Thank you so much for your help! You provided very good information! I actually feel a little more at ease just reading all of this. I have been really afraid of how my body will react to these meds. At first I was going to take the meds (zoloft) immediately when I received it.....but when I got home, I read up on it and found that it may cause drowsiness......well I work nights....(go in to work in the afternoon and have to drive in traffic).....so I didn't want to experiment with any meds that might cause drowsiness.....so I decided to wait for this weekend...probably tomorrow, so that I can begin taking the meds when I get home around 3am when I am ready to sleep. This way I will be able to take the meds at the same time most nights and if I do get drowsy, I'll be home so it'll be ok. But the nervousness and feeling more anxiety?? Oh no! Not what I am looking forward to at all! I can barely handle the panicky feelings I experience without meds! How do you deal with that? I know it only lasts a few weeks...but for me it'll seem like forever! Well, I will try to keep posting here to let you know how I am doing with the meds. thanks again!

Yeah thats good advice CDG. Some important points in that, especially around med compliance. Taking anti-depressants is a long terms strategy, and you must take them as prescribed otherwise you can cause problems for yourself. Not taking them for a day or too wont make any side effects go away, especially if you have been taking them for a while. Also important stuff with zoloft.... It can make you feel really nervous and a little more anxious especially at first. This will normally fade over time, say over 2-6 weeks. During this time, you may get increased sweating, and an upper feeling like you are "high" on a stimulant. This is normal and nothing to worry about. It makes some people tired, but generally it is a non-sedating anti-depressant and will do the opposite to you. Generally the idea is that you use the xanax, which is a benzodiazapene (an anti-anxiety, calming drug of considerable strength) to keep you calm while the anti-depressant takes effect. Once it is effective, then you can gradually wean off the xanax and only take it casually as required. Always only use these drugs as your dr directs, of course. Zoloft is a good choice for panic disorder and many people have had good experiences with it. I believe it increases the effects of alcohol quite significantly, moreso than other SSRIs, so maybe watch out for that. Otherwise though, good luck, sit tight, try not to be scared and post here regularly. We will do our best to help you and support you. One thing is for sure that most of us know what it is like - I have panic disorder without agorophobia, and have been receiving treatment for nearly 4 months now. I am on an SSRI called luvox, quite similar to zoloft, and the good news is, after the initial onset period, i now feel great, in control and happy in general. Ive been for a month without a xanax and over 2 weeks without a panic attack. I have also been getting therapy from a psychologist and doing self mastery training (similar to the resources on this site which you must check out). Embrace your treatment and good luck with getting better soon! Our prayers are with you.

Hi Ladybug, I was diagnosed with panic disorder last July (with minor agoraphobia)& my Dr. gave me Zoloft(50mg)& Xanax to take as needed. I was very scared to take the medicine but I am so glad that I did. I have basically had no side effects with Zoloft. It does make me a little drowsy so I take it at night before bed. My Dr. told me about the possibility of weight gain but I haven't had any problems & no major weight gain. It is a slow acting med so it can take weeks before you will notice a difference. As far as the Xanax I was really scared of taking it & I had it for several months before I would use it. One day an attack came "out of the blue" so I put 1/2 a Xanax under my tongue (my Dr. said during an attack putting it under the tongue will make it work faster & it did) & within a few minutes I was fine. Other than the awful taste I had no side effects from it. I still don't take it very often. Only when I can't seem to "self-talk" myself out of an attack. So all in all my experience has been good. One serious thing to keep in mind though: Don't stop taking Zoloft cold turkey. When you get ready to come off you have to do it very slowly. I rescently made the mistake of coming off Zoloft to fast & have had to go back on it. Be prepared to be on them for at least 6 months to 1 year. It used to really bother me that I was on medication for this but don't let that bother you. Millions of people take medication for all kinds of ailments. I just thank God that I live in an age where meds are available for my problem. Anyway sorry this was a book, I know I talk too much. I hope this has helped!

Please, anyone out there who has info abiut Zoloft or Xanax....let me know about the common side effects or any good or bad experiences. I am new to meds. I have been in therapy for a couple of months and was referred to see a psychiatrist for evaluation to see if I need meds and if so what kind. Well, was told I should take Zoloft daily low dose (25 mg to start), then 50 mg by 2nd week). I have panic disorder with minor agoraphobia. I was also prescribed Xanax to take only as needed before any situations I know that I will encounter in advance. I was told by someone I know that Zoloft causes weight gain and drowsiness?? But I am reading that it is not likely. Now I am confused! I haven't even begun the meds yet because I am so scared to try it out! Please help! Any info will be a big help to me!