Depression Relief [please help]

I'm having some problems with the prescription drug Zoloft.
I've been on it for roughly three months.
When I attempted suicide,
my mom wanted me to be on the lowest affective dose possible
so that coming off the drug would be easier.
The doctor put me on 12.5mg or half a 25mg tablet a day.
It slowly stopped being as affective
and two weeks after being on that dosage,
it simply stopped working.
I went in to see my doctor for a basic check-up since the suicide attempt
and he doubled my dosage.
he said the dosage [12.5mg] is basically a child size dosage.
my researching tells me that a 18 yr old is usually stable on 100 mg a day.
so since then [mid-april] i have been on 25mg of Zoloft a day.
It has been serving its purpose in reducing my symptoms of major depression and social anxiety up until about a week ago.
I've been sweating a lot and shaking
and about once a day I will have a depressive mania..
just start hysterically crying and/or yelling about whatever set me off.
Some of these things make me look really stupid.
Yesterday I went out with my boyfriend to find something to eat for lunch and I starting crying because nothing sounded good and he wouldn't decide where to go.
I'm feeling suicidal and constantly depressed no matter what i do.
as far as i can tell
It seems to be withdrawal symptoms.
I need my doctor.

since i recently moved out of my parents house [just turned 18]
and i don't have a job to pay for a doctor visit,
i need my parents help to pay for my medication, etc.
but they have been on a cruise of alaska/canada.
They won't be back until the 27th.
until then..

I really need help.
Does anyone have any experiences similar to this?

 

Sounds like you really need to see your doctor. Possibly he might need to increase your dosage or something. Im not a professional, so I wont make any recommendations. You havent been taking any other medications or drugs recently that could be interefering with your ssri, right?

Just go to the doctor, and either pay for your meds with a credit card or borrow the money. Im sure your parents will help you pay when they get back, this is your safety after all.

You said you were diagnosed with major depression and social anxiety. Is it possible you are bipolar? Has that ever been considered by your doctor, and do you have any family history of it? You may need to be put on a mood stabilizer.

Please, go to your doctor. Call his office and speak with the nurse and tell them whats going on.

 

my biological father has bipolar disorder
and my mom has major depression so
that has always been a high possibility.

its just sort of all of the sudden its been happening.
i've been taking four caplets of cranberry,
one tablet of vitamin C,
four caplets of cold/flu medicine,
and like four caplets of ibuprofen.

i've been really sick lately
with horrible abdominal cramps [ibuprofen]
really bad cough/stuffy head [cold medicine]
painful unrination [cranberry]
and the vitamin C is a normal thing that i always take.

I havent been drinking or smoking
because i may possibly be pregnant...
JUST TO COMPLICATE THINGS MORE.

lol.

i am a complete mess..
two nights ago i was considering going to the emergency room because i was freaking out so bad.. but i didn't know if i was supposed to so i took some sleeping pills and went to bed.

my poor boyfriend doesn't know what to do either.

 

my advice is to get off the medication and see if you feel better at all.

if you don't like that:
just please be very careful before increasing your dosage. i've heard of this only making suicidal thoughts and negative side effects of anti-depressants WORSE.

another thread on the forums says: eat a banana!
http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=310144

 

Those are symptoms of a greater problem, you really should call your doctor and explain whats going on. He'll either set up an appointment with you or suggest that you go into the er.

Either way, it sounds like somethings going on with your body. You might be sick, pregnant or whatever. Probably why you've been feeling the way you have both mentally and physically.

I wouldnt stop taking your medications until after you talk with your doctor. Its not a good idea to just stop taking an ssri like zoloft cold-turkey.

Sounds like you may need to see a psychiatrist instead of simply a doctor for your depression.

 

zoloft is known to have horrible withdrawal symptoms.
i've been advised to see my doctor if i want to get off of it.
its called "tapering" and you slowly come off the medication within 6 weeks.
since i'm having withdrawal symptoms,
i wouldnt guess that going off of it would help..

 

i have been seeing a therapist.
she has changed my appointments to monthly instead of weekly intervals.
i thought that was a sign that i'm getting better..
idk....

 

So...

abdominal cramps
really bad cough/stuffy head
painful unrination
Shaking
Sweating
Mood problems, i.e. depression?

Is it possible your experiencing really severe premenstrual symptoms? Might be a good idea to check the calendar.

You could also just be sick and be suffering from a urinary tract infection (noticed your already taking the cranberry, is it helping at all?) Any other symptoms? Headache, Naseua, Vomitting, ect?

You also said you might be pregnant... why do you think that? Did you miss your period, or are you still waiting to see if you will have one this month?

Regardless, your best bet would still be to go to doctor, but I understand there may be finicial issues.

 

smoke some herb, thats my advice to anyone suffering from depression, anxiety, loss of appetite, just about everything lol.

but seriously, Im finding myself quoting the Katt Williams skit almost everyday, because of how insightful it is. "Just hit the blunt once and see if it dont change your perception of what's important in life". people be stressing over all types of shit, most of which they have no control over. that stress leads to depression and all types of disorders, but marijuana has a magical chemical in it called "fuck it".

ROTF i love that katt williams stand-up, its the truth!

 

i don't get PMS.
and these, trust me, are FAR beyond menstrual cramps.
whenever someone touches my stomach or even having my laptop on it puts me in agony.

its just a possibility that i may be pregnant.
not for sure.. I am past due
and going in for a pregnancy test very soon.

i left a message on my doctor's voicemail.
i hope he can get back to me before it gets worse.

 

have fun smoking your herb,
no offense.

it is NOT good for anxiety, i have already researched it.
that's the only reason why i wouldn't take the risk.
well that and i'm looking for a job..

 

Yes, weed can be a miracle cure for some, but its not for everybody. It makes my anxiety worse, sometimes to the point of a full blown panic attack, so I refuse to smoke nowadays.

sunshinekidd, good luck . I hope for the best.

 

It does mess up your stomach, hurt mine, I was started on 50 and moved to 75 mg a day. It made everything ok, but I don't think its right for you imo. Maybe you need something stronger. Weed is not good for anxiety, it mellows you out, but if you go into it with something on your mind it increases those thoughts. Goto a county hospital or clinic. There's so many different drugs to choose from. I did zoloft for 4 months, till i realized it was giving me apathy, made everything ok, had no motivation to do what i wanted. I weened myself down to 50mg, then took it like every other day, then quit cold turkey, this is week 3 and i was depressed for a whole 48 hours. I was taking it for anxiety. It messed my body, I just want off of it, but i haven't really felt that bad withdrawal symptoms, but i've heard of them. I can feel my body going back to normal

 

well i contacted my doctor and he doubled my prescription dosage.
i havent started the larger dosage-- 50 mg
but once i start i'll let you know how it goes.
thank you EVERYONE for all the support.

much love.

 

Good luck.

 

Whatever you do stay away from recreational drugs, especially any stimulants and those have made my depression 100 times worse after. Also, pot makes my anxiety so much worse and has at times led to panic attacks.
Hopefully you'll find a good solution to the problem. Also research 5-HTP. If a serotonin deficiency is the cause for your depression this can seriously help, because it increases the serotonin availability in the brain. I'd say give it a try. I use it daily and it has made a drastic difference without the zombifying effects of SSRIs.
Also, if anxiety is a reason for your medication, try L-theanine, a derivative of green tea that increases dopamine and has greatly helped my anxiety.
Hopefully my suggestions help, and do a little research if you want to take the natural route.
An herbalist may be helpful too for finding something that suits you and your specific needs.
While I have heard reports of those having successful experience with pharmaceutical anti-depressants, when I went off of them I felt so alive and I didn't realize how dead they were making me feel. I'm not trying to convince you to do what worked for me, do what makes the most sense for you, I just hope you'll find the best possible remedy because I know depression can be the worst thing in the world.
Whatever you do don't change any patterns in taking your medication without consulting your doctor.
Good luck with everything.
Peace

 

If there's ANY possibility that you have even an underlying case of bipolar disorder, SSRIs can cause a swing into full blown mania and trigger mixed episodes (which are considered very dangerous when it comes to suicide risk). It happened to my grandma when they put her on Paxil, another SSRI, and I saw a show with Jane Pauley (also bipolar but didn't know it at the time), who took antidepressants and went completely nuts. If any of your immediate relatives have it and your doctor is just ignoring that fact, it could be time to consider another doctor, as bipolar disorder isn't always readily noticeable or distinguishable from major depression without extensive monitoring of symptoms, etc.

On another note, I took SSRIs, tricyclics, and an antipsychotic for 6 years and experienced the same thing as you: a noticeable stabilizing of my condition, a better mood, and depression relief for the first month, then nothing. I switched meds and upped dosages so many times, all with the same results. This seems to be a common phenomenon with these meds, most of which haven't been adequately studied for long term effects. If this change in your dosage fails to help you or, god forbid, makes your condition worse, please look into other treatment options and/or another doctor...preferably a psychiatrist or someone with actual psychological training. Good luck.

 

well.
there is good news.
i'm not pregnant
and my cold is finally getting better.
ginger ale and supplements did the trick.
since i doubled my dosage,
i feel SO much better.

I have extensively been researching the symptoms of bipolar disorder as a possibility for my strange behavior
as possible as it may seem that i could have this disorder,
i do not nor have i ever experienced mania:

"In the manic phase of bipolar disorder, feelings of heightened energy, creativity, and euphoria are common. People experiencing a manic episode often talk a mile a minute, sleep very little, and are hyperactive. They may also feel like they’re all-powerful, invincible, or destined for greatness."

that's the only thing really drawing me back from that conclusion.

i do have EXTREME mood swings
but for the most part,
i stay on the depressive side of the scale.

 

i've struggled with depression and have had someone try to tell a psychiatrist that i am bipolar, it turns out that i needed more polarity, and i aquired the ability to do so in a rather covert manner. If you do not express any mania then you don't have classic bipolar disorder.

Keep in mind that SSRIS can make people more suggestible. Some times this is what is needed. Stay strong, be true.