Starting Zoloft again after a short break?

Question

I was on Zoloft for about a month at 50mg a day, went back to my doctor and told him I really wasn't seeing any improvement. So I stopped taking that and am now on Wellbutrin at 300mg a day.

I find that I still see anxiety though, so I refilled the Zoloft prescription and have begun taking 50mg once again, after about a 3 week break.

My question is, will I have to go through all of the side effects again? Will it start to work faster this time? I plan on staying with it for longer this time.... But do you think taking 100mg daily might yield better results? My doctor has already said that taking 100mg would be the next step if I wanted to stay with it.

Answer 1

hey,

First off, everyone reacts differently to meds (thats a given so u probly knew that). It usually takes SSRIs (like zoloft, paxal, prozac...( to build up in yr system before results are seen (likely this will take 4-6-8 weeks. Also, 50 mG is a low dose; usualy used for children although not always the case. Personally, when i increased to 100 mG of zoloft i did feel a big improvement after the maxamum concentration built up to theroputic levels. Also, you said you were still experiencing anxiety? Im not a Dr. but am going to school for psych so we get to learn the inns and outs of all the drugs. Wellbutrin can sometimes make a person more anxious while releaving depression;  though not always the case. It's in a different class of drugs compared to zoloft, and can sometimes act as a stimulant (which can increase anxiety and wrestleness etc.). Does yr Dr. know you're taking both of these meds at once? Sometimes wellbutrin is used to increase the effects of another anti-depressant, but, if he is unaware that you are using this combination, he may adjust the dose for safety (high levels of both can sometimes cause seizures and those suck lol). Anyway any other questions feel free to ask and, if I dont know the answer, i'll dig out the books and check for you. Good luck and feel better; thats an order! lol  

Answer 2

Speak to your doctor before self medicating - regardless as to whether they were prescribed to you previously or not. You can not change your own dosage and you can not just start and stop medications such as this.....

You will probably have to go through the side effects again - as with any medication you take.

Ask your Doctor about Lexapro - it is used to treat anxiety (mainly) and depression. Zoloft & Efexor XR both failed to help me where this did.

Answer 3

You may go through some of the side effects, but they wont be near as intense.  The increased dose may or may not work.  Who knows?

When I first was diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks, I went through paxil, celexa, serzone, wellbutrin, zoloft, and finally prozac.  Prozac worked on me.

Has your doctor prescribed a medication for the accute anxiety and panic attacks?  Something like klonopin, or xanax.  If not ask him as those help too

Answer 4

Just check with your doctor. Not everybody reacts to meds the same way.

Answer 5

Your doctor is right. 50 mg is a small dose which is why you probably didn't feel you were improving. Follow what you doctor says, he knows what he is doing.Good luck.