Question:

My doctor, three years ago, put me on Zoloft, 25mgs to be taken at night due to my being so pill phobic. I think the idea was to have me take it and then just got to sleep and forget about having taken anything. Since that time I have not only switched doctors, but also had the depression and anxiety occur quite a bit more, in-spite of the Zoloft. I also cannot sleep any more- sometimes it is 300am before I can sleep, then wake-up at 700am or earlier. My counselor yesterday advised me to a) start taking the Zoloft in the morning, thinking that the Zoloft may be at the root of my sleep problems and b) up my dose to 100mgs a day. My question for anyone else is: Has you found this to help- taking it in the morning vs, night, and is anyone taking 100mgs? If so, how is it? Do you notice a change? Like physical side effects? I am very leery of upping the dosage, even though I trust both my  doctor and counselor….I still feel like it is REgression rather than PROgression….But, okay…. Speaking of counselor, I went yesterday to my weekly appt. and was in the midst of an attack- a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, I was at an 8. I learned more in that short hour with this new counselor (second session) than I have learned ever in my 4 years of seeking help. I walked out of there feeling CALM!!! Can you believe it? I couldnt– I have forgotten the meaning of the word…I learned 3 new relaxation techniques and actually got a chance to apply them while going shopping last night by myself. It WORKED! What a sense of accomplishment! I can only pray this holds true for the future also…. If so, maybe I will some day be able to stop the Zoloft for a while and just as a test, see how I am without it…. What a goal!! Thanks ahead of time…. ~~Miriam~~ — Miram &/or Alan

Response:

My doctor, three years ago, put me on Zoloft, 25mgs to be taken at night due to my being so pill phobic. I think the idea was to have me take it and then just got to sleep and forget about having taken anything. Since that time I have not only switched doctors, but also had the depression and anxiety occur quite a bit more, in-spite of the Zoloft. I also cannot sleep any more- sometimes it is 300am before I can sleep, then wake-up at 700am or earlier. My counselor yesterday advised me to a) start taking the Zoloft in the morning, thinking that the Zoloft may be at the root of my sleep problems and b) up my dose to 100mgs a day. My question for anyone else is: Has you found this to help- taking it in the morning vs, night, and is anyone taking 100mgs? If so, how is it? Do you notice a change? Like physical side effects? I am very leery of upping the dosage, even though I trust both my  doctor and counselor….I still feel like it is REgression rather than PROgression….But, okay….

<snipped for space Miriam, in all seriousness, if after three years you are *still* suffering this badly and still needing to consult a counsellor, might it not be the case that Zoloft simply isn’t the right medication for you? I realise that changing meds is a worrying prospect, but I really don’t think I would have persisted for anything like this long if it weren’t working too well. Just a though. — Gary Cooper

Response:

Hi Miriam,  what are the 3 new relaxation techniques? Sounds like they really worked for you! Sorry, I don’t have any info on zoloft, I’ll probably be looking for some info on that soon, my mom is starting to take it today. Her doc didn’t give her any benzo to help with the initial adjustment period, and didn’t tell her there may be any side-effects.  Hmmmmm. So glad you are having good results with your new couselor! Michelle – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -My doctor, three years ago, put me on Zoloft, 25mgs to be taken at night due to my being so pill phobic. I think the idea was to have me take it and then just got to sleep and forget about having taken anything. Since that time I have not only switched doctors, but also had the depression and anxiety occur quite a bit more, in-spite of the Zoloft. I also cannot sleep any more- sometimes it is 300am before I can sleep, then wake-up at 700am or earlier. My counselor yesterday advised me to a) start taking the Zoloft in the morning, thinking that the Zoloft may be at the root of my sleep problems and b) up my dose to 100mgs a day. My question for anyone else is: Has you found this to help- taking it in the morning vs, night, and is anyone taking 100mgs? If so, how is it? Do you notice a change? Like physical side effects? I am very leery of upping the dosage, even though I trust both my  doctor and counselor….I still feel like it is REgression rather than PROgression….But, okay…. Speaking of counselor, I went yesterday to my weekly appt. and was in the midst of an attack- a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, I was at an 8. I learned more in that short hour with this new counselor (second session) than I have learned ever in my 4 years of seeking help. I walked out of there feeling CALM!!! Can you believe it? I couldnt– I have forgotten the meaning of the word…I learned 3 new relaxation techniques and actually got a chance to apply them while going shopping last night by myself. It WORKED! What a sense of accomplishment! I can only pray this holds true for the future also…. If so, maybe I will some day be able to stop the Zoloft for a while and just as a test, see how I am without it…. What a goal!! Thanks ahead of time…. ~~Miriam~~ — Miram &/or Alan

Response:

Miriam, 25mgs is (if at all) barely a therapeutic dose of Zoloft.  Most peoples’s target starting dose is anywhere from 50-100mgs/day.  So, the advice to increase to 100mg isn’t abnormal or anything.  How long have you been on the Zoloft?  It certainly could be what is causing the sleep problems, esp. if you haven’t been taking it that long.  The advice to change to a morning dose sounds like a good idea to me.  If you do go up to 100mg, make sure you dose up slowly, maybe adding 25mg/week or so. Best, Matt

Response:

Gary, Thanks for the reply… I am at 50 mgs now, for I guess about 3 or 4 months. The stress factors in my life have greatly gone up since that time, none of which I can control…I am SOOO scared of starting a new med, you will never know how chicken I really am about it. What’s worse, the upped does or the new meds? I dont know… The therapy I have been doing off and on, but I really, if I am totally honest, dont think I gave it a fair shake, as I just wanted to at least get by, which the Zoloft allowed me to do. Now, I am looking for more and have goals in mind… And as I said, this counselor is beyond belief as far as helping me… I just dont know how to get past the fear!! I am scared both ways as far as the meds go. Make any sense  to you?? I guess I am also scared of dependency. I want to one day be free of all of this. May be a pipe dream, but okay, maybe it will work… Worse that can happen is I find myself right back where I was…Hmmm… Someone very dear to me once said I make mountains out of mole hills. Maybe so, but…. I am still fearful! ~~Miriam~~ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My doctor, three years ago, put me on Zoloft, 25mgs to be taken at night due to my being so pill phobic. I think the idea was to have me take it and then just got to sleep and forget about having taken anything. Since that time I have not only switched doctors, but also had the depression and anxiety occur quite a bit more, in-spite of the Zoloft. I also cannot sleep any more- sometimes it is 300am before I can sleep, then wake-up at 700am or earlier. My counselor yesterday advised me to a) start taking the Zoloft in the morning, thinking that the Zoloft may be at the root of my sleep problems and b) up my dose to 100mgs a day. My question for anyone else is: Has you found this to help- taking it in the morning vs, night, and is anyone taking 100mgs? If so, how is it? Do you notice a change? Like physical side effects? I am very leery of upping the dosage, even though I trust both my  doctor and counselor….I still feel like it is REgression rather than PROgression….But, okay…. <snipped for space Miriam, in all seriousness, if after three years you are *still* suffering this badly and still needing to consult a counsellor, might it not be the case that Zoloft simply isn’t the right medication for you? I realise that changing meds is a worrying prospect, but I really don’t think I would have persisted for anything like this long if it weren’t working too well. Just a though. — Gary Cooper

Response:

One of the techniques was a form of self hypnosis. You are to imagine a shape for your panic, any shape,choose the material for the shape, the size, the color… Then, on the flip side, you choose your "feel good" box. This is one where only YOU are, no panic allowed. I chose for my panic a box that it was 5′0 tall, because I am only 5′1 and I think of panic as being VERY restrictive; it was made out of wood, because I cannot breathe in it; the color was red- I link red to anger. My feel good shape was also a box, made out of silk, I can breathe in it; it is 6′0 tall- not so big I get lost in it, but big enough to move my arms in; my color was peach, cuz I just like peach. I was then asked whether I wanted to leave the box there or take it home— I chose to leave it there… I didnt understand at the time why I thought it would be safer there, but when I got home and talked with my mom about it I did. I left it there because it is the one place it would be safe from anyone else, the one place I am left alone with my thoughts…No kids… What a concept! (lol) At first I didnt think it would work, I thougth it was silly, but I have had a chance to use this twice now, and I, personally, like it. Another one was, I am a thinker, I love puzzles, crosswords, etc, and so it was suggested that one thing I need to do is to take my mind away, stop the thoughts during a panic attack. One way to do this os to take something, anything, and read whatever is on it BACKWARDS. This isnt easy to do, it requires concentration, and usually during an attack I cannot think, nothing makes sense…. But I am going to try. Can’t hurt!! ~~Miriam~~ ( If I can ever help with the Zoloft, let me know!) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Thanks Miriam, I never heard of either of those techniques, the backwards reading seems a quick and easy fix, I like the idea of the shapes but I think that one will be harder to get a hold of (a lovely peach silk box without kids sounds soooo relaxing!) I’m going to give it a try.  Thanks again!  How are your kids doing?  Is the worst over yet?  Hope so. Michelle – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -One of the techniques was a form of self hypnosis. You are to imagine a shape for your panic, any shape,choose the material for the shape, the size, the color… Then, on the flip side, you choose your "feel good" box. This is one where only YOU are, no panic allowed. SNIP< ~~Miriam~~ ( If I can ever help with the Zoloft, let me know!)

Response:

Heat wise, yes, we are doing better with a nice cool break for a while. Health wise, no, my 2 youngest are so ill…. Jordan (the baby) was given a shot of steroids in the hosp. e.r. yesterday for the asthma and has beginnings of pnuemonia. My 4 year old has pnuemonia also, but is getting better. I am telling you, this is the deadliest virus I have ever seen,… My husband and 4 year old hardly EVER get sick– they have both been totally knocked out with this bug!! Hope the relaxation things help…. I never gave it a fair shake before… But this time I am allowing myself to not only learn, but also to practice and apply. Very different for me….. Hope you guys are all well…. (ps. Keep at the shapes exercise… you will get it…. and it actually can be soothing to sit back and think of nothing–lol, when do we get to do that ever??) ~~Miriam~~ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks Miriam, I never heard of either of those techniques, the backwards reading seems a quick and easy fix, I like the idea of the shapes but I think that one will be harder to get a hold of (a lovely peach silk box without kids sounds soooo relaxing!) I’m going to give it a try.  Thanks again!  How are your kids doing?  Is the worst over yet?  Hope so. Michelle One of the techniques was a form of self hypnosis. You are to imagine a shape for your panic, any shape,choose the material for the shape, the size, the color… Then, on the flip side, you choose your "feel good" box. This is one where only YOU are, no panic allowed. SNIP< ~~Miriam~~ ( If I can ever help with the Zoloft, let me know!)

Response:

I was on 100mg a day and it worked well.  Could finally sleep and it relieved anxiety.  Unfortunately it didn’t help my sex life and my wife complained. Other than that, the Zoloft was wonderful.  I’ve just started on Wellbutrin instead. JEB – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My doctor, three years ago, put me on Zoloft, 25mgs to be taken at night due to my being so pill phobic. I think the idea was to have me take it and then just got to sleep and forget about having taken anything. Since that time I have not only switched doctors, but also had the depression and anxiety occur quite a bit more, in-spite of the Zoloft. I also cannot sleep any more- sometimes it is 300am before I can sleep, then wake-up at 700am or earlier.

Response:

My doctor, three years ago, put me on Zoloft, 25mgs to be taken at night due to my being so pill phobic. I think the idea was to have me take it and then just got to sleep and forget about having taken anything. Since that time I have not only switched doctors, but also had the depression and anxiety occur quite a bit more, in-spite of the Zoloft. I also cannot sleep any more- sometimes it is 300am before I can sleep, then wake-up at 700am or earlier. My counselor yesterday advised me to a) start taking the Zoloft in the morning, thinking that the Zoloft may be at the root of my sleep problems and b) up my dose to 100mgs a day. My question for anyone else is: Has you found this to help- taking it in the morning vs, night, and is anyone taking 100mgs? If so, how is it? Do

hi, i just got mine upped to 175. i take it in the morning. he prescribed it to me to take after dinner but i found it kept me up all night so i took it in the morning and now that has helped me alot. i still get the odd nite (like tonite) where i am up for awhile but at least I dont have alot of those nights. dak

Response:

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