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Hi Everyone;
Does anyone have experience with going off Zoloft or other anti-depressant during treatment? I'm in my 4th month of treatment. Matia thought that the 25 mg of zoloft I was on was a block to getting symptom free.
Before going off the zoloft, I had about a total of 5 or 6 days (not consecutive) when my urgency (my only symptom) was almost minimal. I was so happy thinking it was healing each time, then it would only come back. I know a lot of us deal with this. It still causes me so much frustration. Even though I've been in treatment before, have read Matia's dissertation, and so many of your stories, I still go into that doubt when that urgency comes back with a fierceness and I cannot make sense of it.
I've been off the zoloft now for about 2 weeks. My dosages are changes about every few days, and I haven't had one of those minimal days in a while.
I'm also frustrated that I keep trying to drink sparkling water (I'm going out of my mind just drinking water, and tea doesn't work either) and I think it's affecting me, but sometimes so subtle I don't know for sure.
I'm so happy I'm getting healthy – everyone in my life says I'm glowing with health. I just can't wrap my head around why I can be so healthy in every other way, but have this constant urgency.
Thanks for letting me vent a bit today. I'm just feeling sad and angry, and I think the zoloft was helping. Now that I still have the urgency, I'm worried about how to deal with this anxiety that comes with this condition.
Meds
Camille, Going off medication is so hard. I went off Ambien two weeks ago and haven't been sleeping very well. Now I am trying to go off hydroxyzine. The only thing has helped is researching the side effects of the drugs. For example, I had no idea that Ambien has five pages of side effects. The consumer handout is much shorter for the patient than the information a doctor receives from the drug company. Half a page is devoted to bladder side effects. Knowledge is power. I would research Zoloft on google. You might want to even use google scholar to find bladder side effects. I am sorry to hear that you are having a bad day. I hope tomorrow is better :DIf you look under the professional section of the Zoloft side effects. It lists urinary side effects. If I am reading this correctly, frequency and cystitus is a rare side effects of Zoloft. I hope this helps.http://www.drugs.com/sfx/zoloft-side-effects.html
Camille, I went off it a
Camille,
I went off it a couple years ago before my IC got really bad. If I remember correctly, the IC was more at bay when on it, which would make sense as I've heard SSRIs and others are dispensed sometimes for IC pain, and the mechanisms they work by seem like they could lessen/suppress pain signals. So while I know it's so hard to get through these hard times, give yourself a break and some time -- your body needs time to adjust and I wouldn't be surprised that you're feeling worse -- even if the drug didn't treat the pain, just that your body was used to it and it's now throwing things out of whack.
Also, consider taking out the sparkling water for a couple weeks and note the difference. I know how tough it is to drink just water, but at least for me once I did it for several months I did adapt. I'd find other little ways to treat yourself instead (i.e. almond butter on toast) if no sparkling water feels like a deprivation for you.
How wonderful that those around you actually notice and unsolicitly compliment you on glowing with health. That's a hugely positive sign! I hope this is only a brief bump in the road for you. Hang in there.
Wow, Sharon and Lisa
Thank you so much for your replies. They are so helpful. Reading about the Zoloft really hit it home for me. I tend to minimize the effect of drugs. I will try to quit the spark water for 2 weeks. It's so hard, I'm kind of addicted to it. Nothing like it in the summer time when I'm really thirsty, or when I need something to help me wake up in the morning.This can be a hard road, thank god I'm getting healthier and learning so much about my health, emotional and spiritual well-being.