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Author Topic: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?  (Read 13525 times)

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Offline cubbybear

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Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« on: November 29, 2007, 04:54:45 am »
Hey Guys.

I am considering starting Zoloft, been in a bit of a rutt that I can't get out of, and my Dr suggested I try Zoloft for a while.  I've never taken an Anti-D, and wondered what people who've taken this have experienced before I try it.

I have usually bitten the bullet and got by on my own, but I just cant get out of this duldrum I am in/have been in for some time.

Much love.
Matt

Offline MOONLIGHT1114

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2007, 06:47:13 am »
Hi Matt~

Its been at least 5 years, but I remember starting Zoloft one day when I was home sick from work.

I took one pill and never took any again.   >:(

I went back to my doc and bitched to high hell at the side effects from just taking one dreaded pill.  I remember napping on my couch and I had to use the bathroom.  My brain told me to get up but my body wouldn't move.  The physical side effect from the drug was very overwhelming for me.

I went to my doc and said that if my house was on fire, I would've burned.  It took me over an hour with a very full bladder, to will myself off of the couch.  This was like nothing I had ever experienced.  I had never taken an anti-depressant, and after that ONE pill, I absolutely REFUSE.  I am fortunate that I can get through things without medication, but I understand its not always easy for all of us.

Ask your doc about the "catatonic" side effect of this med.  I was told not to drive or anything until I knew what effect the med had on me.  Then the doc goes and says that after 6 weeks  :o  I should be feeling better. 

I sure as hell didn't even wait a day and immediately refused to take the med ever again.  I don't mean to scare you, but for me, this was some very powerful stuff, and it just wasn't worth it to me.  Sure, you won't be as depressed when you take it, you'll be sleeping for a 100 years!  Ugh!  The entire thing pissed me off.   >:(

~ Cindy
HIV+ since '93, 1/12 - CD4 785 and undet.   WOO-HOO!!

Offline wlmciver

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2007, 10:33:50 pm »
For me, Zoloft has worked wonders.  I've taken it now for 2 years.  However, when I was in the hospital this last go round, they also added psychotrpopic related meds.  I have not been happier in a very long time!  But zoloft is the base of my sanity.

Every anti-dep works a litlle differently in each person.  And like so many other drugs, after awhile I must change to something else (Paxil for 8 years, then another for a few years, and now zoloft).  Just remember staying happy and in good spirits is critical to remaning healthy.

Good Luck!

Bill

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2007, 12:41:19 am »
Years back in his pre-AIDS days Matty the Damned took Zoloft for about 9 months.

It did not end well. Hateful stuff. Vicious side-effects. Naturally Papa Bear, your mileage may vary.

Baby Bear

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2007, 01:53:28 am »
I recall it impacting rather significantly the ability to orgasm, and frankly that makes depression worse for me.  What's the point of living if I can't whack off once each day?

Most of the SSRI class is like that, but I recall Zoloft being far worse.  Cymbalta and Remeron for example don't do this, as they're in separate classes than SSRI's.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2007, 02:59:03 am »
Actually I found the Tri-cyclic family much more effective. Alas I developed urinary retention (a common side effect) and so had to be changed to the questionable SSRI family.

Then I got over myself and needed no anti-depressant.

MtD

Offline J.R.E.

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  • Positive since 1985, joined forums 12/03
Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2007, 08:04:03 am »
Hello Matt,

Just curious,...Did you ever start the Zoloft, or did you decide on something else..

Hope all is going well-----Ray
Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

 As of Oct 2nd, 2023, Viral load Undetectable.
CD 4 @676 /  CD4 % @ 18 %
Lymphocytes,absolute-3815 (within range)


72 YEARS YOUNG

Offline poz1970

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2007, 10:36:10 pm »
I've been on zoloft for nearly a year now

6 months ago, I got taken up to 100mg, which coincides with major gastric issues that I'm currently having, currently reducing my dosage to confirm whether its whats been fucking my guts up


As an andi depressant, the dosage I am on has 'mostly' worked... I still have moments of utter depression, but mostly its fine.. it seems to moderate my moods reasonably well


Just the side effects suck the big one for me.

J
"The Bible contains 6 admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to  heterosexuals. That doesn`t mean that God doesn`t love heterosexuals. It`s just that they need more supervision." -- Lynn Lavne

Offline BT65

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2007, 06:45:00 pm »
I took Zoloft before and it worked just fine for me.  But my doctor switched me to Effexor because I have some attention deficit problems and I wii not take any stimulants (other than caffeine).  It seems to work well.  I think anti-depressants are a hit and miss thing.
I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

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Offline a2z

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2007, 06:52:56 pm »
I took Zoloft back in the late 90s.  I always thought it was ridiculous that Phil Hartman's family wanted to sue the makers of Zoloft considering his wife was also on heroin.

Then I took Zoloft.  I totally get it now. :-[

It turned me from a chronically and severely depressed person, whose anger was turned inward, to a loud, potentially psychotic person that wanted to kill just about everybody. 

I got off it after a week or two...I was seriously scared I would hurt someone.  I then started to fix the real stressors in my life and within a year I was much better.

And as someone else already said, your mileage may vary.

Dates are blood draw dates:
3/12/15: CD4 941, 36.4%, VL UD
9/4/14: CD4 948, 37.9%, VL 150
5/23/14: CD4 895 --.-% VL UD - Truvada/Isentress
09/21/09: CD4 898 27.0% VL 120 - back on track, same meds.High level enzymes, but less so
06/15/09: CD4 478 21.8% VL 1150 - high liver enzymes... looks like I may not be resistant
05/22/09: Fixed insurance, resumed medicine
04/17/09: Ran out of medicine, could not resolve insurance problems
04/01/09: CD4 773 28% VL 120 - high liver enzymes
12/01/08: CD4 514 23% VL 630
10/17/08 started Reyataz, Norvir and Truvada. -- possibly minor neuropathy, but otherwise okay.
9/10/08: CD4 345 17%, VL > 78K
8/18/08: CD4 312 18%, VL > 60K (considering meds)
12/19/07: CD4 550 28% VL > 100K (no meds yet)
Diagnosed 10/23/07

Offline sally

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2007, 12:40:31 am »
Dear cubbybear,

Are you a Chicago sports fan? Rhetorical question, of course . . . My parents were from Chicago and my Dad raised us to worship the Cubs and Bears. My brother named his first cat Cubby. He was a mere tyke so maybe he named him that because it sounds so cute, but maybe he was already a rabid Cubs fan. I'll have to ask him now that I've realized that a person could call himself cubbybear for either reason too! When he was all grown up (about 18), my brother did name a cat Cutie Pumpkin Face so who knows?

Anyway, enough about my brother. I've taken Zoloft and just about every other anti-depressant. Zoloft was actually better than most (side effects-wise), but then I've even taken MAOI's and tricyclics, which have really annoying side effects. A lot of people act as if taking an anti-depressant is either (a) A character flaw or (b) A path to suicide. Those people tend to be ones who don't know what the hell they're talking about when it comes to clinical depression or think there's only a one-case scenario in life--theirs. All drugs including OTCs like aspirin affect each person differently. Over the years I've seen people effectively commit suicide by not taking HIV drugs because they believed that (a) the drugs were ineffective and deadlier than the disease, (b) they could cure themselves with quack remedies, and/or (c) the drugs were part of any number of conspiracy theories and were actually designed to kill people with AIDS. Many people do have terrible side effects from one or more HIV drugs and they have my deepest sympathy because they're in the proverbial rock/hard place scenario. And I do believe that some alternative therapies can be very helpful. I'm not here shilling for the evil empire of the pharmaceutical industry. (Or their evil petting zoos . . .)

If you've been severely depressed for some time and believe that you have exhausted other remedies, then you should try anti-depressants. If Zoloft has unbearable side effects, try something else. There are dozens of anti-depressants. Keep in mind that side effects can sometimes go away or become less severe over time. Sometimes you don't get any side effects!! Imagine that! I've taken every single HIV med except for the most recent two or three and I've never had unmanageable side effects with any particular drug. I guess I'm just "lucky" that way. Other people have miserable side effects to some or most drugs. It's a crap shoot. A microcosm of "Life--the Crap Shoot." (The title of the anti-self-help book I'll never write.)

However, if I had a choice between being cured of AIDS or depression, I would choose depression hands down. (I was depressed even before I had AIDS in case you're having "chicken/egg" thoughts.) AIDS doesn't make me want to die--I've been living with that for 25 years. I've been living with depression virtually my whole life (I'm 52) and that does often make me want to die. It affects the quality of my life in ways that make AIDS look like a common cold. And, in case you're wondering about "quality of life issues," I have friends, a supportive family, and a 20+ year marriage to a loving, supportive, HIV negative guy. I also have health insurance and plenty of disposable income.

I guess I'm trying to make it clear how serious a disease depression is and that you need to put in whatever effort you can to help ease that pain. I hope you have a good, compassionate psychiatric professional to prescribe anti-depressants if you need them because that's actually Important Step Number 1. Don't be afraid of trying. I know more than even Tom Cruise about the history of psychiatry (ha-ha). So don't listen to the Tom Cruises of the world. Avail yourself of all the tools out there and reject the ones that don't work. Just keep trying.

cubbybear fan





Offline JDP3

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Re: Do you take/have taken zoloft/sertaline?
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2007, 09:38:38 am »
As has been said, it works for some, not for others.  I've been on Zoloft for about two years now and am up to 100mg/day with no adverse effects other than a somewhat (but not totally) decreased interest in sex, which can be adverse in itself for a relationship unless your partner is as understanding as mine.  Without it, I'd be a basket case. 

Some time back, while trying to wean myself away from any meds I didn't absolutely need, I backed off the Zoloft gradually.  Two days after stopping it completely, I found myself curled into a fetal position on the bathroom floor sobbing uncontrollably.

It's disconcerting knowing that I have to take any meds at all to survive, let alone function with some degree of normalcy.  However, considering the alternatives, I do what I have to.

Medications of this type just seem to be a trial and error sort of thing.  Some work, others make you feel like crap.  I really wish you the best in finding what works for you right off the bat.

John
"There is no beginning.  There is no end.  There is only the infinite passion of life."   -Frederico Fellini

 


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