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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ace on February 20, 2003, at 19:59:18
Zoloft, out of all the SSRIs, according to Dr. Stuart Shipko (a neurologist & psychiatrist), is especially liable to cause serious long term clinical depression on withdrawal.
I can personally testify to this. A lot do not experience it if they change drugs. But the first time I stopped zoloft, after about 5 weeks a black depression kicked in. I am SURE this was due to Zoloft, as I never befor suffered any depression apart from moderate episodic depression (Very occasionally serious depression).
The depression from Zoloft was horrendous - nothing I'd ever had before. Motivation was 0. Every which way I turned I was trapped.
I was treated for anxiety probs with Zoloft )esp. OCD) -- It barely helped OCD, it didn't touch my derealization or phobic anxiety. BUT this is the interesting point -- on withdrawal, after 2 or 3 weeks, the derealization and phobic anxiety good extremely bad. So, in the first place it doesn't help a prob when on the drug, but on withdrawal makes it worse! Great stuff Zoloft!
If you are going off Zoloft I would reccomend switching to another drug -- at least to stop the Zoloft withdrawal. All this stuff about Zoloft withdrawal being confined to 'zaps' and nausea, GI distress etc. (for 2 weeks or so) is not true, in my opinion.
Dr. Shipko has evn said that the depression from Z withdrawal may take months to pass. I had to re-start the drug to get out of the pain.
Thankfull, the second time I got off it I went straight to the Antidepressant which is head and shoulders above ALL else --NARDIL.
Ace.
Zoloft sux.
Posted by sienna on February 20, 2003, at 23:20:49
In reply to Beware!,long-term depression from Zoloft withdrawa, posted by ace on February 20, 2003, at 19:59:18
Different people react differently to medications. Theres no need to knock a specific drug or category. There are many people who have had their lives saved by these drugs. Paxil didnt agree with me, and neither did Zyprexa but they helped a lot of people. Just because I didnt like them doesnt mean they suck. I dont doubt that what you say happened, happened. And its terrible that you had to go through that. Not everyone will though. And I just fear that people will be afraid to try any medication because of their reaction to the posts out there in cyberspace about this person or thats reaction to a drug.
Sienna
Posted by ace on February 20, 2003, at 23:41:15
In reply to Its been a lifesaver for me, posted by sienna on February 20, 2003, at 23:20:49
> Different people react differently to medications. Theres no need to knock a specific drug or category. There are many people who have had their lives saved by these drugs. Paxil didnt agree with me, and neither did Zyprexa but they helped a lot of people. Just because I didnt like them doesnt mean they suck. I dont doubt that what you say happened, happened. And its terrible that you had to go through that. Not everyone will though. And I just fear that people will be afraid to try any medication because of their reaction to the posts out there in cyberspace about this person or thats reaction to a drug.
>
> SiennaThat's great Sienna, but the topic I raise is not really about it's efficacy, but rather it's withdrawal profile. And it's been conclusively proven SSRIs have the worst withdrawal profile of all AD's.
Ace.
Posted by Katia on February 20, 2003, at 23:51:12
In reply to Its been a lifesaver for me, posted by sienna on February 20, 2003, at 23:20:49
On that note, can I hear any positive responses people have had on Zoloft? I have just started it a month ago transitioning from Effexor (now THAT'S HELL to get off of).
> Different people react differently to medications. Theres no need to knock a specific drug or category. There are many people who have had their lives saved by these drugs. Paxil didnt agree with me, and neither did Zyprexa but they helped a lot of people. Just because I didnt like them doesnt mean they suck. I dont doubt that what you say happened, happened. And its terrible that you had to go through that. Not everyone will though. And I just fear that people will be afraid to try any medication because of their reaction to the posts out there in cyberspace about this person or thats reaction to a drug.
>
> Sienna
Posted by viridis on February 21, 2003, at 0:05:12
In reply to Zoloft working for anyone?, posted by Katia on February 20, 2003, at 23:51:12
This isn't positive -- Zoloft was absolutely the most unpleasant drug I've ever taken. I had bizarre mood swings, anger, anxiety, and essentially it just freaked me out. I told my pdoc about my reaction, and he agreed that I should stop it immediately. But, SSRIs are bad news for me, so it wasn't a total surprise -- Zoloft was just the worst. Others may react very differently though; this is only my experience.
Posted by Rainbowlight on February 21, 2003, at 1:32:53
In reply to Re: Zoloft working for anyone? » Katia, posted by viridis on February 21, 2003, at 0:05:12
I take Zoloft for anxiety. It is one of the few SSRI's I can tolerate. I only take 50 mgs. per day. It has worked well for me.
Posted by sienna on February 21, 2003, at 12:25:17
In reply to Re: Zoloft working for anyone?, posted by Rainbowlight on February 21, 2003, at 1:32:53
Like i stated before, its really been a lifesaver for me. I have schizoaffective disorder and am often paranoid, depressed, agoraphobic, etc. Before I started taking zoloft, I was very suicidal. Zoloft has seriously improved my mood, I am not depressed anymore. I am able to function at a fairly high level and go to college and study Physics and higher math.
Sienna
Posted by sienna on February 21, 2003, at 12:28:25
In reply to Re: Its been a lifesaver for me » sienna, posted by ace on February 20, 2003, at 23:41:15
Many people have come off zoloft fine with tapering. Yes you are right, if not tapered correctly, SSRI withdrawal can be bad, but for some people the benefits outweigh the negatives.
Sienna
Posted by shar on February 21, 2003, at 13:23:55
In reply to Zoloft working for anyone?, posted by Katia on February 20, 2003, at 23:51:12
Yes, Zoloft worked extremely well for me. It was the very best med, most effective, I've ever taken. Unfortunately, it pooped out after a number of months, even after raising the dose.
I will, however, always feel grateful that for a few months I got to know what it was like to feel "normal." I couldn't believe it, it felt SO wonderful.
Shar
Posted by Katia on February 22, 2003, at 23:31:33
In reply to Re: Zoloft working for anyone? » Katia, posted by shar on February 21, 2003, at 13:23:55
How many months? What have you tried since? I've gotten glimpses of that "normal" feeling with other ADs, but they pooped out too.
> Yes, Zoloft worked extremely well for me. It was the very best med, most effective, I've ever taken. Unfortunately, it pooped out after a number of months, even after raising the dose.
>
> I will, however, always feel grateful that for a few months I got to know what it was like to feel "normal." I couldn't believe it, it felt SO wonderful.
>
> Shar
Posted by shar on February 24, 2003, at 14:10:52
In reply to Thanks for everyone's input - Shar, posted by Katia on February 22, 2003, at 23:31:33
> How many months?
.........This was many years ago, and I think I was on it close to a year. The poop out started about 7 or 8 months into it, I think.
>What have you tried since?
........Gee, would that my memory still existed! Let's see, I've tried Serzone, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Prozac (prior to Zoloft), amitriptyline, Risperdal. I think that covers most of them. Oh, SAM-E and Adrafinil. I still take Wellbutrin, but I'm at too low a dose to notice much because I don't have medical insurance and can't afford it.
>I've gotten glimpses of that "normal" feeling with other ADs, but they pooped out too.
.........My pdoc at the time said Zoloft was well-known for pooping out. Nothing I've tried sense has come close to the effectiveness of Zoloft, but Risperdal did help.
Shar
>>
>
> > Yes, Zoloft worked extremely well for me. It was the very best med, most effective, I've ever taken. Unfortunately, it pooped out after a number of months, even after raising the dose.
> >
> > I will, however, always feel grateful that for a few months I got to know what it was like to feel "normal." I couldn't believe it, it felt SO wonderful.
> >
> > Shar
>
>
This is the end of the thread.
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