i have been on zoloft since dec. it seems to be working and the only side effects i sometimes have are nite-sweats and sometimes sweaty palms. my problem is twice a month for 2-3 days i go into a bad funk. i see them coming and recognize them and am always able to get myself out of them.(the very weird thing is tues. which is my 15 hour work day is always the first of the days.) anyway, im afraid to change meds as i am not having side effects to this one.<p>has anyone else been through this?? any thoughts

Nikko,<p>I don't use any pharmacuticals, but find great releif in natural remedies. I get high quality Kava or a combination such as "Happy Camper" from a reputable health food store.<p> [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img]

Hi nikko - I was on zoloft 100mg/day for a year and I can't honestly say if I suffered side effects or not. I don't recall the sweaty palms, etc. or the "funk." I never had a chance to check out the potential "sexual" side effects [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] <p>I'm sure you've already figured out to ask your quack about this. Could be that another med would be better if, infact, this stuff is caused by the zoloft.

Hmm best person to talk to about it would of course be the person perscribing it to you. You can check out the website which is zoloft.com for some other info about the drug they had a commonly asked questions area and personal stories about the drug.<p>hope that helps!<p>-HI

What are some other Anti-d's out there? I know someone on Paxil and she says she likes it. I need to know so I can get on one.<p>I have relatives on Zoloft and they say that they experience the Down as well. They say it is a result of over medication.

Fortunately, my doctor discussed thoroughly my depressive symptoms and prescribed accordingly (Prozac in my case, then Prozac Weekly). It has been very effective in curbing (thought not completely stopping) my obsessive thoughts. <p>Good luck. I understand you sometimes have to try several before you find the right "fit."

I am on Zoloft as well...(50mg) since January. I notice that PMS time is REALLY bad. It's like I am on anti-d's for the first half of the month then in a nasty funk the 2nd half. Up and down, up and down. Starting to notice a cycle. I notice that my obsession with the A always happens when I'm in the funk and when I'm not, I'm focusing much more on myself and our M.

Hi, I am currently taking Trazodone. My doctor prescribed this anti-depressant because it makes you very drowsy. I had a lot of trouble sleeping after finding out about my H's affair in October (only about 2-3 hours a night most times). I take my medication as soon as I am ready for bed and within minutes it makes me very tired and I go right to sleep. The good part is that even though it puts me to sleep, I am never tired during the day like other anti-depressants can do. I tried Celexa at one point and it gave me migraines. <p>Check with your doctor because there are many different types of anti-depressants out there. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]

I take Effexor and it has been giving me night sweats. What is strange about it to me, is I tend to wake up all balled up (fetal position)when it happens. I usually sleep all sprawled out with one foot out of the covers. I also grind my teeth really really bad, but I started doing that before taking this. I theorize the night sweats (and teeth grinding) are my anxieties coming out in my sleep. Usually, I am dreaming about something that is making me uncomfortable, sometimes I can remember the dream. That's another thing, I dream like crazy now, all kinds of crazy stuff. I still sleep good though, better than I used to for sure. I am also eating better and feel more relaxed. I haven't noticed experiencing a low with mine. And I still have a good sex drive. I tried zoloft, but it made me too sick to my stomach. I had also heard many complaints about what it does to the sex drive. It is hard to imagine going thru going to another one. I don't think I'd want to have to go thru that. The side effects for effexor when I started weren't too bad, they were definitely tolerable.

I spy:
Well as they are perscribed of course you should see your psychiatrist or physician to see what they recommend for you.<p>Here is a link that give you info on the types of these meds and what they do.<p>http://www.coreynahman.com/antidepressantdrugsdatabase.html<p>Here is a cut and paste from it:
Depression is a medical condition that costs the USA billions of dollars in lost productivity each year. People experiencing depression feel hopeless. They may have feelings of worthlessness and experience a loss of interest in every-day activities such as work, hobbies or sex.<p>Many factors can trigger depression such as: serious illness, divorce or the death of a loved one. Sometimes there is no apparent factor that triggers a depression.<p>How can drugs help depression?<p>The brain communicates with itself through the use of special chemicals called neurotransmitters such as "serotonin" and "norepinephrine". <p>There is a strong correlation between the amount of these chemicals in the brain and a person's mood. If levels of these chemicals get too low people feel depressed. Doctors elevate these brain chemicals with the use of drugs.<p>There are many different families of antidepressants available today. The two most common groups are:<p> - SSRI's (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) These drugs increase the brain's level of serotonin, thus improving mood. SSRI's have also been shown to be useful in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and some forms of severe shyness.<p>They are generally well tolerated and effective. Some common SSRI side effects include: heartburn, drowsiness and difficulty achieving an orgasm. They can sometimes produce a transient loss of appetite. SSRI medications can have drug interactions. You should consult with your doctor or pharmacist prior to mixing them with other medications.<p> - Tricyclic Antidepressants get their name from their chemical structure. This class of drugs is very effective in combating depression but is associated with troublesome side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation.
Tricyclic antidepressant medications can have drug interactions. You should consult with your doctor or pharmacist prior to mixing them with other medications.<p>
Other families of antidepressant drugs include the MAOI's (monoamine oxidase Inhibitors). MAOI's are very effective but have potentially life-threatening drug interactions and food interactions. If you are taking a MOAI drug, it is important that you consult with your doctor before you take any other medicines. Your doctor will also tell you which foods to avoid mixing with your medicine.

I have noticed no side-effects with Zoloft, nor Wellbutrin SR (only on for a short period when preg.) When I was switching back to Zoloft from W-SR (which look like they have smiley faces on them), they told me that I should wean off, or I could have some wild dreams and other such things. Well, I'm not very good at weaning and virtually went off cold-turkey. I had no-o-o effects.<p>When I was on St. John's Wort, though, the first night of taking it after a while of being off, I would plummet and have visions (not halucinations) and just be wildly depressed. Not really wanting to die, but the thought was there. But after that first night, I was fine.<p>You know, it could take you some time to get over the "down" times. You have to retrain yourself to triggers and find more appropriate responses. <p>Another thing you might consider is Bi-polar disorder. I know a lot of people associate it with severe mental illness. However, there are different types of bi-polar. One is just a depressive cycle, say once a year or something. You don't get the mania. You just get "out of it." This is probably not the case but when you mentioned "twice a month" I thought, "That sounds like a cycle." Just thought I'd throw it in.<p>Thanks for your help with finding alternative exercise. My wheels are still turning on it.<p>Hoping

I love Celexa!<p>I've been taking it for 2 months. What I've noticed is that I don't experience any of the lows. I've cried once in 2 months (big big change for me).<p>I still have the highs, but never go nearly as low as I did before. I feel more even.

My wife is on Celexa also and she responded well to it no lows, just alittle trouble staying asleep so far.<p>-HI

thank you all for posting to me. so much info.<p>i talked to dr. at last visit-i am on 50 ml. a day. lowest dose possible he said. i told him of the down times. he was thinking of weaning me till he heard that. other than a few sweaty moment i dont have any other effects. i also feel that as long as i can see the down time coming and deal with it and pull myself out of it-why change. im gonna have to go off this stuff someday and control my moods, maybe this will be good practice.<p>the pitfall is in the downs i get anxiety and pannick attacks. for those i take lipotor. i hate lipotor-took 2 last night on the way home and when i got here husband was folding socks. i sat down and watched like he was spinning gold or something. i was so out of it. i went up to bed after that. <p>i guess im afraid of changing because im afraid of new side effects-i usually end up with all of them and then some. i just wanted to know if anyone else went through these lows while on medication? doctor didnt say anything about it.

nikko:<p>I am in the process of weaning myself off Paxil (now down to 10mg/day). I have experienced the side effects: constipation, weight gain but most disturbing - a general "I don't give a s***" attitude. Personally, I need some "edge" to motivate me to work and move on. I've got to get out of this catatonic state. So, I hope I am on my way off the meds.<p>A month ago I missed two days (then taking 20 mg./day) and had these horrible electrical type "shocks" to my head that didn&#8217;t go away until after resuming several days of Paxil. Since then, I have done quite a bit of research esecially on how to withdraw from Paxil. Another good site with a great message board about all meds and depression is here: <p>http://www.paxil-side-effects.com/<p>WGTT: <p>Not to alarm you but I saw the following article recently. Just thought you ought to know about it. <p>http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/diet.fitness/03/26/kava.warning.ap/<p>
hg

Hg-<p>I had the same I don't give a sh** feeling years ago when I took Prozac. I ended up with an overspending problem because I just kept saying, ah, who cares, I'll pay off the credit cards eventually. Not a good thing!!! Took years to correct that one. Incidentally, that is one of the things my H just told me caused his apparent pulling away from me in our marriage (which he says he is still resentful about) - even though I corrected the problem and haven't had a problem since. Does that justify him having an A? I guess he's the only one allowed to make mistakes (even though he doesn't see it as one right now). No wonder I have to take an anti-depressant!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img]

I was on Celexa initially. It made me extremely tired- napping several hours a day, numb below the waist and I had night sweats and wild dreams (in fact I loved sleeping because the dreams were so amazing). But the tiredness got annoying so I went off it abruptly (NOT A GOOD IDEA) and got a crazy rebound to the point where I was speeding and couldn't sleep. I went back on and weaned off properly, then tried to do without which was impossible. Now I am on Serzone, which seems to have stopped the horrible thoughts, and I don't seem to be as tired. So, definitely remember, finding the right anti-D can take some time and I think it is worth playing around with different meds to find the best one.

i guess ill ask again-is it normal to have highs and lows while on anti d's. i feel 2 times a month a dip. at first i thought i was forgetting to take one-but im religious about taking them down to same time every day.

I have been taking Alprazolam (Xanex) for about a year. Although it was prescribed for twice a day (.25 mg tablets), I sometimes take it only once before I go to sleep at night. It was described to me by my doctor as an anti-anxiety drug and has worked well with no side effects...no side effects...no side effects...no side effects [img]images/icons/wink.gif" border="0[/img]

Nikko... I have not personally experienced the highs and lows about which you speak other than the "normal" good and bad days of life.<p>hg