Demead my experience with Sertraline

[Demead]

Hi all, I wanted to take a little time to tell you about myself and maybe ask a few questions too.

I started on SSRIs in college for depression. After 2 years on Prozac I dropped it cold turkey and seemed fine.

 

Circumstances drove me into an even worse depression around 2008. This time I was put on Zoloft 50 mg. I never anticipated staying on it for long, but whenever I went for my yearly physical my doctor would ask me how I was feeling and when I said "fine" she would stress that I should stay on Zoloft.

 

Starting with the Prozac years I had begun developing multiple strange health issues, and they came back or worsened under Zoloft, although I never dreamed that these meds could possibly have had anything to do with these things. Trichotilomania, IBS, Acid Reflux, Problems with my voice (I was a singer), hair loss, TMJ, tremor, (I started Prozac before I ever had sex, so its hard to know if I ever would have liked it). I complained of many of these conditions to my doctor and was treated like I was nothing more than a complainer. I guess its hard to believe that a seemingly healthy person could have so many strange problems. I had been going to counseling since 2008 as well, but this was never broached.

 

When I became pregnant in 2010 I called my doctor and asked to go off this medicine. I was bluntly told "no". with no reasons or explanation. So what did I do? Well, were talking about my baby here. . . I dropped the meds anyway. Within a few weeks I got a migraine headache that persisted for 3 days and ended me up in the hospital. I was submerged in such a brain fog. lack of concentration. memory problems.  My boss threatened to fire me, until I told her that I was pregnant and for some reason that made it OK. I completely lost my ability to sing (this was especially devastating to me). I assumed this was how pregnancy is and that I would just have to wait it out.

 

Days after having my daughter, she cried constantly and we got NO sleep, not knowing yet that I was not producing any milk for her. I broke down and just laid on the couch weeping for days. My Mom convinced me that I had postpartum depression and that I NEEDED to go back on Zoloft. I did. Now I see that the lack of sleep had propagated my first wave in my Zoloft withdrawal.

 

So I continued along taking Zoloft and enjoying my daughter until I oddly in 2013 I developed allergies and asthma. People have told me that this is not uncommon with a pregnancy (but 2 years afterwards is strange). My doctor told me to take 2 Zyrtec a day. I began to take these in the spring of 2014. not long afterward I began to experience brain fog, inability to concentrate, memory problems, hearing problems and ear pressure and irritability (this was a new one to me)and the breathing problems continued to worsen. I went to my doctor and asked her what she thought was going on. She treated me like she just did not have the time of day for my complaining. She walked out on me while I was still trying to explain a problem to her! I felt like I was such a problem. My husband in the mean time has gotten angier and angier with me. As if my brain fog and other problems were somehow tailored just to frustrate him. My world and my life was and still is falling apart and I feel as if there is nothing I can do.

 

Finally after almost a year of this it occurred to me that the brain fog was not unlike what I had experienced in pregnancy. And what if it was not the pregnancy that had started the problem? I did some research and decided that I needed to taper off Zoloft. Even if it didn't make me better, it was time to get off this stuff. I went to a psychiatrist to make sure that I tapered correctly. Oddly he urged me not to stop the drug. He said that my brain fog was Depression and that I needed to double if not triple the dose! I told him that I did not feel that was correct. I continued to taper on my own. It is hard to taper with nothing but a pill splitter. So I tapered at 50% for a couple of weeks, and then 50% of that. by that time my brain fog was REALLY lifting, so after about 1 month I dropped it entirely. And I felt so much better. Until.

 

I went home in June to help my Mom move. We don't get along that well. BAM. my first wave. I had no idea until I found this site what was going on. I would have gone back to the psychiatrist with my tail between my legs begging for a different med. now I am beginning to understand what dangerous meds these SSRIs  are. And what a tumultuous ride I am in for. My first wave has been so bad that if it were not for my daughter I know that I would have killed myself. I have NEVER experienced depression like this before. I honestly don't know if I can do this. I am supposed to find a job in the fall when my daughter goes to school full time. How can I do that?

 

My question is, could the combination of Zoloft and antihistamine have somehow caused Zoloft to go bad for me?

 

well, thanks all, for listening to my story.

[LoveandLight]

Yep.. I think I was told by a pharmacist not to take antihistamine and sertraline.

 

So sorry zoloft is horrible but I'm so glad you've found this site. Someone with more experience will be along shortly. Although I'm still in a rough spot and I moan constantly lol I'm still in a better place than last year when I first came off and the waves gentler and shorter.

 

Good luck.

[LoveandLight]

Oh your in good time to reinstate a small amount of the drug. But again, wait for advice.

[Demead]

Thank you for your replies.

Why would I reinstate a small amount of the drug? It seemed to go so bad for me.

Of course, I am worse now . . .

[LoveandLight]

The depression is awful..I'm sorry you experience this too..but I've found this has gotten way better for me. Passes quicker and not so harsh.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Demead.
 
Unfortunately, even though you were experiencing adverse effects of Zoloft for so long (possibly exacerbated by taking the antihistamine), you went off Zoloft rather fast, and your nervous system did not have time to adapt to the change.
 
Reinstatement of Zoloft at a very low dose, even 5mg, might help the withdrawal symptoms. You would allow some time to stabilize, then taper off by tiny amounts. Zoloft comes in a liquid, or you can make your own in order to take small dosages. See
 
What is withdrawal syndrome?
 
The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms
 
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?
 
Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline)

[Demead]

*this post and replies moved from symptoms forum

 

Has anyone out there experienced spasmodic dysphonia due to anti-depressants?

After nearly 10 years of suffering from it, and having it worsen every time I've gone on or off ADs, And after spending lots of money to see multiple specialists who have misdiagnosed me or acted like I was crazy, I think that I have finally figured out why I can not sing and why I have so much trouble even speaking anymore. I am positive that it is AD caused. Can anyone relate?

 

This has been so tragic for me as I was a singer and it seemed to be the only thing that I have ever been able to do well. It was the only thing that I had that made me feel really good about myself. My single self esteem builder. And it has been ripped from me at a time when I need it the most.

 

I wish that we could all get together and sue BIG PHARMA and all the doctors who are in cahoots. Sorry, I know that being angry doesn't help the problem, but someone has got to put a stop to this destruction of lives just to fill the pockets of others. Its so unethical. It should be criminal. Its . . .

[Skyler]

Did you use the aforementioned search function to find others who have spoken of similar concerns?  There are some members who have complained of this symptom previously..  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/246-how-to-use-this-site-questions-and-answers/  I would suggest holding off on starting new threads until you get used to the forum.

 

Thanks 

[Petunia]

Spasmodic dysphonia is a form of dystonia, here is our Dystonia topic: Tardive Dystonia: news to me!

 

But you might find a more helpful discussion here: Problems with Speech/Communicating - Symptoms and self ...

[JanCarol]

Hey Demead, I hope you return to share your story.

 

Did you decide to reinstate a tiny amount?  It seems obvious to me that most of your problems were SSRI induced, and that your depression in college (so common!  It's a time of huge adjustment in responsibility, lifestyle, and identity!) was a situational problem.

 

You wrote (in the relationships thread):

 

Is there any chance that personality changes can be permanent? My feelings dulled for my husband 18 months ago while ON sertraline, but apparently the meds just pooped out. Since then he has become so angry and really quite emotionally abusive. Still, it is difficult to know that these stupid drugs have started this ball rolling and I am wondering. . . Will I get MY emotions back or is this the new me? Will I begin to care again for what I used to care about? Its been so long, . . . maybe it is a permanent change? And because things in my marriage are really coming to a head, how do I make any decisions not knowing what feelings are the "real" me? Its so difficult not being able to trust your feelings. Its amazing just how many decisions we make everyday from our gut that I never gave a second thought to before, but now are excrutiatingly difficult.

 

 

Life always goes forward.  You will come away from this a different person than the one who entered it.  You were so young when you started, your identity was not very well formed - but you got put on the drugs, and now you will be tempered by that fire.  I reckon you will come out of it stronger, as you will have to develop coping skills and strategies that all those other people who choose to stay on the drugs will never develop.

 

The real you is right here in the moment.  The real you is emerging, blooming, sometimes in extreme ways (as you withdraw from the drugs).

 

So - how are you feeling?  Did you choose to reinstate?  Really, as a Mom, it is important that you stay stable.  If you can reinstate a tiny amount, say, 2 mg?  Then you could reduce withdrawal effects with minimal risk to side effects.

 

I understand that your side effects have been awful - not being able to sing is a huge loss (my capacity to sing was surgically removed!) - but stability is an important quality of life, too.

 

Let us know how you are going?

[Fresh]

How are you doing Demead?  It's been a long time since you were here.