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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 20 of 20. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by francesco on March 26, 2004, at 13:30:53
I on my second day of Zoloft (25mg). I'll try to keep this diary because I have a suspion that I could be bipolar. Two days ago I was depressed and now I'm undepressed and a bit high. The p-doc who prescribed me Zoloft says I'm not bipolar but another p-doc said I could be bipolar III or rapid-cycling. Forgot to add that this morning I was depressed. Therefore I think I'm cycling and I'd like to ask if this could be a normal reaction to Zoloft. I'm scared that things could get worse. I have had similar pattern of response to other antidepressants I've tried recently. The psychiatrist that diagnosed me as bipolar didn't want to prescribe me antidepressants anymore (long story) and the one who prescribed me Zoloft thinks I'm not bipolar, so, it would be hard to convince him to give me a mood stabilizer. I didn't get a formal diagnosis from the last one but I think I could have ADHD. Any comment really appreciated.
Posted by terrics on March 26, 2004, at 14:46:06
In reply to zoloft's diary, posted by francesco on March 26, 2004, at 13:30:53
Lithium works well as a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant. I cycle, but have been dxd as borderline which I think is not uncommon..something like rapid cycling. However, I have also been dxd as bipolar II and cyclothymic so who knows. The lithium works well for me. terrics
Posted by Mats on March 26, 2004, at 14:49:40
In reply to zoloft's diary, posted by francesco on March 26, 2004, at 13:30:53
a short med-induced hypomanic episode, or high, is quite normal for me in AD beginning.
Posted by francesco on March 26, 2004, at 20:28:49
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary » francesco, posted by terrics on March 26, 2004, at 14:46:06
Thanks terrics. I tried lithium four or five days but it made me feel, you wouldn't believe it, a little hypomaniac. It wasn't unpleasant but I decided to quit it because I was behaving in a stupid way, it was a dumb kind of euphoria.
Regarding borderline personality I have some clue that point in that direction, but no psychiatrist would make this diagnosis on me, I have never done something extreme.
I have a question for you. Do you think that lithium flat your emotions ? This my major concern regarging mood stabilizers (and SSRI's too).
Thanks
Posted by francesco on March 26, 2004, at 20:29:57
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary, posted by Mats on March 26, 2004, at 14:49:40
Thanks Mat. Your post gives me hope. What are taking ?
Posted by Mats on March 27, 2004, at 6:13:37
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary » Mats, posted by francesco on March 26, 2004, at 20:29:57
Right now im off all med.
In the past I been on Zoloft, Celexa, Efexor and Xanor.All ssri´s gave me a hypomanic reaction that lasted for 1-1,5 week. It progressively flattened out and left me with just a good mood.
Posted by francesco on March 27, 2004, at 7:03:03
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary, posted by Mats on March 27, 2004, at 6:13:37
Thanks Mat. May I ask you which was your experience on Zoloft with sexual dysfunctions and emotional numbness ?
Posted by francesco on March 27, 2004, at 12:27:42
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary » Mats, posted by francesco on March 27, 2004, at 7:03:03
Zoloft continue to help with anxiety but ...
I find myself more irritable. The irritability is under control but I don't like it. I wonder if my only way to do things and being undepressed is being nervous at the same time. But this is not what bores me most.When I'm on antidepressants I became less kind with people, less interested in them, more rude. And I'm not that kind of person usually, or at least, I think so. But maybe this is just a consequence of being more self-conscious, another typical side-effect for me. The lessening of empathy for others costed me a relationship and I feel like I'm again on that route.
I wonder if this is a sign of bipolarism, or if serotoninergic meds are not what I need. The problem is that they help me a lot in other departments. Our brains have not been designed for antidepressants I think.
Posted by terrics on March 27, 2004, at 16:27:33
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary » terrics, posted by francesco on March 26, 2004, at 20:28:49
I don't think lithium flattens my personality. It was so flat before I went on it things could only get better. ps. I am on wellbutrin,effexor,klonopin inderal and lithium, and I actually appear normal I think. I feel the best I have ever felt [on this combo].
I was on zoloft for 10 yrs and it worked pretty well except I had no sex drive. terrics
Posted by francesco on March 27, 2004, at 16:57:41
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary » francesco, posted by terrics on March 27, 2004, at 16:27:33
> I don't think lithium flattens my personality. It was so flat before I went on it things could only get better. ps. I am on wellbutrin,effexor,klonopin inderal and lithium, and I actually appear normal I think. I feel the best I have ever felt [on this combo].
I'm glad for you. It seems that if there's hope is in some cocktail. Did you add the wellbutrin to counteract sexual side effects from effexor or you didn't have sexual side effects from it ?
> I was on zoloft for 10 yrs and it worked pretty well except I had no sex drive. terrics
I feel that it could be my case. So far it has been the best SSRI I've taken regarding side-effects, but my sex drive has completely disappeared after my first dose (and it was more than good before I started). Did you mean you had not any sex drive at all or that it was just lessened ?
Posted by terrics on March 27, 2004, at 21:15:32
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary » terrics, posted by francesco on March 27, 2004, at 16:57:41
Hi again. My sex drive was only decreased from the zoloft. As to the wellbutrin I think pdoc gave it to me so I would stay more alert...not sure though: It was definitely not to counteract the libido problem from the effexor. terrics
Posted by francesco on March 28, 2004, at 7:09:16
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary » francesco, posted by terrics on March 27, 2004, at 21:15:32
I'm sick again. It seems that placebo effect has vanished. I'm more depressed than when I started. I just can't feel anything. My p-doc would say that it's to early to quit but ... I know what makes me depressed. Yesterdy evening I talked with my kind of girlfriend at the phone and I wasn't myself. I was too controlled, no fun to talk with her as usual ... I was boring and not spontaneous, and this crap always happens to me when I'm on meds. Fake smiles, fake kisses, being fake is better than being anxious ? I'm thinking to quit even if there not seems to be anything else to do even if I quit.
Posted by francesco on March 28, 2004, at 9:15:17
In reply to zoloft's diary day four » terrics, posted by francesco on March 28, 2004, at 7:09:16
Posted by francesco on March 28, 2004, at 13:28:58
In reply to zoloft's diary day four » terrics, posted by francesco on March 28, 2004, at 7:09:16
I took a benzo and the worst has passed. Today I've done nothing but staying at the computer, reading stuff about meds. I don't want to go out and see friends, I just wanna go to bed and sleep. I just can't see an alternative, being on meds is awful, and being off is awful too. I just have to decide which 'kind of awful' I prefer, while daydreaming to be someone else, the one I am. I feel like I'm doomed and I'm just 28. I know, this is depression talking, but it would be better when I'll be undepressed and unable to feel true feelings ? Will I always experience Prozac feelings, Anafranil feelings and so on for the rest of my life ? I just want to love my girl as I could do when I was not on meds when a caress was a caress and not a Zoloft caress.
When making love was making love and not trying to ejaculate. Ok, maybe I'm a bit exaggerating,
but I get depressed when I'm am on antidepressants.
Posted by theo on March 28, 2004, at 15:06:20
In reply to zoloft's diary, posted by francesco on March 26, 2004, at 13:30:53
I was on 25mg for 7 days then moved up to 50mg. have been on 50mg for 9 days and still feel aggitated and tired at the same time, spaced out. Today I dropped back down to 25mg. Can 25mg be a theraputic dose for someone? Anyone taking this low dose daily?
Posted by francesco on March 28, 2004, at 15:33:14
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary, posted by theo on March 28, 2004, at 15:06:20
> I was on 25mg for 7 days then moved up to 50mg. have been on 50mg for 9 days and still feel aggitated and tired at the same time, spaced out. Today I dropped back down to 25mg. Can 25mg be a theraputic dose for someone? Anyone taking this low dose daily?
Hi Theo, I feel just tired at the moment, not very agitated. I'd like to be agitated at this point. 25 mg is not supposed to be a therapeutic dose for depression but maybe it could be if you have just anxiety. You're near to the goal of the so called kick-in, my suggestion is staying on 50mg for another couple of weeks and helping yourself with benzos. This is what a p-doc would say though. My personal experience is that I've thought to quit Zoloft about 3 or 4 times today.
Best Wishes, let me know
Posted by francesco on March 29, 2004, at 14:34:38
In reply to Re: zoloft's diary » theo, posted by francesco on March 28, 2004, at 15:33:14
Yes. I may have bipolar issues. It's time to go on a mood stabilizer. I hate the idea but I have no other choices. I contacted my previous doc, the one who wanted me on a mood stabilizer, and I'll see him on Fryday. I hate the idea of loosing my cognitive abilities and my ... sex-appeal. This is what I hate. I may be exaggerating, or I may be not, so, if there's someone on a mood stabilizer that can help me I'd be glad. Someone who can tell me that is already capable of writing in a sharp manner and being attractive for the other sex even if it is on an anticonvulsivant. I know all this sounds stupid, but it's sincere. When I was on Trileptal, just 300mg, I wasn't able to carry on a conversation sometimes. It was awful.
Posted by francesco on March 30, 2004, at 12:37:18
In reply to zoloft's diary day five: all bipolars please help » francesco, posted by francesco on March 29, 2004, at 14:34:38
Guess what ? Today I'm in a wonderful mood. I'm not yet hypomaniac even if I'm maybe too witty considering that just two days ago I was severly depressed. I'll ask for a mood stabilizer to my doc and just take it if I see that things worsen in the mania direction. Of course I'll ask for his permission. Anyway this is my first day on non depression in three month or so. One thing may have contributed: I slept little and when I slept little I tend to have better mood. I don't want to negate what's obvious but I even don't want to trick myself about the bipolar issue. It's question of pro and cons I suppose. Will I stay better all considered with or without a mood stabilizer ? We'll see. So far so good
Posted by francesco on April 1, 2004, at 16:11:17
In reply to zoloft diary day six: a little hypo » francesco, posted by francesco on March 30, 2004, at 12:37:18
Hypo in the morning, have to take a benzo to concentrate in studying, and when the benzo faded out agitated again. Now I'm depressed. Concerned about two things:
1. sex desire is gone and my erection is soft (sorry for being so direct, but it's my diary ;-)
2. flatness. when I'm happy I'm happy in a stupid kind of way. I have trouble in listening to what people say, because I just don't care. If you don't feel emotions how can you communicate emotions ? If you feel nothing people around you will prove nothingaren't lack of sex desire and lack of emotions two sides of the same coin ?
Posted by seanwrx on April 2, 2004, at 0:48:04
In reply to zoloft diary day 7: about flatness and sex desire » francesco, posted by francesco on April 1, 2004, at 16:11:17
Francesco,
Hope that zoloft works for you. Reading your posts it sounds like we are alot alike, I am 28 also - and have a 'kind of' girlfriend as well. Part of my problem is that I need to end that relationship I think - but I am afraid too. For all my 'issues' I am a decent man, and she has a tendency to lie and manipulate. I am more afraid of being 'alone' then losing her when it comes down to it...anyways...I have been battling the depression/anxiety thing for about 5 years with meds (dealt with anxiety growing up but wasn't the issue it is now).
Currently I am on nothing...its been about 2 weeks, I was on Remeron for 6 months or so but it didn't help my anxiety and made me pretty tired all the time (plus some weight gain). I have been taking .5mg of klonopin occasionally. It seems to help some but unfortunetly I am beginging to suspect that I am bi-polar. I never feel 'great' but I definetly feel like sh*t one day or most of the day, then I feel pretty normal - able to go out shopping, talk with people etc. Its all rather confusing and scary.
Yesterday I came home from work, I just couldn't handle it, even after 2mg of Klonopin - today was a little rough in the morning and now I feel ok.
I know what you mean by a zoloft moment or whatever, I often wonder what the 'real' me thinks about a particular situation. I often feel like my depression/anxiety is clouding the issue, sometimes I feel like my medication is clouding my thoughts. Its a fine line.
Would you say you are more depressed or more anxious? Or a combination of the two?
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