New Member seeking validation

[Margief60]

I just signed on today. I found this site by posting on someone's blog and they contacted me and gave me the link here.

Before I do much posting I need to ask a question: I am going trough what I now know is Protracted Withdrawa but I have never taen axil. I was taking Imipramine for 20 years.

After a hysterectomy in May my PA said I needed a stronger anti depressant so she put me on Zoloft. After 1 month I was complaining about how it made me feel aggressive and kind of mean so she said I needed o increase the dose. Then she said to just stop taking the Imipramine, no weaning. I questioned that and she said it wasnt necessary to wean because I wasn't on a high dose. She said taking it for 20 years made no difference.

3 days later I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I was dying! It's 4 month later and I stll feel like I am dying.

Am I in the right place? Can I stay even though I never took Paxil? I need to be around people who do not think I am making all this up. I need friends at 3 in the morning when I have one of my attacks.

My biggest complaint is that I can't seem to eat anything. But of course I lose no weight. Will I ever get through this?

Also, I did find Label Me Sane and email with one of the founders regularly. She knows I can't afford the products but she is a great support. I'm just so happy to find this group of people.

So, what do you say? Can I stay? I see myself in just about every post.

Anyway, have a good day.

Margie

[LCrawford67]

Welcome and of course you can stay! I don't know much about Zoloft, but we have many members here who do and will be able to offer you much insight!

Believe me, we know you're not making this up!

We're here to help in any way we can!

[Charlie]

Margie
Welcome to PP, we're here to help anyone that we can. Not everyone here took Paxil, I took Zoloft, some took Effexor, some lexapro. I think you get the picture.

Are you still on Zoloft? Did you complain of some new symptom that prompted the Dr to suggest something else? Bet you didn't!

This is a WONDERFUL group of people!

Welcome again!

[Margief60]

Thank you so much. I almost went right back to the Imipramine but didn't. I had then been taking the Zoloft for only 2 months so I slowly began decreasing that until I got off of it completely. I was done with that in October.

They now keep telling me to just take Xanax for my withdrawal symptoms! You have got to be kidding! And go through this again???? But of course they do NOT recognize my problems as withdrawal. They all say it is not possible for this to be the result of ending the medication. Bull!!!!!

[Charlie]

Do you still have some of the Imipramine?

[Margief60]

No. Why?

[texgirl]

Originally Posted by Margief60

in May my PA said I needed a stronger anti depressant so she put me on Zoloft. After 1 month I was complaining about how it made me feel aggressive and kind of mean so she said I needed o increase the dose.

What is wrong with these doctors? Is there any other class of drug out there that, when the bad side effects set in, the standard advice is "increase the dose"? Increase it until what--you become homicidal???

Welcome, Margie. You'll get plenty of sympathy and support here. I don't know anything about Imipramine, but sooner or later someone will come along who does.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by Margief60

No. Why?

I thought if you did you might try it for a couple of days or so and see if it helps.

[Charlie]

One thing I hadn't thought of is that I also took Zoloft for about 2 months and when I quit I didn't want to eat. That lasted 3 or 4 months but did go away.

[Benisbald]

Originally Posted by texgirl

What is wrong with these doctors? Is there any other class of drug out there that, when the bad side effects set in, the standard advice is "increase the dose"? Increase it until what--you become homicidal???

Welcome, Margie. You'll get plenty of sympathy and support here. I don't know anything about Imipramine, but sooner or later someone will come along who does.

Now, I'm not one to believe everything I read on Wikipedia, but everything I find on psychotropics there seems to coincide with my personal experiences, so far.

Imipramine is a 60 year old drug, one of the first psychotropics. It is grouped with benzodiazepines. Highly addictive. And from my experience with them, if you want to quit, a taper schedule is the best.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imipramine

[Margief60]

Originally Posted by Charlie

I thought if you did you might try it for a couple of days or so and see if it helps.

I did think of asking to get back on it, to tyr for a short period to see if it helps. Is that ever done? Bu then do n't you just hve to go through it again?

[csnyder002]

If you go back on it and them taper PROPERLY, and SLOWLY, over a long period of time- you may fair much better. Of course the Dr.s won't tell you that- but the good folks here will. Arm yourself with all the info you can about the drugs and stories from others here. Then do what you need to do. Will your Dr. cooperate with you if you tell him what you want and feel?

[Margief60]

We moved to a new town 3 weeks after I stopped the drug so now I have a new doctor. She is wonderful but she is the one who keeps telling me to take Xanax. But she did tell me I could go back on it.

I just feel so lousy all the time. I can't eat anything, I am so tired all the time, have no desire to do anything. My 7 year old son said it's not fair to have a mom who can't eat food and who is sick all the time.

I don't know. I have to decide if it's worth a shot.

[Ezin]

Imipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant, and it's been known that they should be tapered for many years. You were on for 20 years, so that would indicate a carefully approached taper for weaning.

What dose of imipramine were you on?

Were you on Zoloft & imipramine at the same time?... then got the aggression effects... and then the imipramine was stopped, but Zoloft continued on its own, and that's when it all really hit the fan?

[Katesmom]

Stick with the devil you know. Restarting at a much lower dose, preferably a 1/4 dose of what you were on, would be a good place to just see if it alleviates your symptoms somewhat. I do agree with Charlie that this could be partly the zoloft, and that will just go away with time away from that drug. In the meantime, see if you can become stable again on the low dose of your old drug.

[Benisbald]

Of course it's worth it.

It sounds like you've discontinued cold turkey like I did. So after some research, trial and error, and past experience, I continued on a partial dose, low enough to kick the side effects, then tapered down. And with that came relief, along with the fog.

Now when I'm off the Benzo's, and I run into anxiety, like today, I get online, thrash the drug companies a little, and feel better naturally!

Everyday, I force myself to power through my challenges as calmly as possible, but everyone needs a break. So, I get online, and find something amusing to escape into. Lately, I've been getting out more, as well. Just going for a walk is awesome stress release.

[Margief60]

Thank you all for your support. It is so comforting to know that people are around who really understand. I guess I will get off to bed. I'm fighting a cold now as well and just feel awful. Perhaps tomorrow will bring new hope for me.

[Alsacienne]

Get well from your cold soon Margie, and remember that we're in your corner fighting alongside you. All the best.

[LCrawford67]

Originally Posted by Katesmom

Stick with the devil you know. Restarting at a much lower dose, preferably a 1/4 dose of what you were on, would be a good place to just see if it alleviates your symptoms somewhat. I do agree with Charlie that this could be partly the zoloft, and that will just go away with time away from that drug. In the meantime, see if you can become stable again on the low dose of your old drug.

Great advice, Kim!

Having a cold also exacerbates symptoms.

[Buxy`s Back]

Hi margie, its great to see you made it here, welcome and i think this has been great advice, go back on, stabilize and taper real slow, im not really up on how much when but im sure others will let you know the right way.
So sorry you have had to deal with this but hope you get some relief real soon

[BlueEyes]

I was on Imipramine for about 9 months before starting into the Prozac.

The doctor gave me a very low dose to take as a sleeping aid. But if I remember correctly, he did have me wean off it towards the end, not just stop it abruptly.

And I certainly wasn't on it 20 years like you were, only 9 months or so!

It would probably be so beneficial for you to get another prescription of the same stuff and wean off on your own from there.

And also, please do know that fighting off a cold/virus definitely exacerbates any withdrawal symptoms you might be having!

Terri

[scotty]

Imipramine should be weaned, just as slowly as Paxil. I would look into getting back on and weaning. Zoloft isn't going to help, and it just may make things worse.