Is Zoloft Forever?

[Sick of Fear]

My husband and I want another baby after I get my degree, but I'm on Zoloft and many other medications. I spoke with one of my doctors yesterday, and she mentioned Zoloft helping with a chemical imbalance that will never go away.

I know she didn't mean anything by that, but it made me feel as though I am going to be like this forever.

My question is, has anyone taken Zoloft and been successfully weaned off of it? Thank you.

 

[Abrasky]

I disagree with your doctor. I was on Zoloft and then on other anti-depressants for 6 years for severe PTSD symptoms. I was agoraphobic, couldn't work which was the main trigger, and unable to get out from under a blanket during the day. The anti-depressants weren't needed anymore because I improved through psycodynamic therapy. I now have been antid-depressant free for 6 years, and am working again.

It annoyed me when medical professionals said stuff like this. One psychologist told me I would never get better or work when I left her office for the last time. I left because I wasn't improving with her. Well she was wrong, I saw other professionals. I got a lot better, I have worked for a year next week, and have a child, who is well adjusted, my PTSD symptoms have almost gone away.

I would see another doctor.

 

[Sick of Fear]

Maze,

Thank you for your response. You have given me hope and inspiration. If you don't mind me asking, what did you do to deal with the awful withdrawal symptoms? I've gone without it for a couple weeks before, and felt like I wanted to crawl out of my skin with the brain zaps.

 

[Abrasky]

I didn't have withdrawals with all my medications. Actually only one for me had withdrawals, which was Aropax which I am sure is worse than coming off hard drugs. I have never felt so sick in my life. Nothing helped, I stayed in bed for 2 days for the withdrawal symptoms to pass.

 

[Sick of Fear]

Wow that doesn't sound fun at all! Zoloft is the one that gives me horrible, almost unbearable withdrawal symptoms. I'm hoping that with a gradual process, they won't be so bad, but I just hope that when I am completely off of it, I don't make everyone around me suffer from a "permanent chemical imbalance". (That just sounds so off)

 

[Away From The Sun]

It really depends on the individual. Some will be ok after weaning off the medication while others become a bit unhinged without it.

With a doctor's and therapist's help, you could try weaning yourself off of it as a little experiment.

 

[surviving_it_all]

I have the same issue. I see a therapist. It seems that everyone thinks medication is the only solution to PTSD symptoms. For me, I see more long lasting results with therapy and other therapeutic ways of life than I ever saw with medication. The side effects of medication are huge.

I am very anti-medication for many reasons. I would prefer to use natural remedies and treatments as opposed to endless ups in medication. I do therapy. I haven changed my diet. I see tremendous results from changing the foods I eat. I stay away from too many stimulants including too much sugar. I exercise. I want to try acupuncture or vitamin supplements to help it. It doesn't make sense for me to be dependent on medications. There are many different treatments that are natural which I simply have not explored. If people have gone into remission from cancer using natural remedies, I do not see why PTSD could not be approached the same way.

If and only if all of these do not help with my PTSD, I would reconsider medication. I want to have kids with the right person. How does one approach getting pregnant or breast feeding if the blood is filled with medicine? I don't see medication as a solution to my PTSD. It is only an aid for me.

That being said, medication is a solution for many mental illness, but there are ways to recover from trauma. If our symptoms are truly trauma induced, then there are ways to undue the affect that has taken place in brain chemistry. I am not one to take tons of medication in the first place. This is my disease. I want to try to cure it naturally. I feel like the therapists and other professionals in my life need to understand that I get to choose my own treatment plan. It should not be the other way around.

I do know, however, that depression does not go away. For me, the depression is never independent of anxiety, flashbacks, and dissociation. If I was just depressed, I would treat depression with medication.

I battle agoraphobia sometimes. If fact, I didn't leave the house but two times after I was raped for 9 months. I get scared about being out around people. It is easier now than before. That was never the case before I was raped. I had to be out and about before. Now, people's capability of being so very evil makes me fear them. These are thought distortions. I just don't see how medications will ever solve them.

Every person is different. It may very well be that your therapist is completely correct. If he/she truly thinks you suffer from depression, zoloft may be the best solution. You could also see about medications that would best suite your desire to have another child. There are options. Doctors too often do not want to experiment with changes in medications. You have to get the right dose to ever get better.

 

[hpt]

The withdrawal sounds very much like that from Seroxat, Which I spent a couple of years on and when it had run its course I had to replace it with something else .

The 'Brain Zaps' nice terminology I could never explain to anyone were the most fearsome part of the withdrawl along with strange and uncanny cravings and impulses a lot of which on reflection were actually dangerous.

I went 'cold turkey' but it took 4 - 6 weeks before I stabilized and could begin a new medication.

Medication always seems to have tags associated with it especially around depression,but its like any medical illness, if you need medication to control a condition and it works you take it.If it takes a pill a day to give you a degree of control ,happiness or even the ability to get out of bed,the positives out weigh the negatives.

Not all medication suits all people or all conditions.

No specific medication will work indefinitely and you have to become aware of the warning signs as your immune systems overpower a certain medication.

By all means educate yourself around whats been offered, be aware of side effects, but normally meds take about 2 -3 weeks to kick in so don't expect instant results.

My First antidepressant was Prozac...yeah I gained a few pounds, we had another daughter.....best side effect was I didn't get a headcold for all the time I was on it...about 5 years!..no one will admit this to being a side effect.

You can ease in or out of meds with the use of other drugs , Gerax being a help in my case to reduce anxiety.

 

[love2readbooks]

When I first got diagnosed with PTSD, I was put on Luvox and when I couldn't afford the $300 a month to stay on it I went cold turkey. I had the brain zaps you mentioned and I also had a sensation of being smothered by my own skin. The feelings were horrible! If you are considering getting off of the meds, take it really slowly and if you can, make sure that a doctor is involved. Most recently, I have been off of prescription meds for 3 years.