# Anxiety Disorders > Hypochondria (Health Anxiety) >  >  Zoloft causing more problems than relief

## 0xjf

Hey guys. I've been on Zoloft since January of 2016. I started at 25 mg, eventually went up to 50 mg (which proved to be way too much & cause disassociation, among other things), then back down to 25 mg. I'm on such a low dose that it feels like I'm experiencing just the side effects (constant sinus pressure/dull headache), and not much anxiety relief, so I should ask my doctor about switching to a different SSRI. It's gotten to the point where I have to take 6 advil a day to combat the sinus pressure.

This side effect gives me more anxiety, so I'm trying to figure out what I should consider switching to. What do you think? Bear in mind I'm an alcoholic/addict in recovery, so I should probably avoid any SSRI's that give dopamine boosts, like Welbutrin for example, to avoid potential abuse.

Thanks!

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## Cuchculan

If it is not working for you. tell your doctor. Pointless been on something that is doing nothing for you at all. By now you would know if it was going to work or not. This does not seem to be helping you at all. Might be time for a change in medication.

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## InvisibleGuy

It depends. Are you looking for something for anxiety? For depression? For both? Side effects (from my experience) are one of the biggest problems with regard to SSRIs or SNRIs, obviously. There is everything from weight gain to anorgasmia to headaches as you mentioned, and hundreds of others.

It's all very, very relative to the person taking the meds. I've been on just about every SSRI and SNRI that you could name. Prozac was one of the very worst I've been on. It turned me into an unfeeling, completely numb....zombie, for lack of a better word. Seroquel was even worse. I could take Seroquel and walk straight into a brick wall and not notice, there is no way I can function on it. Pristiq made me high....as high as a kite for two weeks, and then had no effect on me at all, whatsoever. It depends on who you talk to, and what I take is very likely going to have a completely different effect on me than it does on you. There are so, so many factors (besides just side effects) that go into what might work for you, versus what might not, that it's impossible for anyone to recommend a med for you. It's mostly in my experience just trial and error, until you find one that works for you, that you can tolerate.

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## Cuchculan

Yes but he has been taken them for a year and a half and they are doing nothing for him at all. If he only started them I would have suggested he gave them time. But a year and a half? Clearly not helping him in any way at all. Might as well try something new. But that will mean weaning off what he is on already. Still will have a tough road ahead of him for a while. As he comes off one lot and gets onto something new. Smart doctor would give a higher dose of the new medication. To combat the effects of coming off the Zoloft. I switched a few times from one to another. Took high dose to begin with. Once old medication was out of my system the dose of the new medication was lowered down. Never had any ill effects at all doing it that way. Not a method all doctors use though.

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## InvisibleGuy

^ Never said he shouldn't try something new.

What I said is, it's all relative, and what I take is very likely to have a completely different effect on me than it does on him. The same psych med is very likely to make two people feel different, or at the very least, I wouldn't expect them to feel exactly the same. There are way too many factors, too many variables involved. That's why, imo, it's a bad idea to ask for advice about which med you should take. Unless you want specific information, like side effects....but even those vary drastically from person to person.

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## Cuchculan

I agree we should never tell a person to take or not take a certain type of medication. After a year and half and zero results? Time to have a word with his doctor.

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