Zoloft for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• Tiffany...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 20, 2015

"When I find I'm very angry, it gives me time to pause and the ability to shake the bad mood I'd normally have afterwards. I rarely experience unjustified sadness, yet when something sad happens, I still feel sad. I think it just gives me some breathing room to sort things out."

• Bmar
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 23, 2019

"I have had bad episodes of PTSD from a young age and onwards, I would not understand these feelings and had severe bulimia. I couldn’t trust medication. At age 18 I was prescribed 25mg and didn’t feel much difference so I never felt like I wanted to take it. Then I began group therapy where my therapist now prescribed me 100mg I feel so much relief at 100mg. Life feels so much easier. I feel happy now! I’m so glad that I no longer dread each day. I can’t believe how much great things have happened ever since that changed. I know in the past I was a living nightmare for myself with PTSD now with a good dose of zoloft life is good - it works."

• Windy
• November 9, 2019

"I was diagnosed with PTSD 8 years ago. It has been a journey figuring out what works and what does not. You hope there is one answer to fix the torment you know as life. There is hope because there is an answer, it takes a bit of searching to find your personal “recipe”. I tried Zoloft and was on it for a year, I had some side effects. Looking back I had made many friends, I was traveling, working out, I was in shape, eating healthy and hiking. It was the best time of my life and I didn’t know why. I met my husband and just had our third child 3 weeks ago and have been back on Zoloft for 3 weeks. All my fear and anxiety is considerably less, I’m more talkative, patient and am less tempted to lash out. I don’t feel as happy or as sad it puts me in the middle. I am also starting EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy soon been seeing a therapist as well. I think it’s important to note I have anxiety and Zoloft works wonders for me, it doesn’t help me with depression."

• Kathy...
• September 25, 2020

"I started taking Zoloft January 2020. I have been on 50mg for 5 months now and continuing it for the treatment of PTSD. I have had PTSD since 1998 and going through more trauma makes it to where this medicine helps with the brains desire to drag and have flashbacks. I still have flashbacks but it helps lessen the impact on my feelings. Like a numbness to the pain almost. If I miss a day I sometime get suicidal or crazy off the wall if I forget one day of my meds. I take Abilify with it in the morning for Bipolar Disorder too which works great with it. I still have my memories that meds can’t erase but time and the drug helps to maintain a level sound mind instead of all over crazy! I am much nicer of a person to be around on my meds. Not a cure all but it helps!"

• Bird
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 10, 2019

"Not to freak anyone out but I have had a nightmare experience on Zoloft for 8 weeks. I was on another medication that was okay but not great. Instead of asking my doctor if I should just go up I requested a new medication. I started feeling bad about two weeks into it. My doctor who I love and respect told me to go up about every week. So at 8 weeks I am a freakin mess. Abdominal pain of unbearable proportions. Anxiety of the charts with all the lovely side effect. Tomorrow I start fresh. For anyone other starting a new med watch how it effects you. If it feels wrong have a good rapport with your dr or therapist. Give them all the information if it feels real bad then don’t mince words tell them. I will get better hopefully sooner rather than later. You will too. You are strong and you are special. God created you that way. Love yourself and don’t listen to any negative talk even from the most well intentioned. Good look and God Bless"

• Male3...
• January 11, 2024

"I was never formally diagnosed with PTSD or anxiety. I decided to try therapy. It was okay and helped some, but it did not ease my anxiety or the effects it was having on my stomach and body overall. I decided to go to a doctor and try a different approach. My doctor prescribed me 50mg of Zoloft. I took it for 3 weeks. As my doctor warned me, it worsened my anxiety, and I felt pretty rough for those 3 weeks. No appetite/sleep was hit and miss. The day before the 3-week mark, I felt the worst. Intense emotions and really just felt helpless, I almost gave up on this medication. When I woke up on exactly 3 weeks after starting Zoloft… it worked. I literally felt and feel like a brand new human being. A much better version of myself. I eat better, I exercise, my stomach issues are completely gone. I still have emotions and worry about things, but it’s easily manageable. I’m now on 100mg and feel amazing and excited about life again! It takes time, but it works."

• A...
• February 2, 2012

"I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. I am 47 now. I have had panic and anger issues all my life to the point I wanted to hurt someone. I have used Xanax in the past, but it was just a band-aid. My doctor put me on Zoloft and I have never been so centered in my life. Nothing rattles me, and the people I work with and my family enjoy being around me now. I don't care if I have to take this the rest of my life as long as it makes me feel this in control. The only side effect has been increased sex drive with difficulty ejaculating, and my concentration is a little off."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 19, 2019

"I am on Zoloft 75 mg and it has really helped me with my PTSD and PTSD related sleep disturbance. It takes the edge off so I’m not in a state of flight/ fight. It helps regulate my emotions. It doesn’t alter me too much at all besides making me happier and more balanced. Things that used to seriously stress me out don’t seem to bother me as much anymore. Only downside is it really affects libido"

• CMan
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 1, 2021

"I started using Zoloft as part of my medication for PTSD about 5 years ago. For me this medication is extremely weak, in the sense that it took a lot for me to see a little bit of an effect from it. I've been taking 200mg for 4.5 years and I should really be on more, which my doctor suggested, although I decided to cut it off here. I never really experienced any side effects except for a bit of a very, very mild uncomfortable stomach for 2 days initially and feeling extremely "wired and awake" when I woke up in the mornings for a bit, after increasing the dose. The reason I started to take Zoloft is because I experienced extreme paranoia, hypervigilance and extreme anger/rage. I used to hate people with a passion and I feel like this medication makes it easier for me to be more at ease around people. If I wasn't on medication I felt I could be a danger to someone. Zoloft helps me remain calm and helps with my symptoms."

• h0rhay
• March 19, 2015

"I've been battling ptsd since a kid. I tried celexa for two months and it didn't do anything so I quit taking it, 6 years later I went to a different Dr who prescribed me Zoloft. Started with 50mg for two months and bumped up to 100mg. It does take a few to get use to but the side effects go away with a week or two. This drug it's not drowsy, and actually works. I'm talking more, coming out of my shell. Laughing. Doing stuff again. All I can say give it a chance I say two months, off not working talk to Dr and try something else..I have tried something else...and this is working great so far. The heavy weight that held mange captive in my depression was lifted within the first two weeks. Two thumbs up so far. And affordable, I get generic"

• Lotus
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 11, 2018

"I have been suffering from severe anxiety, major depressive disorder and PTSD for over 18 years. Anti Depressants, sometimes made the anxiety worse. I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2015 and my Psychiatrist prescribed Zoloft. Zoloft was really helping me but I gained about 15 pounds in 2 months so I stopped taking it. Fast forward to today. I finally got back on Zoloft after realizing that I NEED it. I literally have been in survival mode for years. After getting back on Zoloft I can finally function. I didn’t know what it was like to feel “normal”. The constant flashbacks, anxiety and depression are gone and when they do show up they are manageable. Zoloft has made such a difference I can’t believe I was living in the Hell I was living in for so long. As for the weight gain, I have weighed myself everyday since I started taking it and I have not gained any weight this time around. But I’ve decided it’s better to be pleasantly plump than to be paralyzed by my PTSD."

• Frost
• November 10, 2017

"Military Combat veteran with previous history of trauma. After ten years of talk therapy, Zoloft cut panic attacks almost to nothing, also brought about a lot of memories, and real therapy finally began. Erectile dysfunction curbed with Buruprion daily and Viagra for intercourse. It took 4 days for side effects to wear off, it took about three months for therapeutic benefits - went back to school, made friends, found a girlfriend etc."

• Conce...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2020

"Never felt worse in my entire life. Within the first couple hours after taking Zoloft for the first time I passed out, was vomiting, had cold sweats, hot flashes, headache, and extreme fatigue. Two days after I stopped taking it I still have no appetite and zero energy. I would describe it as the worst I ever felt in my life and I’ve had mono before."

• cam
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 13, 2014

"I have been taking Zoloft for just over 2 years for Post traumatic stress disorder and depression. At my worst I was on 150mg and this held me quite well, I was determined not to be on the full 200mg. Initially the shakes and the tiredness bothered me, but not as much as how I felt when I missed a dose. On every increase I would have a day or two where my mind and mouth raced. This provided a few giggles. A huge improvement from crying and refusing to leave the house. Combining therapy and medication has helped me get my life back. I am now on the decrease as the masses of weight I have put on in a short period of time, my least favourite side effect, regardless of how much I exercise and how good my diet is. Just keeps adding on. Now 50mg daily and doing well."

• MileH...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 25, 2017

"I was going through absolute hell. Dark days was effecting my Family life and work. The Man inside of me said keep going, but I couldn't. I pulled into the Doctors office contemplating going up stairs to the office (anxiety). I felt weak asking for Male advise from my Male Doc? I told the Doctor about my previous experiences on SSRI's and how they made my mood worse. He prescribed me 50mg of Zoloft and after 5-6 weeks, I was me again. It doesn't feel drug induced, it just kicks your bad thoughts completely. No ill side effects. But thats my story!"

• Brad
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2020

"I started taking Zoloft at 25mg for my anxiety and PTSD caused by a bad reaction to some NyQuil I took a while back. At first, when I started taking it, I was okay but still was having trouble. At about 1-2 weeks on it I always felt like my face was melting and could not think ahead. I was in panic mode 24/7, but I could sleep even though when I woke up it didn’t feel like I did. I would wake up, cry, go to school, cry, get on the bus, cry, get home... cry all night until I fell asleep. I was not depressed before I started taking it but I was during. I had extreme thoughts of suicide. I also could not climax or when I got close it felt like I was going to pass out. I have heard that the medication equals out after about 3 weeks but I couldn’t stand it to happen anymore."

• Wild
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 3, 2018

"I've had PTSD since childhood. Outbursts of rage plagued me throughout most of my life. Lost a lot of jobs because of PTSD. Have been on Zoloft -50 mg for 4 months. Outbursts of rage have stopped. Big improvement for me. The downside of Zoloft for me is the loss of sex drive. I can live with it, since the absence of moments of rage is such a big improvement for me. When I first got on Zoloft, I had periods of drowsiness, but those have become less frequent. All in all, Zoloft has improved my life considerably. Too bad I can't go back to apologize to all the people who had to endure my past outbursts."

• amhnh
• September 26, 2019

"I had been on and off lexapro for years for generalized anxiety disorder. I had weaned off of it when I became pregnant with my 2nd child. 3 weeks after giving birth to her, she was hospitalized for viral meningitis for 3 weeks. I never left her side and the experience scarred me. My fear of germs/sickness was always with me. I even had panic attacks driving into same city where hospital stay was. I had started back on lexapro but it made me so tired so I ended up stopping again ( no one needs to feel extra tired with a toddler and newborn!) My beloved PCP convinced me to try 50 mg Zoloft. At first I took it at night (because that’s when I took my lexapro) but I would wake up middle of night, wide awake with nervous/anxious/can’t turn brain off feeling. I switched to taking it in the morning and have never felt better! She upped my dosage to 75 mg and I feel like I am ME again. Not some paranoid mom that freaks out over any sniffle, cough, sneeze, etc. my children may get."

• Anonymous
• December 6, 2011

"Best thing that has ever happened to me. I suffer from anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder. At first I wanted to stop taking it because the side effects were too much, as in tiredness and nausea. Once I had been taking it for a month and a half to 2 months I have no side-effects and I have a significant better quality of life. I take 100mg and I slowly increased and found it was a good spot for me. For a while I had the shakes and it bothered me but those are gone now too and I have been on it for about 5 months. With therapy and Zoloft I am a much happier and less anxious person. Keep trying and keep taking the medicine. It's worth it I promise. I am 19."

• Tosegue
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 12, 2015

"I have been taking Zoloft since September 2014, I was diagnosed with PTSD and started on 50mg and during the first month I had a slight reduction in my anxiety and general mood, but the flashbacks continued. My dose was increased to 100mg and I felt better with mild anxiety and no emotions, I can be happy but not sad, Anxiety continued and some flashbacks, my doctor increased my dose to 150mg and I have been well for the last couple of months until last week when a combination of work and family issues pushed me over the edge once again, I had weekly psychologist visits for the first two months, Started today on 200mg daily. I think zoloft works very well for me but my Trauma plays out in my dreams most nights,"

• Nikiana
• February 24, 2017

"Most notable change is my appetite. I've been athletic my whole life, but gained 40 pounds in one year of from compulsive binge eating. I thought I was just being a pig, which perpetuated the horrible cycle of depression and anxiety. Turns out I was just really, really low on seratonin. The cravings / irrational food addiction went completely away at around 75mgs. Now I have to make an effort to eat enough to fuel an active lifestyle. Stress and anxiety and depression subsided gradually. They're not completely gone, but they're manageable now. Combined with a healthy life style and some intense therapy, I'm able to overcome bouts of anxiety and depression, and those bouts are shorter and less severe. A tool, not a magic pill."

• Cali...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 12, 2015

"As someone that HATES crowds & dealing with people in general, Zoloft seems to be helping. I have also tried Lexapro, which caused horrible weight gain & total numbness when it came to feelings. Zoloft has been doing the opposite...my appetite is pretty much non-existent. So far, I wouldn't say I'm having any major side effects & im overall happy with everything."

• Justa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 12, 2023

"Here is my 2-year experience with Zoloft. I went on it in February 2020 during a particularly bad breakup. Started taking 50mg once per day. Helped a lot with the mood swings. Felt more relaxed overall. Helped ALOT with social anxiety - I could talk with people easier and asking people on dates was easier too. My creativity improved. The meds lifted the self-critic and I could flow much better with writing and painting. Some less-than-ideal effects, experienced more 'brain fog'; some sexual effects (harder to reach orgasm), and the lessened anxiety made me more impulsive which ramped up my drinking to problematic levels. I got off it in 2022. Not a bad experience overall. Glad I tried it"

• Che...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 17, 2013

"I suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, panic attack, aggression, paranoia. I started with Sertraline a few month ago 100mg. Before that I used Citalopram for a year 30mg which caused head pressure so I wanted to stop with it. 100mg Sertraline made me and zombie like, low concentration so after two months I lowered it to 50mg day. My aggression came back but I had more concentration and willing to get out of the house. At one stage I felt like this medicines is not helping so I decided to quit and I began to take 1/3 of the 100mg tablet a day (approx 35mg). I've read that one is never to go cold turkey with SSRI's (side effects). My paranoia came back with vengeance! So I went back to 50mg and paranoia went away. I think I will try 100mg again."

• Trent
• November 12, 2021

"Can’t recommend this medication highly enough. After suffering from panic disorder and a bit of PTSD symptoms for years I really lost myself and was becoming suicidal and severely depressed. I took lexapro for years and worked well for a long time but began to stop working for me as well as it had in the past. Switching to Zoloft saved my life. Intrusive thoughts have diminished and even if they do pop up they hold no weight like they used too. Panic attacks are gone and my general mood is back to normal. Side effects were pretty minimal. Upset tummy for a couple weeks and aside from that nothing. Sex drive is as healthy as ever which I know some people get concerned about. I'm on 50mg at the moment and am happy to increase if things change and I need some more help. Took close to a month for me to feel the full affect. Don’t be afraid to take this medication as side affects are minimal and really subside after a few weeks. I hope this helps someone struggling."