI is best for anxiety?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to treat social anxiety disorder. The only SSRIs that are currently FDA-approved for this condition are sertraline (Zoloft) and immediate- and extended-release paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR).

Does anxiety get worse before it gets better?

According to most experts, people with anxiety disorders put off seeking treatment for about 10 years. Instead of being proactive in treating an anxiety disorder, they delay getting help in the hopes that things will “get better” at some point. Truth be told, anxiety generally worsens over time.

Can antidepressants make you more anxious?

Although they're often used to treat anxiety, antidepressants can potentially cause anxiety, especially when people begin taking them for depression.

Can sertraline cause panic attacks?

Although numerous studies have found sertraline to be very effective in the treatment of anxiety, there have been few case reports of panic attacks actually being induced by treatment with sertraline.

How do you know if antidepressants are working for anxiety?

How do I know if my antidepressant works? When you start taking an antidepressant, you should begin to function better in your daily life before you start feeling better, says Dr. Michael McGee. In other words, you should begin sleeping better, eating better, and having more energy.

Why does sertraline take so long to work?

Antidepressants take so long to work because they inactivate not just individual serotonin transporters, but also the genes in our DNA that code for the transporter. The result over time is fewer serotonin transporters in the brain and more serotonin around to experience pleasant stimuli.

Can Zoloft make you more depressed?

Suicidal thoughts and behavior

Zoloft (sertraline) can raise the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior. Watch for new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, especially during the first few months of treatment or when the dose changes.