Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Zoloft

Can my libido recover from two months of Zoloft?

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:54:12 -0800

Choosing my penis over the pills. How long will it take my libido to recover after a few months of Zoloft? First a bit of background: 26-year-old guy here, nonsmoker, fit as a fiddle, with no health issues whatsoever outside of an occasionally crippling mix of anxiety and depression. I was diagnosed seven years ago, but had always refused to go on anti-depressants. Instead, I've kept the mood monsters at bay with vigorous exercise, a decent diet, and regular talk therapy.

Which worked pretty well until this past winter.

I lost my job, then spent nine months unemployed, financially panicked, and generally terrified about the nosedive my life seemed to be taking. So after months of freaking out to my therapist, I finally took her advice, bit the bullet, and filled a prescription for Zoloft. Started out on 25mg for a week, then ramped up to 50mg. I had done enough research to know that the antidepressant was pretty much guaranteed to torpedo my sex drive. But I was desperate.

And the medication worked. I chilled out, managed to get my feet back under me, and even found some part-time work. Best of all, I met a beautiful girl, with whom I’m totally compatible, and we started dating—and making out, and getting naked together.

And that’s the problem. The Zoloft has snuffed out my libido, and my erection—once my most reliable companion—has grown a bit fickle. It isn’t a physical problem. I can still get it up. And I can even stroke myself to orgasm when alone (if I really concentrate and keep physical stimulation constant). But in the throes of some pretty heated foreplay, my mind seems to simply lose interest, and I can’t stay hard.

The thing is, even in my darkest periods before the Zoloft, my sex drive stayed constant. And voracious. Masturbating 4 to 6 times per week, morning wood, healthy erections. A few months ago, I would have jumped at the chance to jump the girl I’m with. Now I can’t make it to the condom phase.

And I can tell that my lack of sexual advances is starting to give my new girl pause.

So I’m getting off the Zoloft. I’m down to 12mg per day (cutting the 25mg pills in half). And I plan to be completely done with it another five days or so. I’d rather be a tad moody and getting laid than emotionally numb and celibate.

How long will it take for my libido to return? Has anyone out there quit an antidepressant to win their sex life back? How long until you felt confident again?

Also, what can I do in the meantime to facilitate stronger urges? I’ve started taking Korean red ginseng. I’m doing mad Keegles. And I’ve committed to not looking at porn for a week straight. Any other supplements I should be looking into? Ginko Biloba? Emergen-C?

And how can I bring this up with my gal?

Does going off psychiatric meds make me more crazy, or less?

TheBones — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:00:01 -0800

Another depression meds question Currently I am on 100 mg of zoloft and 200 mg of lamictal. I have been on cymbalta in the past (60 mg). I just switched psychiatrists and my new psychiatrist has suggested that I try going off of meds, first zoloft (very slowly- 1/2 dose for 14 days, half that 14 days, etc) and then the lamictal (very slowly as well).

I definitely feel over-medicated, like there is a layer of lacquer over me keeping me from really feeling anything. I also really don't have much drive, other than to sleep, right now.

This seems like a good idea, but it also really scares the hell out of me!

I have had a really bad 6 months and have finally started to get my life back in order- going to a therapist once a week, not drinking any more, finally moving closer to my wife, etc.

I was in a great place a year ago, but this past year was really bad, mentally, emotionally and physically.

I know you are not my psychiatrist and you are not my doctor, but am looking for anectdotal information on coming off of these drugs and how you best handled it. What were your issues with each drug, what went well.

Any sort of reassurance, or scary stories, would be great.

Thanks!

"One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small..."

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:56:46 -0800

I'm beginning to feel like I am taking too many pills. Should I be?....I know YANMD/YANAD. I've been on Vyvanse for about a year, birth control (quasense) and have just started on Zoloft. I also use a prescription shampoo and a prescription scalp solution for skin issues. My GP also believes I have Gilbert's syndrome.

I've seen conflicting articles on if it is okay to take Vyvanse and Zoloft together and feel like now there is just too many chemicals in the mix.

Also, the zoloft is making me clench my jaw (happened when I started the vyvanse too). I am fairly certain it will resolve itself as my body gets used to the new medicine, but in the meantime, my jaw is so sore and I have a massive headache from clenching my jaw. I would love to take a tylenol or something as I have spent the last 24 hours in tremendous pain (I can still function, but it is like trying to work/drive/cook while someone is driving thumbtacks into the back of your head), but I have also seen scary articles on taking vyvanse/aspirin & zoloft/aspirin & having GS/aspirin.

I'm going to call the doctor in the morning re the teeth clenching/headaches.

But I am hoping maybe someone else here has gone through a similar experience and could share their peals of wisdom:

Am I being paranoid about too many drugs in my body?

Zoloft is making me fat. Help!

Lutoslawski — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0800

I've been on zoloft for a year, and just started taking wellbutrin in addition. Zoloft has made me gain quite a bit of weight, even though I exercise regularly and eat well. How have other people dealt with this?

Any recommendations for a helpful mental health practitioner person in the area of Portland, Oregon?

brisquette — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:25:55 -0800

Any recommendations for a helpful mental health practitioner person in the area of Portland, Oregon? After a few stressful months of medication issues, my boyfriend and I have lost a lot of faith in our psychiatrist, and are looking for additional forms of help and advice, whether a therapist, counselor, or even just a different psychiatrist. We'd both been on ADD medication for a while (I'm on Adderall, he was taking Vyvanse) when my boyfriend (Charles) began to feel that maybe he was depressed. So in January, on the next trip to the psychiatrist, the doctor gave him a prescription for Zoloft. That seemed to be going pretty well, but I didn't ask too many questions about it because I didn't want him to feel weird about being on anti-depressants.

A month later, his prescription ran out right as we were leaving on a 2 week vacation to the other side of the country, and my kind and funny boyfriend started acting like a manic irritable whackjob who saw mystical signs everywhere.

Once we got back to Portland, I managed to get him into the doctor's office again after a week or so, and by the end of the session the doctor was worried enough to put Charles on Zoloft for a little longer, but had him taper down over about a week. The doctor also sent home a sample bottle of Zyprexa, with vague instructions ("take this if stuff gets too much, or if you get too irritable.). This curbed the manic behaviour, and things settled down for a while, but he was still acting weird and saying weird things, and our friends started to notice and get concerned.

This gets us to the beginning of April, when I get a call from Charles' work, since I'm his emergency contact. They think it's best if I come pick him up. They had a meeting to discuss his erratic behaviour, and it became obvious he wasn't in a mental state to talk about it. So another round of calls and doctors appointments and now meetings with human resource folks follows. The doctor now decides that mood stabilizers are in order. Hellooo, Tegretol.

Life has calmed down a bit. My boyfriend's on meds, he's back at work, and we can talk and hang out and be a couple again. Although his work and his union has been really great about all of this, it's been a downer for our relationship and our friendship. Walking down the street can be overwhelming for him. After months of coping with all the ups and downs, I'm starting to get exasperated, even though I know better.

We both are carrying a grudge against our doctor, for various reasons. Neither of us feel that he gives enough practical information about the medication he dispenses. The recent incidents surrounding the antidepressants made me remember how little info I got when the same doctor first put me on Adderall. I used the internet like crazy, but it feels like I had to dig up my own solutions, even though this guy is supposed to be really good at ADD stuff.

My impression is that the doctor didn't give my partner enough warning about how anti-depressants are sort of a big deal, and the last thing you want to do is go off of them suddenly.

Our doctor also seems too willing to indulge philosophical meanderings, which is fine when you're feeling normal, but even when Charles was getting over the paranoid, manic episodes, the doctor didn't tone down the philosophy, and it left Charles feeling weird.

The last time we saw the doctor together, the doctor said that the episodes and behavior were signs of something that probably would have come out anyway, in a couple years. After spending the last couple months scouring the Psych/Disorders section at the bookstore, I do see his point, but it's also really hard not to have him even even acknowledge that maybe none of this would have happened if my partner had just stayed on the medication. I have close friends who've given me way better practical advice than our doctor has, and that's disappointing.

So I'd like to go see a new doctor, psychiatrist or otherwise . Charles is a little burnt out on meds and doctors right now, but accepts that after the last couple of months, it's important to have someone sane to check in with every now and then. He's still on the Tegretol, but is disgruntled about the apparent complications that medication has brought into his life.

I don't know enough about the big wide world of mental health people to know exactly the term for what I'm looking for. Someone who can be practical about real life, someone who will help us find our personal goals and then follow through with them. Someone who's good at talking to a couple of ADD twentysomethings.

Can't I be happy AND be able to have an orgasm?

The Dutchman — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:57:53 -0800

Argh. So, a while back I was diagnosed with dysthymia (which is a clinical term for long-term moody, irritable, melancholy, anxious...while not quite clinically depressed and not quite having anxiety disorder). I've felt this way forever, and I'm trying to figure out my next step. I was in therapy for at least 10 years and made a lot of progress on a personal level, but it never really translated to a higher happiness baseline or less anxiety. I tried CBT for a while, but didn't find it particularly effective. About 8 months ago, after contemplating it for most of my adult life, I finally decided to try anti-depressants. As far as my mood goes, they were great! They made me feel a lot less down, a lot more like the self I want to be and a lot more in-line with the very good state of my life. They weren't quite as effective with the anxiety, but it was still an improvement -- at least acceptable.

I would still be on them, were it not for the side effects. Zoloft gave me tremors, made me jittery, made it hard to settle down and get to sleep at night, and gave me delayed or non-existent orgasms, so I switched to Lexapro. That was much better with the tremors and the jitteryness, and I was on it for about 6 months. However, I still had the sexual side-effects. My psychiatrist added some Wellbutrin to combat those, but instead they made them much worse. My sexuality is very important to me and, when soon after I started dating my girlfriend, it just became intolerable and kinda gave up on the meds and tapered them off.

That was a couple of months ago. My sexual response has returned (thankfully!), but so has my moody, melancholy, anxious blah blah crappity crap.

So...what now? Go back to trying various meds (I would go to a new psychiatrist as I wasn't thrilled with my previous one)? Or, the naturopathic doctor my friend saw for her post-partum depression and liked a lot? I feel pretty done with talk therapy and pretty confident that this is a chemical/physiological issue.

I would be happy to be on the Zoloft or Lexapro for ever and ever if not for the intolerable sexual side effects.

I guess I'm also feeling a bit discouraged...so if anyone wants to say, "Hey, I had a similar thing and kept working at it and finally triumphed, so keep it up!" I'd appreciate that kinda thing, too.

Thanks!

Bad Not-Quite-Dreams

Anonymous — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:00:55 -0800

After many years of chronic depression I have finally achieved a reasonable facsimile of mental health. Except... When I close my eyes for sleep I am troubled by visions of killing myself in various gruesome ways. These visions range from flashes to full-blown plans, but they are uniformly gory and highly disturbing. I do not know exactly how long this has been going on, but my guess is for at least half a year.

To be clear: I do not wish to harm myself or anyone else; when I do remember them (because these visions never jump from the pre-sleep stage to full-blown dream) I am disturbed but rarely suicidal. And I know myself well enough to realize when I need to take the necessary steps to ensure I will remain among the living.

I've been on these meds (zoloft and occasional trazadone) for a year and a half. After discussing the pre-sleep visions with my shrink, he doubled the recommended dose of trazadone from 50 to 100mg, and recommended I "try to think about something else." He did not have answers to my concerns about this advice, namely the increased dependency/decreasing effectiveness of trazadone over time. Also I am unsure how to follow the second bit of advice: how does one let one's mind relax while concentrating on something one is trying not to think about? (Don't think of purple anteaters!) (Too late!)

Although the visions of self-harm only occur when I prepare for sleep it is beginning to affect the rest of my life. I realized I was staying up later, and reading far beyond the point of being tired, in order to avoid them. They are that bloody.

Have you ever experienced this? How did you recover, or learn to deal with it?

Is it possible there is another factor at play here? Lack of exercise? Mold spores? Brain tumor?

I am a single mid-thirties male and can be reached at badnotquitedreams@gmail.com.

Heart racing/pounding upon waking up.

desjardins — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:07:15 -0800

Heart racing/pounding upon waking up. This happens in the morning and also when I take naps. Relevant info: female, 34, no tobacco, moderate drinker, slightly underweight, no chronic physical issues. Blood pressure is usually on the low end of normal range. I almost always get 7-8 uninterrupted hours sleep/night and have no trouble falling asleep or waking up.

I am taking Lamictal, Zoloft, and Klonopin for anxiety/depression. Klonopin slows down the racing heart, but I dislike taking it in the morning because it makes me drowsy. I can't pinpoint when this started, but it seems like a few months ago. I do have panic attacks, but the racing heart has never been a symptom before. Besides, most of my panic is related to social phobia, so it doesn't make sense that I would feel that immediately upon waking. Note that this happens while I'm still lying down - I'm not getting up too fast.

I called my psychiatrist; he doesn't think it's related to the medication, and doesn't have any solid ideas. I got a pretty thorough workup in the hospital in July (was there for neurological stuff, not heart related, though they did do an EKG) and got a clean bill of health. Where should I go from here?

Does Zoloft dull creativity?

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:58:17 -0800

Does Zoloft dull creativity? I'm taking a low dose of Zoloft and have noticed that my creativity is blunted. While this could be because depression makes me more creative, it could also be because Zoloft dulls my creative responses. If you have taken or are taking Zoloft, how has it affected your creativity? And how did you recover it?

Did Zoloft work for you?

Anonymous — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:15:47 -0800

Anyone have positive experiences with Zoloft? I just started on 25mg of Zoloft to treat anxiety and depression. I'm terrified of getting unpleasant side effects and I know that this can happen until the positive effects kick in.

I'm one of those people who does way too much research on medications and it always screws with my head to see too much negative feedback online. It would be very encouraging to hear from people who have had a good experience with the drug to stick with it.

SSRIs and weight

btkuhn — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:29:58 -0800

Why do some people lose weight on SSRIs, while other people gain weight, with no changes in food intake or activity level? I've used various antidepressants in the past and find that I lose weight while on Zoloft, without changing my food intake or activity level. I know that others gain weight on SSRIs. Friends that are on various antidepressants sometimes say that the drugs increase/decrease their appetite and that's why they lose/gain weight, but many say that their food intake does not change and they still gain/lose. In my case I'm sure that neither my intake or activity change because I keep track (somewhat obsessively - one reason I'm on the drugs in the first place.

So my question is, what's the mechanism behind weight/loss gain from antidepressants (why does it happen)? Do SSRIs directly effect one's metabolism, or do they cause you to retain more water, or something entirely different? And why would the effect be different (gaining vs losing) for different people, seemingly on a random basis?

I did a search on pubmed and was surprised that all I really found was one article addressing the topic:

http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v25/n10/full/0801729a.html

It talks about corticotropin-releasing hormone but is hardly conclusive. Is this just one of those mysteries?

A Zolofteron pill would be nice

howiamdifferent — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:48:05 -0800

Is it okay to start taking Zoloft while still on (and tapering off) Remeron? I am currently taking 37.5mg of Remeron every night, and have been using it since 2005 mainly for insomnia and anxiety. My reason for wanting to substitute it with Zoloft is the weight gain and the mad appetite for carbs and sweets. I am scared of going into Zoloft directly because of its known insomnia side-effect, and hoping that Remeron will ease things for me at the beginning until it vanishes or becomes tolerable.

My doctor says it's okay to do this, but I want to hear from someone who has gone through a similar situation.

Also, is it true that Zoloft doesn't generally cause wight gain as much as Remeron? I would love to hear from Zoloft users about their weight gain/loss and appetite experience.

I know I am pushing it, but is there a magical anti-anxiety pill that doesn't have insomnia and weight gain as part of its SEs?

Wired living through chemistry (and coffee)?

missuswayne — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:41:10 -0800

Is this a reaction to my meds or am I just overcaffienated? I have been on Zoloft for about 8 years for depression with a bit of anxiety. Currently on 50mg/day. I've also started taking Zyrtec and Rhinocort Aqua for bad allergies - been on them since July. I usually drink about 2 1/2 cups of coffee (Starbucks - Colombia) a day - mugs, actually, but not big ones. I have noticed that I am totally wired, in a hands-shaking kind of way, and irritable until about lunchtime (about 4-5 hours after taking my meds, all at the same time) and I'm wondering if this is possibly a normal reaction to taking this combo. I'm drinking about the same amount of coffee as I ever have, and I don't recall this sort of thing happening to this extent.

Other potentially relevant info: I breastfeed. I am slightly sleep deprived.

I have a dr. appt coming up in a couple weeks, so I'll ask then, but just wondering if anyone else has had this experience.

What have all these prescription drugs done to me?

Drohan — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 16:26:04 -0800

What has a decade anti-anxiety medication done to me? You name it, I've probably been on it at one time or another--Serzone, Topamax, Prozac, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, BuSpar, Gabitril, Provigil, Klonopin, Ativan, Lexapro, Seroquel...the list goes on.

I've gone from my early 20s to my early 30s constantly on some combination of medication to combat Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Some of the drugs I've been on have been to combat the major side effects (weight gain & sexual dysfunction) of the main drugs. I've also been in therapy the whole time.

At this point, I'm still experiencing anxiety, which I hope to deal with with yet another cocktail of drugs/therapy. I'm on 20mg of Cymbalta and 2mg of klonopin a day. I'm trying to go off the Cymbalta because it doesn't seem to be working. I just went off Seroquel because it was making it impossible to wake up and I had a feeling it was causing a huge explosion in weight gain.

My question: Will I ever be "normal" again? Now that I've gone off the Seroquel, will I have an easier time losing weight? Will I ever get my sex drive back? Before all these drugs, I had a really healthy sex drive. Even in the few months between being on SSRIs etc. over the past decade, my sex drive hasn't magically come back. Am I doomed to be overweight and sex-drive-less from an early adulthood of pharmacological roulette?

How long does Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro or similar depression drugs take to kick in?

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:23:34 -0800

How long does Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro or similar anti-depressants drug take to kick in? After several months of denying it, I'm pretty damn well clinically depressed. I plan on seeking abundant medical help, thanks very much. I'd like to try a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. How long does it typically take for one to feel the effects of a typical course of medication?

ssri's and permanent side-effects

Anonymous — Tue, 01 May 2007 22:07:11 -0800

Long, complex, embarrassing question about SSRI's and permanent sexual side-effects. This will be long and detailed, so here's the summary: 35 year old male, spent about 2 years on and off different combinations of Zoloft and Wellbutrin, experienced sexual side effects, have been off all meds for 2 1/2 years, side effects still remain.

And now the details:
After many years of depression, at 31 I saw a doctor and reluctantly went on Zoloft. It worked wonders and made me feel great almost instantly. Only problem was the sexual side effects. It was almost impossible to ejaculate, and when I finally did the orgasm was hardly what it used to be. I barely felt anything, more of a relief that it was over. The doctor added Wellbutrin but that didn't seem to help much. About 6 months in, I started dating a girl so I went off the Zoloft but kept taking the Wellbutrin. I was able to ejaculate but the feeling was still about 20% of what it used to be. Eventually I went off of everything, relationship ended, side effects seemed to go away, but mood of course went south. After about 6 months I started up Zoloft again. Side effects returned. Doctor had me ween off the Zoloft after a few months and added a stronger dosage of Wellbutrin. The Wellbutrin just didn't work for the mood, so he upped the dosage, then upped it again. Eventually I realized this wasn't the way to go so I weened off all meds. This was 2 and 1/2 years ago.

Its now been over 2 years and the side effects remain. It is devastating. To sum my symptoms up, I have the physical ability to have sex but I feel nothing. Somethings wrong with my brain due to SSRI's, but I don't know what it is. Erections have never been stronger, but it takes forever to ejaculate since I feel nothing. I feel almost numb. When I finally do ejaculate, the orgasm is nothing. Just a rush of blood to the head, but the part of my brain that controls the pleasure now feels dead.

I've searched around the internet and have found that I'm not the only one. They've called it PSSD. There's a page on Wikipedia, and also a Yahoo group devoted to this that has 1200 members. The group is helpful in that I know I'm not alone, but there aren't any solutions. Just a bunch of people that are pissed off at their doctors and the drug industry. No one has any helpful answers.

I saw a urologist just to rule out anything physical, but he didn't take me seriously and once he heard the word depression, he seemed to assume that it was all in my head. He did some basic tests but I felt like he was blowing me off.

I saw a therapist (which I think I should have done before I started any of the antidepressants) for about a year. It was helpful but ultimately I realized there wasn't anything she could do for me for this particular issue, which is now the main cause of my problems.

This whole issue has made my depression ten times worse than it ever was. Before it was manageable. Now it is not. I have withdrawn from family and friends and now have a lot of anger built up over the whole thing. You can imagine how hard this is to talk about, and the few people I've told have a hard time believing it. It has helped to ruin a couple of relationships, and I now have no desire to go out and try to meet girls. I pretty much just go to work and thats it.

The irony is that now I feel like I should just go back on Zoloft, because that worked wonders for my mood and the damage is done now anyway.

It's hard to ask one specific question. Has anyone ever heard of this before? Know anyone who has experienced it and recovered? Could a physical symptom cause this? Should I try another urologist? Should I seriously consider going back on medication? Just try to accept it?

Feel free to give me your thoughts on any of those questions, but I'm really just looking for general advice on what to do next.

Thanks

Depressive Compulsive?!?!?!?!Then please help

eve28 — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 01:41:53 -0800

Is there such a thing as DEPPRESIVE COMPULSIVE? Is it something real? Chemical? What and why can't I stop feeling sad, depressed, inadequate? To just put it out there I am a depressive compulsive and I have been dealing with this thing MY WHOLE LIFE!!!!!Literally. I'm a 28 yr. old female, who had a very traumatic life, who has dealt with many therapists, written many journals, talked to friends, family, GOD, and hell, about a year and a half ago, I started taking Zoloft. I met a therapist, whom I liked very much, got on the pills, started to feel a little better, (at least for the moment) even though therapy was excrutiating EverY Single TimE!! I stayed with her for over 15 months. I could really trust her.

Later, like 7 weeks ago, I moved and although my rational mind knows that a transition such as moving cross-country is stressful and can take some time for adjustment, I am still feeling low. I know no pill is available to heal this illness 100 percent, but I am starting to believe that some people, me mostly, must be lacking some sort of chemical. A transmitter or receptor or something that gives me the power of happiness, motivation, dedication. Is it possible that these are genes that some of us have in our DNA and some do not? Or, am I just crazy. Look, I guess I just want to know what This is...Is it something that depression does to you? Is it a gene one holds in their DNA? Is it all chemical? Is it how close one is with God? WHAT is it?

I feel tired, I have sleepless nights, racing thoughts, hurtful images, tired, low, sad, I feel as if I wont make it because I have no idea what I want and where I'm going even though I have dreams and ideas. I have a job, not totally in love with it, but I do like it, yet at the same time, I am still keeping my options open. I also see faces as I am trying to sleep. Sometimes they are good, sometimes bad, sometimes indifferent. This has happened my whole life. I am not sure if anyone thinks I'm crazy, but I really don't care about that. All I care about is if someone out there is willing to give a helping hand and provide me with some insight.

I am looking for a legitimate answer here. Please do not forget I have had this my whole life. I can not get into all the details of my haunting past, but even if I could, a man once told me, "no one cares about your past and no one cares where your at.."So thats it any and all thoughts accepted, even if it hurts....

Zoloft, Klonopin, Craziness and a Desire to Change!

Gerard Sorme — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 20:15:02 -0800

I have fought depression, anger, fatigue, lack of motivation (and more) for thirty years. I have taken so many psycho-pharmacological drugs that I couldn't list them all. One constant has been antidepressants. I've been taking Zoloft for ten years. It has left me with memory problems, brain fog, etc. I also take Klonopin (2mgs a day) and that leaves me feeling jittery if I miss it and has the "tolerance' effect of needing more and more. I have tried tapering the Zoloft - very slowly - but I am like a raging lunatic off of it. The Doctor says, "symptoms have returned." I say, "withdrawal," or as they like to call it with antidepressants: "discontinuance syndrome." Hey, if you freak out without it - I don't care what you call it, but withdrawal is what most people would think. The niceties of the semantics I'm not interested in. ***More inside about my desire to try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy*** I am wanting to try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and give it a major go. As in a treatment center that can help me taper meds while learning the CBT techniques in a serious and therapeutic setting. The Internet is overwhelming me with this topic. So, I turn to my fellow MeFites and hope that some of you have personal experience, experiences of friends, etc. concerning the too-little-discussed problem of antidepressant withdrawal and finding a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Treatment Center that can work with me on long-term goals. Living like this is no longer an option. Thanks in advance - more than you know.

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Quitting SRI's -- what to expect?

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 04:57:04 -0800

I'm about to quit taking Zoloft, tapering down from 50 mg daily. I starting taking it because I was having problems dealing with a specific situation, which is now over, and because I tend towards depression. I'm a bit scared to quit. Any advice on quitting? What should I expect? Anecdotes welcome.

How do I talk to my friend, productively, about his drug use and mental state?

LobsterMitten — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 19:22:59 -0800

Friend in trouble: bipolar, taking Zoloft, smoking huge amount of marijuana which exacerbates his mania. He's acting crazy. I'm far away -- how can I help? Especially, how can I support his girlfriend, and convince him to accept treatment and quit the pot? Other advice about treatment for bipolar disorder? I recently saw a good friend for the first time in years -- call him Andy. He was acting amped-up and strange: talking nonstop, repetitively, and often inappropriately; running around; bursting into tears; driving recklessly, etc. He looked exhausted and hadn't slept in days, but kept insisting he was better than he has been in years. I adore Andy and the good parts of his personality are still there, but were masked by this nutso behavior.

Now his longtime girlfriend -- call her Sara -- tells me he is "pre-disposed to bipolar" but is not medicated for that; he's taking Zoloft; and smokes marijuana every other day, or more recently, a couple of times a day. When I saw him he couldn't stop talking about marijuana, even with people who clearly weren't interested or would disapprove (eg older people in the church). She says his no-sleep nonstop-chat behavior has been going for a couple of weeks.

Sara has finally snapped, and insisted that Andy get some psychiatric care. He still insists he doesn't need it, and when he comes back from the doctor, he quotes the doctor as saying things like "Andy doesn't need meds. And pot is completely safe, so Andy should be able to smoke as often as he wants." Uh huh.

I've gotten some quite paranoid and angry emails from him about how everyone is blaming the pot and interfering in his life, and how we should all leave him alone, and if we don't like pot it's just because we don't see how good it is. Even saying something like "I'm worried about you because you seem really overtired" gets an angry and defiant response. So telling him directly how his behavior looks seems like a doomed approach.

I'm worried because if he doesn't get treatment and stays manic I think he will not be able to keep his job, and his very nice girlfriend (whose apartment he lives in) is understandably at the end of her rope. I would hate to see them break up -- because they're a good match, and also because if they broke up there wouldn't be a stable, sane person looking after him.

I live far away. How can I help? How should I talk to him about this? (Esp about how his behavior looks to me, or about quitting the pot.) What advice or resources can I give her? What do you know about manic behavior, or the combination of bipolar disorder and marijuana, or how to snap out of a dependence on marijuana?

For the record: I'm not against pot in general, but it seems to be doing Andy in particular a world of bad. And I know that I can't make an addict quit. But I want to do what I can to help, or at least not make things worse.

Can I send Zoloft through the USPS without ending up locked up in a dark, damp hole for the next 25 years?

Item — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 01:19:45 -0800

I've got a several month's supply of Zoloft sitting around that I no longer use. I'd like to send it to a friend in another city, as she's got no insurance and the damn stuff's expensive. We both have valid scripts. Am I asking for trouble? I'm planning on using USPS and I'm in the states (duh). I'd like to just wrap 'em in some bubble wrap and throw the things in a padded envelope, as bottles are bulky and rattly (and have my name, not hers, on 'em), which I'd assume would arouse the suspicions of a bored postal clerk. I'd like to enclose a copy of her script, but she's running low and I'm planning on doing this sometime tomorrow.

The whole thing seems not all that legal to me, but it also seems like the repercussions would be mild (if at all) and worth the risk - she's a good friend, after all. If x-rayed (do they really do that?) and opened by the Man, would they just seal it up and send it on it's way when it's realized the pills are antidepressants and not Oxycontin or roofies, or would I run the risk of having USPS Federales kick in my door?

Should you stay on or get off Zoloft while pregnant?

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 05:18:23 -0800

I'm looking for advice and anecdotes about Zoloft and pregnancy. My wife has been taking Zoloft to treat what was a suicidal depression for the past four or five years. Combined with some initial counselling to learn how to think happy thoughts all over again, the meds were quickly and completely successful, and she's never been happier.

As prosperous, well-adjusted early-30-somethings, we'd like to start a family soon. However, there doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there about the risks associated with taking Zoloft during a pregnancy. Our doctor has indicated that there's a risk that the baby might be stillborn, but that there hasn't been a lot of research done.

My wife faces a dilemma - come off the Zoloft, and risk falling back into depression under the pressures of being pregnant, or stay on the meds, and risk a complicated or failed pregnancy.

I'd like to hear from women who've done either. What was it like being pregnant with or without Zoloft? Did you come off / go back to the meds while breastfeeding? What have your doctors told you about the risks?

How can I reach orgasm on Zoloft?

stet — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 18:15:21 -0800

Zoloft and sexual side effects, specifically the amelioration thereof. [Too much information inside.] (I long for the old login/login. Oh well.)

So, about six weeks ago, I began taking Zoloft to treat depression and social anxiety. It is going splendidly. So splendidly in fact, that I have a nascent relationship with a girl I'm really quite fond of, which would have been inconcievable to me prior to taking the happy pills.

The complication is that Zoloft has this tendency to inhibit orgasm. While I find the heroic endurance I am now capable of to be kind of interesting, I'd be a lot happier if orgasm were easier to achieve. In the next week, I have my third appointment with the mental health practioner who prescribed the drug and I'll be discussing this with her. What I would like is any sort of anecdotal techniques used by the Metafilter community to address the issue. The anecdotes and experiences I recieve here will be the basis for question that I ask when I see the doctor next. Thus, responses beginning with "my friend's friend had a cousin that..." are perfectly acceptable as everything will be verified by a professional before I move forward.

The woman I'm dating mentioned that gingko biloba might have beneficial effects, but to say that Googling for herbal supplements does not yield useful results is the understatement of the Internet age. At my next appointment, I plan to ask about sexual side effect-free Wellbutrin, but that drug doesn't look like the best way to treat my symptoms.

What I've done so far is to try my best to relax about it and to pretty much give up my own "personal time." I'm hoping somebody here has found a better solution.

Pertinent information is that I'm male, in my late twenties, a light-to-moderate smoker, and in decent (skinny but not inclined toward massive aerobic exercise beyond the occasional backcountry ski trip or hike) shape. I'd rather f*ck up my sex life than give up the pills. I feel like a human being for the first time in years and a little weirdness in the sack is a small price to pay, but I'd rather not pay it if it can be avoided.

Help? And thanks in advance.

Fighting Zoloft drowsiness

ArsncHeart — Wed, 18 Feb 2004 13:54:22 -0800

I take Zoloft (50mg/day) and it's making me drowsy - I'm sleepy during the workday and ready to go to bed by 9:30. I already drink a moderate amount of caffinated beverages, and I work out three to four times a week. What can I do to combat the drowsiness?