Hi everyone! I'm new here. I found this discussion board while Googling. I was looking up how to taper off Zoloft, when I came upong this site. :) I'm glad I did, because after reading/replying to a few posts, it looks like you have a nice support set-up going on.

Anyway, I'm currently taking Zoloft and Wellbutrin for depression for about 4 years. I'm trying to ween myself off the Zoloft first, because that seems to be the one with the most annoying side effects. Then, I'll work on getting off the Wellbutrin. I was diagnosed with mild depression and put on meds in '99, but I should have been medicated sooner. It all started in '97, the year I wish didn't exist. It started when my brother died. He was bi-polar, but we didn't figure it out until it was too late, and he commit suicide. Then later that year, I met my husband, we dated for 7 months, then I got pregnant. With my strict religious family, the pregnancy was a major factor in my upcoming depression. I had to quickly get married, so that my belly wouldn't show at the wedding, so as not to put any more shame on my family than I already had. After having my baby, and dealing with a husband who was self-centered, I started to feel like I was going to crack. I cried all the time. Pretty much every night. I felt hatred towards my husband, and resented him for getting me pregnant. I decided it was time to get to a psychiatrist and get some meds.

Now, I am divorced, and dating a very special guy. I have been pretty stable for a year or so now (ever since the divorce was final) and I'm finally getting back to the old happy "me." If it weren't for all the traumatic events in '97 and '98, I don't think I'd have depression. So, that's why I'm trying to taper off the drugs, and hopefully live a normal/happy life without meds.

Anyway, sorry about the novel above. I thought I'd give you all a proper introduction to myself, and why I've joined your group. :)

I've been through a lot of rough times, so I might have some insight into certain situations which you might find yourself in. I'd love to be of help to anyone who needs it.

Take care and nice to meet you all!!

Karen :wave:

Hi Karen! :bouncing:

Hi Karen, and welcome to the boards! I think you'll love it here--I know I do. I find so much support and caring from others just like me. And not only on the depression board either, I can post pretty much any question, and get some sort of response. Thanks for letting us all know that you'll be there to support us in the future too. I'm sorry to hear about your situation--it definitely sounds like a tough one to be in, and I think that you're very strong for going through everything you've been through, and you still seem to have your head on straight. I personally don't know if I'd be able to hold up through all of that. Anyways, hope you like the boards and take care!

Welcome Karen :)
Lots of great people here. I'm the resident Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) cheerleader and learning the tools in CBT was what enabled me to get off meds after being on them for over ten years. You may want to look into it as it teaches you tools to think more clearly and keep anxiety and depression at bay. My favorite starter book on cbt is "been there, done that? Do this! By sam obitz if you're interested and many universities offer cbt programs for little or no charge. Again welcome to the boards!

Billy

Hey billy, thanks for the book recommedation. I will definitely check it out.

Karen :)

Hey billy, thanks for the book recommedation. I will definitely check it out.

Karen :)

Hi Karen-
I think you will like it and hopefully it will motivate you to get involved in a CBT group too :) Let me know if I can be of any further help and if you have any questions :confused:

Keep in touch!

Billy

Hi Karen,

I'm brand new to this board as well. Thanks for introducing yourself. It's great that you feel your situation is turning around and you will hopefully be able to be off the anti depressants soon. Although I believe depression has a strong physiological basis, Life circumstances DO contribute significantly.

I was curious about the combination of meds that you're taking. I'm currently on Wellbutrin and it is working great for depression but not for anxiety...I think its actually making it worse. Are you taking Zoloft for anxiety or also for depression. I'm afraid to start Zoloft b/c of the terrible side effects I hear about. Wellbutrin has virtually none which is what I love about it. I would love to hear more about your experience taking both drugs at once.

thanks for your help! -Marie

Hi Karen,

I'm brand new to this board as well. Thanks for introducing yourself. It's great that you feel your situation is turning around and you will hopefully be able to be off the anti depressants soon. Although I believe depression has a strong physiological basis, Life circumstances DO contribute significantly.

I was curious about the combination of meds that you're taking. I'm currently on Wellbutrin and it is working great for depression but not for anxiety...I think its actually making it worse. Are you taking Zoloft for anxiety or also for depression. I'm afraid to start Zoloft b/c of the terrible side effects I hear about. Wellbutrin has virtually none which is what I love about it. I would love to hear more about your experience taking both drugs at once.

thanks for your help! -Marie

Welcome to the boards Marie :wave: Lots of good people here :angel:

Billy

Hello there Karen
I am new win here myself and I have really enjoyed reading everything. Your story sounds alot like mine too.
Are you from kentucky also ( just wondered by your name kywhite ??)

Hi Karen,
I'm a little bit new here too, sort of. I just thought I'd mention we have something in common. Unplanned pregnancy, wacky marriage. But I'm still in my wacky marriage. We have two kids now. And we're both seing separate therapists... and sleeping in separate rooms. Well, welcome to the boards, and I hope you can continue on your upward trends. If I see any posts by you in the future, I'll see if I have any input that could be useful, although I can't claim to know about tapering off meds.

hi kywhite72, I'm pretty new here too. I was in a cbt group and I can't say enough about how great it was for me! We used the Obitz book in our group and I suffered from panic disorder and depression so I also used Mastery of your Anxiety and Panic-Third Edition by Craske and Barlow and both were great books on cbt.
:jester:

Hi everyone! I'm new here. I found this discussion board while Googling. I was looking up how to taper off Zoloft, when I came upong this site. :) I'm glad I did, because after reading/replying to a few posts, it looks like you have a nice support set-up going on.

Anyway, I'm currently taking Zoloft and Wellbutrin for depression for about 4 years. I'm trying to ween myself off the Zoloft first, because that seems to be the one with the most annoying side effects. Then, I'll work on getting off the Wellbutrin. I was diagnosed with mild depression and put on meds in '99, but I should have been medicated sooner. It all started in '97, the year I wish didn't exist. It started when my brother died. He was bi-polar, but we didn't figure it out until it was too late, and he commit suicide. Then later that year, I met my husband, we dated for 7 months, then I got pregnant. With my strict religious family, the pregnancy was a major factor in my upcoming depression. I had to quickly get married, so that my belly wouldn't show at the wedding, so as not to put any more shame on my family than I already had. After having my baby, and dealing with a husband who was self-centered, I started to feel like I was going to crack. I cried all the time. Pretty much every night. I felt hatred towards my husband, and resented him for getting me pregnant. I decided it was time to get to a psychiatrist and get some meds.

Now, I am divorced, and dating a very special guy. I have been pretty stable for a year or so now (ever since the divorce was final) and I'm finally getting back to the old happy "me." If it weren't for all the traumatic events in '97 and '98, I don't think I'd have depression. So, that's why I'm trying to taper off the drugs, and hopefully live a normal/happy life without meds.

Anyway, sorry about the novel above. I thought I'd give you all a proper introduction to myself, and why I've joined your group. :)

I've been through a lot of rough times, so I might have some insight into certain situations which you might find yourself in. I'd love to be of help to anyone who needs it.

Take care and nice to meet you all!!

Karen :wave:

hi karen- :wave:
i'm new too ! nice to meet you!

Welcome stargazer13 :wave:

Billy