Am I allergic to Zoloft?

Suffering the consequences of Zoloft...what do I do?

• I was prescribed Zoloft almost a year ago for OCD, depression, and a phobia. I took it for about 10 months and finally decided to quit taking it because I suffered from side effects that were impairing certain skills/abilities. The side effects were horrible, so I quit. Once I stopped taking Zoloft, I was curious as to why I had been having severe short-term memory loss, which was one of the concerning side effects of the drug. I looked up the side effect information, and the label read that if you suffer from severe short-term memory loss while taking Zoloft, then you should call your doctor immediately because this is a sign of something serious. I'm worried because it's been almost a year off of Zoloft and I'm doing terrible. My concentration is low, I'm severely unmotivated, and I've even become selectively mute. I'm getting steadily worse. I'm wondering if the severe side effect of short-term memory loss has anything to do with me feeling so bad, and if I should call a doctor. I didn't know until I stopped taking Zoloft that short-term memory loss is a serious side effect and should be immediately reported. Has this side effect permanently done something dangerous to my mind? And should I say something to someone, even though it's been almost a year since I've been off Zoloft?

• Answer:

  I have tried the SSRI class of antidepressants. Mainly, Paxil and Fluvox. There pretty much the same as Zoloft and I have to admit I've experienced the memory issues that you are talking about. I've been in search of an anti-depressant that didn't make me tired, cause weight gain, and cause concentration issues. This led me to an NDRI which improves mood by increasing the concentration of dopamine and norepinephrine in emotional brain regions. "My concentration is low, I'm severely unmotivated..." Bupropion improved ratings of "energy", which had decreased under the influence of SSRI's; also noted were improvements of mood and motivation, and some improvement of cognitive and sexual functions.