sierra2774

I am not sure I have a purpose to this thread but I was just wondering if anyone experiences the same thing as me. In a single day I can go from being as happy as can be to being in tears, in an instant, several times a day....Why is this? I am on Zoloft for panic attacks and I am wondering if the medication has anything to do with it.

Is it Manic-Depressive??

Does anyone else experience this?

I try to ignore it most of the time, just because I don't want my kids to see it. But the situation I am living in right now, I know has a lot to do with it...I am just sick of it.

cdwonderful

perhaps your doctor can answer the question about the zoloft.

The rest will be a bit more complicated......

__________________
Never try to teach a pig to whistle
it wastes your time,
and annoys the pig.....

saladami82

I've talked to multiple psychiatrists about a similar experience, and yes I do experience this. It's probably not bipolar or classic "manic-depression" because by definition (i.e. the DSM criteria for the illness) you'd tend to be in that heightened happy or agitated state for several days or more like a week before sinking into depression again. There is also "bipolar II" where you tend to be depressed most of the time with short manic bursts from time to time, but even that is usually for a day or so.

It could be a side effect of your zoloft.. rapid mood swings..but the only way to find out is to stop taking it or talk to a doctor. They'll probably just tell you it's normal and to try to practice recognizing/controlling it somewhat.

-saladami82

Double D

Generally, Zoloft is prescribed for depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder, so I'm not entirely sure why your panic attacks are are being treated with it.

I second the advice on consulting with an MD- a psychiatrist, not a general practitioner. It's a shrink's specialty to know what precise scripts to dole out. Sometimes it takes many tries before one finds the right drug or combination of drugs to improve the situation. I sincerely wish you well.

butthead

[quote]I was just wondering if anyone experiences the same thing as me. In a single day I can go from being as happy as can be to being in tears, in an instant, several times a day....[quote]

I used to have that really bad before I began taking medication.

There are some ideas about this, but neuropharamacology is in it infancy and no one can know what is up just yet.

Very possible.

Too bad you're unlikely to find a "shrink" who really knows what is up and is willing to determine that you actually HAVE a "chemical imbalance" before prescribing things to correct it.

rogue49

Actually sierra my uncle went on anti-depressants,

and it had a negative affect on him,
he went MANIC, scared the shit out of my grandparents.
(you've got to understand this is the most mellow man I know)

Check with your doctor, the drug may be affecting you in ways not expected.
Many times a doctor is trying out the most successful drug first,
but this doesn't mean that it is compatible with YOU.

It is your responsibility to let the doctor know.
and if you are still uncomfortable...
get a second opinion.

Good luck

Leviathan[NCV]

On another note my mother is on Zoloft, and for some time it just wasn't working till they greatly increased her dosage. Now things are so much better from what I hear.

Double D

I probably should have made clear that a good psychiatrist will make sure that his/her client gets a medical work up as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. My point is that often a patient will present with mental health issues to his/her general practitioner and the doc will write scripts for medication.

I assume you are speaking from professional and/or personal experience, and I am doing the same. I stand by my assertion that if sierra2774 is not having her meds. dispensed and monitored by a psychiatrist, then she should. Speaking with her pharmacologist in re: possible side effects of Zoloft and any other drug that may be prescribed, would also be a good idea.

Why do you feel that psychiatrists do not know *what's up*?

-Ever-

I think depression helps create some of the most beautiful things in the world. Not beautiful in a flowery sence, but in a true emotional sence.
Don't have much else to say. I've always wondered if I'm "depressed" because I tend to be much more emotional than the average person....

__________________
Embracing the goddess energy within yourselves will bring all of you to a new understanding and valuing of life. A vision that inspires you to live and love on planet Earth. Like a priceless jewel buried in dark layers of soil and stone, Earth radiates her brilliant beauty into the caverns of space and time. Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home And experience of this place to visit and play with reality. You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster...
--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

sierra2774

I think you all have excellant advise. I just went to my Doctor and got my Zoloft increased to 150mg...He said that is the most he can give me, if it doesn't work, I will need to see a psychiatrist....Which I don't really want too, but I agree that they probably have a better knowledge of the disorder.

I also wanted to say to Double D, that I do have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder too, that is another reason for the Zoloft...he just said it should help the panic attacks too. I should have mentioned that before but I didn't. I have a pretty mild form of it, it doesn't bother me at all on the Zoloft.

Thanks so much for all the concern and replies, it really helps a lot knowing there are so many of you who want to help.

__________________
"Every tomorrow brings new opportunities, challenges we must address...A chance to affirm all our wishes and dreams, to seek beauty and true happiness."

GoldenOuroboros

I had chronic manic depression for a couple years, last two years in high school actually.. buggered up my grades good. Oh well.

I just go over it ay..

__________________
Can you see me grin grin grrriiiiinnnning?!

Double D

Ah yes, -Ever-, some of my favorite depressives: Van Gogh, Poe, Heminway, Sylvia Plath... there's many, many more...as you most likely know.

I'm now a therapist, and looking back, I know for certain that my depression was fully in place by age six. Like you, I was/am more emotional than the average person. I didn't see the benefit of depression until pretty far along in life. One of the first times that I felt good about it was when I read of scientific studies indicating that most depressed people are smarter than average. I've never wanted to be *average,* or normal, for that matter. As I educated myself about depression, I found too, that a disproportionate number of creative types (poets, writers, artists, actors, musicians) struggled with depression as well.

It's been called the *common cold* of mental health issues, though it sure doesn't feel either common, or like a cold.

I've been having a bout with my *demons* (my fond term- not to be taken too literally) for the past several days. It's reflected in my posts & my journal. But one of the best things about having been a depressive for so long is that I am familiar with the ebb & flow of it.

You sound pretty comfortable with yourself, and whether you are *clinically depressed* or not, I think that's pretty cool.

Double D

Sierra2774, you are very welcome. Best to you and know that we are here whenever you need us.

-Ever-

Very cool to hear. Almost exactly what I was looking for actually. I feel that I'm extremely creative when I want to be which is nice. I can get very emotional over small things such as a funeral of someone I don't know or saying bye to a girlfriend who's taking part on a journey. However my life is filled with happiness here and there, so I don't think it would be fair to consider myself depressed either. I guess I'm just normal, but my ups and downs might peak more than others.

Edit- Also, I'm a cancer which could have something to do with it, if you're into astrology...

__________________
Embracing the goddess energy within yourselves will bring all of you to a new understanding and valuing of life. A vision that inspires you to live and love on planet Earth. Like a priceless jewel buried in dark layers of soil and stone, Earth radiates her brilliant beauty into the caverns of space and time. Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home And experience of this place to visit and play with reality. You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster...
--Acknowledge your weaknesses--

ganon

ever, I am bi-polar, and a raging one at that. I would definitly recommend seeing a pyschiatrist AND a psychologist/therapist at the same time. The family practice types can't deal with the drug issues as well as the psych doctors. sounds to me like you have a lot going on. I have spent time on all kinds of drugs and in the hospital, and have been this way since I was very young. If you want to talk with PM anytime, send it to me, I might be able to help.

__________________
"My give up, my give up." - Jar Jar Binks

Frowning Budah

The mood swings happen to me as well. They put me on Buspar and it seems to have reduced the number of occurrences. Zoloft didn't do a lot for me. I went to a shrink kicking and screaming but he is a lot nicer and a lot more knowledgeable than my regular GP. And yes I do feel more creative when I am depressed but it isn't worth it.

seretogis

I was on 250mg of Wellbutrin twice daily for a couple of weeks but stopped taking them due to it giving me the "jitters". Since then, I haven't been in a financial situation where I could go see a therapist/shrink to get anything else.

__________________
seretogis - sieg heil
perfect little dream the kind that hurts the most, forgot how it feels well almost
no one to blame always the same, open my eyes wake up in flames

Double D

Wellbutrin veteran here- years. After I developed a chronic illness (heart) and was put on, well I'd guess you'd call them life-saving medication, that restricts my blood (fluid) volume and amount of blood being pumped by my heart to my body, my life-long depression came back and brought anxiety with it.

Previously, I'd managed the depression well (not clinically depressed). Anxiety was gettting the better of me. After the heart thing, and all the medications I'm taking for it, my anxiety took a massive leap. The quality of my life has improved greatly since being on the Wellbutrin/ Klonopin combination. BUT, I tried about 4 other meds/med combos first , that _didn't_ work well for me, and mine is not an uncommon experience.

Whether a person does short term meds. & talk therapy, just the meds or just therapy, or manages their mental health issues on their own, change takes time. Sometimes trying different things (diff therapist, meds.) can encourage this change.

I feel a kinship to anyone who struggles with depression or other mental health issues. They can be a real bitch.

alterEGO

Ive been heavily depressed for about 5 years. I never searched for help and the thought of anti depression medicines taking over my behavior is a scary thought.

madsenj37

I can be very moody as you describe. I can go from being teh happiest man alive to being the loneliest and most depressed person on the planet. Talking with someone can help as well as taking medication if necessary. Its really up to you and if you are willing to be helped. I am on wellbutrin (an upper) and I never feel like I have lost touch with reality or that I am drugged up all the time. I just do not seem to hit all time lows anymore.

__________________
"Only two things are certain: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not certain about the universe."
-- Albert Einstein

Double D

True for me as well about Wellbutrin. Doesn't kill sadness when it comes 'round, either. The sadness just isn't all-encompassing and is of a shorter duration. I still get as happy (and some would say goofy ) as I always have.

butthead

I say this because most psychiatric doctors I have met are closed-minded and generally do not know enough about pharmacology. Also the increasing number of people I see prescribed SSRIs without the doctor determining if a serotonin imbalance existed and doctors continuing to direct patients to take medication for prolonged periods without positive results. I approach every doctor with a clean slate, but after some questioning and discussion, it is clear to me whether or not I will continue seeing the doctor.

sierra2774

Well this week, I seem to be doing much better...It was great to read all of your opinions and thoughts on this.

I know I will have another down period, but I am hoping that it passes quicker than the last...I am starting a new job this week and I know it will help.

Everything has a way of working itself out.
Thanks for all the advise.

__________________
"Every tomorrow brings new opportunities, challenges we must address...A chance to affirm all our wishes and dreams, to seek beauty and true happiness."

mackyroo

Glad to hear that sierra2774, hope everything stays good, and when you have a down period I sincerly hope it passes quickly

__________________
Official Bullshit.

alterEGO

You know im having exams next week but i cant concentrate for 5 minutes. Really i do want to pass this year otherwise im fucked. Ive been sitting around the house without going outside for the few past days so im terribly lonely at times. Maybe i could conctrate for a few hours if my life was more exiting. But now i just read parts and like 5 mins later i already forgot it cause my mind seems to disrupt me with other things. This may sound weird but if ill put my head blank i surely will have a panic afterwards. I just thought of this to go study later tonight after dinner or atleast some distraction. The bad thing is..i know what's wrong with me, i don't need medication to find friends or people to hang out do i? I have thought to commit suicide a few times, but you know suicide is an easy way out of escaping temp problems i figured. But ive been feeling like this all my life. My life has been full of lies because i tend to lie to get some interest in me...Sigh..I truly feel pathetic about myself sometimes.

Sorry had to rant somewhere.

Double D

Hi alterEGO,

Sounds like you are having a very rough time of it right now.
From what I recall, and what I keep reading here, trying to prepare for exams is getting the better of many people.

But that's not the big issue, right? Cos exams will have come and gone and the other stuff, the loneliness, the panic, the feeling like a fake- they all kind of stick around.

My heart goes out to you, alterEGO. I know it's small comfort but I've had every one of your feelings and they lasted for years. It truly sucks when a person is feeling so low that blotting themselves out is a consideration.

Ok, bear with me , becuz, tho' I'm not working for/at TFP, I am a counselor (tho' there are many other people here that may have more to offer you to help) and I can't ignore your situation any more than I could ignore a person drowning.

You need help, hon. You don't have to feel as you do, and if you are as young as it appears you are, cripes, there could be so much ahead of you that this good.

What to do now? For me to suggest, I need more info. I can try to help if you PM me, or you might want to consider some general suggestions, but before that, I need to make a couple more comments.

Even tho' you didn't say it directly, I'll say it. Depression is _NOT_ a weakness. It is not anything you did, or are doing wrong. You don't deserve to feel like this. You _can_ feel better, tho' somehow you are going to have to gather up all your courage/energy and take some action. As they say, the first step is the hardest to make.

You may not need or choose to go on medication- but if you are actively suicidal- like scaring yourself, cos you've got a suicide plan and a way of carrying it out- go directly to the nearest Emergency Department. I did that a number of years ago and it's the only reason I'm here now. It's not the greatest experience, but I got referred to community counseling center- they got on the phone and hooked me up with a counselor. I didn't have any money or insurance and I got decent counseling help for almost nothing.

Depression can be very isolating and it tends to self-perpetuate, i.e. it cycles. It's very hard, once severe depression has taken hold to get free of it, because you have to _do something_ and that takes energy, and depression saps your energy and will. But alterEGO, you did take the time to write and that is doing something to try to get yourself out of this. You need to gather up all your energy, maybe once you finish the exams, to try and help yourself. You deserve so much better than a life of misery.

Sincere best wishes,

DD

chavos

after reading the posts here, i'm struck by how many of us have been down the medication route, and how many people that approach has failed. I'm starting to think that there are kinds of depression that are different from the ones that respond to SSRIs, wellbutrin and the rest. I'm pretty well impervious to any pill, having taking paxil, zoloft, celexa, wellburtin, etc... In fact, they only gave me panic attacks, instead of curing my depression.

That said, i've learned to live with it much better, and can keep myself pretty much symptom free, except in times of real stress, etc... I'm still far more emotional and brooding than most people would think 'normal', but i think its also a gift, much as many of the other people have talked about. My best advice is to find people to listen and support you...i think it takes love to get better.

PS: I take it you're in school-talk to your profs or the dean of students about getting extensions. Depression is a legitimate and real disability, and they need to make reasonable accomodations. School is important, but you should not have to throw your sanity away for it.

alterEGO

Thanks a lot for your advice Double D, i guess you're right. I'm gonna fight my days through the exames even if it involves me staying inside for a few days. And i've been thinking my mom deserves to be proud of me sometimes.
My mom is very lonely at times, you know we don't spend much time with realitives or friends OR eachgother. We're just on our own most of the time. I also realized i never got close with my parents and i've yelled at them a lot. Which i also have regret, i think i've got a big guilt feeling. I want to perform well, i dont wanna have mood swings, i just want to be who i use to be.

And for once i want to make em proud and show em i really did fight for this year you know. It might take all my bad feelings away and make me a proud son. Cause i know my mom or dad would do the same thing for me. The've done a lot of me in the past and i bet they will help me as much as they can in the future.

Again, thanks a lot for your advice it ment a lot to me.

I'll PM you in a few days after the exams if it all went right , if you want.

Cheers.

william

Do you honestly think you need medication? Life is a bitch. Life doesn't need drugs to get by, but sometimes people do. There are no game rules, and what you get is what you get. The highs come with the lows. Does this justify the end-all for all end-alls? NOT! Life is a motherfucker that can be dealt with. Talk to me.

denim

Are you done with the aphorisms? Why not just tell him to snap out of it?

Double D

PM me anytime.

Double D

A motherfucker that can be dealt with? Well, (censored, but obvious reply). I'm sure people line up for this kind of *help.*

P.S. Innappropriate or excessive ANGER is a symptom of untreated depression.

Mondak

Great advice. There is no magic bullet to this issue. The Meds are simply a tool in helping you with a heathy lifestyle. Folks need the combined approach to get you healthy chemically and also healthy mentally.

think of it this way on the medication side: Let's say you are prescibed 40Mg a day. How do you know that 50 or 60mg a day is not better? There are a lot of these class of drugs out there and how do you know which one will make the best combination with your own internal chemicals?

You need a doctor who is willing to be patient and spend the time making subtle changes over the weeks, months and years to make sure that they have the exact right dosing that is right for you.

The time and effort that you put in to this will determine how heathy you become. If your current doctor does not show the interest in spending that time and effort - switch immediatly. It is not likely that the first doctor you go to is the best / right one for you.

Balaniki

When my mom died suddenly this past January it hit me hard - real hard. I started having trouble getting up in the mornings, not wanting to get out of bed and do ANYTHING, feeling everything and nothing all at the same time and I suddenly started having specific panic attacks - only when the covers would get pulled up over my head while we were in bed. Instantaneous blind panic.

We have a program at work that offers free counseling with a licensed therapist - for anything you want to talk about. I finally went and set up an appointment.

Little did I know that my problems went back further than just my moms death. I thought EVERYONE had several days each month where they just didn't want to get up and face the world. I was never suicidal - never thought of killing myself so I thought my "blue" feelings were just normal.

After talking with the therapist and my doctor I decided to try the drug route. My hub and I did some research online about the different depression meds and, with my doc's ok, we picked Wellbutrin.

I can't begin to tell you the difference I feel! My emotions have balance where as before I could feel myself tip from one end ogf the emtional spectrum to the other.

I was very reluctant at first to take drugs that "messed with your mind, affected the way you think, act and feel" and all that other stuff. But I can tell you (for me) it's not like that. It doesn't change the way you act. Anyone out there have or ever had a swimming pool? You know how you have to test the water every day to see how the PH is? Sometimes it's too high, sometimes too low. You add the right amount of chemicals to balance it out and make the pool a good place.

That's kinda how I see the meds I take. Do I still get sad? Oh yeah. I also still cry sometimes just thinking about Mom. But I haven't had a "I don't want to get out of bed" day since I started the meds.

After having been on them for a couple months I asked the doctor if I could increase the dosage to see if it would help more. She said yes, I tried it and found it increased my blood pressure alot. So I'm back to a once a day dose.

I wasn't tested to see if I had a chemical imbalance - didn't know they could do that.

There really is nothing to be ashamed about going and talking to someone about your mental health. Hell, if you arm hurt alot for days you wouldn't think twice about seeking a doctors opinion. Your brain is the center of your being, it keeps you alive and yet we here in the US seem to have a stigma about mental health professionals.

It's a prt of your body and it might not be working right. Getting it checked is a goiod thing!

__________________
Balaniki

"Everyone should have something to believe in.
I believe you should keep your beliefs to yourself."

lemurlad

Zoloft is more of a mood elevator than anything. You have to give it several weeks trial and possibly up the dose before giving up on it. That class of drug is generally safe and effective for run of the mill mood problems.

You don't have Manic Depression sounds like

Psychiatrists have become substantially more effective and the choice of drugs have balooned in the past 10 yrs., so a younger specialist makes good sense if the Zoloft doesn't work...but again one has to give it a good trial.

You can never go wrong with exercise. Even if it doesn't help, it's good for you, and it usually helps.