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Mental Health (Expert Forum)

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Depression / Anxiety and medication

Answered by

Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness

Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.

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MedHelp Member's Question

Depression / Anxiety and medication

by confused123, Mar 22, 2002 12:00AM

Tags: Depression, Anxiety, mental, Health, Mental Health, dose, Life, zoloft

I'll try to make this brief. Have been dealing with depression since 1997 but have realized that I've basicaly been a depressed person most of my life. Probably due mostly to environment/family dynamics. Originaly started on Paxil and therapy in 1997 after a mental shutdown and made great strides (best thing that ever happenned to me).

Have been in therapy on and off ever since. Paxil made me tired so I was switched to Effexor XR and noticed great improvement in my ability to focus and reduction in anxiety; depression was more or less under control but found myself very tired and eventualy the good effects reached a plateau at 300mg. Eventualy decided that my spirits were good enough to get off Effexor so we slowly weened off. Depression eventualy returned and is pretty constant now along with anxiety (mainly in the morning but pretty well constant). Feelings of detachment, difficulty in focussing, grey/unexcited about most things, guilt, worthlessness, lethargy are basicaly my symptoms everyday but not constant in intensity.

I read up on Zoloft a bit and a friend recommended it so I'm posting to get your opinion. I've presently started therapy again mainly to do inner child work which I think is at the root of most of my mental issues but I definitely need medication to get me out of the stagnate pool I seem to be in. I have three kids and a supportive wife and I need to get some good energy into my life. I'm thinking if the Zoloft takes care of the depression - I could deal with the anxiety as it is NOT crippling.

Thanks

Claude

Doctor's Answer

by Roger Gould, M.D.

, Mar 25, 2002 12:00AM

Since you have had good effects from Paxil, it is very likely that you will get a good result from Zoloft. Also, Zoloft will not make you tired. Its definitely a good possibility.

Member Comments (5)

by imabratt, Mar 24, 2002 12:00AM

Hello Claude,

I too believe I've been suffering from depression my whole life. (Since fourth grade, actually). I'm sick and tired of detachment, lethargy, anxiety, and hoping that things will get better. I was on Zoloft for a while a few years ago and it was great but seemed to lose its effect after a year or so. I have tried taking it again since then, but have not been consistent with it, and I also think my dosage is too low. (50mg.) I still think it's a viable option for me at a higher dose, and plan to check with my doctor about it. I've heard good things about it from others, also. Your symptoms sound much like mine. Here's an article I found on Zoloft for treatment of chronic depression. Good luck.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/InYourHead/allinyourhead_18.html

by confused123, Mar 25, 2002 12:00AM

Thanks so much for your replies. I went to see my doctor on Friday and I'm up to 150mg of Effexor from 75mg. Seems to make a big difference but I'll keep an eye out for tiredness. If it returns I'll give Zoloft a try.

Thanks again - good luck

Claude

by tooanxious, Jun 18, 2002 12:00AM

I just wanted to say I'm so glad the higher dose of Effexor seems to be helping you, and to encourage you to give Zoloft a try if anything changes with the Effexor. I have a long history of anxiety, depression, OCD, agoraphobia, and panic attacks, and have been on many different anti-depressant medications, such as Anafranil, Paxil, Prozac, Serzone, and I think I was always under-medicated. I grew up thinking that it was something about me and my body that caused me never to feel any different on the meds, until I came to a low-point while I was pregnant. I wanted to try going through my pregnancy without any anti-depressants, hoping that I was well enough to do so. As it turned out, I wasn't, and it was hellish, but a valuable experience to see what my baseline truly was after so many years of taking just enough meds to mask some symptoms, but never enough to give some relief. Anyway, I was close to suicide, and my doctor put me on 100mg per day of Zoloft. (The highest dose I had ever had before was 50mg per day). For the first time in my life I actually had a response to it and noticed improvement. I am still going through cognitive therapy and other things, but I feel that the Zoloft really helped, and I gave birth to a healthy baby boy last December. Once I'm done breastfeeding, I may see if I can increase my dose a little, because I still am struggling somewhat (it's hard to leave the house most days, etc...) but for now I am finding that this is helping. So, all that to say that Zoloft may help you too. I wish you the best.

by straberry_slushys, Jun 23, 2002 12:00AM

Since I was 11 years old,i have had sever panic attacks,depression and mood swings that are so bad,I'm like a whole diffrent person. I used to take Zoloft. I was on 100mgs and I hated it. I felt blah all the time.I wasn't happy but I wasn't sad. So my doctor switched me to paxil,and 1mg of ativan.

Curently I'm taking 40 mgs of paxil, and I still have huge mood swings and depression.Does anyone know what I'm going through?

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