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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tj on January 20, 1999, at 11:37:01
My best friend has started taking Zoloft and I am a little worried about her. First of all, she is only 18; is this too young to start taking the drug? She has only been on it for a few monthes, but she has recently started requesting an increase in the dosage... do people normally do that so soon?
Some of her reactions include extreme apathy, slight paranioa (in that she thinks no one likes her) and a lack of interest in the things she used to enjoy. Are these normal reactions or should she be taken off the drug and put on a different drug or taken off all drugs completely? She has stopped opening up to me recently and I think it may be because she mistrusts me as well. One more thing, what effect does alcohol have on Zoloft? I know she has continued drinking while on the drug, so that could possibly be affecting its potency. If anyone has any answers to my questions or suggestions for how I can help her, please respond.Thanks,
tj
Posted by alan on January 22, 1999, at 0:10:49
In reply to Zoloft Concerns, posted by tj on January 20, 1999, at 11:37:01
> My best friend has started taking Zoloft and I am a little worried about her. First of all, she is only 18; is this too young to start taking the drug? She has only been on it for a few monthes, but she has recently started requesting an increase in the dosage... do people normally do that so soon?
> Some of her reactions include extreme apathy, slight paranioa (in that she thinks no one likes her) and a lack of interest in the things she used to enjoy. Are these normal reactions or should she be taken off the drug and put on a different drug or taken off all drugs completely? She has stopped opening up to me recently and I think it may be because she mistrusts me as well. One more thing, what effect does alcohol have on Zoloft? I know she has continued drinking while on the drug, so that could possibly be affecting its potency. If anyone has any answers to my questions or suggestions for how I can help her, please respond.
> Thanks,
> tj
She is not too young for Zoloft.
Zoloft is usually prescribed to treat the sympttoms you mentioned; so they probably are not a reaction to the drug. Their continued presence may indicate that she needs an addition to the Zoloft, or a higher dosage, or a different medication, or.... Certainly, she should see her doc. If you were worried about her wanting a higherr dosage because you thought it might indicate a growing addiction, don't worry; Zoloft is not a fun drug like cocaine, etc.. Alcohol is always a bad idea during a depression because it deepens depression after the high wears off. I don't know if there are any specific interactions between alc and Zoloft. If needed, try to get her to see her doc and not to drink. But don't TELL her to; the moment anyone tells us to do something we have a good reason not to do it: to protect our sense of self direction. If I could say more about how to go about it, I'd try becoming a salesman or a clinical psychologist. Good luck.
Posted by Sean on January 22, 1999, at 12:09:44
In reply to Zoloft Concerns, posted by tj on January 20, 1999, at 11:37:01
> My best friend has started taking Zoloft and I am a little worried about her. First of all, she is only 18; is this too young to start taking the drug? She has only been on it for a few monthes, but she has recently started requesting an increase in the dosage... do people normally do that so soon?
> Some of her reactions include extreme apathy, slight paranioa (in that she thinks no one likes her) and a lack of interest in the things she used to enjoy. Are these normal reactions or should she be taken off the drug and put on a different drug or taken off all drugs completely? She has stopped opening up to me recently and I think it may be because she mistrusts me as well. One more thing, what effect does alcohol have on Zoloft? I know she has continued drinking while on the drug, so that could possibly be affecting its potency. If anyone has any answers to my questions or suggestions for how I can help her, please respond.
> Thanks,
> tjRe the apathy thing: I'm convinced from personal
experience and watching the e-postings that SSRI
induced apathy is real. It has a very different
subjective quality than depression and many people
stop it for this reason (and the lousy sex...)I read somewhere that SSRI's may in fact deplete
DA in certain reward centers of the brain. If what
it does to a healthy erection is any indication,
I'd say something is going on with the reward
centers!I guess the good news is that there is a wide
variety of medications out there which may be just
as effective (or more) than the SSRI's and not
cause this particular side effect. A good drug
should not make you less interested in things
that once brought you pleasure and a sense of
depth in you life.
Posted by David K. on January 22, 1999, at 18:48:16
In reply to Re: Zoloft Concerns, posted by Sean on January 22, 1999, at 12:09:44
I noticed that when I was on Effexor, not only did suicidal thoughts not "stick" in my mind when I tried to obsess about them, but sexual thoughts would also not "stick" ... my mind would wander even from THAT. It made me wonder if the two were somehow related, but that's probably WAY TOO BIG of a question.
And maybe it was just "a thing" that I had. Or seemed to have. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?
I've also wondered if anyone knew what exactly affects the sex drive / performance. I'd like to know more about that "reward center" thing ... I'll have to look it up (what's "DA," by the way?)
Celexa seems to be better for me sex-wise; when I was on the Effexor, though, I didn't have erectile problems that frequently, but delayed orgasm? Jeez. Sometimes it was just time to give up. Letters with no postage on 'em come faster.
(That was supposed to be funny.)
This is the end of the thread.
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