Zoloft Issue

[LillieJoy]

I was diagnosed with Post Partum Depression about a year ago after a suicide attempt - I was just a mess and nobody would listen to me so ... well, we all know how that goes, right?

Anyway, I started taking Zoloft in January 2002(started at 50 milligrams, 100 milligrams, 150 milligrams and then 200 milligrams over a period of about six months) to help with the PPD and it did help tremendously but with numerous side effects. I also tried combining Zoloft with Wellbutrin but that really made me sick to my stomach so I stopped the Wellbutrin.

The Zoloft made me feel emtionless, slow-witted, and dull - like the world was passing me by very, very quickly but I was moving very, very slowly - NOT a good feeling at all but I felt that I needed the Zoloft and so I kept taking it.  My mother and boyfried both claim that the Zoloft has destroyed my sense of humor and that I don't see the world as it is and I am apt to agree with them - I just very slow to react and I know it.  I did discuss this with my doctor but she seemed to skirt the issue and told me that "it was all in my mind".  I gained a lot of weight (I could eat like a horse!) and had terrible diarreha the whole time I've taken it.  That's my first issue with Zoloft.

About a week ago, I had a scheduled appointment with my psychiatrist and I was informed that I owed her some money and until I settled the outstanding bill, she would not see me so I was not able to get my Zoloft prescription renwed.  Here's my second issue - Zoloft withdrawl.

I haven't taken Zoloft since last Tuesday and I find that I am short-tempered, dizzy, light-headed (especially when I turn my head too fast), my eyes are dry (can't wear my contacts), I have a terrible taste in my mouth, and I feel like my body is numb and tingling at the same time, I have a terrible headache and no appetite (not necessarily a bad thing).  I feel like I've ridden a very fast merry-go-round for last three days and I've gotten off and have to carry on with living a normal life feeling horrible!

I have spoken with MHMRA of Harris County because I feel like I should be weaned off the Zoloft slowly and I simply cannot afford to pay my doctor the rates she charges (and I don't have medical insurance at this time)instead of stopping cold turkey but I would rather take something completely different because of the side effects I mentioned earlier.

Do you have any suggestions of a different medication and please don't suggest Paxil or Prozac because I've read some pretty negative things about both of them.  

I would also be interested in some natural remedies as well to help curb the withdrawl side effects.

Please help, I'm miserable.

[chrismary]

I was crashed off Prozac in October and I can relate to the other SSRI comments very well. I feel like I can't lead a normal life at all any more. No one will talk with me and the head jerking thing is real and the doctor does not address it. He is giving me klonopin for it and it helps a bit but it is addictive and I have been on and off it a long time. It is very hard to quit. I was recommended to try Zoloft and I just can't see how it would help at this point either...Celexa either. It's hard to be alone like this, isn't it. I used to drink and oddly enough I find that the Prozac increased this craving thing. Like I wanted more klonopin or booze or something and I can't stop eating and smoking which I could before. Any advice there? I was considering Wellbutrin again, and I am  scared to go there.
Chris

[Kelp]

There is certainly a lot of discussion regarding Zoloft. May I state my opinion which is that this drug is usless and usually makes a problem worse. I know several people who have had very bad reactions to it and it is interesting to see so much of this same sort of thing on this forum. For anyone reading this be warned if your doctor prescribes it. It seems to have the worst side effects of any SSRI

[keeknap]

i took zoloft and it made me not care about anything. it also did nothing for my anxiety. it made me clench my teeth.i couldnt take any other meds so i take wellbutrin.it helped tremendously with my depression but does nothing for my anxiety. its usually well tolorated but is a last resort. if you have a seazure disorder in you family do not take it. i also heard that lexipro is similer to celexa but usually has less side affects and is better.    ( just a thought). Because post pardem comes after child birth, do you really need a therepist because it is an outcome of real problems or just a side affect from child birth?

[Kelp]

Regarding xanex. It is very addictive but effective. on one milligram a day for two months you should not experience withdraws. at one time I was on 10 milligrams for about 6 months. Yes this developed an addiction. to be totally safe I would cut down to .5 tablets or break 1 milligram tablet in half.
Xanex also comes in .25 streghth as well. At such a small dose you should be of it in a week or so. I have been on it off and on four about 3 years.
Kelp

[aak]

Zoloft was so horrible for me!! I only took it for 18 days and tried to fight through the first 2 weeks of terrible side effects. Believe me, I thought I was dying...severe nausea, diarrhea, numbness, twitching in eyes and face, the feeling of electricity going through my body, dizziness, etc. It definitely did not agree with my system. I stopped taking it 2 days ago and still feel like I have the flu. After 18 days I didn't wean myself thinking therer wasn't enough drug in my system...I was wrong!! it has been a nightmare. I also became really emotional and had crying spells which I didn't have before. I was put on Zoloft for anxiety/nervousness. Now, I will try to continue with Xanax but would also like to wean myself off this and try other more natural methods for general anxiety.
Can anyone tell me if I will experience withdrawal effects from Xanax?? I have taken it for 2 months-1 mg a day.
Good Luck to all of you!! At leastb we know we're not alone
AAK

[nodrug4me]

How the heck do I taper off this nasty drug (Zoloft)????

I have been taking it for about 6 months now.  Since i started taking it, I have absolutely no motivation to do anything. I am exhausted all the time, no energy, stopped training (i use to run marathons).  I am still on a fairly low dose, but i tried to go off cold turkey.  Let's just say my equilibrium wasn't up to par at all.  I am now taking one pill every other day... is that right??  I am not seeing an MD at this time... we just didn't "click".

Help!!

[Crumb]

I've been on Zoloft for three years and at first I thought it was a miracle but now I feel numb. I suffered from panic attacks and they subsided for some time and now are back.  My appetite for alcohol has increased to the point were I crave it more than ever.  I enjoyed a few beers before but now it seems I drink like a fish when ever I put a glass to my mouth.  I told my doctor that I think this stuff is not working and he increased the dosage. Now I feel more lost than ever.  I'm a musician and I don't even listen to music anymore. I can not create or have the yearn to do so.

[Dr. Huea]

I have just weened myself from Zoloft the past 3 months after taking 100-200 mg for almost 6 years. I am experiencing dizziness, light head, occular discomfort, tiredness. So you are not alone; I would like to know also if these symtoms are normal and what can one do to help them? Zoloft did help me tremendously after finding the right dosage which was 200 mg/day. Taking 50-100 mg/day left me feeling numb, emotionless, like a Zombie. At first, this was welcome considering the massive depressive episode I had just gone through. Then increasing the dosage from 100mg to 200mg/day, the numbness, non-emotional states passed and I experienced increased energy, focus,and well-being. The reason for discontinuing Zoloft is I believe I have remedied my situations that led to my depression and am tired of the side effects: occasional diarrhea, sexual problems, lock jaw (continuous grinding of teeth; I beleive I broke three teeth from this that required crowns), and medical costs associated with treatment. Just a note: I have done all this under professional medical supervision. Any and all feedback is welcome; good luck to everyone.

[Nancy J]

Zoloft-never again. After years of being suicidal, and depressed,I finaly sought medical attention. I was put on zoloft. After months of feeling like a zombie with no personality and uncrontrolable diharrea, I became so depressed that I swallowed a full months supply, thinking that nothing could help me. I survived the "trip". I refused to take any drugs for about a year. I was in denial of my own condition. I finaly ended up putting myself in the hospital because I was afraid of myself. I could no longer play the part of a mother or wife. If only my initial doctor would have educated me about depression. I thought that it was only a temporary condition. Maybe if I would have known the facts, I would have changed drugs before things got out of control. I take wellbutrine now. It is better that zoloft, for me. I'm suposed to take 300mg/day, but only take 150mg/day. Thats because I don't like the way that I feel on the full dose. All I want to do is sleep if I take 300mgs. At least I don't have any side effect now. Not even with sex. Zoloft realy sucked when it came to sex. I havn't told my doctor that I cut the dosage in half yet, thats because I havn't had to go back yet because my prescription hasn't ran out. I know that I should be more responsible about it, but at least I can tell if things aren't going right. Zoloft didn't give me that opportunity. If you aren't happy with the antidepressant that your taking, ask for something else. Another hard lessoned learned, never quit your drugs cold turkey. It will mess you up!

[LillieJoy]

Erin - thanks for the nod of agreement - I thought the very same thing!

Nick - you're scaring me!  I went to the doctor yesterday and he put me Celexa (10 milligrams for three weeks and then down to five) and I'm hoping that I don't have the same side effects that I did on Zoloft.  I took 200 milligrams of Zoloft for about six months and I was a complete Zombie!  The side effects that you describe while taking Celexa are exactly the same side effects that I experienced on Zoloft.  I'm hoping that with such a minimal dosage and such a quick tapering off, I won't have the same issues that you have had or that I had on Zoloft.  I'll let you know how I'm progressing ...

[ErinF]

Don't worry...he just loves to plug his website.

[Nick the Nutter]

Oh Celexa!!! I am in Britain where Celexa is known as Cipramil. I was on it a year and tired of the sexual dysfunction and mental nullity- I'm a freelance writer and wrote nothing for that whole year- couldn't do it. Anyway, I tapered with Doctor's supervision and went through 'electric shocks' headaches and nausea etc. Now it's six weeks since my last dose and still I'm getting celexa-like symptoms- nausea and head rushes, muscle-stiffness and jerky spasms on going to bed. I ask myself whether this can be a long term upshot of the drug- my doctor is *very* circumspect about that. Anyone else had that? My email is ***@**** by the way. I welcome all tales of Celexa/Cipramil hell.

[LillieJoy]

I am very over my PPD and that's exactly why I want off the Zoloft.  I spent about six months working with a very expensive therapist and have dealt with all my issues related to the PPD.

I am no longer suicidal and am quite happy in my life - as a matter of fact - I really have never been better.  I am so much to live for now and I KNOW that now!

If you must know, I had an extremely difficult pregnancy, a difficult and very long labor (30 hours) and a crash c-section anyway then my son got a terrible case of colic at three weeks -it was NOT a good time but I have to say, I was a highly functioning PPD sufferer.  My child NEVER went hungry, was NEVER dirty or NEVER in need of anything!  I suffered very silently ...

When I went to my OBGYN for help at one month post-partum(because I KNEW something was wrong with me) she told me that I was overtired and needed to get more rest (which I agreed with but I knew that a normal someone doesn't go from screaming rages to crying jags with the drop of a hat, so to speak.

I appreciate your advice but at this point I don't think that I need anymore therapy or the medication - I want a clean system but I need some help to get there - cold turkey ain't cutting it!

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You should think about Celexa as an alternative, and you can start that instead of restarting Zoloft, and it should very quickly relieve you of your withdrawal symptoms.

But don't think of medication as the whole answer.  Work on your problems with someone. If you can't afford it now, maybe the community health center is the right place.  If you have to wait too long, try my online therapy programs ( masteringstress link above) because it will help and it is very inexpensive.