Zoloft

[Gilly Bean]

I went in for my checkup, fessed all, and my doctor has put me on Zoloft. Is anyone on it? Can you tell me how YOU react to it? You can do it as unreg, or in PM's for privacy. I just want to know a bit more about what to expect with it. Thanks

 

[Guest]

Yes, I've taken zoloft.
It's my favorite antidepressant.
Out of the meds I've taken, zoloft had the least side affects.

 

[EvilBrat74]

It's my favorite antidepressant.
.

LOL That was just funny sounding

 

[Guest]

LOL That was just funny sounding

Heh.

Yes, just consider me an antidepressant
conisseur of sorts.

 

[milkit]

Yeah Zoloft was the first of many things they put me on but it worked for me about as well as a placebo would have NOTHING it made me feel sick for the first week too but thats normall

 

[Jimi]

Me Too...

Gilly, side-effects depend upon the dosage... Your dreams will get really vivid and stay that way, probably - which is a bit bizarre at first, esp. if one has come from the '60's

If you're on over 100 mg., DO NOT take Zoloft without a glass of milk or food. Maybe it's just my old worn-out bod, but stomach will feel like someone stuck a knife in you.

It definitely helped me "take the edge off" in a few months - but i had to switch eventually - felt like I was too fuzzy after about 2 yrs. On Effexxor now...

Nyeh It's ok - A young strappin' gal like your sweet self will be FINE

 

[Gilly Bean]

Well, I am only taking 50 mg's a day right now, and I have another appt in 3 weeks to see if I am noticing any change, good or bad. The only thing I don't want happening, is the loss of sexual desire! I like it right where it is, thank you!


One side effect got me laughing, cause even the pharmacist felt the need to explain to me that if I should have a painful or prolonged erection, I need to call right away. I don't have any erections, painful or otherwise.

 

[Texan]

Gilly darlin...

I am the husband of a wonderful woman who has taken Zoloft for nine years (since the birth of our youngest son). It is a miracle drug if you really need it, but it can definatey have side-effects.

Jimii's advice about taking it with food is good advice.

Zoloft can affect your ability to sleep soundly. My wife often has to take Ambien to get to sleep.

Zoloft doesn't immediately improve your "mood". It takes up to five weeks to build up the levels in your blood stream to make a noticeable improvement. But strangely, if my wife misses ONE daily dose, I can immediately tell. She becomes easily irritated and argumentative. If a single dose is missed, it takes three days to get "back to normal".

When you are on Zoloft, you do not suddenly "feel better." You will just no longer feel as bad. You can still become happy or sad or angry or have any other emotion. The difference is that on Zoloft, you won't feel those emotions without a reason to feel them.

For many people on Zoloft there is another side-effect. Zoloft often has a very negative impact on "libido". Libido, of course, is sex-drive. This does not mean you can't enjoy sex or that pleasure during sex is diminished. What it can mean is that the anticipation of pleasure from sex isn't there. It can make the idea of having sex unappealing until some sort of sexual activity is initiated. My wife says that since she started taking Zoloft, she just doesn't think about sex.

There are many different anti-depressants on the market. Each person reacts differently to each medication. My wife has tried three other medications. She is currently on Prozac/weekly. It has some advantages, and a couple of disadvantages.

In my opinion, if a person has clinical depression, the meds don't make you "different", they help you to be "normal". Every person I know who has taken anti-depressants for quite awhile, goes through a stage when they think they don't need them anymore. This is the most dangerous stage of depression (IMHO). If you start taking the meds, and decide you no longer need them, PLEASE only go off the meds under the close supervision of your doctor and your husband. Let THEM decide if you need to go back on the meds. Don't trust your own feelings when you first go off the meds.

just a few things to think about... your results may vary...

 

[JennyOmanHill]

I went in for my checkup, fessed all, and my doctor has put me on Zoloft. Is anyone on it? Can you tell me how YOU react to it? You can do it as unreg, or in PM's for privacy. I just want to know a bit more about what to expect with it. Thanks

Hi Gilly.

I know several people who have taken Zoloft, and only one of them had to stop because it seemed to cause her nightmares and a very upset stomach.

Paxil is my personal prescription, but with any meds it might be necessary for some trial and error procedures until you find the right dosage and medication to help you. Good luck!

 

[Gilly Bean]

Thanks guys!


If there is any side effect that I am not comfortable with, I plan to tell my doctor immediatly. Right now, I am at a very sexual point in my life. I don't want to lose that. And after having 0% sex drive while on Depo-provera for birth control (the control being I didn't want it, so there was no way I would get knocked up ), I know I don't want to go through that again. Hubby was likely to get laid about 1 a month. IF that.

 

[Calamity Jane]

I took Zoloft for a couple of years after I had my first child. Went off of it to have my second, and never went back on. I loved that drug! It didn't do to me what other anti-depressants can do, which is turn you into a zombie. I still felt everything, but I'd stopped looking for reasons to be pissed off, stopped interpreting other's actions and words in ways that left me with a reason to feel hurt, etc.

Didn't affect my sex drive either, I was still one horny woman! lol

Pay attention to your doctor, be honest about what you're feeling, and for god's sake, if you have an erection, call the pharmacist!!!

Seriously, Texan is right. Don't go off of it on your own, just cuz you feel better on meds, doesn't mean you're all better.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Thanks guys!


If there is any side effect that I am not comfortable with, I plan to tell my doctor immediatly. Right now, I am at a very sexual point in my life. I don't want to lose that. And after having 0% sex drive while on Depo-provera for birth control (the control being I didn't want it, so there was no way I would get knocked up ), I know I don't want to go through that again. Hubby was likely to get laid about 1 a month. IF that.

[depo rant]
Is this the same doc that had you on depo? If not, is the current doc aware that you were on depo? I taked for a long time with my doc after i went off that horrible drug...

something like 90% of his patients that were on it are now on antidepressants... 75% have thyroid problems... 60% have recurrent severe yeast infections...

When I was on it, I gained 65 pounds in a month. I didn't even want to think about sex, let alone have it, and I was sick constantly. The thyroid issues that caused the weight gain were with me for almost two years, and then the weight literally fell off.

I wouldn't recommend depo to amyone. ever.

[/depo rant]

 

[hatara]

Gilly Bean

I have been on many anti-depressants through the years and so far Zoloft has worked for me the best with the fewest side effects.

I take 200 mg. a day and as for the decreased sex drive ROFLMAO

I am a manic depressive and have an extremely high sex drive. The other day once with cyber, phone and once with my own imagination just thinking of my online lover I came 11 times!

Each anti-depressant medication works differently on everyone. You have to give it enough time to build blood levels then see how you personally react to it. Everyone can tell you how it works on them but you and your loved ones and dr have to see how your body chemistry reacts to it.

But I would like to say I applaud your decision to get medical help when you need it. Too many people do not and it is so sad. So congradulations for having the courage and intelligence to do what is best for you and your family!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Texan]

gilly darlin

If the Zoloft makes you pull down that skirt..... then don't take it!!!


Just kidding.... but seriously, I think anti-depressants are over prescribed. I hope the doctor isn't mistaking post-partum depression for clinical depression. (I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV.)

There are other meds that don't have the negative impact on libido. Albuterol (sp) comes to mind. Even Zoloft can have different effects on different people. The Prozax/weekly my wife is currently taking is supposed to diminsh sex drive, but with my wife it doesn't seem to have that effect. I have gone from sex four time a year to sex four times a month. Whew... I may have to ask my wife to get back on the Zoloft so I can get some rest....

 

[freakygirl]

Gilly...

Thank you for talking to you dr. *hugs*



You know where my pm box is.. use it as often as you need.

I'm thinking about you!

*hugs*

 

[claude_moveml]

The first drug I was put on for my depression was Lustral, the UK brand name of sertraline, aka Zoloft. It was probably related to other underlying psychiatric problems (essentially schizophrenia) and stopping smoking cheap hashish really suddenly, but I got ridiculously high, sitting and giggling lots and not really in touch with reality. At one point I was having a conversation with a voice I could percieve in the sound of the rain falling. All very exciting, and quite fun, but not conducive to leading any kind of life.

In short, if you get hallucinations or strange thoughts, tell your doctor.

 

[Gilly Bean]

Thank you, everyone!

I was with a different doctor when I was on depo the past two times. I didn't have any problem for the first time I used it, but the second time, I was the moodiest bitch in the world, and on top of being a nagging bitch to hubby, he never got laid. Tis a wonder I am not a divorcee after that.


Right now, my doctor just asked me a small set of questions, how long it has been going on for, had I ever seen a counsler before, etc, that sort of thing. He recommended a few couslers, and gave me thier numbers, and I see him again soon. Hopefully, I can get this under control soon.

 

[pipercatt]

Thank you, everyone!
:: snip ::
Right now, my doctor just asked me a small set of questions, how long it has been going on for, had I ever seen a counsler before, etc, that sort of thing. He recommended a few couslers, and gave me thier numbers, and I see him again soon. Hopefully, I can get this under control soon.

Hey Gilly, I hope you call a couple of those numbers your doctor gave you. I am firm believer in counselling and therapy. Talking to someone not involved your family life helps too.

hugs!

 

[Gilly Bean]

I plan to if it doesn't get better. I have the number tucked safely away for now.

 

[freakygirl]

I plan to if it doesn't get better. I have the number tucked safely away for now.

Gilly... please.. call NOW!

Do not wait to see if it all gets better. Depression (as I explained before) does NOT get better... it's controlled. Don't depend on the medication to do it alone. You need some serious talking with a professional. Please call and get the ball rolling. Maybe if you get a start now, eventually you will know how to control it without having to be highly medicated. (i'm not saying you won't be on meds forever, nor am I saying you will be. That is for your doctor and counseler to determine)

My brother is in a deep depression. He is attempting to stop drinking and is facing up to a year in jail. His counsler told him that medication isn't the answer, alot of times.. the medications make you feel better.. yes. But the root of the problem is still there. Only human contact with a trained professional can help.


Please.. Please.. Please.. call those numbers.

*hugs*

 

[freakygirl]

Re: gilly darlin

<snip>

There are other meds that don't have the negative impact on libido. Albuterol (sp) comes to mind. <snip>

Albuterol is an asthma medication.. maybe you meant Wellbutrin?

Wellbutrin SR is the mildest anti depressant there is..My mom is on it and it is working great. She was taking 150mg a day, and I didn't notice a differance. I talked to her doctor and he raised the dosage to 150mg 2 X a day. She is much better now.

 

[Gilly Bean]

-hugs FG- Thank you for being concerned. I want to wait a few days first, and see if I can at least get my hormones settled a bit before trying to rush into therepy. I know the drugs are not the cure all, but I need to be alot more calm before I go into a virtual stranger, and spill all about my life.

 

[Gamelover221]

I was on zoloft from the age of 14-18. I'm not sure what the dose was, but all I was told about it was that it would make me "happy". That's what Dr.'s do right? They make everything better? Well in my case it just made evreything go away. I didn't care about anything or anyone perticularly. If someone was around me it could brighten my day, but as soon as they left the room, everything was back to null. What's really sad is that I didn't know that I had stopped caring and feeling, they never warned me to look out for that, or that it could happen to me.

The good news is that once I got into college, I began to get lazy! That's right, slacking off and not taking my meds saved my life. When I got off the pills I was a much happier person. I could feel emotions besides pain again. I've been off of meds for 4 years now, and never looked back.

I think the way zoloft works is that it takes away your high highs and your low lows. You are stuck in the middle zone. I heard a radio boadcast discussing zoloft on the radio some months later. I was sooo pissed, because they were talking about everything I've just said. No one told me anything about the pills. I guess they assumed I was some nieve kid...but I never would have gotten on those things if I had known.

The only way to win a fight against depression is to truly wish it away. You need to avoid stressful situations, and cling to the good things in life that make it all worth while. You seem to have a loving husband, and that's great, use him for any help you need. Honestly I wish I had someone there with me in my times of need. Because I've been taught the lesson that the only person you can always count on is yourself, I fight my battles silently inside myself. Perhaps one day I will find someone to share my burdens with. It's great that you choose to open yourself to any advice others can give you. I hope that my words do some good.

 

[Kasha]

I think I have always been depressed. I think I took my first meds around 14. At that time I was given Prozac. That didn't too well with me at all. I was in the hospital at the time and for some reason I had horrendous nose bleeds and then I tried to slit my wrist. So, obviously I quit taking that drug.

In the past couple of years I have gotten seriously depressed. I mean, scary depressed. I had no clue what to do, but my husband convinced me to talk to my gynocologist. He prescribed Prozac first, but that didn't help all too much. I did take Zoloft for almost a year. That seemed to help a bit, but I just didn't feel quite right. My sex drive went to hell to.

I am having a lot of anxiety now along with the depression so I am not sure what avenue I will go down. I have a lot of hormonal things going on that I am sure are the main source of allmy depression issues. I do hope that the Zoloft works for you. If not, I am sure your doctor has a whole arsenal of things he could prescribe.

Is your depression due to hormonal things since your pregnancy? I know my sister in law who has had 4 kids in the last 4 years has had to go on Zoloft....

Anyhow, good luck to you...

 

[Gilly Bean]

Well, I certainly hope this helps.

Kasha, I understand what yuo are going through, or have in the past. I really hope you can find something that works for you. It's not a nice place to be. -hugs-