Anyone on Zoloft?

[dminton]

Hi, all,

I just started Zoloft this weekend for depression and anxiety from IC. I have one of those starter packs and am cautiously taking only half of the recommended starting dose. Is anyone else on it? I've only been on it for 2 days. I'm worried because I heard that SSRIs can make IC worse for some folks. I asked a pain specialist about that, and he said it's not that they make you worse, it's that they just don't help with pain like some other classes of antidepressants might (Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, Effexor). It's a very individual thing. Any comments are welcome.

Thanks,

Diana.

[poetgirl]

Diana,

Are you taking any of the tricyclic antidepressants (i.e, Elavil) which are indicated for pain? You may need to watch for interaction with SSRIs like Zoloft. It can cause a lot of problems. I tried Zoloft last year, in conjunction with Elavil, and couldn't tolerate it at all. However, I'm fine with Elavil, aside from ocassional grogginess in the morning.

If you're just taking Zoloft and no other anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds, you should be fine so long as your body adjusts to the dosage.

Good luck!

[dminton]

Hi, poetgirl,

I am not on any tricyclics. I can't stand them! We are all so different. I still need to work on the pain aspect of IC, when I have my long flare-ups. I don't know how much Zoloft would help with depression in the first place, if a person is still in pain! But I'm giving it a try anyway. Hopefully the sexual side effects won't be bad; that would be depressing!

I want to try Lyrica when it comes out later this year. It's supposed to be effective at much lower doses than Neurontin, hence fewer side effects.

Anyone have experience with Zoloft?

Diana.

[caitlinsmom]

I have been treated for depression long before I found about the IC. I am almost ashmed to admit that my IC is not very bad. My depression is bad. I have tried many different meds along the way, paxil (did nothing), zoloft (stopped it when I was preggers with my daughter), luvox (someting about OCD, but I stopped that one, deseryl (sp?) that helped me sleep, but I was not able to sleep without it and tha concerned me so I stopped that one also. They tried buspar, but that made me crazy...very angry and aggressive (stopped that one real quick) Tried effexor(gained weight), used that one until I got pregnant with my son. Went off all meds for depression for about 3 months before I got prenant till 2 trimester.Bad idea, i thought i was going to go insane, bad time for my marriage, b/c hubby was totally unable to deal with my unmedicated self. my mom had to come and live with us for 3 months, just to keep me calm. My OB strongly insisted that I try some wellbutrin, and i did, only i took a half dose every other day,b/c i was so afraid that the baby wiould be harmed, although there was no evidence to that fact at all. after i had the baby i tried celexa, that made me really gain weight, like i needed that after giving birth, so I went back to wellbutrin Xl, and I am doing pretty well. I know that this a long winded answer sorry. By the way my mom takes cymbalta, and it works for her.

[dminton]

Wow, you've tried a lot of things! Isn't it amazing how differently they affected you? It seems to be the case with lots of folks, that every antidepressant has some downside. Thanks for the reply. Anyone else with any Zoloft experience?

P.S. What's your Mom taking Cymbalta for, if you don't mind my asking? I know that recently it has been prescribed for pain, including IC.

Diana.

[caitlinsmom]

Yes, I have tried a lot of meds, and the wellbutrin has been the best (for me). Does not take away the anxiety like some of the others do, but i have a counselor to help with that.

My mom takes the cymbalta for depression. She has tried lots of nmeds, but she has/ has several medical conditions. Such as cancer, MS, post polio syndrome, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, fibro, depression, diabetes,

she has tried: methadone, viacdin, oxycontin, remeron, effexor, wellbutrin, elavil, neurontin, serafem, cymbalta, xanax along with a few other I can't remember. The cymbalta seems to help her, but she has tons of issues.

[Sarojini]

I tried Zoloft -- had to get off. Ended up rapid cycling between up and down moods faster than I could feel them. Went back to the shrink and found this was a classic response of a bipolar patient to antidepressant therapy alone -- so I got this bipolar diagnosis and now am on a mood stabilizer/antiseizure drug called Lamictal. Seems to work much better, at least for me... however, now I have to be careful about antidepressant use. If I were to begin taking one I'd have to do it concurrently with my Lamictal, and start slowly, and only use certain types, like Wellbutrin. However, as of yet I have not tried another antidepressant. I also take Klonopin for anxiety.