Zoloft questions - Page 2

[mamaboobaAES]

Originally Posted by mom0810

Zoloft is a very good drug for depression. It has helped SO MANY here on this board. I think it is really reprehensible to try and freak people out who are already in a delicate frame of mind and try to scare them about taking a drug that is CLEARLY HELPING THEM.

It's fine if your personal philosophy is to not use SSRI's. But to try and freak out the rest of the population based on your beliefs is cruel. Many of us here were at a point of serious depression and NEEDED the meds. They have helped us. LLL and Dr. Hale BOTH agree that zoloft is fine during nursing and pregnancy. It is, in fact, the safest of the SSRI's in that situation, and several studies have shown that little to no sertraline gets into breastmilk.

There is much negative information on the INTERNET about ssri's. I read it all. I read the labels on the drugs I take. The black box warning applies to TEENS, who are by nature more impulsive and the research suggests that they committed suicide because of the depression, NOT because of the drug. IT takes these drugs an average of four weeks to work, and in that "lag time" is when these suicides happened.

If personal experience has led you to not take ssri's, then that's fine. But different people react differently to drugs. MOST people who need ssri's and take them do great. SOME people will not do as well. Perhaps those who do not do as well did not need the meds in the first place, which is often the case, especially when they are prescribed without therapy, and without a psychiatrist.

It's just plain irresponsible to go spouting off information that is questionable and not scientifically sound. I have seen the websites you describe, and am not impressed.

If it's not broken, don't fix it. If people are doing well on zoloft, then it's wrong to try and scare them out of taking it. Especially when it has saved them from the despair and darkness of depression. It's just mean.

The studies clearly show an INCREASE in suicidality with the drugs. The "underlying cause is the depression" is the thing that is not science. I refer you to my website, www.chaada.org and www.uniteforlife.org

Also www.breggin.com and www.drugawareness.org

We post information on the drugs that is not biased, not pharma sponsored like the news stories you may have heard twisted. I replied to the original poster because she was considering going on it.

She had questions about it.

I do not apologize for relaying information that people have a right to know. I am glad you read the labels on your drugs, because you have a right to know. I was careless and didn't even think to read those until the third day I was on ZOloft where I was in the psych ward because it made me suicidal and homicidal. People have a right to know that the studies as a whole show that Zoloft and other SSRIs are not actually effective depression treatments and that they increase suiciadlity and homicidality.

If you find them effective that is your choice to stay on the drugs, but people deserve these warnings.

Read up on this, I am not making this stuff up. The drug companies only have to submit two studies (manipulated ones at that) for FDA approval and the drugs do not have to be compared to other drugs, just to placebo. They use an inactive placebo rather than an active one, and yet still the drugs often do not outperform placebo and so they have to keep doing studies until they can come up with 2 that are "favorable." There is no limit on the number they have to do. It took 5-6 studies on average before they could come up with two "positive" studies for SSRI efficacy against an inert placebo. And for atypical antidepressants like Wellbutrin and Effexor it was even worse, it took 12-15 studies. Suicides in the studies are coded as no effect.

I think it's funny that someone said they had read all the negative information on the internet, because I've been reading it every day for three years and still feel like I have more to learn.

The AAP has yet to take a stand against the drugs in breastfeeding moms bit they categorize them not as "safe" but as "a potential concern"

[daniedb]

People have a right to know that the studies as a whole show that Zoloft and other SSRIs are not actually effective depression treatments and that they increase suiciadlity and homicidality.

I'm sorry that you had such a terrible experience. I was suicidal due to PPD after Henry, as I mentioned above, and Zoloft removed those suicidal thoughts for me. I was at a dire place, in desperate need of assistance, and after beginning Zoloft, I never had those terrible thoughts again.

[mamaboobaAES]

Originally Posted by female18-

I feel dreadful today. Im in such a bad mood. I have no patience with ds, I hate everything including myself, I feel like punching someone or screaming, Im so fed up its awful. :

I see the doctor today, I dunno what to even say. Something like 'first 3 weeks noticed no effect, 4th week noticed I had more patience, enjoyed time with ds, felt incredibly good compared to usual, just better state of mind. That only lasted 5 days then the past 3 days Im feeling very agitated, moody, fed up, depressed, anxious and worrying about everything, cant sleep for a couple hours when I go to bed, I hate everything.

Hope he increases zoloft dose, but he will probly think im a raving lunatic too. Ugh, why did it only seem to work 5 days and now I feel worse!!??

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:

That is pretty common and it's because at first your body is adjusting to the drug and you feel different, you may also be having a placebo effect, but you are essentially in a trance, and as the drug damages your brain and body you start to feel worse again and feel like you need a higher dose. It's the same as taking cocaine or any other psychotropic substance that is addictive.
The studies conducted by drug companies were also over about a 6 week period and the number of patients who dropped out was very high. In the studies only about 41% of patients showed any improvement at all and that is compared to a 33% improvement rate with inert placebo. Active placebo did about the same as the drugs, around 40% of patients showing a slight improvement. But those are the selected studies which were submitted for FDA approval. 4/6 of the studies on average were completely discarded and locked up in drug company files.

I believe you can now look these up online (clinicaltrials.gov?) but it's very difficult to get an idea of what the studies were for. Many of them go through a list of scary side effects and then make a conclusion that the drug is safe. It's totally bass ackwards.

The best source for information on this would be www.breggin.com or www.drugawareness.org or www.chaada.org or www.uniteforlife.org

[mom0810]

Danieb, Exactly.

Also, like I said, negative information can be found about anything on the internet, including Diet Coke, flouride, pasteurized milk, homeopathy, western medicine... all of it.

Also wanted to add that I researched the Andrea Yates thing, and SSRI's are NOT what caused her to act out the way she did. She was psychotic BEFORE taking any meds, and a doctor drastically reduced her Haldol prescription (an antipsychotic) and then increased her antidepressant (which I did not see listed as an SSRI, it could have been a tricyclic or another form), which was against prescribing information. I believe it was the reduction in haldol which caused her behavior, not the antidepressant. She was also advised NOT to have any more children when she was institutionalized over a year prior to committing the fallicides. So... not really a conclusive link to ssri's, or zoloft.

I read several anti zoloft message boards and other information before starting it.

Again, it's sad that you had the experience you did. Perhaps this was due to hypothyroidism and not the drug. Perhaps not. ANY drug, including tylenol or advil or allergy meds or rescue remedy, can cause an adverse reactions in some part of the population. That does not mean it should not be used.

Pregnant and nursing mothers have been using zoloft for many years with no ill effects. There is follow up done and many of the mothers here can attest to the fact that they and their kids are totally normal.

Sure there are theoretical risks. There are risks with ANY medication. But when the benefits are so huge to so many, that has to outweigh the negatives.

I could not be a mother to my son without the medication. Same with SO many others here.

I have checked your website and the others you listed and again, I was not impressed. I have read the Mood Cure and What Your Doctor May not Tell you Abo0ut Depression, along with many other books about meds and/or natural remedies. I came to my own decision. Others may not get to the same one I did.

I just think when someone is contemplating going on this or any other medicaton, it should be their choice, and one made without sensationalizing anything. It's a tough choice, but one that many of us have made to our own benefit and that of our familes.

[mom0810]

OP's original question

I also wanted to point out that the OP did not ASK for negative information about zoloft. She did not ask for information about websites that had negative information. She did not ask for a debate, and this is not the place for a debate, and for that I have to apologize to her.

All she wanted was some information about weight gain, baby's reaction if any, etc.

I would like to refer her to Dr. Hale's book which details the effects (none, except for ONE case of somnolence which went away) of zoloft in a nursing child.

I would also like to assure her that most of us here have tried some sort of medication, and almost every experience has been positive. So please do not let some of this information scare you, and please talk to your psychiatrist (NOT a GP or OB as I do not feel they know enough about the meds) and make an informed choice for yourself.

[gridley13]

I might have gained weight due to it, not sure. I did gain about 10 lbs but I can't say it was due to the zoloft.

I did not see a difference in my child, but I started to take it while pg with him so who knows. That is something that does bother me, but at the time, it was by far the best choice for me to take the zoloft, so I can't plague myself about the what if's... the what if's would probably include him not being here at all.

I weaned very slowly and didnt' see any difference in him when I weaned.

Overall, zoloft worked very well for me and I am thankful I took it. It made a huge difference for myself and my family.

I would talk to whatever medical professional you feel is most knowledgeable, and with whom you feel most comfortable. Our family doctor is really well informed on drugs and will only prescribe when he feels it is necessary. I have experienced plenty of others that will prescribe whatever you want before you are even finished talking. Same with psychiatrists- most I have dealt with were very knowledgable and had I been seeing one at the time, I probably would have talked to him/her first. But again, not all are going to be as knowledgeable as they should be. Just depends on the person.

Good luck!

[female18-]

Originally Posted by daniedb

Hey female18 - I know that you've been struggling for a while, so my heart goes out to you. I'm glad you're getting care with your meds, do you mind if I ask how much you're on? What's the dosage? Are you seeing a psych, or a physician for prescribing? Lots of q's, sorry.

Hey thanks
Well I saw my doctor a couple hours ago. Im glad he didnt ask loads of questions, he just asked how I was feeling and I said for 3 weeks I felt the same then for 5 days felt a definate improvement I seriously hardly recognised myself I felt so good those days, but the last 3 days I felt really bad again, if not worse than before.

He looked in his book and said the highest dose you can be put on is 200mg, and that I was on 50mg. He asked if I want him to increase it to 100mg and I said yes. So im on 100mg for 4 weeks then go back to see him again to see how im getting on.

Physician prescribed me these not a psych. I was on Celexa and prozac before Zoloft. Celexa I didnt feel any affect and prozac helped in the way it numbed my emotions a lot but it also made me incredibly tired I couldnt function properly.

I just want to feel better again and be a good mom:

[mom0810]

And you will. Good for you for seeking help and getting it and asking for what you know you need.

Best wishes to you.

[daniedb]

Originally Posted by female18-

Hey thanks
Well I saw my doctor a couple hours ago. Im glad he didnt ask loads of questions, he just asked how I was feeling and I said for 3 weeks I felt the same then for 5 days felt a definate improvement I seriously hardly recognised myself I felt so good those days, but the last 3 days I felt really bad again, if not worse than before.

He looked in his book and said the highest dose you can be put on is 200mg, and that I was on 50mg. He asked if I want him to increase it to 100mg and I said yes. So im on 100mg for 4 weeks then go back to see him again to see how im getting on.

Physician prescribed me these not a psych. I was on Celexa and prozac before Zoloft. Celexa I didnt feel any affect and prozac helped in the way it numbed my emotions a lot but it also made me incredibly tired I couldnt function properly.

I just want to feel better again and be a good mom:

Ah, I'm so glad you're getting good help from him. I think you'll see a huge improvement in going to 100. 50 mg is also a very, very small dosage for adults, my sister is a ped and routinely prescribes 50-100 mgs for her adolescent patients, so you still have lots of options! I am currently taking 200 mg, which is a lot for me, but it's what has helped, so I'm sticking with it. I also am taking Xanax for generalized anxiety - it sounds like (from some of your other posts) that you may also be dealing with GAD (gen. anxiety disorder), which is very commonly present with depression and PPD, specifically.

If you are able to see a psychiatrist, you will have more options of changing drugs faster if they aren't working, and also taking supplemental drugs like Xanax, which has truly saved me this year. May I encourage you to look into a psychiatrist visit? I didn't go the first time I had PPD, just used my GP, and this time, I am seeing a psych my mom knows professionally (she's a marriage & family therapist) and it has made a HUGE difference in my mental health.

I hope you are feeling better.

[smartalec]

i just wanted to give a shout out to all my z-sistahs. dang that was a hard decision for me to make to go on a drug, but like most of us i just wanted to feel like myself again- i would hardly take a tylenol during pregnancy and bf'ing. i feel fortunate that i've only had to be on 50mg and i know many moms in my ppd support group that have had to keep increasing. so 3 things: #1, you can always call your physician if you are feeling urgent and go over your meds. you don't have to wait till your 4 week checkup. #2, noone should feel guilty or scared for protecting their family and exercising their freedom of choice. #3, check the psi website and see if there is a support group in your area. these women are wonderful. it's peer led and usually free of charge. i have found it immensely helpful. all i know is my kids got "nice mommy" back within 2 weeks of going on zoloft and combating this aggressively. my husband got his wife back. i have my bad days just like any one else, the difference is i'm now present in the moment and not watching someone else in command of my body. all the best to you as you return to yourself.

[mamaboobaAES]

Originally Posted by mom0810

I also wanted to point out that the OP did not ASK for negative information about zoloft. She did not ask for information about websites that had negative information. She did not ask for a debate, and this is not the place for a debate, and for that I have to apologize to her.

All she wanted was some information about weight gain, baby's reaction if any, etc.

I would like to refer her to Dr. Hale's book which details the effects (none, except for ONE case of somnolence which went away) of zoloft in a nursing child.

I would also like to assure her that most of us here have tried some sort of medication, and almost every experience has been positive. So please do not let some of this information scare you, and please talk to your psychiatrist (NOT a GP or OB as I do not feel they know enough about the meds) and make an informed choice for yourself.

Wow, I bet the pharmaceutical companies would LOVE to recruit you for some trials because in theirs they were only able to come up with 40% of people showing any imrovement on their drugs, which was the same as active placebo.

[mamaboobaAES]

Originally Posted by mom0810

Danieb, Exactly.

Also, like I said, negative information can be found about anything on the internet, including Diet Coke, flouride, pasteurized milk, homeopathy, western medicine... all of it.

Also wanted to add that I researched the Andrea Yates thing, and SSRI's are NOT what caused her to act out the way she did. She was psychotic BEFORE taking any meds, and a doctor drastically reduced her Haldol prescription (an antipsychotic) and then increased her antidepressant (which I did not see listed as an SSRI, it could have been a tricyclic or another form), which was against prescribing information. I believe it was the reduction in haldol which caused her behavior, not the antidepressant. She was also advised NOT to have any more children when she was institutionalized over a year prior to committing the fallicides. So... not really a conclusive link to ssri's, or zoloft.

I read several anti zoloft message boards and other information before starting it.

Again, it's sad that you had the experience you did. Perhaps this was due to hypothyroidism and not the drug. Perhaps not. ANY drug, including tylenol or advil or allergy meds or rescue remedy, can cause an adverse reactions in some part of the population. That does not mean it should not be used.

Pregnant and nursing mothers have been using zoloft for many years with no ill effects. There is follow up done and many of the mothers here can attest to the fact that they and their kids are totally normal.

Sure there are theoretical risks. There are risks with ANY medication. But when the benefits are so huge to so many, that has to outweigh the negatives.

I could not be a mother to my son without the medication. Same with SO many others here.

I have checked your website and the others you listed and again, I was not impressed. I have read the Mood Cure and What Your Doctor May not Tell you Abo0ut Depression, along with many other books about meds and/or natural remedies. I came to my own decision. Others may not get to the same one I did.

I just think when someone is contemplating going on this or any other medicaton, it should be their choice, and one made without sensationalizing anything. It's a tough choice, but one that many of us have made to our own benefit and that of our familes.

Yes, you are right, Yates had recently been institutionalized and abruptly withdrawn cold turkey from Haldol. She also went from about 450 mg of Effexor to 300 very abruptly. It's not that the lower dose meant her body actually benefited from or needed the medications a higher dose. Her doctor was concerned about the extremely high doses of medications and their effect on her probably physically as well as mentally. The 300 mg of Effexor is the maximum recommended dose. Effexor is not an SSRI. It's an atypical antidepressant. Although it is worse than SSRIs in terms of the danger it poses to people's bodies, that in no way lets SSRIs off the hook. Effexor contains a warning for causing homicidal thoughts on the label.

I think it's sad how misinformation can prevail.

You should NEVER EVER EVER abruptly withdraw from ANY psychotropic drug or medication. See theroadback.org if you are thinking about withdrawing because that site has information on how to taper off. There is also a site called tapersafely.org

[Zaxmama]

uhm.. back to the OP questions...

I am not sure if I gained weight from the zoloft or the food I was shoveling down my gullet.. but I have always had a love hate relationship with food..

I have been on zoloft for 10 years.. I don't want to wean..I have in the past and its not pretty.. I weaned whenI was trying to get pregnant..and while I was pregnant but I went back on when I was about 8 mo pg..because..I need this drug... without it I am crazy emotional and I cry..alot..for no reason.

I don't think it has effected my children at all.. except maybe they have a happier more kind and patient Mama..

personally I think Zoloft has been a life saver for me and many others like me.
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