Question:
When I take my zoloft I get horrible heart burn

I tried 3 days after surgery to cut my zoloft pill in half and I had eaten (drank) beforehand to try and stop any stomach upset, but it caused the worst heartburn i've ever had. I've never had problems with zoloft before. Last night i tried to crush it in water (pharmacist said so) I could not stand it. So i tried to take a half of a zoloft. Got really bad heart burn again. Just wondering if luiquid might be better, i don't want to dump though. Or if maybe just taking it whole might be better.    — Amber F. (posted on January 6, 2003)

January 5, 2003
This happened to me early on as well. I started taking my Zoloft as night before bed with a sip of milk and it helped. I only needed the milk for a couple of weeks. I still take it before bed, but I just take it with water now. One other thing to keep in mind as you get further out is that if you were originally prescribed a full dose of Zoloft you will want to try and move from a half to a full because even with a full dose you are getting less than that because of our absorbtion issues. I actually have an appt with my PCP to talk about possibility of increasing it a bit to make up for the small amount of malabsorbtion. I find that although the Zoloft continues to keep me on an even keel, it's not consistant. There are normal (non-stressful days) where I can feel that I am not getting the full effect of the Zoloft. It's pretty strange, but it's a small price to pay! :-)
   — pam29922

January 6, 2003
I am taking the liquid zoloft and have no problems.........but if you get a prescription for liquid make sure that you take it to a pharmacy that can do it's own compounding and flavoring. I could not take the unflavored at all, it was the most horrible thing I have ever tried. Pat Teeter
   — Patricia T.

January 6, 2003
I had a month of struggle with my Zoloft before I hit on a way that works (for me). I tried the liquid and since you can only take it with certain things like water or O.J., I tried both and barfed it up. The taste was horrible. Then I tried cutting the 100mg size pills up....still had heartburn. Finally I hit on eating a little (like 2-3 bites)...then taking my reg. dose in the <b>50mg. size only</b> (I take 3 of these tiny blue pills), then eating a little more. I have to do it this way...eat, take pills, eat again...or I will get heartburn. If I eat then take it but don't eat a bit more afterwards, I still get heartburn. It seems like the Zoloft has to be "covered" with food in the pouch plus "land" on food to not cause the heartburn. This is the way I've found that works for me, maybe it'll work for you too? Hugs, Joy
   — [Deactivated Member]

January 6, 2003
Sorry, Amber, forgot to say....you have to ask your doctor to write the prescription for the small pills only (50mg tiny blue pills) or the pharmacy will normally just dispense the 100mg. size pills (the light yellow ones), which in my case, seem to be the ones that cause the problem. Hugs, Joy
   — [Deactivated Member]

January 6, 2003
i take my zoloft with my morning coffee/creamer & i have not had any heartburn problems. i also think (my OWN opinion)that the hot coffee dissolves the pills faster. i do want to agree with the other posters about ur dosage. a couple of weeks post op i started sliding backwards mentally, & very quickly too. could not imagine why & when i went to see my psychiatrist, we both realized at the same time that i was only getting 1/2 my dose due to the malabsorption. he immediately gave me enuf samples to double my dose & hold me over til i could get a new prescription filled.it took only 1 week & i was mentally back where i was pre-op. good luck & god bless u.
   — sheryl titone

January 7, 2003
I took zoloft 2 days after my surgery which was Dec. 19...the nurse in hospital crushed it and mixed it with a little juice. Now that I am home, I have a "pill crusher", a real simple little gadget that my pharmacist told me about. I crush my zoloft and my blood pressure med and stir it in 4 oz. of light cranberry juice or apple juice...I haven't had a problem at all and it doesn't taste bad when mixed with juice.
   — Marsha W.