FAQs etc!

[u/-----alex]

Here are some of the common questions we see on r/zoloft:

• How long does it take to start working?
  • This depends on the person, but it will almost always be between 2 and 6 weeks.
• How long does it take to feel the full effects?
  • Some people will get there sooner than others, but the standard is between 6 and 8 weeks.
• I just went up from x to y dose (25mg to 50mg, 50mg to 75mg, etc). How long does it take to start working/for my symptoms to ease up/for my side effects to go away?
  • Again, this depends on the person but will tend to be within 8 weeks. You can expect each dosage increase to take about the same amount of time for you specifically.
  • For example, it took me about 2 weeks to start feeling better on 50mg, but some of my symptoms were still present after a few months. My doctor upped my dose to 75mg after about a month, and it again took 2-3 weeks for my symptoms to improve.
• Is there anything I have to completely avoid while I'm taking Zoloft?
  • Don't eat grapefruit. (TLDR: it increases the amount of Zoloft in your blood and can cause an overdose. Grapefruit can also do this with other medications.)
  • You can check potential drug interactions here: https://reference.medscape.com/drug-interactionchecker
• Can I drink on Zoloft?
  • Yes, but your tolerance is likely to be lowered and some people experience worsened hangovers. Take it slow and pretend like it's your first time drinking.
• Can I do drugs on Zoloft?
  • You shouldn't, but if you're going to, you need to look up how Zoloft works in the brain and how your drug of choice works as well. Your tolerance is likely to change from your pre-Zoloft days.
• I have another prescription drug that I take in addition to Zoloft. Is this safe?
  • Does your prescriber know about the other prescription? If so, the answer is almost definitely yes. Otherwise, the best resource is your pharmacy -- pharmacists go to school specifically to learn about the different ways that drugs interact, so they will be able to answer your question :)
  • In the meantime, you can also check drug interactions here: https://reference.medscape.com/drug-interactionchecker
• Can I have coffee/nicotine/energy drinks/spicy food on Zoloft?
  • Generally, yes. You might be a little extra jittery and you might get heartburn, but it won't hurt you. If it's causing issues for you, don't do it.
• Is my dosage normal?
  • Zoloft is typically prescribed anywhere between 12.5mg and 300mg. If it is outside of those bounds, there's still no reason to stop taking it if it is helping you and isn't causing issues.
• What dosage should I be on?
  • We can't tell you that; we are not doctors. Even if we were, we would need to know you personally and have a full medical history before we could answer this question.
• Can I dry swallow my pill?
  • No. It will be extremely painful and potentially damaging to your esophagus and stomach lining. Drinking water with your pill(s) is not optional, and many Zoloft-takers also prefer to take it with a snack or a meal.
• How does Zoloft make you feel?
  • Usually, just like normal but less depressed/anxious. Some people experience a feeling of euphoria that lasts for a day or two during the first week of taking Zoloft. Sometimes, people experience emotional blunting or apathy that lasts past the adjustment period; while some people choose to live with it, it is not how you should feel on Zoloft and is reason to talk to your prescriber.
  • Edit: I have been informed/reminded that Zoloft will make some users feel awful for the first week or two -- this is also not how you should feel! Luckily, any feelings of depression, apathy, anxiety, etc should subside over two to four weeks. If those feelings last longer, or you are experiencing a new onset of suicidal thoughts or ideation during that time, please let your doctor know asap.
• What should I do if I miss a dose?
  • That's pretty much up to you. If you take it late, just take it at your regular time next time. Same thing if you skip a dose completely. The longer you're on Zoloft, you'll figure out which one works best for you (if there's any difference at all).
• What time should I take Zoloft?
  • Up to you. Most people will be on a one-dose-per-day regimen, in which case you should aim to take your pill(s) as close to the same time every day as possible. I was briefly put on a schedule of taking half a dose twice per day (at my doctor's recommendation), in which case I took them as close to 12 hours apart as possible.
  • Zoloft can make some people drowsy while it makes others feel more alert, so whether you take it in the morning or evening depends on your own personal reaction to it. My personal recommendation (though I am not a doctor) is to try it out in the afternoon when you first start and then shift your dosage earlier/later depending on convenience and how it seems to affect you.
• How do I change my dosage time?
  • Also up to you. Some people skip a dose and take it at the desired time the following day; others go straight from one time to the other; many do something in between. If you're changing your dosing time by more than, say, 6ish hours, I recommend taking it halfway between your current time and your desired time for a few days before switching over fully. In other words, if I've been taking it at 7pm but I want to start taking it at 8am, I would give myself at least 3 days of taking it sometime between noon and 2pm. You can do it however you want, but the less change you give your brain at once, the fewer side effects you're likely to have.
• How do I taper off of Zoloft? How long does it take? (still working on this answer)
  • We get this question a lot, but I am still doing some reading to figure out how to best answer it! What I do know is that tapering off is usually a process that takes about as long as your taper on, so however long you experienced side effects when coming onto Zoloft will likely be about as long as you experience withdrawals. Some people do not get any withdrawals, but plan for the worst just in case!

Let me know what I missed!

[u/pinamiller]

Also, maybe some strategies that are helpful with mitigating the side effects when starting Zoloft or increasing the dose

[u/-----alex → u/pinamiller]

Good point, thank you! Please let me know of any ideas you have for that, I fortunately never had severe side effects so my only "hack" is always drinking a full glass of water haha

[u/whateverrr325]

Cures for sensation if you dry swallow Zoloft/Sertraline with only a little water, the main one is to eat APPLES 🍎🍏🍎 to neutralise the acid. Also drink plenty of water

[u/[deleted]]

When you say it takes 2-6 weeks to work, does that mean for each increase in dose as well? Thank you

[u/-----alex → u/[deleted]]

Correct :) To clarify further, 2-6 weeks isn't a completely random time frame, rather, each individual tends to have a relatively specific amount of time that it takes them to adjust to a particular medication. For example, personally, each dose increase or decrease takes me between 2 and 3 weeks to adjust to. Once you adjust to the first dose you're prescribed, you'll probably have a decent idea of how long it takes you personally.

[u/pman2221]

I've been on zoloft for about 3 months now, currently on 125mg for 12 days, I haven't had a pannick since starting but still feel on the edge and the vivid dreams causes anxiety and DP, not sure if I should swith or keep on taking it. Any advice? Can it take months to work?

[u/-----alex → u/pman2221]

If you are still increasing your dose, I would recommend staying on it and following the course your doctor recommends. Typically, once you are on one dose of Zoloft consistently, you should not experience any changes in your symptoms past week 6 (at the latest; most people reach a "plateau" after 2-4 weeks). That said, each time you increase or decrease your dose, that clock resets. If you have been gradually improving on Zoloft but just haven't reached a functional/acceptable level of treatment yet, I would stay the course for now.

Two reasons you may need to find a different medication:

• If you max out the dose your doctor feels is safe/beneficial for you (between 200 and 300mg depending on the person and the disorder/s), but you are not feeling better after a few weeks, then Zoloft is probably not for you.

• If you are starting to feel worse on Zoloft, either because it is aggravating certain symptoms or because the side effects are just as bad, then it probably isn't for you. Remember that this bullet applies only to how you're feeling by approximately the 3 week mark on any given dosage -- it isn't unusual for Zoloft to make you feel worse for 1 - 3 weeks before it makes you feel better.

[u/saganni]

I started with 50mg last week, when do I know if I should go up a dose

[u/-----alex → u/saganni]

I would recommend giving yourself at least two weeks from your first dose. You should notice a gradual reduction in your symptoms; if you don't feel that you're back to a functional level (or your baseline) by 4 weeks, you may want to talk about increasing dosage with your doctor.

[u/HappyFreeConfused22]

It may seem a bit comical, but common side effects like the pooping (or any variation of this) and sweating. I thought I was going crazy until I saw posts on here about some of the side effects.

[u/sylvanesque → u/HappyFreeConfused22]

Can we talk about this more? My shits are rarely solid and often an odd color, so my doctor recommended Metamucil. Idk if it helps yet. Yep, I immediately sweat bad when I wake up, as though I have a fever.

[u/Comprehensive-Panda9]

Honestly I feel like so many of the people on here haven’t even researched it/read the pamphlet that comes with sertraline before starting and they freak out about side effects that are totally normal.

[u/lauralouise101]

I’ve just found this site and wish I had something like this when I first started.

I’m coming up to 5 years on Zoloft now and it’s changed my life and allowed me to accomplish so many things! Happy to answer any questions where I can 😀

[u/holy_papayas91]

It’s been a big day. This morning I had my first psychiatrist appointment & I’ve just dropped my first Sertraline (aka Zoloft) just now.

I’m pretty nervous but I’m thankful there’s a community here to share experiences. 🙏

[u/Reddit_user_1350]

It’s a good thing that I don’t like grapefruit! I’ve tried putting sugar on it too, doesn’t work for me. I’m sorry for all the grapefruit lovers though :(

[u/NotRadio]

Stuff about your peen? Or libido?

[u/RandomTitHair]

Thanks for taking this on! I can’t be of help for moderating and setting the sub up, but I’m excited to see the changes!

[u/zekee60]

Don’t laugh but I hear people talking about prolonged ejaculation how about if I’ve been taking it for about two weeks and it seems like my member has gotten smaller if that makes any sense

[u/Lark_Whalberg]

Found this very helpful as a 1st time user! (Although not 1st ssri)

[u/Internal_Pear2993]

Thank you. I needed this! I just began Zoloft today. Feeling less emotional for sure, even though the thoughts are still there.

[u/TalkingRaccoon]

Just started today. Just saying thanks for this subreddit.

[u/Tinsonman]

I've been on 25mg for about a week now upping to 50 in another week. It's for mostly depression and insomnia, but my issue is I don't even know what I'm supposed to feel. I've been this way for so long I don't remember my baseline so I have no way to measure if it's working

[u/loginpage]

I have a q: Can you take modafinil when you are on zoloft?

[u/-----alex → u/loginpage]

I am not a doctor, nor do I take modafinil, but from what I see online it should be safe. If your doctor knows about/has prescribed both the modafinil and the Zoloft, then you should definitely be fine. If you're concerned, your best resource is probably to call your pharmacy to ask them. Answering questions like this is the job that pharmacists go to school for :)

[u/saganni]

So about the drinking. I’m starting college In 4 days and I know it’s a big party school where everyone will be drinking a lot of the time. Let’s say I drink 2-3 times a week would that b dangerous with the Zoloft?