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atlantis

Sertraline- zombie or superhuman? Also antidepressants in general

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So, I went to the doc this week and had some antidepressants foisted upon me- Sertraline. I know there's recently been a thread about this already, but what I'm concerned about is the effect it might have on my ability to work. I'm an art student and I've heard bad things about the effects of antidepressants on creative ability. I've read some accounts that liken the effects to a 'zombie' kind of state, which definitely doesn't sound helpful (mostly because that seems to be my problem in the first place!).

 

On the other hand some people have said it really enhanced their clarity of thought, which is something I could definitely use as I've been struggling to focus at all since the beginning of this academic year.

 

Does anyone have any experience with this? (not just Sertraline, antideps in general?)

 

I still haven't taken any of the pills- I'm waiting 'til I have more information to make that decision.

 

Thanks, amigos

 

_atLantis_

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My experience was not very good I’m afraid. I used to take anti-shmanty a couple of times. And if there was a list of side effects on a leaflet, I’ve got at very least a half of them. But it happened with the other drags, not yours.

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I've never taken that drug, but struggle with "get up and go" if you like... so I found it most bizarre when my doc suggested putting me on sedative type anti-d's - I won't go into the reasoning behind this.... I felt like a zombie for about 6 weeks, I've recently increased the dose, and unsurprisingly I am still tired all the time.

 

I think people all react differently though - I guess the trick would be to try it and see... unless you can google it and see if tired-ness or zombie-like effects are common with that particular tablet? :)

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I found the side effects of any and all of them (and I have been on at least 5) were far worse than what it was meant to "treat".

 

The withdrawal effects from taking the dose a few hours late, and the hormone imbalance problems (hair loss, extreme mood swings), are just horrific.

Edited by trekster

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im going to reply to this and another thread. Obviously each person reacts differently but they should start you on a lower dose before increasing, i personally never had any side effects with sertraline except for a bit of an upset stomach for a couple of days while your stomach gets used to it. The main thing though is that i do not recommend Sertraline, it's been bad for me and i told the doc i wanted off it. It seemed to lock me into my routines more and overall made my autism worse. I really feel that the chemicals inside sertraline do not effect the areas needed. It's a medicine given to a whole range of things and i don't feel it is specific enough to be effective and could well make you worse. Citalopram worked well for me, much more of a happy pill and i found it had a positive effect, in that i found it much easier to let things go when usually i get stuck on things, it goes over and over in my mind and i can't stop it, like if something is wrong or someone has done something wrong or stupid. On citalopram it was much easier to let it go, like the chemicals in them somehow let you release the steam rather than it building up and going round and round inside your head,so i feel that Citalopram has more effective chemicals inside it that effects autistic symptoms in a more positive way. The doc wants me to try prozac, so i'll give it a go but i wont go back to sertraline.

 

The difference was so noticeable that i want to find out what different chemicals are in Cit that aren't in Sert and try to study more into them and try to see which ones might be responsible for helping my brain to relax more and let things go

Edited by 'Steven Jones

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im going to reply to this and another thread. Obviously each person reacts differently but they should start you on a lower dose before increasing, i personally never had any side effects with sertraline except for a bit of an upset stomach for a couple of days while your stomach gets used to it. The main thing though is that i do not recommend Sertraline, it's been bad for me and i told the doc i wanted off it. It seemed to lock me into my routines more and overall made my autism worse. I really feel that the chemicals inside sertraline do not effect the areas needed. It's a medicine given to a whole range of things and i don't feel it is specific enough to be effective and could well make you worse. Citalopram worked well for me, much more of a happy pill and i found it had a positive effect, in that i found it much easier to let things go when usually i get stuck on things, it goes over and over in my mind and i can't stop it, like if something is wrong or someone has done something wrong or stupid. On citalopram it was much easier to let it go, like the chemicals in them somehow let you release the steam rather than it building up and going round and round inside your head,so i feel that Citalopram has more effective chemicals inside it that effects autistic symptoms in a more positive way. The doc wants me to try prozac, so i'll give it a go but i wont go back to sertraline.

 

The difference was so noticeable that i want to find out what different chemicals are in Cit that aren't in Sert and try to study more into them and try to see which ones might be responsible for helping my brain to relax more and let things go

 

Atlantis, as darkshine said, you really need to give it a go to find out if it suits you. Steven might have had trouble with it but that is no indicator at all as to whether you will get on with it or not. Just to illustrate the point, Steven says Citalopram worked for him, whereas for me, Citalopram worsened my condition so catastrophically that it very nearly cost me my life.

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I've been told that "they" want me to try citalopram if my meds aren't working... I haven't had another appointment yet... but my meds aren't working so I know it will be mentioned soon - am not pleased about that.

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I think I need to increase the dose of my Sertraline now :s

 

My migraine meds have been going up and up and I think they are reducing the effect of the ADs (known side effect). Before I had the kids I was on 75mg per day of the migraine drug, now I'm on 250 so it's bound to have an effect I suppose...

 

(null)

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I took it for about 9 months.

 

I didn't feel like a zombie. I just felt like I didn't care, which was good, because I was quite anxious. I just felt relaxed and laid back, maybe a slightly tipsey kind of feeling in the beginning, but that gradually went. After 9 months I did not feel anything taking the drug, and I felt okay in myself, so I gradually reduced them on GP advice and have been okay since.

 

I think you just need to read what the side effects can be, so that you are aware of them if you get those symptoms. Without taking the drug, and taking it for some time as any "drugged" type feeling maybe only felt initially, and I was told that the fact I felt like that proved I needed to be on the medication??

 

Some people get the right medication straight away, others have to try a number of medications. Some people don't feel right taking anything and just try to cope with how they are feeling and maybe use other things such as diet/exercise etc to try to lift their mood.

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Don't take antidepressants if you can live without them. I am not talking about mild depression, The only cases I deem acceptable are severe (suicidal) depression oir extreme cases of OCD or Anxiety.

 

I have taken anti-depressants for about 5 years now, they were prescribed for a severe case of OCD. I feel pretty well recovered now. however coming of the anti-depressants is much more difficult. withdrawal symptoms are very severe.

read this wiki on SSRI withdrawal Syndrome, gives a pretty good idea as to what its like to come of anti-depressants

 

Doctors shouldn't handing them out like candy

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I've been on Trazodone (AD) for a while, though recently down to 50mg as it was worsening my problems - more withdrawn, sluggish, nausious. Want to come off it completely but doc/psych won't agree to that right now. I know I suffer from depression, sometimes severe, but I know its related to how I struggle with people/life - feeling drugged up doesn't help me cope any better with life, and my relationship suffers when I become less responsive/talkative.

 

Everyone's different though, you have to try them to know if they might help you - if not, try and find out what other help is out there - therapies, etc.

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I took it for about 9 months.

 

I didn't feel like a zombie. I just felt like I didn't care, which was good, because I was quite anxious. I just felt relaxed and laid back, maybe a slightly tipsey kind of feeling in the beginning, but that gradually went. After 9 months I did not feel anything taking the drug, and I felt okay in myself, so I gradually reduced them on GP advice and have been okay since.

 

I think you just need to read what the side effects can be, so that you are aware of them if you get those symptoms. Without taking the drug, and taking it for some time as any "drugged" type feeling maybe only felt initially, and I was told that the fact I felt like that proved I needed to be on the medication??

 

Some people get the right medication straight away, others have to try a number of medications. Some people don't feel right taking anything and just try to cope with how they are feeling and maybe use other things such as diet/exercise etc to try to lift their mood.

 

I agree with this 100% v similar experience

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