Zoloft

[Cuwen]

Hello. I'm new to this board. I just had a sleep study last night. It was my 2nd one in 4 years. I had been feeling tired again, like I had before I was put on my machine 4 years ago. I was told that it took me 5 hours to get into a deep sleep. The person giving the study also said that I had a lot of slow eye movement all throughout the night. He said that is indicative of someone on Zoloft, which I am. I've been on it for almost 10 years. The person giving the study said that he thinks the problem I'm having with sleep stems from me being on Zoloft, that it makes it very hard for a person to get into a deep sleep and stay in deep sleep.

Has anyone else had this problem or been told this before? I was told that there are medicines similar to Zoloft but that they don't have the same sleep side effects. It just took so long in high school to find the right anti depressant the first time. I cringe at the thought of my doctor calling me and recommending me trying something else. I'll do it, though, if it would make my sleeping better.

I also recently started having thyroid problems and have an appointment set up with an endocrinologist in the middle of January. There are just so many things that could be happening and that Zoloft could affect in me or that my thyroid could affect. Anyone have suggestions or their own stories to share?

[Janknitz]

I took Zoloft only briefly, but it was very disruptive to my sleep. But it takes a long time to taper off Zoloft, and then you have to hope that the next drug controls your symptoms as well. That's tough to go through. Don't do anything without consulting with your doctor!

You might try to see what's going on with your thyroid first, and if that doesn't fix the problem you can revisit the Zoloft issue. Just be aware that it can take several months to get the thyroid adjusted.

[davecpap]

There is some related info in this thread, especially on the 2nd page regarding another SSRI - Celexa. Might be applicable to Zoloft. Apparently SSRIs suppress (but not eliminate) deep sleep:

viewtopic/t58012/quotDrug-Inducedquot-Sleep-Apnea.html

[Cuwen]

That's what the sleep study guy said about the deep sleep! Thank you very much for the link! I'm going to check it out now.

And several months?? Oh geez... If it's not one thing for me, it's another. And I'm only 26! I just can't seem to get everything right.

[Zigs]

I feel you...I am 35 and I started on Paxil when I was 21 after suffering for years with anxiety and panic disorder. I refused to go on meds for so long, and to this day I don't want to be on it, but i finally had to try something as nothing else was helping.

I was on Paxil for 11 years, despite its crappy side effects (weight gain, tiredness, dependency, etc.) and finally tapered myself off it very slowly despite my concerns that my anxiety would return. I tapered off on my own, over several months, and the withdrawal was still bad (I wouldn't try tapering off a medication on my own, after that experience). Then, for about 6 months, I felt better. And THEN, the anxiety/panic came back like a hurricane, worse than it ever was before, totally debilitating. So I went on Zoloft (refused to take the Ativan my old doc wanted me to take in the meantime, except for 2 times when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, but all the Ativan did was make me feel weird anyway)...

Anyway, the Zoloft. My experience on it has been similar to Paxil, though maybe slightly better. I have much better control of my anxiety and am able to actually focus on non-med things that help it - exercise, positive thinking, etc. But with these anti-depressants I've learned that even though they are good at controlling the physical symptoms of anxiety, there are also some significant side effects - tiredness, weight gain (did I mention weight gain? 40 pounds added to my frame since I went on the Zoloft, same experience on Paxil - and lo and behold in the 6 months I was off Paxil I lost 25 pounds!!!)

My sleep tech also asked me if I was on antidepressants, and I said Zoloft, and he said the same thing yours told you - that it delays the onset of REM. You still get REM, but it takes much longer to get there (it took me 390 minutes when i think it's supposed to take about 90 minutes).

My suggestions: 1) I would make sure you find a doctor who actually takes time with you and listens to you. This is important and it took me years to find one, sadly enough! 2) Ask about what time of day might be best for you to take the medication - i.e. if you are really really tired during the day, consider taking it in the evening so it reaches its full (side) effects as you sleep. Or if you can't get out of bed in the morning (like me), consider taking it late afternoon or so, so the sleepiness isn't disabling at 7 a.m. when the alarm goes off. But definitely talk to a GOOD doctor about it...that has been the most important thing for me.

Take care - I'm still trying to figure all this out too (new to CPAP - only been doing for 3 weeks or so), so try to remember that it's a long process and a learning experience...

[STL Mark]

I've been on Zoloft for a long time and always take pills when I wake up for the day. Never had any problems during sleep study.

[Air Force Retired]

I have been taking Zoloft for six months now. Before I started my wife said I was asleep most nights before my head hit the pillow (she only dreams of this) and since I started Zoloft nothing has changed. I still go to sleep right away. I don't know if this is of any help to you. It must not be effecting my apnea results because all of my data indicates I am getting very good therapy. Maybe it's an individual thing. I hope you attain the results you desire. Best Wishes and a Happy Holiday Season.

[dtsm]

Zoloft is one of many SSRI - if you do a search for this, you'll be better informed on what alternatives might be available, and what their side effect profiles might be. Maybe another SSRI will treat whatever your medical issue is without disturbing your sleep.

I was on Lexapro for about 10 months and started cpap btw 7th to 8th month. I didn't have much problem with deep sleep. Best to consult with your doctors. YMMV

[Cuwen]

I feel you...I am 35 and I started on Paxil when I was 21 after suffering for years with anxiety and panic disorder. I refused to go on meds for so long, and to this day I don't want to be on it, but i finally had to try something as nothing else was helping.

I was on Paxil for 11 years, despite its crappy side effects (weight gain, tiredness, dependency, etc.) and finally tapered myself off it very slowly despite my concerns that my anxiety would return. I tapered off on my own, over several months, and the withdrawal was still bad (I wouldn't try tapering off a medication on my own, after that experience). Then, for about 6 months, I felt better. And THEN, the anxiety/panic came back like a hurricane, worse than it ever was before, totally debilitating. So I went on Zoloft (refused to take the Ativan my old doc wanted me to take in the meantime, except for 2 times when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, but all the Ativan did was make me feel weird anyway)...

Anyway, the Zoloft. My experience on it has been similar to Paxil, though maybe slightly better. I have much better control of my anxiety and am able to actually focus on non-med things that help it - exercise, positive thinking, etc. But with these anti-depressants I've learned that even though they are good at controlling the physical symptoms of anxiety, there are also some significant side effects - tiredness, weight gain (did I mention weight gain? 40 pounds added to my frame since I went on the Zoloft, same experience on Paxil - and lo and behold in the 6 months I was off Paxil I lost 25 pounds!!!)

My sleep tech also asked me if I was on antidepressants, and I said Zoloft, and he said the same thing yours told you - that it delays the onset of REM. You still get REM, but it takes much longer to get there (it took me 390 minutes when i think it's supposed to take about 90 minutes).

My suggestions: 1) I would make sure you find a doctor who actually takes time with you and listens to you. This is important and it took me years to find one, sadly enough! 2) Ask about what time of day might be best for you to take the medication - if you are really really tired during the day, consider taking it in the evening so it reaches its full (side) effects as you sleep. Or if you can't get out of bed in the morning (like me), consider taking it late afternoon or so, so the sleepiness isn't disabling at 7 when the alarm goes off. But definitely talk to a GOOD doctor about it...that has been the most important thing for me.

Take care - I'm still trying to figure all this out too (new to CPAP - only been doing for 3 weeks or so), so try to remember that it's a long process and a learning experience...

Wow!! It took you even longer than me to fall asleep. My lab tech said it took me 5 hours to get into deep sleep. Also said that people normally fall asleep within 2-12 minutes. I wish I could do that! I don't think I ever have.

Thank you so much for your detailed account of what's happened with you. It helps me know that I'm not the only one who had a lab/sleep tech tell them this about Zoloft. That's great that others haven't had the problem! But I'm also glad I'm not the only one and that my sleep tech wasn't full of bologna. lol.

I have a great nurse practitioner that I've been seeing since high school. She's the only one that finally believed me when I said all the stomach problems I was having (panic attacks) weren't in my head. She got all my medicine sorted out for many different things I had. So I'll still trust her about this. I'm waiting to hear back from her. She's waiting to hear back from the doctor who looks over my results.

I take my medicine at about 8 in the morning each day. I never thought about trying it at night or in the afternoon and that it might help with the sleep side effects. Thank you!! I think I'll try it.

[Zigs]

Well I actually fall asleep fairly quickly, but I don't get into deep sleep/REM until the morning hours, according to the test. Yeah, it definitely helps to know other people are going through, or have gone through, the same things. Best wishes to you

[roster]

My lab tech said it took me 5 hours to get into deep sleep. Also said that people normally fall asleep within 2-12 minutes.

Very important for this discussion, during the time that you were in "deep sleep" was your breathing normal?