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Zoloft, anti-depressants
since i suffer from depression, apathy and lack of motivation, more than one neurologist thinks zoloft may help me. I am hesitant to add another drug (using C/L and Neupro) to my regimen, but i hate my quality of life right now. Have you tried zoloft or other antidepressants? If so, has it helped you? Did you suffer any side effects?
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9 Replies
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manuel, thank you for your powerful testimonial on attitudes and living in the moment. i a convinced that is very important in battling this disease and intellectually I understand it; but, emotionally, i still struggle over what i have lost to this disease. i have been sitting on the fence about buying a djembe drum, but after your post, I am going to get one and find a drum circle 🙂
I also thank you for your kind words about the forum; that is our goal, to help people feel that they are not alone.
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Dear Jean, I have not tried Zolof or anything similar. When for the first time my lady neurologist told me that there was nothing wrong with my hearing and that such was not the cause for my difficulty in keeping my balance but rather the possibility that I had been struct by Parkinson, this came as a tremendous shock. Further visits confirmed the diagnostic and the wonderful neurologist of my second visit told me something that will remain in my mind and in my consciousness forever: “Don’t think about what you cannot longer do; think about the numberless things you can do.” Then I did realise that, at that stage, there was nothing I could not do if I could just try. As I wrote somewhere else, she asked me to use all my physical capabilities and stop being just in front of a screen writing up what I was writing. So I tried to attempt new things in my garden, working with wood and other minor things like cooking, etc. At one point it downed on me that I was no longer depressed because, notwithstanding the increasing difficulties, I did not have the time to think about that. I recovered my lost enjoyment of going to bed terribly tired and enjoying sound sleeping instead of my frequent insomnia. In my search for answers I did find many comforting replies. One for coming across several readings like a fundamental one I accidentally found online that had just been published. I checked it now and it is still there with its title “The Neurowriters’ guide to the peripatetic pursuit of Parkinson disease” which you can google. If we are allowed to insert links in this forum, this is the URL: http://www.parkinsonscreativecollective.org/pdf/Peripatetic_Pursuit_of_Parkinsons_Disease.pdf . I do hope you like it.
Finding these forums also gave me the comfort of reinforcing the conviction that we are never alone and it was your initial greeting that made my day on that day. I have to thank you for that and for all the work you perform to keep all of us connected. Forget about Zolof. Life is always beautiful!
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hi manuel
thanks for your powerful response. i believe attitude and being in the moment are key to battling this disease. i understand it intellectually, however, emotionally, i am still struggling. i do like the link you posted (as long as links are not selling anything, they are approved) and i am planning to print out and read. i dont like reading on an e-device…
thank you also for your kind words about our forum, that is our goal, to make people feel not so alone… and thank YOU for your contributions to the forum…your perspective is extremely valuable!
i have been sitting on the fence about buying a djembe drum. after seeing you response, i will commit to buying one and finding a drum circle. 🙂
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Allow me a marginal follow up comment dear Jean.
It’s about reading on a device. I also dislike using a cellphone, a tablet or a laptop but I have discovered the beauty of reading on my personal computer using a large HD monitor, much better suitable for a shaky hand and, on reading books, I can display two pages at once and concentrate fully just on reading without the need to use my hands for keeping the book open and for turning pages. I can also size the characters and the page display at will. The major virtue for me is to be able to navigate the web and enjoy admiring the display of huge HD works of art from museums around the world. I have never bought a cellphone because I usually inherit those classed as obsolete by my sons and I hardly use them. Sometimes I scan a book in order to read it on my large screen. A superb HD monitor costs a fraction of what a good cellphone does and those of the latest generation have a built-in protection for our eyes and there are glasses also that would protect our sight.
I hope you find a good djembe drum. A have a son who loves percussion and he tells me that those drums have to be selected with care to check the quality. More important than the drum and its quality is the opportunity to interact with friends sharing the same interest. I wish you all the best in this endeavour.
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hi manuel
thanks for this addntl input. I was in computer industry for 37 years and regardless of the display size/quality; i hate sitting in front of a computer for too long. I especially like to curl up in my favorite chair and read the newspaper or a good book. I printed out the pdf you mentioned and I am enjoying it immensely, it is very well done. I liked reading about C/L side effect creep on page 40, definitely food for thought. Thankyou for posting that, I may make a new forum post just on that PDF.
i am still on the fence with zoloft. i hate the thought of taking more meds, however, i am desperate to improve my quality of life. I dont want to “cut off my nose to spite my face.”
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Hi Jean, my neurologist prescribed Zoloft about a month ago i too suffer with apathy anxiety and depression. I waited until last week to start taking 50 mg a day Minor side effects stomach ache and yawning a lot I can tell already I’m calmer. Dr. Said it would take a few weeks to fully work I’ll check back with you then.
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thank you marcus for your response. i am still on the fence and would love to hear your experiences. i am concerned about taking too many rx and also that the zoloft may make me feel “flat”
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I would say that anti-depressants can be great.At least, I was getting terrific anxiety attacks accompanied by equally terrible freezing of gait (the dreaded FoG) and I tried clonazepam and got some help, but there was a magic effect just the first two or three times that I took lamotrigine (Lamictal). So far no more panic attacks and impressive improvement in FoG.
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David. I am happy to hear you have had some successes with anti depressants. I still haven’t decided what to do. My late husband suffered from bipolar disorder and I saw first hand how some of these meds work and don’t work.
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David. I am happy to hear you have had some successes with anti depressants. I still haven’t decided what to do. My late husband suffered from bipolar disorder and I saw first hand how some of these meds work and don’t work.
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