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I'm thinking my meds should be doing more?

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Posted 9/2/2008 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

I spoke to my sister over the weekend and this was a topic of our discussion. She said the meds she was/is on make her feel like she did "in high school". I know I'm a bit better on the 50 mg of Zoloft I take, but nothing anywhere near what my sister describes.

I'm only seeing my GP for medication but am looking into a local psychiatrist to do more.

What are your general impressions with medications? I know there is more work to be done to cure the depression and medication is not the only answer, but when you hear your sister mention that it makes her feel so normal, I wonder if I'm missing out???

Thanks for your feedback!!!

Jim
Posted 9/2/2008 8:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jim,

 

Wow, to feel like I did when I was in high school.  Well, I guess I never did grow up.LOL

 

I take anti depressants and I do feel pretty good for the most part.  I guess that I could say that I mentally feel that good most days.  So I would suggest talking to your doctor and tell him that you think that you should be feeling better.  But as long as you do feel better than before you started them, you know that you are on the right track.  And a lot of times we don't realize we feel bad until we do feel better.

 

I hope that this helps some, don't know if I had the right words for you.  But I would tell the doctor if you don't think you feel as good as you should.  It took me a while to get to where I am emotionally and mentally.  Just last week my psychiatrist said that my depression was in remission.  I was happy to hear that.  It took years for me to feel this good.

 

Best wishes to you,

 

hugs, ...Karen

Posted 9/2/2008 9:49 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Jim,

Wow I too would like to feel like I was 16 again and I could make some wiser choices too.  You have a history of cancer so you have your own set of reasons for your depression issues.  Each person is different and each medication is different.

What works for someone else may not work for you. Some people do better on a combo of meds.  I take Cymbalta but am just starting up Wellbutrin.  The Cymbalta has never made me feel like I am in a good place.  I also take Trazadone for sleep and Buspar for anxiety now as Wellbutrin does not have the antianxiety properties that Cymbalta had.

I hope you can find a psychiatrist soon as they are the ones that know the meds best but remember to advocate for yourself.  My psychiatrist wanted to fire me one day. tongue Oh my........................if that is the worst thing that ever happened to me I would survive.

Kitt

Posted 9/3/2008 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
Karen & Kitt,

Thanks for your kind responses. I just don't know if I'm expecting too much from the meds or not. When I heard my sister say that she felt that good after taking meds for a short time I thought I had missed the boat somehow.

To the doctor I go! It really seems to be the only answer to my issues. My GP got me started, now a psychiatrist can finish it for me.


Jim
Posted 9/3/2008 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
I so hope that the doc can do something to help you to feel better, I will be thinking about you.

Best wishes to a wonderful day.

Hugs, ...Karen
Posted 9/5/2008 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
Jim I was on Zoloft before, and it really did help for awhile, I think  my body build tolerances or my chemical make up just changes or something, so I am no longer on Zoloft, but for the better part of me taking it it really helped, I started on 25mg of it for a week then on to the 50mg, but I found that 100mg was the magic bullet for me. I even went up tp 150, too high, 100mg was perfect. I was one Zoloft at least two years maybe a bit longer.

So I dont know, maybe you need to go up in mgs, I dont know how long you have been on it, but if has been awhile, maybe uping the dose may help.  I think your right the best thing to do is find a phychiatirst. Anyway just sharing my Zoloft experience, and for the most part was good, sometimes I feel I should have never came off of it.  I think it was starting to make me feel anxious is why I discontinued, plus I think I was on a kick of trying to get off all meds(didnt last long even trying to wean off meds you still suffer many nasty withdrawl symptoms, at least that was my experience).  I guess Im weak, they(meds) help me, but the help doesnt stop there I probably should see a therapist, which I cant afford, although I know that would be ideal for me and my family, its time, money etc. But I hope someday we will seek counsling as a family.

Good luck to you, hope you find what helps you the best smurf ...

Posted 9/8/2008 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
What side effects did you guys get from the Zoloft. I am starting it in a few days and would like a little heads up.
Dont mind the weight gain (would love to get back to 150 lbs).
An increase of going to the bathroom is ok if it only lasts a few days or so.

I just want to get this anxiety kicked.
Posted 9/8/2008 5:54 PM (GMT 0)
My intial side effects was i couldnt sleep at night, zoloft made me more energetic, but that soon went away, i did not experience weight gain on the zolfot.  But everyone is different, some it may make sleepy, and gain weight.
Posted 9/8/2008 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't experience any weight gain either, but got bad diahrrea from it. So I had to change to something else. But that might not be the case for you. I hope that it works for you.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 9/8/2008 10:05 PM (GMT 0)

Hey there,

The most common Zoloft side effects included:

  • Nausea -- in up to 30 percent of people
  • Insomnia -- up to 28 percent  
  • Diarrhea or loose stools -- up to 24 percent
  • Dizziness -- up to 17 percent
  • Dry mouth -- up to 16 percent 
  • Fatigue -- up to 16 percent
  • Drowsiness -- up to 15 percent
  • Indigestion -- up to 13 percent
  • Shakiness (tremor) -- up to 11 percent 
  • Loss of appetite -- up to 11 percent
  • Decreased sex drive (libido) -- up to 11 percent.

Good Luck with getting the med started  :)

Kitt

Posted 9/9/2008 10:59 AM (GMT 0)
I did have the slow sex drive, and a hand tremor, i was on it about two years, i really liked it and im wondering why i got off, maybe the sex drive thing blush
Posted 9/9/2008 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
All of those side effects are enough to scare somebody away from the medication. But not all of us have those side effects, that is just what some reported in a study that they did. It is just that when I read that, it scared me. But I did have some problems with zoloft so I can relate to that.

Best wishes for good results.

hugs, Karen
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