Zoloft Zaps

Originally posted by Little One
Thanks yall:

Down with Docs.

If they had their way about it I would be hooked on:

Xanax: because I have thoughts and opinions.

Oxycotin: because my disk is shattered, yet I can control it with Motrin.

Any kind of anti-depressant: because Im a girl.

And just in case that isnt enough, they always had you a 'script to Ultram... which IS addictive. Just not as much so as narcotics.

My god,do they put you on mindbending drugs just because you are a girl?
That is evil.
I have read about the amount of kids on ritalin,which is also an evil money making plot,at the expense of kids sanity...Its going on in the UK as well.
Well a healthy human does not make any money for big pharma after all.
Whatever next?
How about anyone who believes in UFOs,conspiracy therories,or criticizes government policy?Get them all on happy tablets.
Theres enough of them to make a buck out off,surely.

When i visited a friend at hospital when he was developing schizophrenia,I found the treatment totally crazy...everyone in the hospital was put on about 6 different drugs-some to fight side effects of others.
Everyone was on all these drugs-whatever was wrong with them,be it a bit of depression or full blown schizophrenia.
How can this be right?
It seemed to me that this "chemical kosh" was given to the patients,not to make them better,but to give the staff an easy time.
This treatment did nothing to help my friend-it actually made him worse...a lot worse.
Permenantly.

Well done for getting of the tablets-get plenty of healthy(organic if poss)food down and do a bit more exercise than usual .
Also try walking about barefoot,as you will have a better connection to the ground,which may help your electrical systems recover faster.
(This may sound silly,but may help balance your system)

Oh,and avoid TV,that 40-60hz flicker the screen gives off is bad for us all-before we even mention the programs contents...

Get better fast.

Kind of sucks having your family push for these things. Stand your ground. Do not let these messed up drugs enter your life anymore. There will be people who will try and convince you to go the Psych drug route. Actually, there are people right here on ATS who support this type of "wrong headed" treatment. Some folks here seem like they are paid or have some beneficial connection to the drug industry. Either that or they are totally "brainwashed" by the Psych/drug industry. They are quick to attack the folks who only want the truth, and want to live a life without the BS that is shoveled to us by the Psych/drug industry.

Get well, take care,

Troy

Originally posted by Little One
Like the curious fool I am, I went outside to the garage and stuck my tongue on a 9-volt battery.

How did I know someone would go and stick a battery on their tongue? :shk:

It does feel wierd. The first time 'the zaps' happened to me, I was driving to work. I ended up parking and taking a bus the rest of the way, I was too scared to continue driving in rush hour traffic.

Originally posted by cybertroy
Kind of sucks having your family push for these things. Stand your ground. Do not let these messed up drugs enter your life anymore. There will be people who will try and convince you to go the Psych drug route. Actually, there are people right here on ATS who support this type of "wrong headed" treatment. Some folks here seem like they are paid or have some beneficial connection to the drug industry. Either that or they are totally "brainwashed" by the Psych/drug industry. They are quick to attack the folks who only want the truth, and want to live a life without the BS that is shoveled to us by the Psych/drug industry.

Get well, take care,

Troy

It sucks really bad, Im too the point now I dont trust my family. Why is my husband ALWAYS talking to my Dr? Or ever talking to her for that matter. Because of cofidentiality, she shouldnt even be telling him if I am or AM NOT a patient... much less taking explicit instructions on the exact cocktail of pills he feels I should be on.

He is my Dr, she just has to write the 'scripts.

*Shhhh be quiet pretty girl, dont have any opinions and buck me on anything. I am man. You are woman.' That alone is an RX for disaster because Im going to be heard, not enough drugs in the world to numb me. Im not that damned lucky.

I am a curious thing, yes... I coudnt get to the garage fast enough to find a battery.

Then like a 4 yr old, I threw it down and ran back to say yep... dats what it feels like. Its the child-like honesty, my bravery (wont back down to noone) They might can beat me but they cant eat me... aint monsters so I find it hard to be scared of 'people'. To many things to pick up, to many places open to my distruction.

Im 100 pds wet. He is 160 or so... Italian dude. And although I do NOT condone abuse at any time, you eventually have to stand up for yourself. I have whopped him like a little girl everytime he has ever put his hands on me. Because of that ability, 'Im crazy'.

No, not crazy... just tired of life poking at me. It isnt the size of the dog, its the size of the fight in that dog. I eat him for breakfast and am still left hungry. A mere snack.

Explain that black eye at work tomorrow... hunny. Tell them I had a thought and voiced and opinion and you came across the table at me like a beast to try to scare me. Big surprise when what you got was a punch right dead between the eyes (was trying to black both of them at once). Tell them how angry you are I wont let you shove pills down my throat.

Massive ego problem which he wouldnt have if he didnt try to scare me. Scare me and I am going to beat your ass or get mine beat but I WONT be intimadated. Husband or not.

See now why he wants me on meds hehe. Every man in here is thinking 'man, I have her one something too'. Have me high on life, conversation... AWARENESS. My god, most people arent even aware enough to get aware!

He is one of those people so...

Nothing wrong with being vocal and having an opinion. Sometimes you gotta say what you gotta say.

Psychology/Psychiatry wants you "under control." Heaven forbid we get upset now and then. Heaven forbid we show emotion. I guess we are viewed as dangerous if we get upset or something? What Psychology is creating are ticking time bombs with these drugs. Peoples emotions are so suppressed that one day some of these people just blow up, grab guns and stuff and kill other people. Investigate some of these school shootings and you will often find that the person was under the care of a Psychiatrist or Psychologist, and I'd say they very possibly were taking these drugs we are talking about.

Troy

Originally posted by Little One
[It sucks really bad, Im too the point now I dont trust my family. Why is my husband ALWAYS talking to my Dr? Or ever talking to her for that matter. Because of cofidentiality, she shouldnt even be telling him if I am or AM NOT a patient... much less taking explicit instructions on the exact cocktail of pills he feels I should be on.

If I were you I'd start gathering proof in order to file a complaint against her.. IMO it is pointless going to a doctor you can't trust.. moreso if she thinks a patients husband's opinion is more valid than the patients. I'd ditch her.

He is my Dr, she just has to write the 'scripts.

*Shhhh be quiet pretty girl, dont have any opinions and buck me on anything. I am man. You are woman.'

I have whopped him like a little girl everytime he has ever put his hands on me. Because of that ability, 'Im crazy'.

Seriously.. if he's being emotially/physically abusive [and manipulative] and then blaming your 'mental illness' for it.. you should dump his arse ASAP.. otherwise he'll keep trying to discredit your own judgement. Eventually the stress will trigger depression/mental illness which will re-enforce his claim that it's your fault when it isn't.. and he will keep using it against you [been there done that ]. Everytime you take your meds, go to the doctor, get treatment on his say so it will soildy his authority over you and he'll use it to elevate himself above you. If you need treatment.. by all means get it just make sure people know that you are doing it for yourself and not just following orders.

I'm with Riley on this one. If this guy is being abusive, then he either needs to fix this part of himself or I would show him the door. I'm not saying that he is being abusive, but it kind of sounds like he might be from your posts? Is this guy really being abusive?

And I repeat myself, you do not need medications like Zoloft, period.

Troy

My Mother has periodical problems with the Zaps, her doctor wouldn't take her seriously until she printed off some info and presented it to her. Now she has validated it.

Mother has been on the old fashioned antidepressants like the msri's (?) back in the old days as well as having forced electrical shock treatments back in the 60's. It wiped much of her memories, the ECT's. She didn't even recognize her children when we went to visit in the hospital.

She is currently on wellbutrin and Zoloft and even the Requip for the "restless legs"

She has been over medicated her whole life. She also had polio as a child.

Thing different with her zaps is she gets them while taking the meds when most testimonies claim the problem when coming off.

I am wondering how much permenant damage the big pharmaca has done to my mother. She shakes likes she is coming down with parkinsons.

In my opinion all of her symptoms and side effects are directly from being overmedicated from depression. She spent years out of it on thorazine and and my belief is she is a walking talking leftover from overmedicating her for her entire life.

I wonder if the brain receptors have been damaged in her brain. She says the zaps are always in twos. Zap Zap.

Any ideas as to how she may begin to regain her health or at least avoid the zaps?

I have been on 150 mg of zoloft for 17 years (since the age of 13) recently my doctor denied my medication refill based on the fact he wants me to have a routine physical. However his office was closed for 3 days and I could not make an appointment.

I have complained of side effects before however he has encouraged me to believe other reasons (high blood pressure/body temperature - most likely caused by the zoloft I've recently found)

I have been off the drug for 4 days, the "brain zaps" are horrible. I have chills
and cold sweats (similar to flu). The zaps are common with Zoloft.

I am disgusted with my doctor and trying to find if it is legal to deny ongoing treatment of an addictive ssri drug based on the desire for me to make a non related appointment (he has made me come in the last two times I have needed a refill). I have seen this doctor for 6 years, and been on the Zoloft for 13 years..I feel he is just trying to make money regardless of my suffering.. If anyone knows the answer to my legal question please reply.. thank you.

*bzzzt*

Wow, that sounds really risky for the doctor to just "take you off" suddenly. My understanding is that you definitely should not just "cold turkey" this kind of medicine, or anything for that matter that you have been on for years.

It sounds like your doctor may be worried about long term effects of the medication to take you off and request a physical.

Sorry I don't know about the legal aspects of this but I am sure that you should be weaned off if it is deemed necessary to go off the medication.

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


Whoa - the lost post of Zoloft Zaps!!! I just found this! I created this thread when I was obviously having a hard time.

I hope everyone that was suffering is now fine. I am but it was hell. I am 100% drug free unless it comes from the ground. (Not a nun or liar)

I just wanted to say thank yall so much! I also would be happy to open this up for further discussion - should any other members be experiencing such.

Im in a position now to help, when I was once needing help. So, if you would like to talk about things that worry or scare you about your medicine, we'd all love to lend a hand!

xoxo,

reply to post by Little One


I had the same sort of sensation with Buspar. It would be like someone would sneak up behind me, and jab a live electrical wire into my brain.

reply to post by SpacePunk


Yes! That is the exact sensation!

My zaps lasted a good two weeks and then eased. They went away shortly thereafter while I slept. I remember the very day I set up and the sensation was gone.

How long did your last?

Please, if ANY OF YOU have these zaps and they havent gone away - speak up!

xoxo,

Hey all,

You can't just GO OFF an anti-depressant cold turkey! it's dangerous!! You need to reduce the dose slowly, slowly. Very irresponsible to just stop taking them.

I take Zoloft (for severe clinical depression) and when I started the side affects (and Zaps) were so bad that I almost gave up, but after 2 weeks I no longer felt anything and it worked fine. I have taken Zoloft for 8 years now. Sometimes if I forget to take a tablet for a couple of days I get the zappy side-affects.

Please...don't just STOP taking perscribed anti-depressants cold turkey. You'll make yourself ill and the side affects can be dangerous for driving and working. If you do want to stop without your doctor knowing just slowly cut back. Cut the pills in halves, then quarters etc over a two month period. It really does take that long.

I am am one person that is grateful for my anti-deps. I was not given them for anything trivial and waited til I was 32 to actually have the guts to do something about my lifelong depression. My life is normal now. I would probably not be here today without them. They are not for everyone but when you have been in the deep, dark hole that is clinical depression...the relief is amazing.

reply to post by anxietydisorder


I was on zoloft for panic attacks years ago and when I got off of it too quick I had what I called brain surges or it felt like my brain short circuited. Bad news

Had the same brain shocks on both Zoloft and Effexor, i went off zoloft cold turkey (i had only been on about 2 months) so they werent as bad, but weaning off effexor 75mg was hell, took me about 3 months, and i was pretty much in bed the whole time because any movement would make the shocks worse. I won't lie, after awhile i used some natural herbal medication ;p. and that helped me get through the day until i could wean off successfully, now it's been 12 months and i've never been happier and not on any sort of drug, perscription, illegal, not even any alcohol or caffine. 100% just me.

I wasnt worried about the shocks personally as i grew up with my mother, father and sister all on anti-d's and they would talk about the shocks if one of them had forgotten a tablet or two, or was waiting until payday to fill a perscription, so i guess i was lucky i had people who understood in a way.

Interesting thread. old but good. My spouse has been taking Zoloft for 14+ years. Last month she got the runaround from the doctor needing an appointment and basically had to wait two weeks to get more. She sitting here as I type and says she had none of these effects, just irritability. Went from 200 to 100 mg a year ago.

Goes to show that the real bad effects don't happen to everyone. If you want to get off it the experience may not be as bad as some here, although i would go the weaning off route that many suggest.

It takes a couple months for them to completely go away.

I sort of like them... never been on Zoloft but I've gotten them from other ADs.

reply to post by sligtlyskeptical


Yeah, i'll add it doesn't happen to everyone, i'm unlucky enough to experience pretty much every side-effect in the book when it comes to perscription meds, so to many people it could be much less painful.

Originally posted by Little One
I knew better than to go on any medication but after a few life events and some family persuation, I went on 100 mils of Zoloft a day.

I took it for 2 months and had no negative or positive effects so I secretly discontinued the medication. I know now I was suppose to step down but if my Dr knew, my family would.

My body, my decision. I didnt/dont need the grieve. So what 'I think too much'. Maybe thats what some of us are suppose to do.

I reckon my question is:

Does anyone know anything about the 'zaps' sensation. and

Most importanly, when may they stop? They are very disturbing.

Anti-depressants are not really intended to make you "happy" or take your problems away. They are effective at helping you cope with the symptoms of depression, anxiety and other forms of mental stress. They help you lower the volume of that negative voice within that tries to make us think pessimistically and feel bad.

It can be harmful to your mental health to stop taking an anti-depressant (in this case of 100mg -> nothing) without advice from a qualified doctor. In doing so you are likely to experience side-effects. This occurs because your body was getting used to regularly absorbing the properties of this medication for 6-8 weeks and not is trying to respond in the same manner when there is no medication to absorb.

Anyone thinking about getting off a medication without approval first should, AT THE VERY LEAST, do it in increments. From 100g go to 50mg for 1 week, then 50mg to 25mg for the next, then from 25mg to zero the next week. This will greatly reduce the chance of side affects compared to the 100 to zero route.

[edit on 19/2/2010 by Dark Ghost]