Is her medication working?!
Question: My best friend starting taking Zoloft 3 years ago. She said before she was on the medication, she always felt like killing herself, and now that she has the prescription, she feels much better. Only thing is, her personality has done a complete 180. She used to the the most fun and one of the sweetest people I knew. Now, she is extremely rude, volatile, and pissy toward everyone that "annoys" her. Especially her husband who can't seem to do anything right in her eyes. It's not my marriage, but recently he told my significant other he didn't know how much longer he could take it. I just want my old friend back...not the monster she's turned into since she started this med. Is it common for Zoloft to do that to a person?
Answers: My best friend starting taking Zoloft 3 years ago. She said before she was on the medication, she always felt like killing herself, and now that she has the prescription, she feels much better. Only thing is, her personality has done a complete 180. She used to the the most fun and one of the sweetest people I knew. Now, she is extremely rude, volatile, and pissy toward everyone that "annoys" her. Especially her husband who can't seem to do anything right in her eyes. It's not my marriage, but recently he told my significant other he didn't know how much longer he could take it. I just want my old friend back...not the monster she's turned into since she started this med. Is it common for Zoloft to do that to a person?
Great question. Any of the SSRIs and even other antidepressants can cause irritability. More significantly, they can push people into a mild for of mania called hypomania, which is often manifest as irritability and bi***iness.
SHe ought to ask a psychiatrist about her options. There are many drugs on the market that work for depression, and everyone reacts differently to each one.
If she were my patient and I were a real doctor, I would evaluate her for something called biploar type 2. Many, many people with chronic depression actually have a minor form of bipolar disorder that is very easily treated with very safe drugs. They can allow her to mellow out and be less irritable. Even if she is found to be unipolar, not mildly bipolar, she can take antidepressants like Cymbalta which tend to mellow people out.
I would rather she see a psychiatrist, but a family doctor can help if they are good listeners and are up to date. (Bipolar 2 is a relatively newly understood disease.)
I think there is a lot of reason for optimism. I was a total cranky jerk until I was diagnosed with bipolar 2. Now I am sooooo much better.
think the meds need to be changed tell her to try effexor she will have to see her docter
It may be. In order for the depression to lift, the meds suppress the part of the brain that controls mood, so yes, this could be happening. Talk to the doc to see if meds/dosage could be changed.
I was on Zoloft for many years and it helped w/o negative side effects. However, it eventually stopped working and I changed meds. There are many drugs out there used to treat depression and while they are all used to treat one thing, no one person is the same. try to get her to see an MD who really knows a lot about all the antidepressants.