Lorazepam/Zoloft Questions and Needed Support

Hello.

About a month ago, I was dealing with a lot of situational stressors.  I was very anxious, losing weight and not being as engaged with my family especially my kids.

I have been on Zoloft for 3 weeks (25 mg.).  I have had success with Zoloft in the past when I was dealing with a nervous stomach.

I also was given Lorazepam (2 mg.) to help with sleep.

Another doctor recommended sleep aids (Lunestra - 3 mg.) and my therapist who is anti-medicine recommended the natural approach.

Well, with the exception of sleep, I am doing a lot better.  I am more engaged, eating and functioning.

However, sleeping naturally is still an issue.

It probably was foolish but I treid all three strategies during the last months.  Two nights ago I did the natural approach and slept for 1 hour.  Last night, I took 1 mg. of Lorazepam and slept fairly well.  I woke up a few times but was able to get back to sleep.

Here are my questions.

1.  I have so much energy during the day and night -- like a caffine high.  Could this be the Zoloft, anxiety or sleep deprevation?  I remember having these symptoms when I was on 50 mg. Zoloft but I don't recall having these symptoms on 25 mg.  Also,  I don't think there is a lower dose for Zoloft.

2.  For sleep, is it more prudent sticking to one strategy?  The Lorazepam works the best.  However, when I wake-up, I am very sad for the first few hours of the day.  That combined with my limitless energy is really drivng me nuts.

3.  I know a month doesn't seem like a long time but I wonder if I will ever feel normal again or if I will ever sleep normally again.  Any encouragement would be helpful.  Although functioning, I am still very fragile and I am hoping that will get better with time.

4.  Finally, I have an appointment with my primary doctor next week.  I hope that I will be able to communicate my concerns properly.  There are so many variables (lack of sleep, the Zoloft, general anxiety) that it's very hard to untangle.  I don't want to go down the road of trying different types of medicine.  As mentioned before, I am doing a lot better.  I just have the caffine feeling during the day/night and the inability to sleep normally.

Thanks for readhing this post and taking the time to respond.

Mark

[JSGeare]

Well, save yourself some trouble and just print out for your doctor what you've said right here. Seems perfectly lucid to me -a clear narrative, so use it. And then, please tell us the answer you get.

I'm also wondering whether a psychiatric evaluation would not be a good idea; in the end, a course of therapy may be very helpful, eliminating the need for any meds at all. And it would give you a specialist view of your sleep problem. That said, maybe a sleep study -could there be any apnea at work? Maybe.

Finally, I have, personally, a sort of benign but nervous view of "anti-medicine" therapists. Pardon the cynicism, but inasmuch as the therapist can't prescribe, it stands to reason that he/she may carry a bias against a tool that can't be used. The fact is that, albeit that there is plenty of over-medication and other problems with drugs, they are used, over-all, because they have been shown to be effective. It would make sense (to me) to have the therapy and the meds in the same person.  The last thing YOU need is some contest among therapists -with YOU as the pawn in the middle.

Make sense?