Zoloft Complaints
The most common Zoloft side effects include gastrointestinal complaints, including nausea, diarrhea/loose stools and dyspepsia; male sexual dysfunction (primarily ejaculatory delay); insomnia and somnolence; tremor; increased sweating and dry mouth; and dizziness. While Zoloft is not usually known to have an effect on an individual’s normal activities, some have reported feeling sleepy or drowsy. When feeling these side effects, it is not recommended to drive or operate machinery. Always notify your physician when noticing these side effects, so adjustments can be made in the dosing or alternates may be considered. Alcoholic drinks should always be avoided while taking Zoloft. Some special concerns have been noted in recent lawsuits being filed on the behalf of individuals taking and withdrawing from Zoloft, as well as with some of the other SSRI’s.
Zoloft has a half-life of about one day which means that for every day that passes without taking the medicine, the medication level in the blood falls by approximately 50 %. After one day the blood level is reduced to 50 % of the original level, after two days it is at 25 %, after three days to 12.5 percent and so on. If Zoloft is discontinued too rapidly, withdrawal symptoms may develop. Among the most common withdrawal symptoms that have been reported are nausea, tremors, lightheadedness, muscle pains, weakness, insomnia, and anxiety. While the majority of people discontinuing Zoloft have none of these symptoms, some have reported one or more. The symptoms usually last approximately one to two weeks but have been known to gradually decrease over a period of time long as one month. It is absolutely imperative that Zoloft be discontinued under the supervision of a licensed physician.
