Adjusting to meds

[CathyT]

Hi all,
I have finally agreed to go on an antidepressant. I put it off for so many years, because I have so many bizarre, scary physical sensations on meds, that I just couldn't deal with it. My anxiety has gotten so bad, that I finally agreed.
I took only 1/4 of the dose yesterday, and last night I woke up very nauseous, feeling like some parts of my body were very hot. My tongue felt big. And it felt like every cell in my body was trembling. Of course, all this caused me to panic.
Its going to be REALLY hard to take the next dose, but I'm going to try. Its so darned scary for me.
I'd like to hear from people who had similar feelings, and how quickly you got over those initial symptoms. This really stinks. I feel like I'm being kicked while I'm already down!
Any encouragement? Thanks!

[tic chick]

((((cathy))))!

what a courageous step for you to take!

i don't doubt the reaction you had to the new antidepressant. when i started to take antidepressants, i read that sheet that the pharmacy gives you of all the side effects you can get. of course, being a bit of a hypochondriac, i started to get some of the side effects.

then somebody told me that when they test drugs on people before the FDA approves them, they have to write down ALL the effects that people have, so you might see a side effect like rhinitis (runny nose) listed as a possible side effect for a drug.

maybe try to take the drug at night? if you are asleep you might not be aware of any side effects or you will be relaxed and not monitoring yourself so much.

yes, please, take the next dose. it takes about 2 weeks for antidepressants to build up in your bloodstream and work fully.

keep posting and updating us on your progress!

i really am proud of you for going out of your comfort zone and taking meds to help yourself. and remember, if this drug has side effects you don't like or is not working, there are so many antidepressants out there, just ask the dr. to try another one.

glad you are taking care of yourself,*smallrose
jeannie

[CanRelate]

If your tongue was *actually* swollen -- as opposed to just feeling that way -- you need to call the doc now.

Dry mouth from the meds can feel like a large tongue. Dry mouth often improves, but often not 100%. Sip/drink water throughout the day is often all you need to do.

Sweats or feeling hot doesn't sound like a problem...I have found I sweat more, or less, because of meds. Having an actual fever is a call now kind of thing....just in case it is related to the new meds. (Might not be...)

You didn't mention if you took the med near or with food. Often that helps with nausea. I've been on some that I had to take after eating a little something.

I have weird taste and weird body sensation (lasting just a few seconds at a time often....) as I have increased/changed depression meds over the last 15 or so years. I have had things that didn't go away...but they weren't "deal breakers" that forced me to stop the med.

Ramp up these doses even slower than you've been told if you know yourself to be sensitive. Every couple of days increase rather than every day or other day.....but best to not skip doses....as that won't help you body adjust, and you won't get to a level that is theraputic for you. I'm talking about slowing the rate of increase....if necessary to get your body adjusted.

Do let your doc know what you are doing; but don't be pressured into a plan that is not necessary from a health standpoint. Some docs are so focused on reaching the "theraputic range" fast that they don't consider the patient's functioning during the transition. Or they don't allow that some people's personal range may be slightly lower than that range. At the same time, patients can be so focused on keeping the dose low, that they don't get helpful benefit because they are focused on number of milligrams or frequency of the dose.

10 milligrams of one med may be more powerful than 200 milligrams on another med, so it is not a fair comparison.

All the best in your quest for better functioning....slow and steady if need be....

CR


Hi all,
I have finally agreed to go on an antidepressant. I put it off for so many years, because I have so many bizarre, scary physical sensations on meds, that I just couldn't deal with it. My anxiety has gotten so bad, that I finally agreed.
I took only 1/4 of the dose yesterday, and last night I woke up very nauseous, feeling like some parts of my body were very hot. My tongue felt big. And it felt like every cell in my body was trembling. Of course, all this caused me to panic.
Its going to be REALLY hard to take the next dose, but I'm going to try. Its so darned scary for me.
I'd like to hear from people who had similar feelings, and how quickly you got over those initial symptoms. This really stinks. I feel like I'm being kicked while I'm already down!
Any encouragement? Thanks!

[CathyT]

Thanks so much for the encouragement Jeannie and CR,

I'm starting really low, but my system is sooooo sensitive. Most of the time I feel like an alien! My doctor does appreciate how sensitive I am, and told me to go slow, and if I feel like its too much, to cut back for awhile. But I'm starting at such a little sliver, I can't really go lower.
I keep hoping the docs will find what my problem with my body is (as do all of us with fibro!), but I guess its not going to happen.
I forced myself to run errands this morning, and felt like poop the entire time. Now I get to take another one of those cyanide pills......er.........I mean zoloft pills. Its hard to take a pill that has made me so sick and scared.
I told DH that I'm trying to look at this as something like chemotherapy. With that, you feel awful, but its doing good things at the same time.
I will try to take the pill at a time that doesn't have as big an impact on me. I guess I'll have to play around with it.
I'm on cpap, but last night was so awful, I just couldn't deal with the cpap, so I'm sleep deprived too.
I think my tongue feeling swollen was probably an illusion.
I'll definitely take the med with food this time. The package said you didn't have to, but it just makes sense if something gives you nausea, to take it with food.
I think what makes everything worse is that I freak out with these sensations. I'm trying to not take them so seriously.
Thank heavens I've recently been put back on a beta blocker, or my heart would be going nuts during these anxious episodes.
Thanks so much for your good advice and encouragement!

[tic chick]

so how did it go today, cathy?*bunch

please tell me, i want to know.

jeannie

[CathyT]

Hi Jeannie,
Thanks for asking!
I was awfully anxious yesterday. I decided to be kind to myself and let myself take more xanax during this period. I was only taking .25mg a day before, but now I'm taking it twice a day, during the worst periods. I actually felt pretty good this afternoon. I'm just taking 1/4th of the Zoloft, so if I continue to feel okay, I think I'll increase to a half a pill in a couple days. Its funny, but it doesn't bother me until about 7 hours after I take it.........so I'm trying to time my xanax for then.
I'm still vacillating about how I feel that I'm even on this drug.......but I've been so anxious and depressed for so long, I just feel I need to give it a try.
I also talked with my brother yesterday, who is on prosac and has had a very difficult life. He gave me some pointers............like quit trying to think about everything so much and just let things happen. That really doesn't explain it all, but it helped me to try to quit running from the anxiety....and quit fighting it. The trying to escape from it seems to make it that much worse. I'm not explaining it very well, but it does seem to help me.
Thanks so much for checking up on me!

[CanRelate]

Cathy:

You made more sense here than you realize....

Your brother gave you some good "mindfullness" advice.

"It is what it is..." is another way of saying it also. Don't waste energy escaping your emotions....just notice/feel them. When you notice them, they don't try so hard to get your attention. Even intense emotions are not intense 24/7. Let them come, and go, and come again.

Be present to the ever changing flow.

Glad to hear you are taking care of yourself, and moving forward at a comfortable pace.


CR

[CathyT]

Yes CR........that's what I was trying to say!
Its going to take some practice to do this, but I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.....
:)
Thanks for your help!

[tic chick]

hey cathy! *bunch

i was looking up zoloft and the half-life of it is 26 hours.

first of all, that means that you have to take this drug for a while before you see any benefits (or not) from it.

a half-life of 26 hours means that half of the active ingredients in the drug are out of your system in 26 hours.

so, to further that fact, it would seem logical that 1/4 of the drug is out of your system in 13 hours, and the full effects of the drug would be working in about 7 hours. which is when you say you kind of feel more anxious.

i know what a half-life is, but, i'm not sure if my furthered theory is correct. maybe if a scientist comes around, he can tell me if i'm on the right track :D.

that's a good idea to up your xanax a bit when you feel stressed. my dr. knows that sometimes i take my klonopin a bit differently during stressful times.

yeah, your brother gave you some good advice about not focusing on the effects, physical or psychological, to your body. can relate gave a good explanation of letting go of the fear of your feelings. you are under a dr.'s care. i am sure if something were physically wrong with you, he would test you for problems.

i tell people that feelings are "the weather in your soul" and you know weather always changes :).

i hope today is a good day for you, cathy!
jeannie

[CathyT]

Thanks Jeannie,

The trick is to be able to "let go" in the middle of an attack! It sort of reminds me of when I was younger and going through labor with my kids. I had practiced and planned........but you know how that goes! With my 2nd child, I just screamed through the whole thing!
I imagine this letting go thing takes a bit of practice! Especially since I've had so much experience trying to run away from feelings. I've never succeeded, so maybe this other approach will work better! :)

[tic chick]

hey cathy!

yes, it is hard to let go of the bad feelings, the things we can't control.

when you run away from your feelings, they might not run as fast as you, but one day, they catch up and they are even worse than before!

i will tell you my paper bag trick soon. it's for panic attacks.

but, i just wanted to check in and see how the last 2 days have been going?

post when you can *bunch,
jeannie

[CathyT]

Hi jeannie,

lol.......I think I know the paper bag trick! I have one sitting on my nightstand! Or is there another trick with one besides the breathing into it? I'm game for anything!
I'm up to a half tablet and seem to be doing fine. I didn't even need a xanax today.
I'll go up to 3/4th tablet in a day or 2.
Thanks so much for asking! :)

[tic chick]

cathy!

yes, the paper bag trick is to regulate your breathing during a panic attack. i used to carry one around all the time! i think a balloon would work well too and maybe look a little prettier in front of your face...lol

so, you shoud be close to your full dose of zoloft by now. i know it's going to take a while until it starts working well.

how are you doing? is your anxiety less since you are not taking your xanax?

i had to deal with taking my mom to the hospital tuesday. she had chest pain, so i took her to the er. she got out today. all her tests were fine. she is 80 and has some moderate dementia. that's very hard to deal with. i get help from my brother and sister, but i am home during the day and i don't have a cell phone i can turn off, so when the phone rings, i answer it and if it is my mom i talk to her.

well, i hope today is a good day. it's so NICE here in detroit. about 80, low humidity. i will work outside and work on my tan some more...lol. no, i am not a fan of laying in the sun and tanning, it's just this year with all the gardening i have done, i have really nice tanned legs for the first time in like 10 years.

i'm so vain sometimes....lol.

post soon, cathy. oh, and if you want to join our emotional support forum, come on. we're in the "what's happenin'" thread. we're a group of about 7 women who post a couple times weekly about our probs and happiness. everybody is very supportive. i think you'll fit right in!

take care of yourself,
jeannie

[CathyT]

Hi Jeannie,
I'm glad your mom's heart is okay!
I sort of feel like I've regressed a little. I'm getting so fatigued at times. I was going to go up on my Zoloft today, but my husband and I were thinking of doing something fun tomorrow, and I don't want to risk being too exhausted. Then on Tuesday, I have to take my son to have his wisdom teeth taken out.........so I'm thinking of putting off going higher until then. I'm really not making excuses. With my fibromyalgia, I've been totally exhausted more times than not in the past 13 years, and I just can't handle more fatigue.
When I tried to use Elavil about 10 years ago, for IBS and Fibro, I took the lowest dose only once and I couldn't function for about 3 days. I sure hope the therapeutic dose for Zoloft doesn't do the same thing to me! Is it possible that another drug would do that? Do you ever go over this initial fatigue?
I'm in another anxious phase, but I'm trying not to take the xanax, as it makes me even more tired. Do you know if ativan does a better job in some people? My brother takes that and feels it's nicer than xanax.
Thanks for the invite to the "What's Happenin" thread. Is it in this forum?
How's your garden been this year? I don't know if it was all the rain we had in the spring, but this year is awful for my tomatoes and beans. My arms tan, but my legs stay a whiter shade of pale, no matter how much sun they get! lol!
Thanks Jeannie!

[houghchrst]

Hi guys, Cathy I have a question, you keep saying 1/4 dose and 1/2 dose but I can't find anywhere where you say what dose you are on. I am probably blind as between my meds and my fibro my poor ole brain just doesn't work like it use to so I was just kind of wondering what dosage you were working up to.

I am on Zoloft also and had to titrate up because I am seriously med sensitive. In fact I have been through approximately 12 anti depressants and mood stabilizers with some truly awful side effects. Right now I am at 50 mg down from 100mg due to another med I am taking but so far Zoloft is the first thing in 3 years that I have been able to tolerate that has worked.

[CathyT]

Hi Christina,
The tablet I'm talking about is a 50mg tablet. I'm only up to 25mg now (1/2 tablet). But its starting to make me so tired, I'm almost afraid to go up more. This is disheartening.
I've been so exhausted from my fibro for so many years, and was finally feeling more energy in the past year. I hate to give it up! Plus, I'm feeling sort of disconnected from the zoloft. Will the tiredness go away?
Do you find it frustrating to be so med sensitive? I sure do. Thankfully, my doc seems to understand that, but I've had alot of docs not appreciate the situation.
How did you have the fortitude to go through so many drugs with side-effects? How discouraging for you! I'm glad the zoloft is working for you. Do you think the generic is just as good? That's what I'm taking.
I have to take my son to have his wisdom teeth out on Tuesday, so I don't want to go up on my dose until then.
This is weird, but the feelings I'm getting from the med are exactly the kinds of feelings that scare me...........so its a challenge.

[houghchrst]

Hi Cathy, I started on 25mg and yes at first it made me dizzy, tired, blurred vision but I was so sick of being depressed and crying and taking med after med that I really wanted it to work. So I stuck with it. The tiredness did go away. I will admit that I still have a bit of the dizziness but I also take a lot of other meds to it may not necessarily be just the Zoloft. Some meds can heighten the effects.

I despise being med sensitive. After about the 12th med I told my pdoc no more. I took about a 6 month break just to let my brain rest. But then the depression became severe and we tried the Zoloft. It worked instantly despite the side effects.

[CathyT]

Hi Christina,

I have to admit, I feel like giving up today. I feel soooooo awful and like I'm drugged.

I sure hope I can hang on to see if this works. Its hard for me to sift out what is from the drug and what is from my fibro, and what is from my hormones. I haven't had a period in 3-4 years, but my hormones have still been tormenting me. I'm just now getting hot flashes. after 10 years in perimenopause!.
I'm strong in so many ways, but I'm a real wimp when it comes to putting up with strange feelings and exhaustion. My anxiety now seems a bit different than before I started the zoloft. Now, its a constant knot in my stomach. I'm trying to do those things in my head, not to run from scary feelings, but it sure is hard.
All through my life, I've had panic from lots of different situations. I can't be just sad or sick. I have to be panicked too. What a drag.
I'm lucky in that I don't work outside the home. How do people deal with all this stuff, when they have to go to work, while feeling so bad???
I'm feeling like a real wimp today.

[tic chick]

cathy, *bunch

you may feel like a wimp today. it is okay. tomorrow you will be better.

i think sometimes drugs like zoloft make you feel better too fast, like your body doesn't have time to adjust to feeling okay. maybe that is the extra anxiety you feel. why don't you take your xanax until you are on the full dose of the zoloft? maybe that might ease you into the full dosage of zoloft.

christina, the woman who posted to you is also part of our emotional support group. she has many of the same probs as you and the rest of us do.

when you go to the page where all the forums are, there is a blue area with the subject, "General Subjects"...click on that.

when you get to the next page, you will find "Forum for Emotional Support" the second forum down...click on that. we are there under the thread "What's Happenin".

I really hope you can join us. we are a very supportive group of women and we talk about so much.

i don't know if you have ever tried supplements, but evening primrose oil is supposed to be good for hot flashes. i have used it for years and i had no probs with menopause, although i don't think that was the whole reason it was so uneventful. i think zoloft might also help you with hot flashes. i was on paxil when i was going through perimenopause and some doctors are now prescribing paxil for that. so, that might have helped me, too.

i hope you're feeling better tomorrow and i hope you decide to join our group!

take care of yourself,
jeannie

[houghchrst]

Cathy I was wondering if you take any kind of other meds. Many times with Zoloft other meds can can cause it to be more intense.

Also have you had the full vitamin, blood count, all the rest type of work up? I mean it almost sounds like there may be some other things going on also.

I started a whole regiment of nutritional supplements after reading up on Fibro hoping it would help with the pain, fibro fog, tiredness and as long as I stay on them regularly I seem to be reaching a point where they are doing me some good. Believe me the fog has not totally cleared, the pain is not gone, and I still take a nap but my outlook is better about it. Geez does that make any sense LOL.

Kind of like, gee I hurt and am ill and I really don't care, but no it is just that I am not as depressed as I was now that my med combo and the supplements seem to be working together. This all took about 3 years. Yeah, that is a long time of misery but I only look forward to things getting a bit better hopefully and then plateauing. Hey spell check didn't underline that LOL.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Yes there are bad days, awful days, not gonna lie to you, but there will be days where you will wake up and think wow, I don't feel too bad. Then you will have two in a row and pretty soon it will get to be where you don't notice until later in the day, wow this has been a good day.

There will always be days where you just won't wanna get out of bed. Even "normal" people have those, at least we have a reason LOL.

You stick with it and you will start to have lots of good days too, that is the whole point of all this.

[CathyT]

Hi Christina and Tic chick,

I was also re-started on Toprol at the same time as the Zoloft. It can really decrease one's stamina, but I didn't expect it so soon.
No other meds. My plan was to take xanax as needed to get through this beginning period, but it makes me tired too, so I've been hesitant to use it.
I have to say yesterday was awful, but around 7p.m., it all lifted, and I'm doing a bit better. I'll take anything I can get! :)
I used to take Primrose oil, but ran out. I'll try it again.
Yes, this definitely feels like something "more" than just anxiety. (as if anxiety isn't enough!) But I've had about every test in the book, and its all negative......from infectious disease testing to thyroid, adrenals, blood sugar, M.S., CBD, chem profile, pheochromocytoma, and on and on.
I'm beginning to feel like a hypochondriac. I guess I should seriously consider that. Then again.......my mother and brother both have strange bodies and curious ailments, so I'm becoming convinced that its definitely some strange physical problem, but probably won't ever show up on any conventional test.
So....I guess I just need to minimize the freaking-out part of this, and learn how to deal with the anxiety (with the help of meds). Its like I'm afraid to be afraid!
I can remember having funky feelings and symptoms clear back to about 7 years of age.
Of course, its always a challenge sorting out nature from nurture. I had a pretty rough childhood, so who knows. Its sort of all inter-twined.
The one good part of this reaction to the med is that I've lost alot of my appetite.......which is a first in my 58 years! I want to hope that if I have more serotonin, I might actually be able to stop eating constantly.........but that might be too much to hope for!

I have tried various vitamins and it doesn't seem to make a difference in the course of things.........although I do take calcium to control my IBS, which works very well. I might not need it with the antidepressant though! I seem to have the opposite problem now!

I have occasionally considered a vitamin level test, but I keep hearing they aren't reliable.
I do take B12 sublinguals alot, and recently started back on the B complex.
Thanks again you two, and I'll try to make it over to the other forum to talk. thanks for being here for me!

[houghchrst]

Hi Cathy, if you don't mind my asking why are you taking the Toprol. I mean I know what it is meant to treat but sometimes meds can be given for other things.

One of the side effects of the Toprol is depression.

Toprol side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
slow or uneven heartbeats;
feeling light-headed, fainting;
feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
swelling of your ankles or feet;
nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
depression; or
cold feeling in your hands and feet.
Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

vomiting;
decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm;
sleep problems (insomnia);
tired feeling; or
anxiety, nervousness.


See the Zoloft may not be the only culprit. It may very well be the combination.

One thing I have learned is that I don't let them put me on two meds at the same time anymore. I am too med sensitive and if I have a reaction that is unpleasant I can't tell which med it is or if it is a combination of the meds.

http://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/zoloft_d00880_toprol-xl_d00134.html

You might want to make sure your doc is aware of this also.

[CathyT]

Hi Christina,

My life is so complicated......nothing is simple. While I was going through the worst of perimenopause, and having fibromyalgia, I developed tachycardia and hypertension, and was put on Toprol for that. Fortunately, it also took care of some of my anxiety and my migraines too. I was on it for 5 years. The downside of it was it made me really stupid and also took away any stamina. So I slowly came off it about a year and a half ago, and did fine.

Then about 2 months ago, I had this incident in the garden, where my heartrate went up, and I felt horrible.......which was perceived by the doctor as a combination panic attack/over-active sympathetic system. I really tried to not go on the Toprol, but my fast heartrate at times would cause a panic attack, so I finally agreed to go it.
I was on it about a week before starting the Zoloft, and it was helping to calm me down. I am trying to be aware of the side-effects that it might be causing too.

I had another episode yesterday. I had been actually feeling good for 2 days. I had to take my son to have his wisdom teeth out yesterday, and did fine. I came home, put him to bed, and was sitting in a chair, eating lunch, watching a little TV.
I was feeling good and happy. As soon as I finished lunch, I got sooooo hot. Then I felt like I was going to pass out. I felt horrible. My pulse was only 60-64. My BP was something like 130/74. I have felt crappy ever since.

I guess I'm supposed to think this is a constant panic attack, but I just can't believe that. Something else is going on. But as my husband says, we're "peeling things away", so that we can ultimately figure this out. He means that by being on the Toprol to slow my heart down, and the AD to help with the panic attacks, we might be able to rule things out. Its hard being patient during all this peeling though!
Here's my latest theory: I have a very labile cardiovascular system. I think my vessels constrict and dilate too much at times. Even though I haven't had a period in 3-4 years, I think I've started having hot flashes. I think during those hot flashes, I get all these other funky feelings (nausea, weakness, shakiness) and then I freak out over that. Plus......if I do vasodilate from a hot flash, the Toprol probably makes it harder for my heart to compensate by not being able to speed up. So......I'm slowly coming down on that.
Maybe at this point in my life, I just can't tolerate the Toprol...?? And maybe the Zoloft is helping in some areas too, so that the Toprol is just too much...??
For some reason, I'm really sensitive to caffeine, sugar and chocolate now too......which can trigger hot flashes.......so I'll try to cut those out. I've been taking a little caffeine for energy, and its been helpful, so I hate cutting that out.
But caffeine is probably bad for anxiety too.
All this thinking makes the doctor think I'm obsessing. But I'm just trying to figure this out, so I can avoid these awful episodes. Its so frightening to feel so bad, and I want to figure it out so I can hopefully not cause it again.
Thanks for reminding me that Toprol might be adding to the problem! I guess I thought because I could tolerate it 7 years ago, I could again, but that's not necessarily so.
It might just be something I take intermittantly, and in small doses.
Thanks a bunch Christina!

[houghchrst]

Not only all that is you throw the fibro on top of all that and a lot of those symptoms that you mention can come from that. That is what I mean by taking one med at a time. My pdoc would make me take one for say 3 to 4 weeks to adjust until she would add another. She knows how highly sensitive I am and I have been absolutely miserably bedridden with some of my med reactions so we are very careful. Maybe you should see about stopping one for about 3 weeks then you can see if it is the med. I can't see one big anxiety attack if you are just sitting doing nothing. ANd to be concerned about what your meds might do to you is far from obsessing, sometimes we are our own best advocate. I have learned to research any scrip I get before I take it, unless my pdoc writes it, I mean I research it but I know she knows what she is doing but I have had some docs flat out tell me " Oh don't listen to what your psychiatrist tells you" and I have had scrips written for me that have conflicted with what I was taking because they didn't pay attention to my current meds. I research them and don't take them. I flat out tell them I am not taking them on the next visit, and they ask why, I tell them and they have nothing to say.

I hope you find a way to feel better soon.

[CathyT]

Thanks Christina.
I'm really sorry you are so sensitive to meds, but it does comfort me to know that there are others with a similar condition.
I just recently lost a friend because she said, essentially, that I was a hypochondriac.......that nobody gets such weird feelings from some meds. She actually said it seemed like I actually wanted to feel bad. :(
I just wouldn't make this stuff up! I like feeling good too much!
Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

[tic chick]

hey cathy! *bunch

just checking in and wanting to know how you're doing?

i'm sorry about your former friend saying that to you. unfortunately, when people see you as seeming to function well, they are seeing you at your best and don't know what goes on in your everyday life. hopefully, she will one day have an experience that will make her think about the unkind way she thought about you.

i'm glad to see you have a supportive hubby that can calm your fears at times. we all need a support system available to us. we can't do it alone.

so, i'm here for you, anytime.

hope to hear from you and have a nice weekend!
jeannie

[CathyT]

Hi Jeannie,
Thanks for checking in on me!
Today I went up to a full dose of the zoloft. So far, so good. About every 2-3 days, I feel a strong anxiety coming on, and I take 1/4mg of xanax, and it helps. I'm figuring that when they say it can take up to a month or more to feel the good effects of the AD, its at a full dose. So I'm thinking it might still be awhile before I feel much change.
I try to keep busy. I used to be incapacited with my anxiety, but now I can actually do more.......so I guess I'm doing better!
Plus, I'm trying to remind myself that it isn't a magic pill, and that I still have to do alot of the work myself.
I guess the best side-effect so far has been that for the first time in my life, I'm not hungry all the time! Gosh, it would be great if I could keep this up! I'm hoping having more serotonin might be what is helping......??
I have been so driven to eat for so long, its such a nice break to not have that be my focus all the time!
I hope you're doing well too Jeannie and have a great weekend.
Thanks again for your kindness!

[tic chick]

cathy *bunch,

i read about your side effect of excess sweating with the zoloft. i do hope that decreases the longer you are on zoloft. usually, side effects are most intense right after you start taking a drug. but, i agree, it's better to sweat than be depressed! maybe the sweating will decrease with cooler weather, also.

i always get the winter blues. some years it is worse, some not so bad, but i always feel blue from the end of november to about mid-march. january is the pits! in 2005, i was working on a school fund-raising project, an auction. i had done it for 2 years previous to that and this was going to be the last auction, cause the school was closing. i liked the person i was working with, she is a good friend. but, it was february/march and i was kinda feeling a little off, even with all the stuff i was doing for the auction. the auction was at the end of march. after it, i noticed my blues were not going away. i waited. april, may. by may, i was sitting in a rocking recliner, just rocking away for hours with stupid tv playing in the background that i wasn't even watching. i was able to call my doctor and make an appointment. i told him i thought i was depressed and he agreed. he put me on paxil.

i had been on paxil before, a long time ago. that may, my sister was having gastric bypass surgery, so i decided to start dieting the day she had her surgery, may 8. i started the paxil in june. i was eating less and so my diet was going well. i lost 52lbs. from may to december of that year. i started menopause january 2006 and continued on the paxil. no hot flashed, no moodiness. i felt good. i started exercising, lost another 42lbs. from january to november 2006. i went off the paxil in summer of 2006.

but, in that year and a half, i completely changed my eating habits and my view on food. i stopped using it as a calming tool or a relief from boredom. i have maintained my 92lb. weight loss all this time, almost 2 years already. it is so darn hard to maintain a weight loss, it's harder than it was losing the darn weight!

so, cathy, maybe this might help you work on your weight, if you feel you have a weight or food problem.

i know how hard it is not to reach for that comfort food when we are depressed or anxious...i so know that. i can actually now just have a bite or two of something fattening and be happy with the taste of that. of course, i still make room for a nice dessert on special occasions, but i eat less at other meals and exercise a bit more that day. it works out.

i hope you are having pleasant weather where you live and that you and your family are adjusting to the changes that come along with taking new meds. keep posting, i will read, cause i care and know what you are going through!

glad you are on the road to recovery!
jeannie

[CathyT]

Hi Jeannie,

Have you ever tried a bright light for your winter blues?
I thought I had SAD awhile back. Every August, I would begin to have problems and then they would go away in January. I realize that's sort of early for SAD, but it seemed to happen every year.
That's great that you've lost so much weight! I too have had a life-long problem with over-eating. It really saps my energy to be constantly thinking of food.
Its funny, but I've actually appreciated the slight nausea I got with starting Zoloft, since it really helped me not eat as much. I was hoping it might be because I have more serotonin now, but today I began getting hungry alot again, so maybe that side-effect is ending......unfortunately!
I think I'm doing pretty good so far on the Zoloft. The only side-effect I'm feeling now is when I lay down to go to sleep, I have these muscle twitches in various places. My finger will jump, then my leg, then my shoulder, etc. But I don't notice it much during the day.
I have alot of stressful things going on around me, but I seem to be doing okay!
I hope you're having a good week!

[houghchrst]

Cathy it is great to hear you are doing so well. I had forgotten about the nausea with the Zoloft, sorry lol. I had it terrible. Gagged all the time. Thank goodness it didn't last long.

I think the muscle twitching could also be that you may be tensing a bit from anxiety during the day and not noticing so much and when you lay down and finally relax those muscles may be doing their own relaxing. I get that too on days I have over taxed the body.

HOpe you continue to do well.

[tic chick]

hey cathy!!! *bunch

how's it going?

i've thought about getting a light every since they came out with them about 30 years ago, but i never got around to it.

raising 3 kids and being active in their school activities and the pto always kept me busy during the school year and i never really suffered bad.

then, when my kids were in high school, it started affecting me more, cause they were gone all day and i wasn't as active in their high schools pto's.

now, i really feel it every year. some years are worse than others. when we got the computer and internet service, i spent almost all my time in the winter on the computer. but, if i am ever feeling really bad, i know i can ask my primary care doc for some paxil and he will give it to me.

so, tell me how you're doing? i've been hoping the zoloft might be making you feel a bit better.

*smallrose jeannie

[CathyT]

Thanks Christina and Jeannie,

I get something funky every late summer, fall, and thought it might be SAD, but the bright light didn't help that much, unfortunately. I know that when my kids were younger and would sleep in during the summer, I felt better, and when they started school and I had to get up at 5:30, I started feeling not so good. So alot of it might be sleep for me. My son left for college on Tuesday, and already I'm sleeping better! I also use a cpap.
I have a theory that we're supposed to slow down in winter, but civilization had its own ideas about being up long after sundown, and getting up long before sunrise........so no wonder many of us don't feel so great in winter!

About being on the computer alot.........I feel for those of us who do get depressed, are anxious out in the world, or have fibromyalgia (I do), its a good thing. It lets us continue to have an interaction with the world that we wouldn't have otherwise. If it interferes with taking care of one's family or a job, etc., then its a problem, but I really feel that it can serve a very useful purpose for some of us. I think I would get very lonely without it.

I'm doing pretty well. Still having lots of muscle twitches. Another weird side-effect seems to be my total loss of interest in eating vegetables! I used to love them and eat tons of them. Now I have to force myself. Isn't that weird??
I see the doctor next week. I'm not sure how "happy" I'm supposed to shoot for. I haven't had any panic episodes, and I can't say I'm depressed. I suppose that's really good. But should I shoot for being happier?? I know that must sound silly. But I've been depressed and anxious pretty much my whole life, and I don't know how much to expect out of an antidepressant.
I haven't needed the xanax much, which is good. Sometimes I take just .25mg to get a really good night's sleep.
I still get anxious to do certain things.......but its not overwhelming. But should I hope to never get anxious over some things? I suppose I could go up on the medicine, until I got side-effects, but I'm thinking that I'm okay for now at this dosage. Do either of you know what the average dosage is for Zoloft?
I'm still sweating a ton, but I guess I've accepted it.
I haven't lost my interest in hot fudge sundays though. hahaha Is there a med that would take care of that?? :D
Nice talking to you Christine and Jeannie!

[tic chick]

hey cathy *smallrose,

the dosage for zoloft is usually from 50mg-200mg. per day. if you're at 50mg. now, why don't you see if 75mg. would make you feel better? remember, you can always go back to the last dosage if you feel you are having too many side effects from the dose you are on. i would try the 75mg.

i don't think the loss of interest in veggies is a side effect of zoloft :). maybe it's the changing of the season. maybe you should try and eat more protein, like chicken breasts, a tablespoon of peanut butter on your toast or english muffin in the morning. i also sprinkle ground flaxseed meal on top of the peanut butter. it has a lot of omega 3's in it, and it's from a plant source rather than a fish source. i would start taking the supplements that seemed to work for you in the past, also.

i went out with a friend last thursday and we had a late dinner. i had soup and a glass of wine. they also had these cute tiny sundaes, slightly smaller than golf-ball size scoop of ice cream with a bit of caramel topping on it. it just hits the spot with a little something sweet and you're not eating a ton of calories. i wish more restaurants would offer food in smaller portions. bigger is NOT better!

is your son a freshman in college? that's always a stressful time in a parent's life. when my middle daughter went away to baltimore for college, i cried for 3 days whenever i thought about her. it took me awhile to shake the blues, but, i remembered that this is what she wanted to do and i always supported what my children wanted to do.

i hope you try the increase in zoloft. tell us how it works.

have a good week ahead, cathy!
jeannie

[CathyT]

Hi Jeannie,

I'm still doing pretty good. Like I said, I'm just not sure how happy I'm supposed to be! My son is a sophomore, but he transferred to another college this year. Its a little farther away.......about 90 miles. Actually, it wasn't so bad this time. When he first left as a freshman, I was pretty sad for awhile........but then began to enjoy the quiet! He's living in an apartment off campus this year, so that makes me nervous, but they have to learn how to deal with things some time. I think we've taught him to make good choices.......but you never know for sure! And we never stop worrying about them!

You're right about restaurant portion sizes are huge. And if something is in front of me, its hard to not want to eat it all! I made a couple deserts this weekend, and boy can I tell that when I eat sugar, I just want more and more sugar! So I'm back on the wagon tomorrow. If I can just take about 3-4 days and not eat sugar, I seem to quit craving it.
I've also noticed that I get more anxious and angry with sugar.
I see the doctor next week, so I'll talk to him then about going up on the zoloft.
I'm only on 12 and 1/2mg of Toprol (the beta blocker), but it has such a wonderful effect on my over-active sympathetic system. I'm amazed at how such a low dose can help.
With my fibromyalgia, I seem to go through so many different cycles. Sometimes I can almost feel normal, and then it can turn around so quickly, and I feel awful in so many ways. I hope what I've been feeling since starting the zoloft isn't just a good spell. I hope it lasts!
Thanks for asking about me Jeannie! I hope you're having a good week. :)

[tic chick]

hey cathy!

hope you are doing well.

have you increased your dose of zoloft yet?

i'll be in new york until monday, the 15th. i hope to hear from you and see how it's working out for you.

take care of yourself,
jeannie