Zoloft anyone??

[janet]

Hello everyone, It is strange when people find out you have taken antidepressants they look strangely at you, I guess they don't understand that it is a chemical imbalance that the medicine corrects! Depression does run in families, just like diabetes, obesity, allergies,etc. Having to take medication is not a bad thing, just expensive! lol

What is normal anyway? Normal is a setting on the dryer! lol

Have a great day everyone!

janet

[sugarspicenpuppytails]

Lawnangel, I'm glad you have someone to talk to. It would have helped me so much to have this kind of forum several years ago!There have been many times that I knew there was nothing at all wrong with my life - that I was actually very lucky - but still felt depressed / anxious. So as my doctor told me and as I now believe depression and anxiety are chemical imbalances that for many people can only be controled with the help of meds. I think of it as some people take insulin and others take anti-depressants. The difference is the stigma attached to this. My experience has been that as compassionate as people can be, if they don't have these conditions, they just can't understand. I therefore am not very open about my condition and the meds I take. Even with my husband, it's not something I talk about. Once in a while I say I have to refill my prescription and that's about it.

Side effects anyone? The first time I took meds several years ago, I was on Luvox and gained no more than 5 pounds. I wanted off Luvox because I felt like a zombie - not lows but no highs either. Two years ago I stared Celexa - no zombie effect, in fact emotionally I feel great and don't feel like I'm on drugs at all. However I was seen as having a nice figure - on the thin side- then lost 10 pounds within the first 6 months. I looked too thin and felt weak. Well I wished I could put on a little weight and guess what, not only did I gain the 10 pounds back but I put on 10 more over the following year and a half. I'm probably averaged weight for my height now but being used to being thin and not having to watch what I ate, I'm finding this very difficult. I'm uncomfortable and am constantly worried about gaining even more! Anyway, I've never had to exercise before - I know, I know I was extremely lucky - but I'm trying now a;though it's VERY difficult to get motivated. Anyway I'M going to try to fix myself some goals and see what happens. I have to keep reminding myself that no matter what, I NEVER want to go in that black hole I was once in!

[lawnangel]

Hi Sugar,
Yes, it is nice to have someone to talk to. Friends and family wouldn't understand and my mother would just be too worried. My friend I mentioned earlier was taking Celexa also. He said it was the best thing that he ever did for him self. His wife, also my very good friend - but with her, she does all the talking and can't listen, she is taking something also, not sure what, she has gained some weight but it doesn't matter,happiness is more important. I can't afford to gain any more weight, I am always losing and regaining - diet pills, which I know are so bad and will not take anymore, so I just want to be not so stressed/anxious/depressed. I understand what you are saying - no matter where I am, like if I wasn't married - a single mom, I still would have my same head, chemically imballenced. I have been feeling like this for 6 months or so and knew I needed something. I thought about seeing a shrink but that is expensive and I just don't trust them, they take forever and when you finish it's because you decide they are not helping. Experience from my teenage years with nightmares. Bad experience I guess, but that is another story. Actually not really, hu? Anyway, I hope you are doing better in your life and yes, it is a HUGE help to have this forum. I love this forum, I spend lots of time here. Crafting with the kids is (usually) a stress reliever. I am looking forward to being "un-imballanced" for the holidays so I won't get upset with the kids when they want to make cookies, etc., and I know there will be lots of messes to clean. I usally don't mind but in thinking about it, I think this year would have been different without help. Naturally, I am very easy going and down to earth. I miss my old self. I truelly hope this works for me.
Thank You so much for the help, kind words, knowledge and especially for being here.

Debbie

[stitcher45]

Hi my name is Sandy and I am bipolar. I was dx in 1999 but I think I have been this way since I was a teenager. After much councelling I now know that it is nothing that is wrong in my life or that it is not anything that is wrong with me - I am not a failure ro faulty - I have a Chemical inbalance. It is like my husband who is epeliptic and has to take med every day to take care of htat problem in his brain - I take meds to help with my brain problem too.

For the most part I am fairly well controlled as far the manic episodes go - still have some problem with depression but usually that goes along with stress factures in my family. Right now I take 4 drugs for different aspects of the disorder. I take Effexor, Neurontin, Wellbutrin and seroquel. Yes I have some side effects but I'd rather deal with the headaches, the irratable bowels and all the other things in place of the major mood swings that I was experiencing every day sometimes every hour. This life is much better than that was. I think my family would agree.

I have been on some kind of anti depressant since 1971. And I expect to be on them the rest of my life. It will be so nice to get to heaven and not have to take meds for any thing. I take in total 23 pills each and every day ;-) but that is okay - as long as I always remember to take them, I will be able to enjoy what ever life brings my way.

Have a great up day.

[sugarspicenpuppytails]

Thanks for joining us Stitcher! Had you also replied to a post about Paxil and weight gain? I can't find it!

Debbie you will be back to your old self sooner than you know. I hpoe your doctor let you know that it takes several weeks for the meds to fully kick in. I'd say if you're not noticing any difference after 7 weeks I would let him/her know. I'd be surprised if it didn't though. All the best to you and hope things seem brighter soon!

[lawnangel]

Hi Stitcher......God bless your Little Bit

Thanks for posting your experience. I am glad for you that there is help and it is working. It's a shame it takes so many pills but as long as you are feeling good it is worth it.
I was worried about taking pills. My Dr., after reading my chart, said, "Have I got the drug for you". I thought she solved everyones problems with passing out pills. But she did say I was peri-menopausal and it will only get worse, especially when she was adding my age and my 6 year old "wild child's" age (middle one - takes after me ). So I will see how it goes for a few months. I feel I really need this. I cry at the drop of a hat, even when I'm alone! I let things get to me, but I'm tired of being depressed and agitated. I also have come obsessive compulsiveness that Zoloft will help with.

Sugar, thanks for checking in on me

I hope it starts working soooooon

[janet]

Hello Everyone! I am so proud of you all and how brave you are to open up and discuse your chemical imbalances. By doing this other readers might seek help to when they start having problems.

Sandy if it is possible could you explain how it is for you when you are in a manic stage? Does this illness run in families?

I have problems in winter, they call it SAD, seasonal affective disorder. I need the sunlight to feel the best, I used to live in Southern states and never had this problem till I moved North...and No my family doesn't want to move.lol
I have to force myself to go outside everyday in Winter to get what sunlight I can...or I just want to hibernate!! lol
I am going to talk with my Doctor next week and see if I should go on meds.

janet

It is nice to know that there are others out there like me. I have been on Zoloft for about 1 year now. Before I started taking it I cried all the time and was down in the dumps so bad that I started to disconnect with those around me. I just wanted to be by myself. Since I have been on it my life has turned around. I don't know what I would have done without the Zoloft. I can now say that I take things in stride and live life day to day instead of dreading life. I did try to stop taking it for awhile because I really don't like to take medication but I slipped back into my previous mode so I am back on it. I don't know if I will need to take it the rest of my life but if it makes life worth living then I will. Good luck to you all.

Rhonda

[lawnangel]

Hi Rhonda,

Thanks for your imput. I'm glad things are working out for you. I asked my Dr. if I had to take this for the rest of my life and she said most people go off after 6 - 9 months and go back to the way they were before, so then they go back on it for another year and a half and they are fine. So you only have about a year to go and you should be better.

Good Luck and thanks again...........

Janet? Have you ever tried one of those lamps they have for SAD? Sometimes it can get pretty cold in the winter. I miss the winter so much, we are planning on moving back east somewhere.........anywhere............I love the fall

Good luck to you also. I hope this winter is good to you

[memorymkr]

Hi! I just wanted to add my two cents worth to this topic. I too have had depression for quite a few years. I was young and thought there was nothing that could be done for it. When I finally talked to a doctor about it, he put me on Zoloft. He gave me a sample pack of it. After I started taking it, I realized I was having problems getting interested in having intimate relations with my husband. My sex drive has never been that good anyway, but getting into my 30's I had finally started looking forward to those times. All of a sudden, it was down to zilch. I never even thought about it being the Zoloft. My doctor never told me that lack of sex drive was a side effect. After thinking it through and eliminating everything else, I realized the only thing that had changed in my diet, etc., was the Zoloft. I went back to the doctor and told him what was happening and basically he told me it was my imagination. Sheesh was I hot! I quit the Zoloft and immediately noticed the difference in how I felt. Needless to say, I never went back to that doctor! I went to a female doctor and had the same discussion with her and she put me on Wellbutrin. It has been wonderful for me! The only side effect I have is that I seem to have more indigestion but that's always been a problem for me anyway. I'd much rather deal with that!

I did look up Zoloft on the internet and found MANY people experience lack of sex drive from taking this medicine. Now, I know that not everyone has the same side effects, but I wanted you to know that it is a possibility. I wish someone had mentioned it to me before I went through that frustrating time.

My husband has also experienced depression and his doctor put him on Zoloft. He is like a new man! The kids and I don't have to tiptoe around him all the time. I will say it has affected his sex drive as well but since his was always WAY higher than mine, it's a almost relief to both of us. He's still interested (I'd be worried he was dead if he wasn't! LOL), but it doesn't drive him like it used to. He ran out of it for about a week several months ago and the withdrawal was pretty hard on him. Emotionally, he was a wreck. My husband is not the type to cry, but he did that week.

I hope you understand I'm not trying to bash Zoloft or scare you. Obviously, it's the right treatment for some people. Just not me. I truly hope it works for you. It's a relief not to feel so emotional all the time. Crying gets old after a while!

Pam