Zoloft (or other SSRI) success stories please

[mamaheids]

I started on Zoloft after a lot of deliberation on Friday morning (25 mg). So far I've been sleepy and a little headachey. I felt my thinking was clearer on the first and second days, although today, while I felt less anxious, I didn't feel as good as days 1 and 2.
So I'd like to hear some success stories, so I can know what to look forward to I guess. Please help me feel good about this very tough decison. I just now realized I have been in denial of my PPD (dd is 14 mo.) writing it off as "being new to motherhood". I don't want to miss out on anymore of my life and my beautiful dd's babyhood. I also want to stop treating my husband so poorly, like it is all his fault that I feel so bad about myself.
TIA

[elizabethrose]

I have been on 50 mg a day since I was 6 mo along with my 23 mo old . If it makes you sleepy, take it at night. i noticed no ill effect on me. It calmed my ocd tendencies, and put a lid on my anxiety. It has made a tremendous difference in my parenting. I am very happy with it. I also have bf on it, my son is still nursing, and I understand that Zoloft has a very short shelf life in the body, so it is one of the safest to use.
Give it some time, see how you feel in abt a week. It takes courage to take the step you did, our society still frowns on getting help for anything to do with anxiety or depression. I got a lot of grief from family members, and I wish that I had never told any one in my family that I was taking it. It is not a miracle pilll by any means, but it has made a tremendous difference to me. I wish you the best.

[lilysmama1124]

I have been on Zoloft since my dd was about 6 weeks old(I think that is when I finally gave in and started the prescription I was holding on to). I believe that it was the single best decision I have made as a parent. I am so much more calm, I sleep better, and I enjoy my dd more. I am currently on 50mg but I think I am going to increase it because I am starting to feel more impatient and having my PP-OCD symptoms. I definately feel that it has helped my relationship with dh as well!! Just try to wait out this first few weeks while you get used to it!

[imosbc]

I've been taking Zoloft for a little over 1 month now and I'm very happy with it. My anxiety is calmed, I'm actually enjoying my children (this one is HUGE, I was missing so much and I knew it!!) and brand new beautiful boy...I'm actually nice to my husband!!
I'm nursing my son (3months old now) and have seen no evidence of effects in him. I also felt great the first couple days and then the relief kinda disappeared, I couldn't get my brain to shut up at bedtime for almost 2 weeks(this isn't out of the norm for me when I wasn't on the meds, so I was used to it), but since then have slept very well. I always thought that it was "placebo effect" as far as it working the first day since they say it takes a week or 2 for it to start working, but that's just me.
I struggled with the decision for 2 weeks after my doc handed over the prescription, I wanted to deal with this on my own(didn't want to rely on a pill everyday) and I didn't want to harm my son. After hours of research on the internet and hours of anxiety attacks, crying spells and extreme unhappiness, I decided to just try it. I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad that I did. I hope you can find some peace with your decision and also some relief!!!
(Also, I've taken several other SSRI's in the past and the only negative experience I had was when I had to be yanked off Cymbalta within a 2 week period because I found out I was pregnant)



-----------------------------------------------
Kimberly (IMOSBC)
Wife to Dennis 8/29/98
Mom to Brendon 1/25/03, James 5/1/05 and our new guy, Logan 3/23/07
.

[MamaHen2J&J]

I've been taking Zolft for a while now, before bed to beat the tiredness.

It really is a life saver, I can think so much more clearly! Good luck!

[ladonnaken]

I'm taking Zoloft as well. I refused meds during my worst PPD after DS #1 was born. My midwife finally convinced me to take it the second time around since supplements and exercise just weren't working. It takes 150mg/day (we started low and had to increase it), but I'm back to normal now. I do take mine at night.

If you're on the right dose, you will still have days of tiredness or sadness, and days of happiness, but your head shouldn't be so cloudly, or atleast that has been my experience. s I hope you feel better very soon!

[storeimy]

I'm currently taking 100 mgs of zoloft. I recently gave birth to our fourth child (7 mos old now) and I knew pretty quickly things were different this time around. I felt overly anxious, very sad, extremely irritable and often yelling, no more like screaming, at my older children which is so not me. I started on 50 mgs and I didn't feel a change so 2 months later I'm up to 100 and I feel better, slowly but surely. I'm still digging my way out but I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. I also agonized over my decision to take mainstream meds and like some of you I waited almost a month after getting the prescription to start taking them. But ya know what? No guilt now. I'm enjoying my life again and giving my kids a more grounded, happier parent. I did try some homeopathy before staring zoloft with no success. I also make sure to eat a healthy veggie-full diet and to do things that make me feel good.

Depression is a scary place to be. I'm gald there's support here.

[kaydee]

I have been off and on (mostly on) SSRIs for more than ten years now. My own experiences with being off them has made it clear that I need to be on them for life, and I credit them with literally saving my life many times (including during my PPD).

There are things I do not like about the SSRIs (side effects), but for me, the effects of depression & anxiety are far, far worse.

I have also developed other skills to help manage my emotions (cognitive behavioral techniques, therapy, meditation), and I think it is important to do that sort of work, as well, even if medication works well. These simply give you more tools in your toolbox.

[herbsgirl]

I have had sucsess with Zoloft Twice after two of my 3 births for postpartum depression. I took 1/2 of a pill and only took it for 8 weeks after going on it. I was able to go off of it after 8 weeks and be ZOloft free!