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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by odells on November 29, 2000, at 20:55:55
I wrote a little while back about the withdrawal Ive been suffering since stopping zoloft about 2 months ago. I was taking 50 mg for about 2 years. Ive tried to hang in there--and not take anything--I want to be drug free!!! However, the withdrawal symptoms are still present--and Ive been experiencing "racing thoughts" and anger and depression. Not sure what to do. Should I start taking zoloft again? should I wait some more?? I just have this horrible feeling like Im going crazy or one day I will just flip. Is this normal??? Has anyone else experienced this. Maybe my happiness off the drug was short lived and maybe I really need to be on some sort of medication. I kinda feel like I did before I started taking the zoloft only now I have withdrawal symptoms too. I am afraid to start zoloft cause I dont want to make things worse. any thoughts?
p.s. this thread may have appeared twice cause I wasnt certain it went through the first time.
Posted by JohnL on November 30, 2000, at 5:35:06
In reply to help!!!!!!! I need some advice, posted by odells on November 29, 2000, at 20:55:55
Odells,
Yeah, I remember you writing a while back about the Zoloft withdrawals. I'm very sorry you are having these troubles.I think it's natural for all of us to want to be drugfree. I think people with high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, or whatever feel the same way. But at some point we have to make a decision whether the benefits outweigh whatever it is about the drug that we don't like.
I think you would be wise to see your doctor ASAP and restart Zoloft. Who knows, maybe you will have to take it indefinitely. That's OK. You would be among millions of people that have to do the same thing. But you may find you can do alright with a lower dose than previously. And who knows, you may find you can very slowly, in small increments, ween off the drug over a period of 8 to 12 weeks. Very very slowly.
Depression has a way of getting more intense, more bizarre, and more frequent with age. The best insurance at enjoying normal days is continuous prophylactic use of a necessary medicine. I don't want drugs forever. You don't want drugs forever. Who does? Nobody does. But it's a bridge most people have to cross at some point in their lives, for one illness or another. At least yours is treatable, and you don't have to suffer. Our ancestors had no choice. You do.
In a nutshell, what I would do: See the doc, restart Zoloft, stabilize on it for a month, then try weening off it over an 8 to 12 week period. If problems return while weening, then I would have to think about taking it everyday no different than a vitamin. As I recall, a specific traumatic event in your life caused the depression. But one must consider that perhaps the depression was there all along, laying dormant in wait, just needing a spark to set it off. It could look obvious that a divorce or whatever caused it, but it could easily be much more than that.
John
Posted by odells on December 4, 2000, at 19:11:46
In reply to Re: help!!!!!!! I need some advice, posted by JohnL on November 30, 2000, at 5:35:06
> john:
thanks for the advice and pep talk. The symptoms seem to be worsening. I went to the hospital over the weekend cause I am really dizzy and have horrible pressure in my head--and pins and needles. It is a really weird feeling. The physical symptoms I am experiencing are not helping my anxiety at all. I constantly think that something horrible is going to happen--or that I have a tumor or something. I am nervous about taking any medication now cause I dont want to have to deal with this crap. I asked the doctor about withdrawal symptoms from zoloft--of course I was told that doesnt happen. What is wrong with doctors??? Or could this really be "all in my head."????
This is the end of the thread.
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