OT: Antidepressants?

[JungleWoman]

I was rx'd Zoloft last night for my anxiety. I was just wondering what your guys' experience with ADs are. I have never really taken a med long-term and I really want it to help. I am going to take it here as soon as I put Aaron on the bus.

Id just like to hear your experiences on them for curiosity's sake.:o

[Isabelle]

....zoloft..and bye? No interest on finding the root of your anxiety? A friendly ear, psychotherapy...?

[JungleWoman]

Sympathetic ears need to be around 24/7 for me to feel better. I have had a hellatious year and a half and the anxiety was starting to physically affect me. I've had it since I was 14 and have dealt with it since then without drugs.

Do you mean by Zoloft and Bye by the dr just writing an rx and sending me on my way?

Oh no, I am being referred to a counselor as well.

[Isabelle]

could you try 6 months of counselling before considering Zoloft? Do you know GABA supplements acts as Valium or as antianxiolic (?) anti anxiety drug without the addictive/adverse effects of a Benzodiazepine? A SSRI like Zoloft is very powerful drug and might not work for anxiety but could exacerbate it.

[peglem]

I've never been on an AD, but my daughter was on zoloft at one time. It did zip for her- maybe the dose was too low? Anyhow, here is a website I like for med info. Its by an aspergers guy and gives info from people who have actually used the drugs, so you get some practical info.

http://crazymeds.org/

[Pamster]

I am one of those people who will need to take one of these for the rest of my life because childhood traumas changed my brain's chemistry. I went over 27 years without treatment for my anxiety/depression and finally got relief from AD's in time, they need awhile to become active at the theraputic level.

I didn't do well on zoloft, but wellbutrin helps me a lot. I have tried a lot of AD's in my time taking them and there are many different ones. But I know I am looking at taking them for the duration of my life because my brain just doesn't regulate itselfproperly when it comes to the chemical balance. :p

I h ave to wonder how much of my anxiety came from worrying about my son since it definitely got more pronounced after we got his dx. It's so draining to have to think about autism 24/7 isn't it? *sigh*

[MomOTwins]

Andrew is taking 50 mg/day Zoloft at dinner time, has been on it for about a month. We slowly titered the drug, from 12.5 mg/day (just to see if he had an allergic rxn.) for 2 weeks, to 25 mg/day for a month (no effect at all), to this dose. School is going a lot better, but there was a slight downside - we tried dosing in the morning, it seemed to be ineffective and school complained that he was really noncompliant due to the drowsiness, so now we dose with dinner. This timing does trigger a little drowsiness, and he is asking to go to bed at 7:00 at night (then gets up at 4:30 in the a.m.:eek: ). We figured out that we need to find physical things for him to do until about 8:00, then reward him with bathtime, and he crashes by 9:00. This gets him up closer to our scheduled 6:00 wake-up call.

One of the other Zoloft issues (at least for kids) is weight gain. Andrew is indeed eating more, but doesn't seem to be putting on weight, so I think he is dealing with it OK.

We were really resistant to even thinking about drug therapy, but this has been a big relief at school. He is focused, getting appropriate grade level stuff done (doing 4th/5th grade math), is more verbal with us (initiating more conversations and giving me a lot more feedback when he doesn't want to do something :rolleyes: ), so I think that it has been an overall good thing.

Good luck with the therapy and the Zoloft, they really do go hand-in-hand in addressing the issue.

[lisa6wks]

Pamster,
I am with you. I have been on AD's for a long long time and will be on them for the rest of my life. I have been to counseling, therapy and read many books. I know what caused my problems, I know why I feel like I feel. But it doesn't stop me from feeling it and I decided a long time ago that my children deserved if not a "happy" mother at least a somewhat contented mother.

My brain structure and chemicals are just not normal. I have accepted it and on AD's I feel pretty "normal". I am Cymbalta now, it gives me a little more energy and I have few if any side effects. I don't think I can ask for much more.

Lisa

[tgrimes]

I think zoloft is a good choice for chronic anxiety, but like MomO said can leave you tired during 'not supposed to be sleeping' hours. If there's a place you normally sit and take a break then avoid it! Of course depression can do that to you too, so this may not be of consequence.

[JungleWoman]

Well, I took it and I dont think I will take it again.

It made me pretty sick. I couldnt even drive or go to work. I still feel pretty gross. Hopefully it will wear off soon since I took it about 24 hours ago.

Isabelle, I think your approach is probably the best for me at this time. A lot has happened in the last year and a half and I really need to talk about them to someone who has a good grasp on handling this problem.

I should be getting health benefits from my work soon. I believe mental health is covered too.

[Pamster]

I agree with you Lisa6wks, that our kids deserve to have at least 'contented' mom's. It's so much more bearable for me now then before I got AD's to help me. I also take Elavil for pain and to help sleep, but I think it helps with mood too, so I definitely want to continue taking it. It does help with nighttime pain for me and I definitely notice it helping me get better sleep.

Zoloft didn't work well for me, I didn't get sick frm it though, but I did feel really tired. I hope you find a good counselor JungleWoman, I know it's really helpful because I saw one for a few years, I don't anymore because they both moved from the area but I also don't feel as bad as I used to because I have AD's and more help now with the In Home Supports Aide who comes out three to four times a week. That helps as much if not more then the counseling did. ;)

[Lara]

JungleWoman, all the best to you with whatever decision you make. I just wondered what dose you started taking yesterday? Zoloft can make people feel sick in the stomach when they start. As far as I know the recommended starting dose is a low 25mg. Just wondered if that's the dose you took that made you feel so ill? I took Zoloft for some time about 15 years ago when I was experiencing severe anxiety and panic attacks. Unfortunately it didn't suit me very well, but I have heard from other people that it's helped them. I don't know what to suggest with regard to anxiety. I'm having similar problems again myself, but I won't ever take a prescribed medication again. I am not sure what the answer is really although I know what is available. Just adding more on here. I just read what Pamster wrote and I have to agree that if I'd had some little respite over the past 19 years perhaps I wouldn't have been as anxious as I became from time to time. I was always one of those people who did everything and because I didn't have any family of my own to help me out I just battled on. I would do things a little differently now I have hindsight. You need to take care of you, JungleWoman, 'cause when you're feeling strong then everything else falls into place so much easier.

[Pamster]

I know how much I appreciate every moment my son is with this aide worker, and it's really wonderful the result is that he's lost five pounds so far and that he's so much happier now. I think respite in home or otherwise is a good thing if you can relax for a little while it's so helpful to recharge the emotional battery. I wish we'd had this help a few years ago and he would never have gotten to the weight he's at now. But anyway, I hope it works out well for you JungleWoman, let us know how you're doing once you feel a little better that is. Being sick is no fun. :p

[Isabelle]

Sorry to read that Zoloft made you sick. I read that it first blocks the serotonin intestinal receptors and that's what make you sick (in the stomach?) but you say you couldn't drive? It means Zoloft went straight to your head??

Another herb/drug for anxiety/depression that a few years ago was the "talk of the town" is SAMe.The best SAMe is getting it with a prescription, there is a guaranty of quality. Another natural supplement that act as a stimulant or antidepressant is 5HTP without adverse effects. All herbs-based drugs you have to take for several months before being effective and at difference with SSRIs you don't need to fear withdrawal symptoms.

The herb/drug that I found effective with my migraines was Feverfew, at the fourth month period no more head migraines. I took it for almost 8 years before I stopped it, three or 4 years later no more headaches. It works on the serotonin system, but it doesn't explain how.

Try an alternative medicine before Zoloft. Try to get time for yourself, refuse to do things if that could make you stress or anxious, demand solicitude, let go of responsibilities, delegate, delegate, delegate.......

The ideal situation like Pamster says will be for you to have support or an aide for your child. I had a lot of help in my time, it really made a difference.

Whatever you decide we are here for you.

[JungleWoman]

Thank you all for being So amazingly supportive!

First off I was started on a "low" *from what the dr said* 50mg. This isnt that low from what I've been reading.

Anyway, yes, I couldnt drive. I was SO dizzy. Yesterday was Ok. Today I have a bad headache and my head feels like its full of popcorn again.

From what I understand it take a little while to get all the way out of your system.

I had been trying Happy Camper, 5htp, St John's Wort--- I work in the healthfood section of a grocery store so I have a few things to choose from.

Im planning on going to see a naturopathic dr soon. I just need to.

I have SO much that has happened these last 1.5-2 years that I seriously need to talk and cry and solve problems and move on. I have just been bottling it up for so long and I have very little respite.

My life mostly consists of getting up, getting the kids off to school and sitting in front of the computer to have some sort of a social life and then going to work, coming home at 10 and getting up at 7 to do it all over again.

I know it can get better. I just need to get to the right outlet.

Im going to church in the morning for the first time in a while. That will really help, Im sure. :)

[Lara]

You're not taking the 5HTP with the Zoloft are you???

25 is usual starting dose.

I hope you're feeling better soon, JungleWoman. You will!

[Isabelle]

Yes, religion/faith on something is better that any pill/chemical you can take. Praying helped me too. Talking or unloading on an understanding person works magically, that I can tell you personally. By putting your concerns, past bad experiences on another person you feel like uncluttering your mind, relieving your shoulders from a heavy burden.

I had this site for very a long time, see if it helps you a bit.
http://www.allaboutanxiety.net/

We are here.

[JungleWoman]

Oh no-- I know not to take all that with the rx drugs!!

I will probably wait about a week before I try taking some of that stuff again. Just to make sure the other junk is gone. *I read it can take up to about 5 or 6 days to get all the way out-- its been 3 full days*

Isabelle, THANK YOU SO MUCH for the website!! It has a lot of answers I was looking for!!

I almost went to the ER this morning because I felt so weak-- I feel fine now, but wow, I felt like helll earlier. Reading some of this stuff explains a LOT for me and how I've been feeling.

Anyway, I need to get ready for work. You guys are wonderful and I love you all!:o

A<><

[Isabelle]

Glad to help! Huge hugs!

[Pogue Mahone]

Do whatever you have to do to help yourself. No one
would think of questioning your decision to take medication for diabetes,
or cancer, or a heart condition. Depression is physical, just like all
other diseases. The healthy choice is the one that helps you live.
Six months is too long to "just try counseling". Depression kills.
Depression kills daily. And when it doesn't kill, it cripples.

I know. I'm crippled.
It's not me to be like this at all.
No doubt whatsoever it's chemical in origin.
I eat well, healthy except for my depression.
None of my 'bag of tricks' helps enough.
I find myself scared ****less it's all going to collapse.
And wondering would it matter if it did.
We're all just going to die anyway, what's the difference if its sooner or later.
I hate hearing people talking the way I'm talking. I'm really not like this.
But I know how you feel, I think.

I do know I will be well again. I don't know how long I may have to take medications to help me get well. Maybe a few weeks. Maybe a few months. Maybe longer. I do know "just talking" isn't enough. I do know behavior therapy alone isn't going to "snap me out of it".

I'm here if you want to talk.

[The Pogue]

Same poster, new name.

Name changed by request.