Spacecat

Hello forum,

I've been off Zoloft cold turkey for about 24 hrs now & after some in-depth research on information which God has brought to my attention, I've made a decision as to what anti-depressant would be right for me....
I've come to the conclusion that there isn't one which I have discovered, yet, which doesn't come with side-effects....
I've weighed up the facts about my mental state & realised that I have never been suicidal in my life, that I've never been a threat to others in any way so I've decided to simply take my prescribed anti-psychotic medication for my paranoia & not begin taking Efexor or any other anti-depressant & pursue a small dose of either Valium or a Benzodiazepine type drug in small doses & only when needed....
I am not willing to face the side-effects caused by anti-depressants until one comes on the market that doesn't come with these problems...
Now I must state that this is my personal conviction & that some people need anti-depressants in order to function, in everyday life as well as to stop them from having suicidal thoughts or hurting others & I am not in anyway passing judgement on anyone for needing anti-depressants as they can be a life-saver for most people, but I have decided that I'm going to put my faith in action & go off Zoloft & any other anti-depressant, my doctor may prescribe for me as I have been on Zoloft for over 5 yrs & throughout that time, I've found that the side-effects weren't worth putting up with, for me, personally....
It's bad enough putting up with the side-effects I suffer from the anti-psychotic drug which I continue to take, called Solian.....
From reading about Efexor XR, (which I might add I was about to begin taking in 48 hrs time)this drug doesn't sound any better than Zoloft in the side-effects stakes & is harder to withdraw from than Zoloft....
I will now rely on this board for support as I go through this challenging time of going off Zoloft & I greatly appreciate your prayers & thoughts for me at this difficult time...
God Bless everyone on this board & I have been praying that everyone of you will obtain wholeness mentally, physically & spiritually....

Here is the link to the information about Efexor that made up my mind on this subject....
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/your...opinionid=5321

margo

Whoa Simon! PLEASE don't make this kind of decision without talking to your psychiatrist first. I think it's likely the only reason s/he was in favour of you going cold turkey off Zoloft is because you were being placed on another anti-depressant within 48 hours. Five years is a long time to be on any medication and if you are going to come off antidepressants permanently then your doctor may wish to prescribe a taper for you. There is no drug on the market, for any medical disorder, that doesn't come with some type of potential side effect (even something as benign as Aspirin). Note that I say potential - just because it's listed doesn't mean that you will have it. Most side effects tend to be temporary and normally dissipate within a short period of time. Only you and your doctor should decide on a course of action and again I would urge you to speak to your doctor first before making a decision to stop a medication you have been on for a long time.

Take care, Simon, and keep posting!

screen_name

Simon, this is just my two cents, but I gotta go with margo on this one. If you've really been on this med for five years, you don't know what you might be in for by going cold turkey. Play it safe, man. Take care....

Spacecat

Dear Margo & Screen Name,

I thankyou for your wise advice & I will consult with my Psychiatrist before I take any action....
I will ring him today & ask if it is okay, for me to go ahead with my plan, but he has given me a short supply of Diazapam until I see him next, which will be in a little over a week....
He might ask to see me tomorrow, if he is concerned, but I have peace in my heart that I am willing to put up with the withdrawal symptoms & I feel pretty sound in my mind, in fact more sound than I've been since I began taking Zoloft....
The small dose of Valium, I have been taking takes away any depression/anxiety & helps me combat any withdrawal symptoms I have been experiencing....
Although I know Diazapam can be addictive, I don't have a history of substance abuse, except for Coffee & Cigarettes & have had no problem in the past, of coming off Valium when I slowly taper off them....
I'm going to ask if he can try me on one of the different brands of Benzodiazepins, as an alternative to Valium....
I really sense in my heart that my Psychiatrist has wrongly diagnosed me with depression, when I believe I really suffer from anxiety...
I went for a brisk walk this morning & it made me feel good & I began taking a Vitamin B Complex with breakfast as well, as I am going to experiment with vitamin supplements to see if they improve my mental health...

God Bless you Margo & Screen Name,

thankyou for your wise advice...

margo

Hi Simon - I was just taking a look at the link you provided and noticed this disclaimer:

Opinions posted in this forum do not constitute medical advice, which should be sought from qualified medical advisers.

I read through a few of those replies and they not from medical professionals, rather from people who have been on Effexor and did not like it. Although I didn't read all the replies, they are all on the negative side and I think the point of the forum (or that page at least) was to express anti-Effexor opinions. I think you'll find that in the end a lot more people have had positive benefits rather than negative. There is so much info on the internet and we have to be careful of the source that information comes from. I would certainly encourage you to talk to your psychiatrist about your feelings and that you don't think you are depressed - we should always feel comfortable about asking lots of questions and sharing our thoughts with our medical providers.

Hugs!

PS: It's great that you got out for a walk today and that you're eating a healthy diet with vitamin supplements!

Spacecat

Thanks, Margo,

I did have a healthy breakfast this morning, I had a banana & a pear...great food to have for breakfast.....I will have some protein later on today....
I will be consulting with my psychiatrist on my decision, to check whether it is advisable....

Thanks once again for your support, as apart from my faith in God, this forum & website has been an immense help in my state of mental & spiritual well-being & it helps get my mind off myself when I help others on this forum...

God Bless each & everyone of you...

Paulos

God has brought this to your attention? Mmmhm... I'm not the type to go to a religious belief because I'm having mental/physical problems but GOOD FOR YOU I have my own belief as well, so... nice. Hope all is well with ya.

Spacecat

Dear Paulos,

Thankyou for replying to my thread, friend, as I, also want to wish you well, Paulos & pray that with each day that passes, you become more whole in your physical, spiritual, mental & emotional state....
I pray that your meds bring you relief from the tormenting Hell of mental illness, as I believe medication is a GodSend to everyone who suffers this nightmare illness, including myself....

God Bless....