Anti depressant question please help

Question

I really want to want to get off zoloft. I have been on it since i was 13. I have been on it now for 71/2 years. i have spent alot of my life on this drug. I feel I'm physically dependent on zoloft. i believe zoloft is causing, me racing thoughts, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and is causing me to become severely emotionally numb, and little motivation. I talked to 2 psychiatrist and got 2 different answers. The last one i seen thinks the zoloft might be numbing some things, but he does not want to take me off the medication. The doctor wants to add seroquel, and keep me on zoloft. Is it possible for me to get off zoloft after being on it since for this long?

Answer 1

I'd see a third psychiatrist if you are not happy with these two.

Racing thoughts and insomnia are symptoms of bipolar.  Having antidepressants stop working is, too.  Seroquel is an antipsychotic often prescribed for bipolar (and very occassionally depression and/or anxiety).  Your second pdoc may have been placing you on the bipolar spectrum.  As for Seroquel, it has a mild antidepressant effect, but it is extremely sedating, much more so than any antidepressant.  There are other antipsychotics (Abilify and Geodon) with stronger antidepressant effects w/o the sedation.  These are used more frequently for depression from what little I've seen.  (I'm far from expert!)

If your mood is good, then work with your first pdoc on getting off of anti-d's.  Maybe switch to something like Prozac and slowly ween from that.  It might be easier than going down on Zoloft directly.  If your depression comes back, then try another med.  Definitely do this with a doc if you decide to go off antidepressants altogether!

Answer 2

go to counseling

answer my question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 3

I am very against SSRI's.   Be prepared to go through utter h**l for around 4-6 months when you detox from them.  It is all about healing your adrenals.  www.adrenalfatigue.org

Check out what others have been through on www.askapatient.com

Best of luck to you.

Answer 4

You have the right to get off a medication, but you do need to do it under the supervision of a doctor because after ths long your body is probably dependent on the zoloft. It is very likely that after this long you are immune to the effects of your medication, but at the same time your body relies on it. You probably need a new medication, and if your doctor is not listening to you then make thme. You know how you feel.

Answer 5

Yes, it is possible to get off of the zoloft, but you do need to do it under a doctors supervision.   You know how you feel, you know when things are getting worse.  You told us what the last  psychiatrist said, but hat did the first psychiatrist tell you?