Discussions that mention zoloft

17 years ago,I was put on 20mg prozac and my Doctor took me off it 1 year ago. During the Prozac years, I did very well on this drug for the most part. I was magically healed from depression within a week on this med. I remember even the grass looked greener!! Well,the ugly head of depression seem to find me again, a fews years down the road. Wellbrutin was added to the 60 mgs of Prozac. I was depressed as ever, so my Doctor took me off the prozac and wellbrutin a year ago. I was then put on Effexlor and it seem to work for a few months with depression just to return. My Doc, put me on Lexapro, I could not take it..I felt like a pin-ball machine with the zaps it gave me. I am so glad to hear that others on here have had this experience, because when I told my Doc, she looked at me weird as if to say, she never heard of that before..I then was put on Zoloft, and OMG it was horrible for me. I know that some drugs work great for some and not for others. Well I decided 3 weeks ago, that I no longer wanted the drugs anymore. I decided, that my body needed a break. Well, I did feel better just getting off the zoloft, I went through the ZAPS for 2 weeks, what a terrible feeling!! I now am not sleeping as much but my mood swings and crying spells are emince. I am trying to let my feelin out.but I have these outbursts of anger..Why, yesterday I got so outraged doing housework, I sreamed and cried but then felt better afterwards. I am feeling so exhausted and cannot seem to make it through my chores. If I don't feel better in the next few weeks, I am going to let my doc put me on cymbalta I guess. How long does it take for all the meds to be completely be out of your system? My doc, said 2 weeks? If I can answer any questions of my own experience's I certainly will try to help.
Trying to cope.

Quote from pathoftears:

17 years ago,I was put on 20mg prozac and my Doctor took me off it 1 year ago. During the Prozac years, I did very well on this drug for the most part. I was magically healed from depression within a week on this med. I remember even the grass looked greener!! Well,the ugly head of depression seem to find me again, a fews years down the road. Wellbrutin was added to the 60 mgs of Prozac. I was depressed as ever, so my Doctor took me off the prozac and wellbrutin a year ago. I was then put on Effexlor and it seem to work for a few months with depression just to return. My Doc, put me on Lexapro, I could not take it..I felt like a pin-ball machine with the zaps it gave me. I am so glad to hear that others on here have had this experience, because when I told my Doc, she looked at me weird as if to say, she never heard of that before..I then was put on Zoloft, and OMG it was horrible for me. I know that some drugs work great for some and not for others. Well I decided 3 weeks ago, that I no longer wanted the drugs anymore. I decided, that my body needed a break. Well, I did feel better just getting off the zoloft, I went through the ZAPS for 2 weeks, what a terrible feeling!! I now am not sleeping as much but my mood swings and crying spells are emince. I am trying to let my feelin out.but I have these outbursts of anger..Why, yesterday I got so outraged doing housework, I sreamed and cried but then felt better afterwards. I am feeling so exhausted and cannot seem to make it through my chores. If I don't feel better in the next few weeks, I am going to let my doc put me on cymbalta I guess. How long does it take for all the meds to be completely be out of your system? My doc, said 2 weeks? If I can answer any questions of my own experience's I certainly will try to help.
Trying to cope.

I agree with Kimba, it's withdrawal!

Now, even after withdrawal is "officially" over (withdrawal is technically defined as the amount of time it takes for the drug to leave the body), you can still have symptoms because the brain has yet to recover itself from the dependancy it had on the drug for so many years.

Also, it's functions are altered due to adjusting to the constant intake of the chemicals and during the years the brain's defensive action brought on tolerance(aka poop out) and the drugs stopped being effective.

So now you are left with a brain that is crippled, so to speak. It can repair itself; the brain has instincts for survival that no other organs have. It can function right again...the many people who have successfully gotten off psychiatric drugs are proof it can be done, so don't worry.

However, getting back on drugs will just continue the cycle, but it's an option if you really feel like you can't make it without harming yourself or others. If you can be patient and realize withdrawal symptoms may last for awhile but are never permanent, you could perhaps eventually become drug free.

You can help them a bit by eating tryptophan foods, usually found in meat, dairy, fish and some nuts like walnuts....and use starch(bread, juice) to help release the tryptophan's by-product serotonin into the brain.

Fish oil has also been clinically studied and found to relieve depression. THat may help you a bit too. Milk and calcium supplements are good calmers when you feel anxious. Good luck and hope you can do it! :angel:

Kimba and Jennita,
Thank you for responding to me!! the answer to Kimba's question about the Zoloft, My doctor had me on effexlor 75mg then started the zoloft 2 week pack of 25mg-50 mg. Then raised to 100mg after 2 weeks. I tried it for a month and said, I can't not take it anymore. so Doc said to take 1/2 of the dosage of Zoloft for 2 days then quit. She then was going to put me on cymbalta on that Friday. When I went in to see her I told her I was going to stop all the meds, she said ok. I asked if I would have withdrawl symtoms and she said, NO...Yeah right!! I have taken 1mg of Alprazolam at bedtime occasionally..and only...when I feel I need it. I try to stay away from it also, as I know it can be addictive. I should also, let you know that 1 yr ago, i had a hysterectomy as well. I am 48 years old, so am going thur menopause too. I take 1.25mg of Premarin. I do-not feel like hurting myself or others, just feel angry,irritable, sad..I have found that I can laugh again...I mean really laugh, I have not done that in years...so emotionally, I can feel again!! I do want to stay drug free that is my choice..but if, I were to get suicidal, I would definently go back on the ad's. I know these drugs can be so helpful when in this condition. I just felt like my body was rejecting all the meds after so many years of taking them. Again, thank you so much for you information!!
HUGS TO ALL :)

I just wonder what my outcome will be..from all the years on these ad's? I am still suffering from depression..oh yes, but..I was depressed on the drugs as well. It's been almost 4 weeks now, without them and I am still feeling the zaps and a very fuzzy sensation in my head. It's like water in your ear kidda thing?? Also, when I was on the Zoloft, I felt my jaw tightening up? anyone else had this? When I was on the effexlor, my doc had rasied it to 300mg a day, I felt more energry, sure.. but with heart palpations. So I went back down to 150mg per day. The reason Doc took me off effexlor was I was having photosenitivity to the sun. You would not believe the rash I thought was poision ivy at frist, that lasted this whole summer. The rash was on my arms, chest and ears only. Being a lover of the outdoors, keeps me sane :) I had to finally get off it. I have seen on the mess boards, that some people have lost weight going off the ad's. My question is, how long did it take before you noticed that? I am not going to blame the ad's for my weight gain, but was hoping I would lose some too.Thanks to all of you, for your support!!! This is my new "therapy" as I venture on drug-free.

I am so happy to hear you are doing very well!!!yay!!! good job, Kimba!!:) This past year I was switched from Effexlor, doc wanted me to take up to 300mg..but, I could not tolerate it, my heart raced and did the flip-overs. So I just took 100mg then went up to 150mg, which I seem to handle ok, but I was still depressed...all summer I slept..So that is when doc changed my meds to: Lexapro, Zoloft with the effexlor. I did have to wean off the effelor during that time. So maybe the Zoloft helped with that, I dunno? I took the Zoloft for 1 month..that is all I could stand..it will be 5 weeks this coming Wed Oct, 27th. On the 16th of Sept. Doc told me to take the zoloft everyother day then stop it on the 22nd of Sept.She was going to let me try Cymbalta...on that Friday..I told HER NO!!!I didn't want anymore, done...I sure did stop it...and haven't taken any more of ad's since. The only thing I have taken is xanax to sleep but rarely..don't want to get addicted to that!! Yeah, my Doc said that none of these drugs are addictive..hahaha Well we know better don't we?? Also, she said, no withdrawls..I would like her to be in my body,,,and feel how I feel..I had another awful day..So, I thought I would get out and do some shopping..seems to always make me feel a lil better..Well I just ran in and got some oil for my car and came home and went to bed. I am so weak and tired I cannot stand this..it's horrible. I just hope I can hold out and not fall back into the trap of ad's again..I dunno, I want my life back..geeesh..This board is really helping me, getting to vent and see that others are going thru the same things...I am happy to hear you are doing well:) Hopefully I will too,,some day real soon..

Quote from pathoftears:

I am so happy to hear you are doing very well!!!yay!!! good job, Kimba!!:) This past year I was switched from Effexlor, doc wanted me to take up to 300mg..but, I could not tolerate it, my heart raced and did the flip-overs. So I just took 100mg then went up to 150mg, which I seem to handle ok, but I was still depressed...all summer I slept..So that is when doc changed my meds to: Lexapro, Zoloft with the effexlor. I did have to wean off the effelor during that time. So maybe the Zoloft helped with that, I dunno? I took the Zoloft for 1 month..that is all I could stand..it will be 5 weeks this coming Wed Oct, 27th. On the 16th of Sept. Doc told me to take the zoloft everyother day then stop it on the 22nd of Sept.She was going to let me try Cymbalta...on that Friday..I told HER NO!!!I didn't want anymore, done...I sure did stop it...and haven't taken any more of ad's since. The only thing I have taken is xanax to sleep but rarely..don't want to get addicted to that!! Yeah, my Doc said that none of these drugs are addictive..hahaha Well we know better don't we?? Also, she said, no withdrawls..I would like her to be in my body,,,and feel how I feel..I had another awful day..So, I thought I would get out and do some shopping..seems to always make me feel a lil better..Well I just ran in and got some oil for my car and came home and went to bed. I am so weak and tired I cannot stand this..it's horrible. I just hope I can hold out and not fall back into the trap of ad's again..I dunno, I want my life back..geeesh..This board is really helping me, getting to vent and see that others are going thru the same things...I am happy to hear you are doing well:) Hopefully I will too,,some day real soon..

It's very courageous to do what you are doing. Taking Benedryl helped me through some of my worst days of withdrawal. Also, over-the-counter sleep aids.

Good luck!