So optimistic about Zoloft...letdown again!

I've never suffered from depression (except after going off the pill - and then I went into kind of a postpartum depression thing for a couple of weeks - I guess that's what postpartum depression feels like, and it was awful). I'm one of those people who beats sadness down with my mind and sometimes I can't understand how others can't do that. After my bout with the "postpartum-the-pill" episode, I am more inclined to think that outside factors play a much stronger role in creating depression in people.

Many people who suffer from depression find that acupuncture, yoga, and colon cleansing work wonders to "heal" them. Perhaps you should look into it and get off the pill-popping bandwagon that doctors love to put people on. Your body views medicine as toxic (yes, ALL medicine), hence the side effects (both minor and extreme) people suffer from. The reaction you're having to this medicine you're on now sounds VERY toxic! Get away from it NOW!

Every day, I become more convinced that "natural" living will solve many people's problems. Doctors are so quick to prescribe a pill for every little thing these days, and I'm pretty sure kickbacks and big government money is ultimately behind much of this. A pill is not always the end-all-be-all answer for every ailment. All medicine does is mask the real problem by alleviating the symptoms. Let's get one thing clear: Symptoms are NOT the problem. If you feel awful and take a pill to feel better, all you're doing is hiding the symptoms until the pill wears off and then you feel awful again. Medicine does NOT fix the underlying problem...and it creates side effects which can be just as awful or moreso than the symptoms you're suffering from.

Unfortunately, I hear more and more stories all the time that convince me that most doctors aren't interested (and/or aren't able) to figure out what the real problems are in their patients. They throw medicine at the symptoms, and run expensive tests, but can never seem to find the problem. I've had a history of suffering bad headaches, and on three occasions these headaches became so severe my doctor ran thousands of dollars worth of tests and never found ONE SINGLE THING wrong with me. I was perfectly healthy, by doctors standards. I was like, "If I'm so healthy, why do I have these headaches and feel so awful all the time?" The answer, "I don't know. Let's prescribe this and that and see you again in two weeks." No, thank you. I finally gave up trying to find answers from the "medical profession" and took my health into my own hands and began doing my own research. I found my answers in such natural remedies as 1) acupuncture and acupressure 2) natural herbal teas 3) colon cleansing (one of the best things I've ever done: www.drnatura.com )4) all natural vitamins (Nature's Sunshine) 5) food enzymes 6) no caffeine 7) no soda pop of ANY kind - not even diet 8) no artificial sweeteners (I use Stevia now) 9) regular exercise 10) whole foods 11) lots of water 12) regular sleep schedule...among other things.

Good luck!
 
>Janice, Depression is not natural..transient sadness,
>grief,that's normal, but depression is a disorder, like
>diabetes. If one is not re uptaking serotonin, it is foolish
>not to treat it....I have had patients in CCU using St.John's
>wort - who were in complete heart block and in need of
>pacemakers because they wanted to be "natural" (and yes,i'm a
>nurse,vegetarian,yoga teacher, peta and greenpeace activist)
>but why do SSRI with something unregulated when you can have
>something that has been FDA approved with peer reviewed study?
> Anyhoo- you are coping with something too heavy for your
>shoulders....the zoloft, maybe at 100 mgs, might negate your
>underlying pathology so you can do the work of grieving and
>maybe get through some other pain that you've
>suppressed....your dad's death is part of his story...he never
>got to make amends...but you can live life and not repeat his
>story, your children never need to experience the
>ramifications of his life - as they so impacted
>yours....you're trying to try - and that's all you have to
>do....and if you need a nap, TAKE the damn nap! That's the
>body attempting to HEAL!! We Americans sleep less than anyone
>on earth and its not healthy..sleep 12 at night at times and
>take a nap a couple times a week - till Christmas - GIVE
>yourself permission to heal! THEN, New Year, you can start
>kicking your butt in gear and back off the naps and sleep, but
>allow yourself the fall to rest, heal, and get recalled to
>life.
>
>You are not alone...you have countless friends you've never
>met, just by sharing yourself. Hang in there .

With all due respect, just because the FDA approved it does not mean it is good for you. Take artificial sweeteners, for example. They turn to poison in the body and yet the FDA says they are "safe". They chemically alter when heated over 90 degrees, and yet now they are telling you to bake with at (at over 350 degrees) and use children in their commercials to brainwash you into thinking it's safe. It chemically alters into a different kind of poison when stored for extended periods (say, oh, a few months) and into a another kind of poison when it gets cold, but that doesn't stop people from putting it in their iced tea. But, the FDA says it's "safe", so everyone thinks it's okay.

And look at methodone. It kills someone every other day - people who were using the drug in the exact way it was intended and prescribed. It kills them while they sleep because it turns the body toxic. But the FDA says it's safe.

The FDA also said it was safe to inject thimersol into children as part of their vaccinations. Thimersol is mercury and I find it more than a coincidence that hundreds of babies were perfectly healthy and developing perfectly normally UNTIL they received a vaccination or booster. Then, they suddenly "became" autistic and developmentally stunted.

I know someone who was starting to become depressed all the time, and she tried St. John's Wort and immediately improved...with no ill side effects. Just because something isn't "regulated" doesn't mean it is bad for you. I mean, look at all those "regulated" things listed above. When faced with the facts, can you really say they are better than a non-regulated item? I know my answer.
 
Not arguing the "approved" meds that have been shown not to be safe. And I well understand natural living, as I try to do it myself...but I can tell you that just because its "natural" does not mean its not toxic...The cardiac effects of St.Johns (which I took for 4 months, did nothing) are dangerous. So all I'm saying is that being a zealot with popping prescribed pills or being a zealot with avoiding prescribed pills is dangerous and to be open minded to both....and if people are in such pain that they can't sleep, diet and exercise are not cutting it...it is not an indictment of your character to seek medical attention. Depression is a killer, anxiety is toxic.....if one is experiencing a serotonin imbalance, that is not a symptom that a pill erases, it is a physical condition that can be treated successfully in many cases....so no one is less of a person if they seek natural lifestyle changes, and they don't work because of an underlying pathology in brain chemistry....
 
Catwoman,

In many ways I agree with what you are saying, but with all due respect, you really don't know unless you have experienced real, crippling, depression. The methods you describe only work if you have the ENERGY TO BEGIN. When I was "mildly" depressed, that worked. Kick myself in the butt, quit whining, and work out..eat better..think positive. But sometimes depression progresses to a point where you can't even get out of bed. It can feel like you are trying to crawl out of quicksand.. If you can't get out of bed how do you think you can investigate acupuncture, give up caffeine, artificial sweetener, and everything else you describe??? For pete's sake, right now, that would take every ounce of energy I have left, LOL.

That said, I totally agree with you when you say that medication does not solve everything and can oftentimes make the situation worse (side effects and dependence). But it has been proven, in some people, that depression, untreated and over time, CAN AND DOES change your brain chemistry. In these people, supplemental serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and/or GABA can help. Some people describe the changes as a miracle! The question is.....do you really have an imbalance or, with enough persistance, could you come out of the hole of depression on your own? All I know is medication for depression often gets people well enough so that they no longer want to kill themselves. It gets them over the "hump" so that they can now try to help themselves. It offers them some sort of hope. That has value.

As far as the medical profession. Doctors aren't perfect. What is so wrong with them NOT KNOWING? They are not God (although sometimes they act like it, LOL) You know, not everything has a reason, atleast not one that can be medically diagnosed. Jeez, working in a hospital has really opened my eyes to the fact that there are so many sick people that it is no wonder doctors and nurses don't have the time!!!!... Maybe your headaches were just stress?? Maybe they were a side effect of accupuncture? How do you know? Doctors prescribe meds to relieve symptoms. If you don't like that..you go to a naturopath. But I also know plenty of people who have gone your route and it didn't help.

Like you, I used to think people that were depressed were bi%chers and moaners. I used to think that they were weak, or too lazy to change themselves without medication. But now I realize it really is a disease. Don't ever assume that you know what it is like to be in someone else's shoes. You are not them. You do not know their life, the troubles they are facing. Nursing has shown that to me.

I respect your opinion. My opinion is that medication, while not the "cure all", has it's place....ESPECIALLY in moderate to severe depression/anxiety.;-)
 
Hi,

Sorry for the late reply. Are you sleeping well when you sleep? The reason I'm asking is that sleep disturbances are a side effect of some SSRIs, (Prozac for one) so although you feel dead-tired all the time and maybe spend a lot of time in bed, the quality of your sleep as bad and you don't feel rested. What's worse, lack of restful sleep itself contributes to depression. I had this problem, and my doctor prescribed a very low dose of Trazodone just at bedtime in addition to my other SSRI and it worked wonderfully! Just getting a night's restful sleep made so much difference.

Mary
 
Janice:

Yours is a well written and accurate response to catwoman's last post, from someone who does in fact suffer from severe depression that no amount of will power will overcome. Sorry catwoman, but you do not understand. Janice is right and I am in the same boat as her. Untreated depression gets worse and worse and the brain chemistry continues to change so that "natural" remedies that used to work (exercise, sleep, relaxation, nutrition) no longer have any impact at all.

We really need to get away from the "natural" versus "medical" definitions of different treatments. Both are needed and are useful for different degrees of illness. We are wrong to tell others what they don't need because we abhor the "unnatural." This is just arrogance and ignorance. If "natural" works for you then I am glad and also envious.

I presume Janice feels the same. God knows we are both heartily sick of the never ending search to find medicinal help that is effective enough to allow us to find again the energy and motivation to tackle the problems that bring us down. Truth is, however, that things have now gotten so bad for both of us that until we do find the correct remedy, SSRI, Tricyclic medication, MAOI, whatever it may be, we will not be able to kick ourselves in the pants and say "right, time to get up out of bed and deal with this."

If only St.John's Wort were all I needed. I would be so happy for that to be the case.....

Clare
 
Hi Janice,

I lost my dad suddenly 2 years ago plus I have other difficult challenges. My advice is to find your passion and do it. I have no idea if you are clinically depressed but I have seen your postings for a long time and you seem to be struggling, not just your Dad's passing, but life in general. I have often wanted to respond since I can relate to what you say. You are young....go for it!:)
Lisa
 
Clare,

I know you know I agree with ya girlfriend! Yeah, if only St Johns Wort was enough!}(

Mary,

I think I do get restful sleep. I do wake up a few times a night to pee, sometimes staying up for an hour one of those times with difficulty getting back to sleep, but overall I think I sleep OK. I have been dreaming an awful lot lately in the early morning so I think around that point my sleep does become less restful. I don't know. Since discontinuing to Zoloft though, I have not been nearly as sleepy. I am now, however, adjusting to the 50 mg increase in Lamictal. Mild headache, a little sedation, but that is it! Thanks for the tip. I knew about Trazadone.

Lisa,

You are very right. I am still searching for my passion. I don't know where it went or if it was ever there. It is hard growing up never really knowing where you belong. As a child my surroundings were so unstable that I think I spent all of my time and energy just trying to stay "safe". I guess after that there wasn't much left over to devote to the true me. Normal childhood pursuits were not a part of my life.. I suppose that lends to a very confused, wandering adult, especially when it comes to choosing a profession. Simply because I have no better ideas at this time, I am continuing on with school. Hoping something will hit me like a ton of bricks sometime in the near future!:eek: :D Lord knows I have done enough research on it! (see my post in the thread "career choice") Thank you for responding. I know many here would agree with you.

As lost as I am, I have done a lot of things right in my life too. I have beat the odds as far as surviving my childhood, marrying a wonderful man, wanting to make something of myself. While I may be spinning my wheels, well, atleast they are spinning, and I am learning a whole lot about me (and medical everything, lol) in the process!}( That is more than can be said for some people.;)
 
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