Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.
My doctor has just switched me from Prozac to Sertraline; I started it yesterday.
I was just wondering if anyone else has used this medication and what your experiences are with it? Obviously I know it is different for everyone, would just be good to know how effective it is/if it has helped any of you!
Also, how long does it tend to take before the effects start to work? I'm a little worried as I'm going straight from Prozac two days ago to Sertraline yesterday without a break?
To be honest, the reviews I've read about it so far don't sound that great :/
I was just wondering if anyone else has used this medication and what your experiences are with it? Obviously I know it is different for everyone, would just be good to know how effective it is/if it has helped any of you!
Also, how long does it tend to take before the effects start to work? I'm a little worried as I'm going straight from Prozac two days ago to Sertraline yesterday without a break?
To be honest, the reviews I've read about it so far don't sound that great :/
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Ice passed away in February at 17yrs old. She collasped one day and that was it. I am still crying. I miss her so, so much.I miss the smell of her paws, playing with her scruffy beard, listening to her bark in her sleep, the way she nudges my hand with her nose during our walks. I see her everywhere. In my car, at the door, under my desk, the neighborhood. I want to hold her and kiss her so...
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I lost my dog last July to cancer, as some of you might remember. It was devastating and I got very depressed, but through treatment I got back to "my normal" last month. I've been poking around the rescue sites to adopt a dog and I've seen a few since July and I visited them but decided I wasn't ready. I actually adopted one in September but realized I was too depressed and it was a mistake so I...
It can take quite a while to know whether it's working for you or not
so hang in there, hope it works out for you
This is the most levelheaded I've been ever - I sometimes wish that I found it years ago (except it wasn't around then).
Btw: I've decided to get off Zoloft and Welbutrin. I'm backing away from it very slow but I believe it's time to come back to earth. It's been good for me and I'm not sure I would have made it through last year without it. But, I've gained weight and I need to start caring about life again.
That's just my experience might be different with you...Good luck
-Everyone is different and the same med can have the opposite effect on two different people. Some get anxious and agitated or energetic on zoloft. Others get drowsy and sedated. Same goes for every psych med out there.
-Do not take any psych med for more than a year unless it's clearly working and you are sure you need it.
When I first took sertraline, I had severe depression with high anxiety, insomnia, couldn't focus, a, couldn't eat,had a very hard time functioning, could not even watch tv without having intrusive thoughts that filled me with dread and suicidal thoughts.
The sedating effect sertraline had on me was a life saver. HOWEVER, after about a year on it I increasingly felt tired, apathetic, nothing would motivate me. no deadlines, no negative consequences, nothing!
Like many of us do, me and the dr attributed it to depression. Residual symptoms that did not respond to sertraline. so the doctors usually add a stimulant like wellbutrin.
Problem is that after getting off the sertraline I realized that:
1-After being on it for longer than a year, it is a nightmare to get off of. Withdrawal symptoms like having the flu for months and months. Not everyone has withdrawal from these meds, but the higher the dose and the longer you take it past 8-12 months, the higher the chance you will get them.
2-My apathy and letharhy/fatigue improved considerably when I spent months off of sertraline AND came back after few weeks on Prozac.
Conclusion: Do not take these meds longer than needed; only take them if you can see a clear benefit after 6 weeks of starting; and if you have fatigue/lack of motivation, consider it could be the medicine! instead of adding more meds.
This is exactly what's happened to me. Zoloft was amazing when I needed it, but the longer I was on it, my motivation to do anything disappeared. I barely want to get off the couch.
I'm reducing slowly. For one week I cut down to 3/4 of a tab. I'm now taking a 1/2 tab (might stick with this for two weeks). Then I'll go down to 1/4 tab for several weeks. After that, nadda.
I tried getting off it several months ago but went too fast and I freaked out when someone happened. I know better now.