Sertraline for Postpartum Depression User Reviews (Page 2)

• eskiba
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 24, 2021

Zoloft (sertraline) "I had post partum anxiety which lead to depression with my first child. After 4 weeks of living in a a nightmare, I started medication and it saved my life. For my 2nd child, I started Zoloft the day after giving birth. They gave me 50mg and I had a full blown panic attack. I was terrified. The uneasiness I felt was horrible. They decreased my dose drastically. I took 12.5mg for 2 weeks, then 25mg for 1 week, then 50mg. The first 2 weeks were absolute awful. This medication will make you feel worse before making you feel better. After 2 weeks, the uneasiness and anxiety started to subside and gradually got better nearly every day for 6 more weeks. By 8 weeks, I was COMPLETELY myself again. It's an amazing medication once it kicks in. You HAVE to let it work though. The first 2 weeks are ROUGH, but do NOT quit. I promise you, you will be beyond grateful when it starts to actually help."

• Starg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 3, 2018

Zoloft (sertraline) "I’ve always been an anxious person but it really spiralled out of control after the birth of my 2nd child. About 5 months post partum I decided I need to get help. I was diagnosed with post partum anxiety/dep. The only anxiety med that was considered safe while breastfeeding was Zoloft. I started at 25mg & now on 50mg. I’ll preface my experience with the effectiveness of this drug by saying its a hard drug to get onto, but STICK WITH IT! It really helped after about 4-6 wks. The first 2 wks were hell due to the horrendous nausea, insomnia, & severe bouts of panic/anxious feelings - for awhile it felt worse than what I was initially experiencing and I felt like quitting altogether. All of this seemed to disappear after about 2 wks. After about 6 weeks I felt much better. This drug is truly a miracle (I’d been on Paxil yrs before & didn’t help nearly as much as zoloft has). Thank you for giving me my life back! If you can get through the first few wks this drug can really help."

• LHL
• August 5, 2019

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have suffered terribly from postpartum depression/postpartum anxiety but we missed it because it was presenting in physical symptoms such as muscle twitching, numbness, parenthesis, all of which would come and go. Long story short, I went through a couple of therapists and the second one caught it right away and suggested Zoloft for the anxiety and intrusive thoughts. I started on 25mg and had some intense side effects so I cut the dose in half and slowly worked my way up. Now I’m on 50mg and feel pretty good. When you increase the dosage slowly you have way less side effects and can tolerate this drug much better- you are messing with your brain chemistry so it makes sense! Anyway, I still have some anxiety but I also have a lot going on. This drug has made everything more manageable and now I know what’s real and what’s just my anxiety. Also should note that I have not had noticeable PMS since being on it!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 9, 2023

Zoloft (sertraline) "Zoloft worked for my postpartum anxiety! I reread so many reviews, waiting for it to take effect, so I wanted to pay it forward. I experienced severe PPA and started Zoloft at 6 weeks postpartum, when I started having panic attacks in addition to previous anxiety symptoms (dread, overwhelm, guilt, pins and needles, inability to sleep, low appetite). Wish I'd started sooner! My baby is now 13 months. I started with 25 mg and moved up to 50 after a week or two. Now I'm up to 100 mg, which I've been taking for ten months or so. I experienced some side effects for the first week, the worst of which was insomnia. But it went away completely and I never had side effects when I increased the dosage. My doctor also prescribed Klonopin to help alleviate my anxiety while the Zoloft took effect, which took about 2 months. I still have the Klonopin if I have an off day, but I've honestly used it only a handful of times. Hang in there!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 29, 2016

Zoloft (sertraline) "I started Zoloft about a week ago. I think I feel better. My anxiety and the what if thoughts does not seem to bother me as much. I still feel sad at times. I am going to stay on it longer to get the full effect. Side effects: loss of appetite, stomach pain, headache, mood swings. I was in a bad place. My anxiety was terrible. Racing thoughts my brain just would not shut off. I had no control. Its just a really bad feeling. I didn't want to try any medicine I put it off for a week but my doctor kept calling me and convinced me to come in. She said PPD is a real thing and its nothing I did wrong. I felt ashamed of my feelings. I should be happy I just had a beautiful healthy newborn baby. All I felt was sad and worried about everything."

• Emer
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 16, 2020

Zoloft (sertraline) "After my second child I had severe PPD. I could not sleep, eat and lost 50 lbs in about 4 months. I took an antipsychotic for sleep and mood for a couple months on and off until I could see a psychiatrist. She recommended lexapro. I took this and the side effects were intense. I felt in such a dark place, dissociation, things I’d never felt before. I stopped within a couple weeks and quickly upped my dose of Zoloft to 200 mgs with no side effects. I also take 25 mgs of trazadone to ensure I sleep. After a year I am starting to wean down a little but this drug saved me. I have gained weight but I am hoping that will go away once I wean myself down."

• Rachel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2015

Zoloft (sertraline) "Zoloft has given me my life back. I had anxiety during my pregnancy that turned into OCD when I was 3 months postpartum. I was a mess, but I kept telling myself that as long as I was still functioning I didn't need medication. There was an adjustment period where we figured out my ideal dose (100 mg) and I had to get through a sharp increase in anxiety while my brain adjusted, but little by little, I started to notice changes in my thought patterns. It doesn't happen suddenly, you may not notice how much better you're doing until you stop and look back on situations that used to give you terrible anxiety and realize that you weren't nervous much at all. I continue to notice improvements after almost 4 months on my ideal dose (100 mg)."

• SGano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2021

Zoloft (sertraline) "I’m writing this because postpartum anxiety snuck up on me. This was my second baby but a completely different experience from the first. I had a complicated pregnancy and a baby born six weeks early. We had a short NICU stay and I thought I was great when she came home. Slowly I kept slipping into constant worry and became a nervous wreck. It effected my husband and four year old. I kept thinking that exercise and sleep could solve my issues but eventually came to realize I needed a little extra help. I started taking 25mg of Zoloft and the first week sucked! I felt worse, had night sweats and insomnia. But I want to give you hope, with time the medication will help. It’s been 11 days now and I’m seeing my life come back together. I enjoy being with my baby and family and worry only when it’s necessary. Don’t give up hope! You can feel better."

• Mari
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2022

Zoloft (sertraline) "Take this med!!!!! I promised myself I would come review this if it worked and wow does it work! I never realized how much I sabotaged my life before because of the anxiety I had on a daily basis. Anxiety had become a normal feeling for me. I had some severe postpartum depression that set in about 7-8 weeks post baby. I had lost interest in everything, couldn’t connect with my baby, couldn’t sleep, was just wishing away time. I decided to see a psychiatrist and she prescribed Zoloft. I expressed my fear for this medication and she made me a plan to start at 12.5 mg until I could move on gradually to 50 mg. The first week was tough. My brain felt heavy, I had insomnia, was tired…. But after the first week all side effects disappeared. I'm one month in and I am living life again. I’m enjoying everything, I am no longer anxious, I’m sleeping, I am enjoying motherhood, I am just a brand new person. Wish I had taken this medication years ago."

• Chaser
• January 11, 2021

"Suffered PND for a second time. After trying citalopram which worked previously switched to sertraline. First 3 weeks weren’t great anxiety sickness low mood. But on week 5 now and everyday feels like a gift being free of depression and anxiety. To anyone reading this please keep going something will work and life will be worth living again"

• Anonymous
• August 18, 2009

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have been taking Zoloft for two weeks now, I have noticed an increase in my appetite, I have had horrible mood swings (my poor children). I sleep all the time and have no energy, I feel dizzy and sick to my stomach all the time. "

• Pp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2023

Zoloft (sertraline) "After suffering from vomiting, diarrhea, and extreme nausea for a number of days I went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with Postpartum Depression. I was prescribed 25mg of sertraline and today, 6 months later I'm on 200mg and finally feel like myself. Within three months of taking it, I felt 50-60% like myself with less severe symptoms and my ability to manage anxiety and fear improved. I'm still taking a sedative which helps me get through the harder days. I had some side effects with each increase but I was happy to know it was doing something and nothing felt worse than what I already was going through."

• Anonymous
• December 6, 2009

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have been on Zoloft for 18 months now and I LOVE it. I first went on it for some postpartum depression paired with several other major situations that were going on in my life. After the first few days I felt like I could deal with my life, like this was something I always should have been on. I have always dealt with bouts of depression and anxiety but was never put on any medication but I should have been. I will continue this Zoloft as long as my doctor will allow."

• EmLou
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2022

"Let me open by saying if you’re reading this review - like I did - you’re probably in a dark place and looking for some reassurance. There is hope and you will get better. At 4 weeks postpartum is started suffering from back to back panic attacks, unwanted intrusive thoughts and severe anxiety. I couldn’t eat let alone take a shower. I was prescribed 50mg Sertraline and 10mg Propranolol 3x daily for the initial increased anxiety this can cause. The first week I felt severely anxious and this continued until around week 2 when it started to calm down. Week 4 I thought the drug had stopped working as I had a random panic attack - this was temporary as week 5 the good days started to outweigh the bad. Week 7 I feel miles better. In control, level headed and almost back to the old me. I’ve also started CBT and I’m seeing good results. Depression/anxiety is a very dark place but you’ve got this, Keep going!"

• dudley
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 20, 2022

Zoloft (sertraline) "I am just now ready to taper off sertraline. I’m currently at the last step of it. I started it for post partum anxiety 5 years ago and feel ready to take this journey without it. Zoloft saved my life. My post partum anxiety was so insanely terrible I would beg my husband not to go to work. Terrified to be alone. Soo depressed. I only needed a low dose of 37.5 mg that I was stable on. This medication is there if you need it and it was good to me. Only downfall that I dealt with was the extremely vivid at times terrifying dreams. Also since my taper I have lost 10 pounds in the last month which has been amazing. So in the 5 years I gained 35 pounds of Zoloft weight and am not ridding it. I still recommend it"

• Anxious...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 26, 2021

Zoloft (sertraline) "I should’ve been on this for years. It saved me from postpartum anxiety, intrusive thought loops, and crushing depression. I didn’t realize how bad my sleeping habits were due to depression until I started treating myself with Zoloft. My anxiety is completely manageable now and the thought loops have stopped."

• EmMad
• April 8, 2016

Zoloft (sertraline) "took it after baby was born in September 2015 felt normal again in December so I decided to get off. Felt fine until about a week ago in April. 2nd day on it. Makes u feel jittery and crazier for a few days but I know it will get better if I stay on it. definitely recommend not being alone first week u are on it and make sure u have some help!!!"

• Anonymous
• February 18, 2009

Zoloft (sertraline) "I have been on Zoloft for 3 years and I have no idea how I did anything before without it. After I had my 2nd daughter, I did not want to be around anyone but her. That included my 1st daughter and my husband. I felt terrible for feeling that way but it would not go away until I started taking Zoloft. After that I was feeling great. It also helped with my OCD. I can not take the generic version because I get really dizzy just like I do with the regular Zoloft if a miss a dose. I just have to make sure that it does not happen."

• SGano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 20, 2021

Zoloft (sertraline) "I’m writing an update as it has been a few more weeks of taking 25mg Zoloft. It is definitely still helping but the most interesting revelation happened. I have an amazing general practitioner who really wanted to help me figure out where my anxiety was coming from. We had many conversations and she then asked if I had the Mirena IUD. I did. After going over the timeline of when it was placed and when my panic/anxiety really started, she came to the conclusion that the IUD was part of the problem. We removed it about 17 days ago and the general anxiety I had been feeling has gone away. The rash I had on my neck is also gone. And the insomnia is pretty much non-existent. My OB swears it couldn’t have been the Mirena but my GP says she has seen this a few times. I have learned to always get a second opinion if you are experiencing postpartum issues. I will be weaning off the Zoloft soon and will try to write an update."

• Sarah
• October 27, 2019

"I've been taking sertraline for just over a year now and it's worked wonders for me. The first week or two I couldn't stop talking and struggled to get to sleep but that soon subsided once I took the tablet first thing in a morning. I was prescribed this for post natal depression and I was quite poorly, constant worrying, over thinking, fear and dread filled my days, thoughts of suicide, thinking I was not up to the task of being mum even though I adored my baby. I wouldn't let anyone hold my baby for fear they would make him poorly. So once I plucked up the courage to say these things to my doctor even though I was so ashamed it was like admitting defeat, my god I'm so glad I did. Now my days are full of enjoying all the special moments with my baby not stressing the small stuff, I know I'm a good mum and my baby adores me, I definitely don't have suicidal thoughts and I worry the normal amount. Give it chance you may enjoy your life again!"

• Kmse
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2020

"I was diagnosed with postpartum depression when my son was 12 weeks. I knew something wasn’t quite right and I spoke to my doctor. He only gave me 25mg of Setraline (Zoloft) and it’s made me feel a lot better. I was able to control my mood swings and still be happy. I never felt numb! The only small side effect I have is slight insomnia but it’s minor. Usually I can fall asleep within 5 minutes but with this it takes me 45 minutes to an hour."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 30, 2023

"My severe postpartum hit me two months after the birth of my baby boy. For the next 2.5 months, I have gone through hell. I had insomnia and strong anxiety, I was doubtful if I really wanted this baby, and at the same time feeling extremely guilty for such thoughts. All I wanted was to disappear as far as I can. When I started to take Sertraline, the first two weeks were extremely difficult for me, as my depression got even worse. I was about to give up this drug, and I didn’t thanks to my mother and my husband. Then after two weeks, it was just a miracle, when day by day I started to get better and better. I’m in week four now, and I feel happy and calm. I love my son, I’m in love with my husband and every day I thank God, that I was able to get it over. This medicine perfectly works for me, and I’m more than happy to give it positive feedback. So if you have PPD, please do not stay by yourself, do not hesitate to go to the doctor and take medicine."

• Lustral
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 15, 2023

"It was with my second baby. Right after the delivery, I was suspected to have breast cancer, and my baby was misdiagnosed with infant seizures. I lost my appetite and couldn’t stop thinking about the worst things. The doctor prescribed me sertraline because it was the most compatible with breastfeeding. In the country where I live, they don’t have any medicine to help with the side effects of SSRI, and the side effects were horrible! My anxiety was enormous, I lost 4 kg in 2 weeks, couldn’t eat, had horrible nightmares, and couldn’t stay alone with my baby. I asked my husband to work from home for 1 month because even with my nanny, I wasn’t reassured. It took 6 weeks before I felt better, and 4-5 months to become normal. I felt the happiness to live. But I highly recommend this medicine, even if it took so long to be efficient. Don't give up, please!"

• Dano
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 16, 2019

Zoloft (sertraline) "Zoloft pulled me out of a dark time but I also literally can not stop eating, I have no self control and gained 15 lbs in 4 months. I’m titrating myself off because being fat is making feel horrible"

• Midni...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2015

Zoloft (sertraline) "I started taking zoloft the other day. I only took 2 days worth and at first I just felt out of it and I heard that was common but then I started having even worse panic attacks and trouble sleeping. In the middle of the night the second night I starting having mild hallucinations. Things were moving and just looking weird and I had to wakeup my fianc"