Zoloft

[Jaimie_CS]

Today my psych prescribed zoloft, ive never been on any meds before.

Warning - ramble:

I dont know how i feel about it, im happy he gave me something, because the reason i started seeing a doctor wad because things had gotten worse recently and i really felt they were spiralling out of control. But zoloft is, in his words 'a garden variety anti-depressant', which is fine, but....I dunno, this is going to sound bit silly, but i was kind of hoping for something more extreme - I dont even know why, maybe because my problems seem so overwhelming a (and crazy) to me that feel a bit above what may as well me prozac, prescribed to millions of housewives across america.*

He seems to be very much inclined to the 'you're different, but thats okay approach.' I have delusions and occasional psychoses etc. but he says - 'having a rich fantasy life makes you a more interesting creative person.' And maybe thats true, but i dont really like not being able to distinguish whats real. He says 'whats real is different for everyone, and for you, maybe a little more so.' again, thats okay, as long as its not affecting my life negatively....

I dunno, zoloft is apparently good for depression and anxiety, which are the two aspects that are really screwing with my life at the moment, so maybe he's right in giving me something that only deals with them.

anti-depressants though, theyre not supposed to be okay for people with bipolar. he didnt diagnose my bipolar, a different doctor did, years ago, and i have this paranoia that he thinks i dont have it all all, that im just bpd, depressed, anxious, whatever. i dont know why it bothers me that he doesnt think that (if he does) but it does.

I'm also a touch worried, i mentioned that - that antidepressants are supposed to encourage cycling in bp's and he said, yes they do sometimes and there was a chance id feel very high on zoloft, or manic, all the time. but my concern is, if i feel high on this drug, or manic (as long as its not too severe) im unlikely to want to stop that..... I cant see myself willingly taking myself off it.

then again, maybe im not bp after all and i dont have to worry.

I'm just trying to work through my thoughts here, feedback would be good.

On a different note - i'd love to hear about anyone's experiences with zoloft.

* I realise thats an insensitive thing to say, and i dont mean to belittle anyone's depression or problems, im just trying to think things through.

[InAbsentia]

Though I'm not dx'd with bipolar, being prescribed zoloft certainly made me think I might have it. 50mg had me zooming. I felt a really weird and unnatural body high. With the various illicit drugs I've experimented, I'm quite accustomed to experiencing all sorts of body highs and this one was weird. It also gave me some lock jaw...I was grinding my teeth like I had done a line of cheap coke. Actually, the whole experience was like I was on some sort of upper. I was full of energy...things even looked brighter than they should.

It wasn't horrible. I wasn't out of control or anything. I even had some fun haha. I told my doctor (just a GP at the time) about this and he said "well, better take you off that...have you ever heard of bipolar disorder?"

I'll admit...I still have them and once in a while when I get bored will pop 50-100mg lol

You know...worst case is that you do have BP and this will make you hypo/manic, but then you'll know for certain that you've got it. In the long run it would help you getting the treatment you need.

[Jaimie_CS]

Thanks for the response IA,

He's put me on 100mg per day, working up to that from 50mg in the first week.

You're right about the bp - i guess if it makes my manic, then i'll know, which would be nice. I know it shouldnt really matter - being able to define whats going on in my head, but i like to be certain of things, put them in categories and organise them.

I read a bunch about the chemistry of antidepressants (i like to know whats happening when i take medications, and luckily i've done enough bio and chem Sertraline(zoloft) basically increases the level of serotonin in your brain - mdma, the active ingredient in ecstasy, has the same effect, but by a different means and obviously to a larger extent. sertaline also has a marginal affect on dopamine levels - increased dopamine levels are the effect of 'uppers' - cocaine, methamphetamines etc. and are also invloved in pain management via similar processes to morphine and codeine.

i find it fairly ironic that prozac (Fluoxetine - very similar to sertraline) is so heavily prescribed in western affluent areas - areas where recreational drug use is looked down upon (although often still prevelant.) Imagine if they all found out their 'oh but a doctor prescribed these' drugs are essentially the same as x.*

I find it really interesting that sertraline is so often used to treat bpd because one of the peculiarities of bpd's is fluctuations/varying levels of serotonin and dopamine - they're involved in our emotional spikes.

*theyre not the same, theyre regulated, etc. but the effect is the same.

[Jaimie_CS]

So in typical fashion, thinking this over in the last few hours, and researching practically all known mood-affecting drugs in a search for 'what i should have been given' i think i was being silly.

zoloft affects the things i want changed - the depression and anxiety. its a starting point, if it doesnt work, then i'm sure he'll try something else.

I'm fairly excited about taking it - despite the prospect of the side effects, I've been so, so anxious lately, i hope it helps.

[Barebones]

Hi gem, sertreline was my first anti D which i didnt have a reaction to, it was pretty good for me, however over time it lost its effect on me, i cant remember the amount i was on, i know i went up to the top amount.

My pdoc put me on this one, as he said it actually had a seditive effect like the one i am on now. Prozac and the other ones in that family, made me wiz and had very bad reaction to it.

Even though i was diagnosed as BPD, and yes i have big vary on my mood swings, i also suffer from being high mood aswell which is i guess manic, this manic, can range from being highly aggressive, or very talkative, swapping subjects in a convo, which in the end no one seems to be able to keep up. This goes with my rapid thoughts. Hard to explain sry.

Anyway, with the anti d it actually helped, also the anti p i was on aswell.

Good luck with it, if it doesnt help, there is allways others. I am now on duluxotine since coming off zoloft.

xx

[ms_fett]

I'm on Zoloft (Sertraline) and about a month after starting it I got really suicidal so you should have a good support system ready just in case. At least they didn't put you on lithium. They added that on top of my Zoloft when I was in the mental hospital and my hands shook so bad that I couldn't write anymore (which was horrible for me.) I'm doing just fine now and the only thing I'm on is the 100mg of Zoloft with a Remeron kick when I need it.

[agirl]

I would suggest getting a different doctor.

my understanding is that zoloft in a mild D and is used with teens and elderly. and used to treat Severe PMS.

I never found that zoloft worked ,it made me more depressed and sadated.

i found that all SSRIs didn't work.

I have been finally put on Wellbrutrin and Saraquill.

and this is the first time in my life i think im actually getting better.

I had to go to the emergency to be taken seriously though...

i didn't self harm or anything.... just told them my state of mind .

[Marchmadness]

Hey -

Meds work differently on each person. I would be wise to give the zoloft a chance,

the dose may need to be adjusted from time to time, but how is the doctor going to

know what is and is not effective on you. I am one of those americans that was

on zoloft also I was on a 200 mg dose along with other meds. Now I am on prozac,

along with other meds. The doctor has had me on so many different meds over the

years, now I am feeling a bit more stable with what I am on now. Like I have

said give the meds a chance to work, and all meds do have side effects, they take

time to get into your system and work properly.

Marchmadness

[Jaimie_CS]

Thanks for the response guys - march i just wanted to add - my americans comment, it wasn't intended to be demeaning towards the people who take them - obviously people go to the doctor because they feel unwell, and thats horrible for them, it was more directed at the quick fix mentality of western culture. had a bad day? have some prozac. cant sleep? have some prozac. in an abusive marriage? have some prozac. legitimately depressed and ill? have some prozac.

its bad here as well, a friend of mine was recently stressed about an essay, downed about 6 shots of coffee and got shaky so she went to the emergency room. they gave her valium (diazepam) which she now takes almost daily for now reason.

our health systems are crap.

I dont know how it works in america, but i know its different to here because ive been on pbs (restricted) drugs before (roaccutane.) to get a pbs drug prescribed here you have to see a specialist, gp's cant give them to you. for roaccutane i had to be referred to a dermatologist, for psychiatric drugs, you need a psychiatrist. zoloft is a pbs drug here.

[agirl]

Hey -

Meds work differently on each person. I would be wise to give the zoloft a chance,

the dose may need to be adjusted from time to time, but how is the doctor going to

know what is and is not effective on you. I am one of those americans that was

on zoloft also I was on a 200 mg dose along with other meds. Now I am on prozac,

along with other meds. The doctor has had me on so many different meds over the

years, now I am feeling a bit more stable with what I am on now. Like I have

said give the meds a chance to work, and all meds do have side effects, they take

time to get into your system and work properly.

Marchmadness

Yes I agree, drugs work differently for different people.

and yes i agree give the drug a far try. thats the only way you can know what will work.

But i would still say : also get a second opinion.

because if you are having side effects maybe down the road there might be another option.

I am not saying that "wellbrutrin" is miracle drug...I couldn't identify what the side effects were....

I didn't really have any as compared to the others. For the first month it was kind of harder to think.but not dibilitating..it didn't effect my life.

but now its been like 2 months and im back to my old self. and more stable. and generally more happy. I am happy because i am seeing progress. im not hopped up happy.

but ya. only ask for a second opinion and try a different drug if its not working for you.

I was on zoloft when i was 15-16ish... and i improved dramically. 180.

but now in my adult years i also tried it.

and the side effects were dibilitating... so? hmm i dont know what the difference was.