Posted by vanessa33 on November 14, 2003, at 14:37:43
I've been on zoloft for probably longer than anyone else in the history of the world. :)
It was a lifesaver for me at one time. Ten years ago, I was not functional...I was so depressed I wanted to die. Tried several other antidepressants that were disastrous because either they didn't work or they caused panic attacks, because I have a nervous streak.
Zoloft was a nice relaxing antidepressant that didn't cause any panic attacks and actually worked. I started feeling more open and clear and alive and it really turned my life around.
Now ... ten years later. (Yep - you heard that right. Ten years.) I think I'm ready to make it 'on my own'.
My doctor is being a little cautious in his support of my quitting. He says he'll support me either way I go, but reminds me that ten years ago, I couldn't get out of bed. And today, I have a great career, a good marriage and do lots of charity work. He says he knows that generally the idea is to get off of antidepressants, and that it may seem weird to stay on something forever, but reminds me there's no law that says I can't. He says zoloft and I just seem to "click" and he wants me to be careful about messing with a good thing.
However....I have secretly suspected that the zoloft may have stopped working over the years and that I may have in fact, been making it "on my own" for a while now. That is to say, maybe my brain has caught up with the drug, and I'm in fact, just staying on it because when I try to taper, I experience some withdrawal. In other words, maybe I only THINK I still need it, when in fact, it hasn't been doing anything for the last couple years. I'm not sure - but I just have this feeling that might be the case. I can't quite explain why I know that...it was a gradual realization.
In addition, I have noticed a slight increase in inappropriate temper rises within me in recent times. (Getting disproportionately mad over small grievances.) My Internet research leads me to wonder whether when I reached the point where the zoloft was no longer really doing its thing, it also started gradually creating side effects it hadn't done back when my brain desperately needed it. I had NO side effects the first couple years. But now ...I wonder whether as my brain no longer needs it, it could be creating undesirable side effects because it's now an excess thing I'm putting in there, rather than a desperately needed thing. Does that seem possible?
Anyway, I wondered if others had thoughts that could be helpful! I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
poster:vanessa33
thread:279777
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031111/msgs/279777.html