Considering Zoloft but . . . any experience?

@sandyar I’ve been on Zoloft for forever, but I think you want/need info from caregivers whose patient is on Zoloft. It would make more sense. Anyway, I’ve not had any side effects except at the very beginning. I had some diarrhea and insomnia (the doctor said to take the drug at bedtime). NOT! Once I switched to mornings it was much better. I’m also sure that some members will let you know their experiences!

@becsbuddy Thank you so much for that helpful information.

You may think I am going down a rabbit hole with my response to your question regarding Zoloft but bear with me. My husband was not able to take Donepezil so he was put on Memantine after his initial MCI diagnosis. He started having hallucinations and delusions which led to extreme paranoia. An antipsychotic was added and then eventually Sertraline (Zoloft) to take the edge off. By this time we are four years down the road since starting the medication and his diagnosis now is Alz/Lewy Body/and possibly PPA. His paranoia was no different, it was worse to the point that it was causing a lot of agitation and problems in his behavior, to the point his Respite group was calling about it, and I couldn’t tell that the antidepressant was helping at all. I was desperate. His Respite time (two days of four hours each day) was what got me through the week. While googling and looking for answers on the internet I came across an article that stated that Memantine, in some cases, could cause hallucinations. Thinking about it I realized his started after getting on it. I contacted his doctor and expressed my concerns and ask if he thought we could wean off the Memantine and the antipsychotic and just continue with the Rivastigmine patch for memory. He agreed and we did. Lexapro 10 mg was then prescribed as an antidepressant which was considered a better fit than the Sertraline (Zoloft) Today I can honestly say I see a tremendous difference in my husband and his behavior. He is back to his loving, sweet, funny self and the extreme paranoia and fear is so much better. Now it’s just the all day sorting and plundering through closets and drawers that I have to deal with…🙄 I said all that to say continuing to add medication upon medication isn’t always the answer. In our case adding the antipsychotic and then the antidepressant didn’t help and it could be he didn’t benefit from the Sertraline (Zoloft) because of the other. As far as your husband is concerned adding the low dose to your husband’s meds probably won’t have any negative side effects at all. This is a tough journey. I hope you will find what works best for your husband. God be with you both.

My husband, diagnosed with vascular dementia, was put on Zoloft as a “mood elevator”, several years ago, at the suggestion of a Home Care psychiatric nurse. It really benefitted him (and us), he is cheerful, cooperative, and seems to enjoy life.
He was also on a very low dose Oxycodone for pain related to his diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. The oxy was always an issue with his facility’s medical director- it does have definite unwanted side affects in some people and (I believe more importantly to them) our state looks very carefully at narcotic use and it’s red flags and “points off” during surveys, which, of course, they want to avoid.
In June, the MD took him off the oxy, substituted another pain reliever, and two weeks later, he started making inappropriate sexual comments to the female staff. Turns out oxy depresses testosterone and in that time period, his must have ramped up and was now pushing him to a level of sexual interest, which had veered into very inappropriate and unwelcome staff interactions. In addition, Connect friends may remember my post “Husband in AL has a New Girlfriend”.
Things went from bad to worse. I googled his meds, turns out Zoloft also depresses testosterone, he was on a very low dose. I asked the MD to increase it a bit, he did, took a few more weeks, but the comments have stopped, he seems much more at ease, still cheerful.
I have never been a “Better Living through Chemistry” person, but this is a case where it has really helped. Google is an incredible resource to research meds from trusted sites, like Mayo Clinic!

I didn’t want to take it but my primary doctor encouraged. It did not take away anything but on difficult days I have more patience and calmness. I took it one other time—when I lost my son. I felt sedated then but the situation was much different.