Taking an SSRI

Hey! So last night I started taking 25mg of Zoloft. And today I feel better! (Thank Heavens) SO FAR, there has been no side effects. Is that normal? Should I brace myself? Is the worst yet to come? Is it just a placebo effect? I’ve had this medicine sitting in my cabinet for a month because I have been scared to take it. Some of the rare side effects is almost too much for my anxiety to handle. The uncertainty of it all is scary. For those who have taken SSRIs/Zoloft before, what was the first 2 weeks like?

Username: LiviejLiviej

Date posted: 2y ago

I took Zoloft for several years, and when I first got on it, I had no side effects! I started feeling better within a few days, and I just kept getting better over the next few weeks. However, after a few years it kind of quit working, and I went up on my dose. When I did that, I got super sick and had lots of side effects and ultimately had to get off the medicine all together. Be careful when raising your dose not to do it too quickly - my doctor didn’t give me this advice and I really wish she had because maybe I wouldn’t have had all the side effects!

Username: avalanchevdavalanchevd

Date posted: 2y ago

I've been on Lexapro for about a year and it has helped immensely with anxiety. Side effects were minimal for me, I had some brain zaps and irritability, but it wasn't anything to be worried about and lasted only a few days. Good luck, I hope it helps you!

Username: morganyoungmorganyoung

Date posted: 2y ago

For me the first two weeks I felt so much less anxious only to discover it was definitely a placebo effect at first. After about a month all of my side effects stopped and it really began helping my anxiety. I did have some really bad side effects for about two weeks. Ringing in my ears, more anxiety attacks, disassociating. My advice would be to brace yourself but know it’s getting worse before it can get better.

Username: ^ - ^^ - ^

Date posted: 2y ago

For me no side effects happened in the 1st two weeks or really during it at all. The only side effect I had during it was low sex drive but I had a ton of side effects getting off of it. Just an fyi if you get off of it to listen to your body and take weening off it as slow as you need, it can take longer for some people than they say. That can probably be said if you increase it too, take your time with any change of dose if it doesn’t feel right and you should be good

Username: letsgo

Date posted: 5y ago

SSRI success story: so far... It’s been 5 months since my POCD flare up. And it’s been by far the worst experience of my life. I was terrified to even leave my house and go to work (I work in child care) in December I decided enough was enough and went to see a specialist for a diagnosis. She diagnosed me instantly with OCD and recommended I gave medicine a shot. I started on Lexapro 4 weeks ago yesterday and the change has been incredible. That with a mix of ERP and Acceptance of the thoughts (Acceptance has been the biggest help, and very easy to do when the Lexapro makes me not care about the thoughts) Now, I won’t say I don’t get thoughts. I still absolutely do, but I get less of them. And when I get an extremely hard convincing one, I accept it in, and sit in any guilt I have until it naturally dissipates. I’m not recovered, not by a long shot. But I have a small piece of me back, and it feels good. I’m hoping with hard work, and not letting OCD thoughts get under my skin. Recovery will be possible. If you’re scared to try an SSRI. I completely understand. I was lucky enough to have the first one work for me. The side effects were HORRIBLE, almost worse than the OCD for well over a week. But the benefits I have now outweigh the negatives of that week. I’m not promising a fix with an SSRI. But I think it’s worth a shot. Hell, this could all come back to bite me in the ass, who knows? I believe in you guys, and I’m starting to believe in myself again. We can do this. We’re one big family here, and we need each other. (But no reassurance ??)

POCD

Username: N_Smitty90

Date posted: 1y ago

Antidepressants

So my OCD has gotten significantly worse in the last month or so. Constant anxiety and I decided to get antidepressants. I will begin taking them this weekend. I think there’s anyone have any good things to say about them? A couple years ago I got a script for them took one pill and the side effects were pretty hard to deal with so my doctor told me to cut one and a half and take that for a week but I decided not to take them. I think I’m ready to give it another chance. Does anyone else have anxiety about starting medication? Or does anyone have experience dealing with this?

Existential OCD

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 1y ago

Never the right time to start an SSRI

Hi! Thankful for this space where I can talk about things that are way too TMI for other people! I’ve had ocd for about 3.5 years now and have always been terrified to start a medication due to possible side effects. My ocd started as sexual orientation/relationship ocd and I was always so afraid that the medicine was going to take away that attraction from me and leave me feeling like my fears were true. I tried 4 separate times to take a med but never took it longer than I week because I got so anxious of the side effects. I’m getting married next year, and we’re waiting to have sex until we’re married. Mentally, I am unwell and probably should be medicated, but I’m still so scared of the side effects!!! I don’t want my first sexual experiences to be while I’m having a side effect from a drug, we’ve been waiting for 4 years and I really don’t want to throw sexual side effects into the mix of that. Additionally, I’ve heard people talk about how meds numb their emotions, and I want to be feeling happy and excited throughout this season of life! I don’t want meds to suppress me, but I need my anxiety suppressed. I feel stuck

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Taking an SSRI

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