Posted by Theta99 on July 13, 2004, at 22:45:53
In reply to Anger and Medication, posted by Theta99 on December 14, 2003, at 20:26:54
Sorry this is long, first a refresher in my situation...
> I have explosive angry outbursts as a result of tiny irritants. Dropping a sock on the way from the dryer, my toddler touching something with sticky-gooey hands, coming home to a messy house etc.
>
> I have been to see a psychiatrist, and he has started me on Zoloft. First he put me on 50mg daily. Sure I had some side effects, mostly tingly feelings sometimes and a week of bad headaches, but I stuck with it and it seemed to help. I have been reading some anger management texts, and the Zoloft seems to be letting me think before I react to the irritation before I explode. I still sometimes feel overly angry, but I haven't reacted. After my last appointment we upped my dosage to 100mg to see if that helps with the feelings of extreme anger.
>After over 6 months on Zoloft 100mg/day it seems to have helped a bit. Most of the little irritants no longer result in me flying off the handle. Things like dropping a sock, or sticky hands, or a messy house don't even cause internalised anger. I attribute the improvement to Zoloft and psychotheraphy.
My three year old however is another story. He's not a bad three year old, he's just an active three year old. As a result my wife has noticed that especially at the end of long weekends, I am easily irritated by him. While I don't rage or get destructive anymore, I over employ disciplinary actions (time outs, yelling, etc).
It reached a boiling point over the last weekend, when the three of us were in a store, and my wife wasn't answering her cellphone (I needed the car keys from her), and my son would absolutely not walk with me, or hold my hand. or let me carry him without a major temper tantrum. I stood in the same spot in the store for several moments while my wife was unaware that I was trying to get her attention, and my son was twenty feet away looking for little plastic tags on the ground that they use on the hangers for sizes.
I had this immense feeling of being overwhelmed. So I opted to make daddy take a time out. I went outside the store before I lost my temper. I could see my son, and my wife from where I was outside, but my wife justifiably was upset with me.
I had a Pdoc appointment the next day, so I explain the situation to him, and he said that the meds might have tapered off, and suggested I either up to 150mg Zoloft per day, or start on Effexor XR. He even gave me instructions for upping my dose on Zoloft, and then coming off Zoloft gradually incase I wanted to switch to Effexor XR (my choice).
I've been on the 150mg Zoloft per day for a few days now. Not too many side effects that I had when I started 50mg and 100mg, just the skin tingly feelings occasionally.
My question to you all is what is your opinion? Try 150mg Zoloft or try Effexor XR. I am aware of the very difficult withdrawl symptoms associated with Effexor.
Thanks in advance.
poster:Theta99
thread:289834
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040712/msgs/365861.html