Back on Zoloft for the 3rd time !!! - http://www.sjwinfo.org Forums
Topic Title: Back on Zoloft for the 3rd time !!!
| |  "Back on Zoloft for the 3rd time !!!"
, Sun 12 May 13:05
I've been on the lowest dose of Zoloft for 2 years now. I specifically weaned off it 2 times, first trying St. Johns wort, than later 5-HTP. Went off basically do to weight gain it has caused. ANYONE ELSE experience weight gain on prescribed anti-depressants. When I tried the St. Johns work and 5-HTP the coated one, by Natures Way too) both did not seem to work as well for depression, sleep and anxiety, and also caused stomach upset and slight nausia. The last time I weaned off and was on the 5-HTP for 5 weeks, before going back onto Zoloft, I did loose 5 pounds. I have always eaten a very healthy diet, low in carbs, low fat, low cal because I'm hypoglycemic and I also exercise for an hour everyday and have always stayed trim. So, I know it's the Zoloft causing this. I also recently read an article by Dr. Atkins on "Antidepressants and Metabolic Resistance." Describes how SSRI's work, basically by blocking the body's normal ability to destroy serotonin, as it creates a serotonin uptake, causing among one thing...a slow metabolism. (thus weight gain)
I'm considering weaning off ZOloft ONE MORE TIME to give another product a try, called "HTP.CALM" which has st. Johns work, 5-HTP, passion flower, B-6 and Kava. I had now idea Zoloft works in this way, by destroying my bodys own ability to create serotonin, wonder now if this can cause my body to work even harder to create it when I come off Zoloft. What a bad chain reaction...that is habit forming, even thought the doctors say it isn't. Anyone else gain weight on prescribed anti-depressants and not gain weight on natural anti-depressants????????? I seem to suffer more from anxiety and insomnia than depression, but depression is still a symptom too and my symtoms are severe, so wondering from past experience, that the natural stuff maybe wasn't potent enough.
Feel great, but not with this weight problem. !! ! !
Pauline
Posts: 75 | | Registered: Wednesday 14 Mar 2001 10:59 |
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| | "jdringer - this will help" , Sun 12 May 15:42
It sounds like you're pretty confused about all these products, brands, and how they differ. In lieu of that, it sounds like you're stressed about the dangers of the Rx you are on in the long run. Let me just say not to worry about the Zoloft messing you up in the long run if you've only been taking the minimum dosage, you should be okay. I'd worry about the people who take 5 times that amount per day, which is what I'd probably be on for OCD. Imagine your brain turning into a sort of mesh ;).
You basically have a couple of options, and it will be an experiment because its all trial and error with any sort of AD.
Options:
1) You could get off the Zoloft, try taking both SJW and 5 HTP simultaneously and see how that reacts. This time, you could try some different brands. The products that combine SJW, Kava, 5HTP, all seem to put insignificant amounts of each supplement thus tricking the consumer into buying a product that doesn't have any effectiveness while saving them $ on ingredients. Maybe you could try Movana SJW (reputable) with Jarsin (purity verified by HDIC) 5HTP, or Nature's Way 5HTP (coated) with Kira (#1 selling in Germany) SJW. You could give these a shot for at least 2 months and at the end re-evaluate your situation.
You can't expect them to kick in within a day, but you will feel the initial placebo effect which is nice. You'd be off the Rx meds and your metabolism should hopefully return to normal. If it works, great. If not, you could try option #2.
2) My doctor told me that he has successfully put people on SSRI's, Paxil in particular, for a span of 6 months, and then had them come off and not have any symptoms of relapse for 5-10 years. It sounds like you could use a break from all this medication, so perhaps you could switch to Paxil, have your doc start you out on 20mg and keep increasing until you feel good again. It seems that the weight gain is less common with Paxil and more frequent with Zoloft. While they are basically both SSRI's, Paxil seems to perform better and is tolerated best. You could stay on it for a half year at least, then re-evaluate your situation with your doctor and begin to taper off. Maybe you'll do good for a year w/o meds. If so, great. If not, at least you tried it and you're better off than you are now right?
#3)You could try Prozac - which is the most tolerable of all the SSRI's.
#4) You could try Buspar which is not said to cause much weight gain (if any?) as it is not an SSRI.
Keep us posted.
---
My disclaimer:
I am not a doctor and you should not listen to me. Consult with a physician before trying any medications, herbs, supplements, combining medications, combining herbs/supplements, or any other medication. This is just my opinion of what I would do. :)
Posts: 70 | | Registered: Tue 29 Jan 2002 19:58 |
| |  "Re(1):Back on Zoloft for the 3rd time !!!"
, Sun 12 May 13:59
I recently joined a Low carb forum http://forum.lowcarber.org /
and on the forum there is a section specifically about this topic. It seems like most of the people on prescription anti-depressants have problems with weight gain, but with the lc plan they are losing weight, even though the weight tends to come off more slowly, it does come off.
MJ DuPont
http://events.diabetes.org/memberpages/peshka
Posts: 329 | | Registered: Wed 20 Jun 2001 6:19 |
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