So, as suggested by many on you guys and gals, as well as by my psychologist, I went off to see my GP today, to see if perhaps my hormones were out of whack, due to weight loss.

I sat in the waiting room going over in my head what I was going to say to her, so I didn't trip over my words when I got in there. Walked in, she said I was looking fantastic, she was so proud, etc. Then she asked if I was feeling okay. Told her, physically I feel great. Then I said, "I've recently become a raving lunatic though... " and that was all I could get out before I burst into tears. LOL .. that is SO unlike me. So I sobbed and told her how moody and irritable I've been, how extremely jealous I've been, about the panic attacks, etc. And asked her if it could be my hormone levels.

Now first let me say,that my doctor has never been pill happy. When I asked for diet pills, she said no, not until I saw a counselor (after which, I didn't want them anymore). When I want to quit smoking, she recommends hypnotherapy or something before medicine. If there's another way to fix issues without a pill, she's all for it.

But this time she looked me straight in the eye and said, this isn't hormones. This is anxiety ... its a chemical imbalance, due to low seratonin (sp?). She said that from what I'd described the past few weeks to be like, it sounded like I was started into a vicious cycle and that if I didn't nip it in the bud, it'd turn into depression on top of anxiety, so she wants me on medication straight away.

She's prescribed Zoloft and said it should have me feeling like myself again in around 2 weeks. She knows that there's a history in my family of depression and anxiety, so said it could possibly genetic. But also said that she would try to ween me off of the Zoloft in 6 months time and see how we go.

I'm not too keen on medication, but at this point, if it makes me get through the day without the nauseous feeling, bursting into tears periodically throughout the day and having my mind go off on tangents of their own, I'm willing to try it.

Is anyone else here on Zoloft and if so, has it helped for you? Also, if this isn't too personal, has it effected your libido in any way?

I have been on Zoloft 150mg for 2 months now. I honestly have never felt better. My depression is gone and I haven't had any anxiety either. I love it!!

I went on prozac (same as Zoloft pretty much) when I was litterally going crazy with post partum depression/psychosis..

I was 19..

I was on it for 6 months and it changed the very person I was. I cant even imagine going on the way I was..

I have always said I would do a commercial for Prozac.. I would Marry it too.

I hear so many good things about Zoloft.. Maybe I should get some.. YA never know, it could only help.. right?

Good LUCK and best wishes!!

Me too....... I was on Prozac for a couple of years and the side effects where too much, so the shrink cave me Zoloff. It was great. I tell people that I have made 2 big changes in my life, first I quit drinking & drugs, been clean for 24 years. And then it was tak'in Zoloff. I am now on Effexor, because the Zoloff is a killer on the sex drive (Effexor ain't much better, but a little), but if it was a toss up between having an orgasm or not killing anyone or myself, I pick, not killing anyone or myself. There is still a lot of fun in bed, but as for me, orgasm's are few and far between, no biggie. Before the only thing I wanted was to make decision weather it was genocide, homicide or suicide. Today, I am becoming the person I was born to be, I am no longer afraid of crowed places or close rooms, or made up stress. I used to think, I would trade places with anybody in the world, everyone had it better then me, and that just ain't true. At one time I thought, my whole problem was being FAT, and I lost almost 300 lbs. I was 230 lbs. Now...... my life should be normal and I should be happy, right??? Wrong....... I ended up sitting in the driveway with a 38 in my mouth. Now what's wrong with this picture?? It was another 10 years before I started taking Zoloff, but since then.... I have my whole life in front of me and it's much better, it's like I started over. Now, I am a loving father, husband, friend, son, brother and I have the whole world in front of me. Someday, when I get to goal weight I will try weaning off the Effexor, but for now I am happy taking it for the rest of my life. Great thread.

Butch

PS. It takes sometimes 5 weeks to take effect.

Thank you all for your input! I really appreciate it.

Today is day 5. The fuzzy headed thing is gone, as is the mind racing when I lie down, so that wasn't too bad. The doctor warned that for some people, it can cause diarrhea. Luckily, for me it hasn't, but it has helped me stay regular lol.

Still don't know about the sex drive thing. Hubby's still out of town lol and I've swore off having a play til he gets back (he's on the plane now!!) heh. Night before last though, I had a really vivid sex dream and woke up horny as .. so hopefully that's a good sign!

Perhaps that's all too much info lol, but oh well.

Me too! Prozac gave me hot flashes, zoloft was great short-term, but the dosage needed increased over time (but you can take it while pregnant).

Lexapro is the one for me, it puts me on a "mostly" even keel - no big mood swings. As for the sex thing, I kind of lost that drive after my bout with postpartum with my first child (now I have three - how'd that happen?!?!)

Good luck Parvathi - hope it all comes out great on Monday

I am on Zoloft, 100mg a day. I was very mood and bitchy and had terrible anxiety. I started taking it 14 months ago and it works great for me. I notice I have most of my anxiety and stress when I am around my husband and kids (go figure)LOL but when I go up and visit my dad and step mom and my real mom has my kids and no husband there(usually do this for 2-3 weeks in summer) then I don't have to take it. I have had no side affects being on it or even going off it for a short period. LOVE The STUFF!!!!

My 4 year old daughter is on Zoloft and she has made great improvement. We know when she has missed a dose, she is a real bear to be around the next day. She takes a liquid form mixed with Orange Juice, 25mg a day. She was having panic attacks so bad that she would start to vomit and her whole body would tremble, those days are gone. She seems to be much more in control of her moods and she is even sleeping better now. I hope this helps you as much as it has helped her. BTW it took about 3 weeks to really see the difference, the doc said it could take upto a month. Here's hoping for the best~Mandy

Thank you, Fuel Man!! See, our craziest days are not so uncommon after all!! Most of us have been where you were (in thought, if not in action), so don't feel as though you are the only one!!!! But, Genocide - YIKES!!!! (just kidding)

I am glad to hear you feel human again - I am so disgusted by people (no names here...oh, okay...Tom Cruise) who say that anti-depressants are a sham - what an IDIOT!!!! Yeah, he's still hot and a good actor, but, what an IDIOT!!!!

I say, if it helps you out and isn't harmful to anyone else (mentally, physically, spiritually, or otherwise), then do it!!!!

((((((HUGS))))))

~cheri

Hi,

I started out on Lexapro after my daughter was born to treat postpartum depression and anxiety. I went from 10mg to 20mg and then the 20's quit working. I decided to go to a shrink and she put me on Zoloft.

Right now I am taking 100mg of Zoloft once per day. I have been feeling pretty good. The first few days I was kinda jittery. It took a while for the amount of Zoloft to get high enough. Once I made it to the 100's (she gave me a sample pack and i had to work my way up) I was fine.

The only side effect I have no is I am unable to have an orgasm and my sex drive is non-existant. Both of which is very common with Zoloft. It's not great for my marriage, but my hubby understands and would rather have me happy than horny.

Best of luck to ya!

I'm a Zoloft girl here as well. 100mgs a day, have been for several years due to a 'chemical imbalance.' When I don't take it I feel like I have PMS, constantly. When I do take it, I feel like I'm crazy and have to medicate myself...lol! Side effects for me, I have to take it in the mornings or I can't sleep well at night. And sex....well, I have a huge sex drive, want it all the time, but it takes quite a bit of work to have an orgasam. My hubby would rather do the work than live w/out Zoloft in our lives! lol! It's frustrating for me but so is constant PMS.

Hey Jess,

I tried Zoloft and it didnt do a great dela for me so I went onto Effexor. It was the best thing I have ever done. I was feeling the same as you except I let mine go on for years. I hope you start feeling yourself again soon.

Thanks again ya'll. Its so comforting to know that I'm not the only one.

I'm happy to report (and this may be a bit too much info lol), that my sex drive is very much here and active. Had sex for a good hour straight last night and easily achieved orgasm ... and a small nsv - I was on top and didn't feel self conscious LOL.

I'm only on 25mg at the moment .. she told me to increase it to 50mg over a few days. I'm feeling pretty good on the 25mg though, so I'm not sure I want it increased. I'm assuming that as it increases, so do the side effects?

Jess,

I started on the lowest dose and worked up, as I went up so did the side effects, so I worked my way back down and have been on the lowest dose for about 4 yrs now. If I miss a pill or am late taking it I sure know about it. The only thing with the one I am on it is hellllllllllllll to get off, thats why I am still on it. Hope it all works for you and I am glad you still had it goin on in the bedroom :eek:

I was just prescribed Zoloft today. My lap band surgeon suggestet it would help control head hunger and cravings for problem foods. I will officially start it tomorrow (3/7/06), I will let you all know how things go.

Hi! I've been on Zoloft for about 12 years now. I take 200mg a day and when things aren't real rough at work I lower it to 150mg. Chemical imbalance as well as depression runs in the family. I can definitely feel the difference if I miss a couple of days. Easily angered, fidgety, anxiety - the whole works. I went through a period of time all I did was cry (post partum after my youngest), couldn't write a check, couldn't decide what to wear to work and changed clothes 3 or 4 times each morning. Couldn't make EASY decisions that were basic to running a household with 2 little ones. SuperMom syndrome also as well as guilt that I worked and wanted a career.

In a positive, people are always amazed if I tell them I'm on Zoloft and I'm clinically depressed. For me, it keeps me on an even keel and allows me to think calmly and rationally. I don't have the "lows" I used to have and there isn't a feeling of a "high". Just stability. The only two side effects that have happened to me are the low sex drive (can still have the BIG O though!!) and my general practitioner told me anything over 100mg can cause weight gain. With that in mind, I much rather be on my Zoloft and work with the band than to decrease my dosage below 100mg. I was on Prozac (made me EAT constantly because it made my stomach upset), Wellbutrin (made me NUTS - I constantly shook like I was going through some sort of withdrawl) and Paxil. The Paxil was ok and I can't remember why the doctor changed it.

So Zoloft is my magic pill and I couldn't live without it. I did at first become angry and felt like a "mental case" and a "pill popper" to be able to get through the day. Angry that I had to rely on medicine but as my doctor said "Would a diabetic not take insulin if they needed it?". He reminded me I have a chemical imbalance and I will more than likely take it the rest of my life. It did take initially several months to get the right dosage and feel the full effects. I also went through counseling for 18 months to work out some of my guilt and anxiety issues as well as trying to overcome the "SuperMom" syndrome. Like my counselor said "Will your kids remember their socks were folded and the house was clean or will they remember Mom was there when they needed her for support or play?" Really hit home and I've tried to keep that in mind anytime I feel pulled in all directions. I unfortunately also have a very demanding, stressful job and it helps me deal with that also.

Good luck and PM me if you need any other info. I swear by the stuff! Take care!