Bipolar Zoloft Posts

Bipolar Zoloft Resource

Bipolar Zoloft Resource in Q&A

What side effects may occur in a person with bipolar disorder who is taking zoloft? Can there be adverse consequences if a mood stabilizer is not taken in combo with an antidepressant?

3010abc123 replied: "Zoloft - generic name Sertraline - is classed as a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI). Zoloft may be prescribed for the treatment of bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Common Side Effects: Decreased appetite or weight loss; diarrhea or loose stools; dizziness; drowsiness; dryness of mouth; headache; increased sweating; nausea; stomach or abdominal cramps, gas, or pain; tiredness or weakness; trembling or shaking; trouble in sleeping Less Common Side Effects: Agitation, anxiety, or nervousness; changes in vision, including blurred vision; constipation; flushing or redness of skin, with feeling of warmth or heat; increased appetite; vomiting Always Notify Doctor: Decreased sexual desire or ability; breast tenderness or enlargement; fast or irregular heartbeat; fast talking and excited feelings or actions that are out of control; fever; inability to sit still; low blood sodium (confusion, convulsions [seizures], drowsiness, dryness of mouth, increased thirst, lack of energy); nose bleeds; red or purple spots on skin; restlessness; serotonin syndrome (diarrhea, fever, increased sweating, mood or behavior changes, overactive reflexes, racing heartbeat, restlessness, shivering or shaking); skin rash, hives, or itching; unusual or sudden body or facial movements or postures; unusual secretion of milk (in females) Withdrawal Side Effects - Notify Doctor: Agitation; anxiety; dizziness; feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings; headache; increased sweating; nausea; trembling or shaking; trouble in sleeping; trouble in walking; unusual tiredness Overdose Effects - Notify Doctor: May be more severe than side effects occurring at regular doses, or several may occur together: Anxiety; drowsiness; nausea; serotonin syndrome (diarrhea, fever, increased sweating, mood or behavior changes, overactive reflexes, racing heartbeat, restlessness, shivering or shaking); unusually fast heartbeat; unusually large pupils; vomiting"

lisa1cares replied: "it has been noted that if a person takes an anti-depressant with out a mood stabilizer it can bring on a manic episode. its not a guaranteed thing but does happen and if you have bipolar and just taking an antidepressant you should be closely monitored. take care good luck"

Patientsville P replied: "http://patientsville.com/medication/zoloft_side_effects.htm"

Depression and Bipolar??? Zoloft and what??? okay, so I have depression+axiety and bipolar. Zoloft takes care of the depression and anxiety but makes my bipolar worst (can't sleep at night due to racing thoughts).... I have tried Lamictal, Topamax, and Tegrotol so far none of which have improved my state... I am going to see my doctor again tomorrow,... so what other bipolar meds are out there that can work well with Zoloft for people that have both disorders??

David D replied: "You need to take lithium. It's that simple. It's great for mania and it will help you sleep."

CRESSiE. replied: "depression is part of bipolar, i was on zoloft for my bipolar but they had to take me completely off zoloft because i had the same problem you did, they put me then on lamictal but it didnt do much good for me, then i tried depakote and it did wonders."

I'm the new cancer. replied: "Aw, well my sister has both, and takes Zoloft, but I'm pretty sure she takes something else too, maybe ask who ever proscribed the Zoloft?"

Trip replied: "First, be sure you really need any of these meds, do you remember what life was like without them. I was diagnosed the same way, no SSRI's worked. I have since found out I'm really OCD and ADD. Wellbutrin seems to help me and has way less side effects than other drugs. remember, depression is a symptom, not an illness."

corperalsdaughter18 replied: "If you take Lithium it takes care of everything. Anxiety and depression are both part of bipolar. Lithium has been working for bipolar since the 1940's. Just have your doctor check your thyroid and blood levels once in a while. Also drink lots of water. Lithium is known to hehydrate people when they don't drink enough water. Ask your doctor about lithium so you know the right amount to take."

What could zoloft gapabentin and trazodone mixed do to someone who is bipolar? could they cause hypomania?

Brandy D replied: "This is really something you should talk to a doctor or pharmacist about. Since mania is one of the main features of bipolar disorder, it could mean that the drugs aren't working and need to be adjusted. If the patient's symptoms are usually primarily depressive symptoms, and then after a med change he/she suddenly experiences hypomania--then yeah, it could be the meds. Often when there are possible interactions or intolerable side effects, doctors may prescribe the meds anyway because the potential benefits outweigh the risks. Only the prescribing doctor or a pharmacist can make a proper evaluation."

is zoloft an antidepressant for bipolar depression? is zoloft an antidepressant for bipolar depression?

sidsid replied: "I would certainly take the vegetarian route. It is obvious that parsnips are the answer rather than cauliflower, although in some cases curly kale can be more beneficial than say Brussels sprouts or spinach. A friend of mine who is a practicing psychoanalyst in Strasbourg has always claimed that he uses teacakes as a prop, but he too is now coming round to the idea that it is necessary to alleviate the underlying Thuringian malaise without unbalancing the Kensyan thrist."

piji_caj replied: "Generally anticonvulsants and antipsychotics are better for managing depression in Bipolar Disorder. Antidepressants can alleviate depression in Bipolar Disorder, but they often cause a mixed or elevated mood state. This happens less when paired with an anticonvulsant, but it can still happen. Lamictal is usually a good choice for Bipolar Depression, as well as a myriad of atypical antipsychotics."

Abilify and zoloft, bipolar? abilify is an aptypical antiphyscotic and zoloft antidepressant. I take 5 mg Abilify in the morning and 50 mg zoloft after dinner. Do you think I am bipolar 2 if you take a look at my prescribed drugs. As my pdoc had ruled out illnesses such as schizophrenia, schizo affective disorder and borderline personality disorder. I have read that antidepressant alone arent enough for treating bipolar depression and you need a mood stablizer. Abilify is antiphyscotic but has mood stabilizing effects. What my likely diagnosis is? I will ask him directly in my next visit but i am curious right now. Whats your take on this? a history of verbally abused(but no sexuallly abused) he asked this question while interviewing me. Apart from this, i get very flirtatious and daring sometimes. I do get these racing thoughts. No hallucinations at all.

walking728 replied: "Not a lot of background information to work with but you present your information well without drama. A combiniation of abilify and antidepressant is a very common treatment for bi polar. Your doc is right about an antidepressant being inadequate to treat by bipolar by itself. You have too much insight and calm demeanor to be a borderline (no history of sexual abuse?). You don't mention any of the symptoms for for the schizo... Did you use drugs. Many bipolars self medicated prior to trusting a doctor. If I were betting I would say bipolar."

ali replied: "what are the symptoms you complain of? bipolar,i think."

piji_caj replied: "The reason why an antidepressant cannot be used alone to treat depression in Bipolar Disorder is that it will often destabilize the patient. Where you given Abilify because the antidepressants you were taking before were destabilizing you or because they simply weren't effective enough? I would like to think that if you do have Bipolar Disorder, your doctor would prescribe an anticonvulsant or lithium for a mood stabilizer rather than just Abilify as a mood stabilizer - anticonvulsants or lithium slow the cycling seen in Bipolar Disorder, whereas antipsychotics seem to kind of cover up the symptoms. Abilify is FDA approved as an adjunct to antidepressants in Major Depressive Disorder. So it's likely that your combination of medication is for Major Depression. However, the combination of medication you are on could be used for either disorder."

My son is bipolar and doesn't want to take Zoloft, but will take his trileptal. Advice? We just got diagnosed in May, although we were in therapy at the wrong place for 4 years. When his doc added the Zoloft, I gave it to him for two days, he began vomiting, etc. I took him to the ER because I thought it was the meds. They found nothing wrong, sent me home. I knew something wasn't right and through perssistance discovered he had walking pnemonia. He thinks the Zoloft caused this. He is doing well, and since I've never seen him on an antidepressent, I don't know how it would affect him. I want him to see the therapy and meds positively and he does, except with this. I fear if I force him, the rest of the therapy will be seen negatively and become less effective. I called his doc and got no reply, but we see him today. His therapist is also aware of this and thinks that the Zoloft would be benificial. How do I go about getting him to take it w/o ruining his good outlook on his treatment? My son is nine. I don't understand what he goes through, although I do try. I don't lie to my son, I tell him the good and the bad, how could he trust me if I didn't. I feel one day he will be in charge of his meds and I want him to make good choices so he'll continue his treatment in adulthood. What I need the most help with is how this medicine will affect him. What is the good and the bad? I feel it would benefit him and don't know how to let him know what changes he'd experience (if the med is successful in his case). He's the one who has to go through what he does, not me. I feel he should have a say and he knows that I take his concerns into consideration. If I felt there was immediate risk to him by not taking it, he'd already be on it. Like I said, he's doing good, I think he'd poss do better with it though.

HuskyNoof replied: "Zoloft usually has fewer side effects than a lot of anti-depressants. Ask him to try it once more, and if he feels ill, you'll talk to the doc. about switching meds. Also think about when he took it. Did he have a full/ empty stomach? Do the opposite of last time. Also a lot of people take Zoloft before bed to curb any possible effects, think about trying that."

Kacky replied: "How old is he? Why do you keep saying "we"? My son took Celexa and it made him violent, so you do need to be careful, but it's not likely his Zoloft caused pneumonia. That's his disease talking. Be his guardian. You are not the same person so there is no more "we". There is only him, managing his health care with your guidance. ."

Anita replied: "Call the doctor again and in the meantime, crush it up and slip it into his ice cream."

dragonflykagerou84 replied: "From my own personal experience and a lifetime of hell with docs shoving pills at me, I suggest you take it really slow. If it isnt the zoloft making him sick, it may be a combination of the pills. I remember tons of pills that made me vomit every five minutes. I do have one suggestion, try an herbal supplement, st johns wort. I am bipolar, and have been taking that for a few weeks, and for the first time in my life I actually feel stable. Considering he has to be the one taking the stuff, listen to everything he has to say about how the stuff makes him feel. Good luck!"

Alaskan Beauty replied: "Zoloft stinks & if he is 9 he should NOT be taking any medication. I've never even heard of a bipolar 9 y/o. NOT many meds are appropraite for preteens. Don't put the poor thing on Ritalin."

Alex62 replied: "Don't force him to take it! There are plenty of other SSRIs that he can try. The last thing you want is to reinforce an association that meds make you sick. Some do, some don't. The important thing is getting off those that do quickly. Even though this is just a coincidence, treat it the same way. He's got the rest of his life on medication, and empowering him now to switch may have more long-term meaning than you realize. The thing that you should be aware is that antidepressants often are bad experiences for people with bipolar. They tend to do nothing, put us in a mixed state, or flip us to hypo/mania. That's almost always the case without stabilizers. Unfortunately, for some, it remains the case on stabilizers. So, try another SSRI but if he gets irritable, work with the doc about taking him off. If the doc insists that he stay on, find another doc. There are stabilizers that can help with depression so it's not like SSRIs are the only option."

~just me~ replied: "Show him this: You were sick when you started Zoloft. The med was not the cause. I suffer from sever depression and anxiety. When I was prescribed Zoloft, I was very scared to take it. Once I did, I swore it was making things worse. I had a headache and felt nauseous. I realized that I needed help, and that's why I started it in the first place. I put my stubbornness aside, and kept taking it. I took it at night instead of the morning, because it made me really tired. I am now 29 days into it, and I truly believe it's a life saver. I feel so much better. I am able to live a normal life without all the fears I had around people. I can jump into the car anytime I want and go anywhere. I feel like a new person. You really need to give it a chance to work for you. Two days was not enough to know if it would help you. Honestly, the first week on it, isn't the best. Everyday gets better. I promise. Please take it, you will feel so much better! It was just a fluke in the beginning, because you were sick. Change your life for the better, and please take it. Why live this way when you don't have to. Zoloft is the best a-d med out there in my eyes, it has the least side effects and works wonders. Give it a chance!! :) Come back on here in two weeks and I bet you'll think very differently about Zoloft! Take care!"

sarah b replied: "I was on the same combination of meds for a year or two...Zoloft does cause really bad nausea at the beginning, but if you can stick with it the first week..it should subside. Also, I began going to a new psych after I'd been on this combo cuz I was having more manic episodes..he said that zoloft can cause this in bi-polar patients...but everyone is different! I would encourage your son to try the Zoloft a couple more days...if he still feels sick...make an appt. with your psych to get the anti-depressant changed. It always takes some trial and error to get the correct mix of things for each individual...it's not easy and takes some time, but don't give up!!"

yellowcloudwoman replied: "I have bipolar that was undiagnosed for years. when i took Zoloft it threw me into a manic state and was awful. The Trileptal is the first medication I have taken in 15 years that really seems to help. I have been on it for 3 years now and have been stabilized. I have been on many other depression medications. the one that is helping me now is good old Prozac. it is the only one that has helped. I was on it in the past and quit, and when i went back on it did not work, but when in conjunction with the trileptal it is working wonderful. I would ask to try a different antidepressant medication. Zoloft is not one i would recommend. In children it can have serious side effects. but so can all other antidepressant medications. Maybe the trileptal will be all he needs. good sleep and sun. Good Luck."

Cat S replied: "Zoloft caused exactly the same symptoms in me and when I presented at the hospital, they said nothing was wrong and to keep taking the meds. The side effects got more severe and as a result I ended back in hospital after a suicide attempt because my moods got darker, it simply exacerbated my depression. However my uncle is on this medication completely side effect free... In my case shrink then changed my meds which made all the difference. The moral to this story is that different antidepressants will work for different people in different ways and a good doctor will help you to find a suitable med regime. For me it was trail and error and as is often the case, the first few drugs I took were duds and either didn't work or made me incredibly ill. I am now on a regime of 2 mood stabilizers and one antidepressant to treat bipolar II."

Gladys C replied: "My son used to take zoloft and it worked very well. Its mild and generally doesn't have side effects none that he ever experienced. My husband also takes zoloft, but it works best if you give it at bedtime to keep from getting diarrhea to start until they get used to it. Also if your son is going to be on an anti-depressant for quite awhile this is the best one to take some of the others can cause liver trouble etc.. you don't have that with zoloft. my son was put on another anti-depressant at the start and where it was strong it didn't take long that he became aggressive and had to be took off it. when a child or adult takes anti-depressants and no longer needs them they will start being aggressive and doing things they show no remorse for. just sit down and talk and explain to him that you know he is worried about taking it and that it wasn't the zoloft that made him sick it was the pnemonia. and that he will be able to focus and concentrate better and feel better all together if he will give the zoloft another try. and that he knows that you love him and there is nothing in this world that you would do to hurt him in any way.and that if you thought this would hurt him in any way at all you wouldn't even ask him to give it another chance. ihave times my youngest son doesn't want to take this or that medicine but he knows that mom wouldn't do anything to hurt him so he does try it, my oldest did the same til he realizeed that he did have to have medicine and he knows mom if she didn't have faith or trust in the doctor or that i got a feeling i shouldn't trust something then it doesn't happen. i research everything. and i always ask right in front of the boys because it is their health what kinds of adverse reactions it could have, if it has been known to have an effect on their kidneys or liver and what are the pro's and con's of each medicine, and everything else there is to know about it that i want to know. good luck and best wishes. i know you do the same and so does your son ."

lost.without.you replied: "oh gosh. my cousin takes trileptal. he is doing good on it. why don't you just drop the zoloft & see if there is another antidepressent that will be just as beneficial. ask for alternatives. try & see what your son feels comfy with. my cousin is 20. he doens't take an antidepressent though. i know what its like. i hope the best for you."

Bipolar disorder & sertraline (zoloft)? Help, I had a breakdown earlier this year and had been depressed for a few months before, im on 150mg of sertraline (zoloft) but I began to feel ok and was working a lot I stopped taking my tablets a week ago. I have been all over the place this week, depressed stressed and flying off the handle not sleeping well waking up early. I got some more today so am taking them again My friend last night said she thinks I might be bipolar, I do have extreme ups and extreme lows. how do I know if I am? How long will it take for me to be on a level again after missing my medication? I was referred to a mental health team, when i went through the breakdown i was close to being sectioned, I self harmed ended up in hospital and at one point had to stay in police cells as I was a danger to myself. It was vvv bad but I feel the signs starting again. Ive been ok and good for months

jenny replied: "Give it about 4-5 days. I did the same thing..I take wellbutrin and zoloft and MAN I was going through it!. I honestly think you are just depressed."

Scarlette Rain replied: "By the sounds of the 'extreme ups and extreme lows', it seems more likely to be bipolar than unipolar depression. How did you get put on Zoloft? Did a GP prescribe it or someone else? I would recommend going back to whoever prescribed your meds in the first place and telling them your concerns about bipolar. They would be better equipped to diagnose you than anyone over the internet! ;) If you want to find out how your symptoms compare to bipolar, you can check the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders)... this is the tool medical professionals use all over the world to diagnose mental illnesses. You can find the criteria here: In terms of how long it will take your mood to stabilise after taking Zoloft again... How long did it take for you to feel different when you first started taking it? I would use this as a gauge, though it could be different depending on a number of factors. Each person will react differently to medications. You might want to talk with your GP/ other medical professional about this as well. All the best ~ hope you're feeling better soon! :) P.S. Ok, thanks for the added info... sounds like you've been through a lot ~ I'm sorry. You said you 'feel the signs starting again', which is good in that you're aware of yourself and your behaviour, but I'm concerned about you maybe getting worse. :/ Are you getting continued support through the mental health team? If so, please make sure you tell them what's been happening with your meds and how you're feeling... if not, please get in touch with someone! I don't feel it's wise for you to be without support at the moment, especially before your meds kick in again. Good to hear you've been ok up until then though; maybe it's a sign to stick with the Zoloft? Don't want you ending up in hospital again! :( Take care of yourself... if you want more info or just to talk, please don't hesitate to email me :)"

Dirty Punk replied: "first of all, bipolar mood swings occur over long periods of time, usually several months of one mood before slowly transitioning to the other. you are most likely "all over the place" because you suddenly stopped taking you meds."

bipolar disorder and abilify/zoloft meds combo? Is this med combo the latest one for treating bipolar disorder?

ByrningDowntheHouse replied: "Oh damn, please ask a doctor or pharmacist on this one. Do not trust Yahoo Answers, or anyone online for that matter, on this question. It's a really bad idea to mix similar medications, usually."

yarbigy replied: "to the above answer: they are not similar medications. One is an SSRI, the other is a dopamine partial agonist antiphysotic. very different paths of actions. If your doctor prescribed it for you, its probably safe. With mental health medications, nothing works for everyone, so no one can tell you if it will work for you. Its trial and error that must done under the supervision of a doctor."

If you take zoloft for depression are you Bipolar? Have been in a wheelchair for 32 yrs. and just started taking it 2 yrs ago and it was the best thing I ever did! years ago thay gave valume witch i didnt take

imamom replied: "no depression and bi-polar are two completely different Illnesses"

Kate replied: "Uhh...no. You're bipolar if you're bipolar. I took Zoloft at one time for depression, by the way."

Eraserhead replied: "Zoloft is strictly an anti depressant. Something like Lithium is what is prescribed for bipolar- that is a mood stabilizer."

Q replied: "No--and in fact, bipolar people should NOT take Zoloft or other SSRI medications (Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, Lexapro)."

winnie replied: "although depression can come with bipolar it deoesn't mean u have bipolar just because u are depressed"

Discontinuing Zoloft - Depression or Bipolar Tendencies? I take 100mg of Zoloft a day and have been for 4 years now. I spoke with my doctor about cutting down the dosage or the possibility of discontinuing the medication. He told me that because he saw "bipolar tendencies" in my chart he would not recommend stopping the medication. This is the 1st time a doctor has ever said something like this to me (I have seen him for 1 year every 4 months). I'm not sure what to think about this award exchange. My mental health is extremely important to me and I don't want to make a bad/hasty decision. I do not have insurance, so any suggestion that would involve more medical bills will not be helpful to me. Thanks for you time!

jason replied: "if you decide to quit your doctor is telling you that you may have serrious side effects other than feeling crappy you may have a overwhelming feelings of depression and or thoughts of suicide dont quit without family and or friends to monitor you"

gardensallday replied: "If he thinks you have "bipolar tendencies," I hope you are on a mood stabilizer in addition to the zoloft. Lithium is cheap - it is a naturally occurring salt. Depakote has been generic for awhile, but you would have to price that. Lamictal I think is now generic too, but not as long, so again, would have to price that. If you are tolerating the medication well, there is no reason to stop it. If the side effects are really upsetting, well, then you may want to risk a slow, slow taper and see what happens. Does depression run in your family? If so, bipolar is more likely - it's very genetic. Atypical depression, where you sleep a lot more than usual, instead of insomnia, is a bipolar sign. Agitated depressions, where you pace around and feel on fire - that's another bipolar type thing. go to bipolarworld.net and click thru to dr. phelps (ask the doctor). He has put a TON of medical information on his website, and even has a book you can read for free on bipolar II, "soft" bipolar, which is probably what you have if you have bipolar. He has lots of tips of things that may help that cost nothing, too, like exercise, keep your sleep schedule the same every day. Light boxes help people who get depressed in the winter more, and are cheap compared to most meds ($300, but only a one time purchase)."

Just Thinking replied: "Long term medicine should not be discontinued quickly or without medical supervision. If you are happy on your meds then continue taking them be guided by your Dr if you have confidence in him/her... if you dont .... go to a new Dr(or keep looking until you find you find one you are comfortable with) Be upfront about what you have been on and what you have been going through and then follow the advice... long term medication is not necessarily a bad thing."

JEFFREY P replied: "make use of the SE like google or yahoo to get some ideas first if you want to get the massive information,however if you do not want to spend so much time,here could be a good resource for your questions."

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