Opinions of sertraline

[steewith2ees]

Thanks Stee.

Unfortunately, I fear that the biggest problem with my kids is that they've inherited their dad's faulty genes. That's what scares me the most...

I don't believe a person's fate is determined by their genes. People turn out the way they do due to experiences, particularly in early life, so raise your kids well, as I'm sure you do, and screw genes

You just beat me to the punch - its nature and nurture and as long as you continue to strive to be the best dad you could be the genetics, even if they are a factor are never going to be a game breaker.

My father went above and beyond with regards to raising me (as did my mother before the screws started to loosen) and while he is largely liberal about my drug use it is not something he has ever been into, with the exception of a couple of bongs he agreed to have a blast on since he was taken hostage by my mother when she lost it. If there is a genetic pre - disposition towards substance abuse in my family, it is from my mothers side - my aunt was on the wagon by the time she was 23 due to how serious her alcoholism was and she has not had a drink since while my youngest uncle has been an alcohol dependant for 25 years. My other uncle preferred cannabis and also used cocaine which almost certainly ct ontributed towards his premature death back in 2005 and as they all live or used to live in the Republic of Ireland, they all have had life long bzd Rx's (my uncle who has passed away used to take Bromazepam, my younger uncle has a repeat diazepam script while my aunt has spent the last 2 decades on both alprazolam and tramadol).

Regardless of any predisposition on my part however it has been my arrogance, greed and naivety that has landed me in the situation I now find myself as my ultimate belief is that my parents are completely responsible for all of my positive character traits where I alone am responsible for developing all of the negative aspects.

 

[Jabberwocky]

argh fubs that thing about being scared your kids have inherited your 'faulty genes' hit a nerve, i don't have kids but sometimes i think i want them and then think i shouldn't cos if there is a genetic element to being a fuckup then i'd be consigning them to a difficult life before they were even born. i'm not saying i think you have faulty genes by the way, i wouldn't know, just that i think i do!

people in this thread are positioning chemical imbalances vs environment as an either/or, when its really not. environmental factors can lead to chemical imbalances. chemical imbalanaces lead to changes in behaviour that definitely affect how you interact with your environment, and thus how you're treated by those around you.

i also don't think saying that SSRIs don't treat the root cause is a good argument against their use because a) sometimes you can be in such a bad state that you need medication before you can even get to a point mentally where therapy can help, i was a hysterical mess most of the time before i started sertraline; and b) you can't change the past, i know the root cause of my PTSD and what can i do about it? depression and anxiety probably have subtler past causes, it may not always be possible to work them out. if we had an easy way to treat the root cause of mental illness, surely we'd be doing that instead of taking an inferior option.

 

[Forever Changes]

You just beat me to the punch - its nature and nurture and as long as you continue to strive to be the best dad you could be the genetics, even if they are a factor are never going to be a game breaker.

My father went above and beyond with regards to raising me (as did my mother before the screws started to loosen) and while he is largely liberal about my drug use it is not something he has ever been into, with the exception of a couple of bongs he agreed to have a blast on since he was taken hostage by my mother when she lost it. If there is a genetic pre - disposition towards substance abuse in my family, it is from my mothers side - my aunt was on the wagon by the time she was 23 due to how serious her alcoholism was and she has not had a drink since while my youngest uncle has been an alcohol dependant for 25 years. My other uncle preferred cannabis and also used cocaine which almost certainly ct ontributed towards his premature death back in 2005 and as they all live or used to live in the Republic of Ireland, they all have had life long bzd Rx's (my uncle who has passed away used to take Bromazepam, my younger uncle has a repeat diazepam script while my aunt has spent the last 2 decades on both alprazolam and tramadol).

Regardless of any predisposition on my part however it has been my arrogance, greed and naivety that has landed me in the situation I now find myself as my ultimate belief is that my parents are completely responsible for all of my positive character traits where I alone am responsible for developing all of the negative aspects.

my personal view is that while genes (nature) determine physical, anatomical and some physiological aspects of who you are, they have very little to do with personality, intelligence or sexuality which are all shaped by experiences in early life. A baby is a baby - basically a blank slate - it doesn't have a sexuality or a personality yet.

If someone grows up around parents or other close relatives who drink or take drugs copiously then there's a strong likelihood that the child will follow suit - that isn't inherited, it's learnt behaviour. Just as someone who grows up with parents who suffer from depression may well develop depression themselves. Why wouldn't they? The current fashionable theory is that there are genetic links with this type of thing, but I have my doubts. Certainly not to the extent that some believe

You blame yourself for your negative aspects, and you alone make the choices you do, but these aspects and your personality - including penchant for substance abuse - are a result of your upbringing or experiences you may have been subject to. So while you're old enough to take the blame for the bad choices you make now, at the same time don't be too hard on yourself: You didn't choose your environment for the first 20 years of your life. Nobody does

 

[Quickfixgrrl]

I switched from Lexapro to Sertraline and upped my dose 50mgs weekly as directed. By the fourth week I was at 150mgs and felt WORSE than ever. Even my daily benzos couldn't cut through the chronic panic/depression/ anxiety while I was on Sertraline.
I've since switched to Effexor combined with Seroquel and even though it's only been 2 weeks, I feel a lot better.
There are warnings about suicidal ideation related to young people and the use of antidepressants. He will need to be strictly monitored.
Best of luck. What works for one doesn't mean it won't for another. It's trial and error.

 

[Woodburner]

only if he has a legitimate intolerance to dairy or gluten, which has been tested.

OMG, and there I was thinking you know what you are talking about.
No, they don't test for it, ther is no test. They don't even acknowledge it. If you are lucky, and get a knowledgeable doc that will ignore the rules a bit, he will suggest that you try "elimination and reintroduction".
The only related thing they test for is celiac disease, but that's not the same thing at all. Unless they've come up with something in the last couple of years, there are no tests for intolerences, unless you count elimination and reintroduction.
I went to doc specifically asking for test for intolerance / lack of necessary enzymes. He said there is no test, not even if I went private, and that the only way to find out was elimination and re-introduction. I asked about gene testing, he said it's not available on the NHS, and is not accepted as a diagnosis and anyway there is no treatment other than avoidance. I have also asked specialists in various fields and they all concurred.
Why are you so against cutting out dairy and gluten anyway? NO-ONE would suffer anything by cutting them out and substituing other protein sources. The link between dairy and ASD is very strong, he really needs to try eliminating it, and my being pedantic and spouting the official NICE/DSMV justification for not including elimination of dairy and gluten would be stupid and pointless.

But you're right about protein. Everybody should be upping their protein intake as much as possible and cutting down on carbohydrates - sugar is one of the most insidious drugs of all, and it's everywhere!

What? I did not say that or even imply it, any of it. Healthy people do not need to increase or cut out anything, and to say that about sugar is just spouting the party line. Not my style at all.

 

[Forever Changes]

OMG, and there I was thinking you know what you are talking about.
No, they don't test for it, ther is no test. They don't even acknowledge it. If you are lucky, and get a knowledgeable doc that will ignore the rules a bit, he will suggest that you try "elimination and reintroduction".
The only related thing they test for is celiac disease, but that's not the same thing at all. Unless they've come up with something in the last couple of years, there are no tests for intolerences, unless you count elimination and reintroduction.
I went to doc specifically asking for test for intolerance / lack of necessary enzymes. He said there is no test, not even if I went private, and that the only way to find out was elimination and re-introduction. I asked about gene testing, he said it's not available on the NHS, and is not accepted as a diagnosis and anyway there is no treatment other than avoidance. I have also asked specialists in various fields and they all concurred.
Why are you so against cutting out dairy and gluten anyway? NO-ONE would suffer anything by cutting them out and substituing other protein sources. The link between dairy and ASD is very strong, he really needs to try eliminating it, and my being pedantic and spouting the official NICE/DSMV justification for not including elimination of dairy and gluten would be stupid and pointless.


What? I did not say that or even imply it, any of it. Healthy people do not need to increase or cut out anything, and to say that about sugar is just spouting the party line. Not my style at all.

telling a kid you know nothing about that he should cut out all dairy and wheat product (not an easy thing to do in a diet) because he may be on the autistic spectrum is irresponsible at best, especially if you're not a doctor and know nothing about the circumstances. I've had both gluten and lactose intolerance tests done.

Your blanket statement that ' The link between dairy and ASD is very strong, he really needs to try eliminating it' is not backed up by any rigorous medical evidence, it's just one of a zillion things that 'may cause autism' - a condition the diagnosis of which is now on the increase (for any number of possible reasons), while consuming dairy products has remained the same for generations; and if you read what FUBAR actually said he said that his son's ASD test was 'inconclusive', and you know nothing about his individual case. So is it wise to make such a definitive diagnosis base on nothing at all?

What worked for you may not work for somebody else. It's like the 'vaccines causes autism' scare a few years ago which have been debunked as nonsense (but a few fanatics still believe it of course) which have led to increases in certain diseases in the population.

healthy people should be eating plenty of protein and limiting the amount of sugar they consume anyway. And unhealthy people should do to the same. That's common knowledge that any doctor or dietician worth their salt will tell you. It's not following any 'party line'

 

[jose ribas da silva]

my personal view is that while genes (nature) determine physical, anatomical and some physiological aspects of who you are, they have very little to do with personality, intelligence or sexuality which are all shaped by experiences in early life.

holy shit man, of course, personality, intelligence and sexuality are determined, in a considerable aspect, by genes. For they are a result of cell functioning. There are influence of environment, markedly, but you cannot disregard the substantial role of the genetic content

 

[jose ribas da silva]

my personal experience

I started taking prozac at 16. At 18, I started cloxazolam, an uncommon benzo only marketed in a few countries.

Very shortly, it fucked me up, taking benzos daily at 18 for nothing, just because I had normal conflicts that all adolescents have.

Ended up being a benzo addicted for years

Moreover, the withdrawals after stopping prozac were a highway to hell

 

[LoginNotSecure]

holy shit man, of course, personality, intelligence and sexuality are determined, in a considerable aspect, by genes. For they are a result of cell functioning.

Are you seriously saying if someone was gay, then it's because they've got the gay gene? I'm no geneticist, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that.

 

[jose ribas da silva]

Are you seriously saying if someone was gay, then it's because they've got the gay gene? I'm no geneticist, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that.

I meant sex drive, sexual desire, etc, which are strongly influenced by hormone levels (not only by them, of course).

 

[Forever Changes]

I meant sex drive, sexual desire, etc, which are strongly influenced by hormone levels (not only by them, of course).

not a birth. A baby isn't sexual - the hormones come later and there's AFAIK little evidence that genes or hormones determine sexuality (ie. whether someone is gay, straight, bi, pan or whatever other label they've added to the list these day). (That doesn't mean I believe people choose to be gay, I hasten to add)

I also refuse to believe that someone's personality is determined by their genes. Give a newly born baby a different upbringing and you'll likely have a very different personality than if you left it to be raised by wolves (or just a different family who give it different childhood experiences)

Intelligence is slightly more tricky, as I acknowledge that in some cases there are savants or people like Mozart who seem to have been born with an extraordinary talent. But for most of us intelligence is as influenced by environmental factors and what upbringing we have as anything else. Sub-Saharhan Africans have the lowest IQs on the planet, but if you were to take one of those dirt-poor babies and have it raised by a wealthy and loving American couple, there's no reason why it couldn't end up getting a degree from Harvard. That's unlikely to happen if it's left to rot in its third-world hole

 

[jose ribas da silva]

Common Genetic Factors Found in 5 Mental Disorders

Major mental disorders traditionally thought to be distinct share certain genetic glitches, according to a new study. The finding may point to better ways to diagnose and treat these conditions.

www.nih.gov

Interesting reading about the subject

 

[Quere]

Yes !! The mind is the most complex origan in or body !!! And it works on chemical and electrical interaction, which create REAL FEELINGS !! Now Feelings are not Facts yes, but I can say that they do effect me !!!!!!!

Very true, although I would take it a step further and say the human brain is in fact the most complex object in the entire known universe!

 

[Iceman1216]

Space is a VERY LARGE. Place!,, I do not think over the Last 14.3 Billion years we are the. Best and brightest the God has been able to do . Since we have only been here a Drop in the Ocean in Cosmic time. But I do find too much time in my head can confuse me greatly

 

[Meth novice 79]

I found it (and most SSRI’s if I’m honest) to be nothing more than a placebo.
I don’t know if that’s just because my issues aren’t with seratonin levels or if the drugs are just shit.
I hope they help your young one.

The grape fruit juice is just because the fruit has some chemical in it that slows the bodies ability to metabolise certain drugs (a mate of mine had a kidney transplant and isn’t allowed grape fruit for the rest of his life now as the anti rejection drug he is on will just sit in his body and build up eventually leading to a second kidney failure.

 

[PUGinaRUG]

Space is a VERY LARGE. Place!,, I do not think over the Last 14.3 Billion years we are the. Best and brightest the God has been able to do . Since we have only been here a Drop in the Ocean in Cosmic time. But I do find too much time in my head can confuse me greatly

Speak for yourself! I'm the best and brightest in the ocean in cosmic time

Quere said the known universe to be fair.

But I agree with you. We probably aren't alone in the universe, let alone the most evolved...

 

[Wilson Wilson]

It's my understanding they dont work any better than a sugar pill. But unlike a sugar pill have a load of side effects.

The drugs don’t work? antidepressants and the current and future pharmacological management of depression - PMC

Depression is a potentially life-threatening disorder affecting millions of people across the globe. It is a huge burden to both the individual and society, costing over £9 billion in 2000 alone: the World Health Organisation (WHO) cited it as the ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I have to admit this was my experience with antidepressants.

Some of them also made me straight up suicidal because they killed off all my emotions so that voice telling me to ignore my dark thoughts disappeared. I felt dead inside during this time. This happened on both SSRI's and mirtazapine which these days is classed as an "atypical antidepressant."

I got my first script I think when I was 16 or 17. GP's are perfectly happy to hand these things out to adolescents. I was then given quetiapine (Seroquel) when I was about 20 just for anxiety. Yes an antipsychotic with side effects such as "sudden cardiac death" was given to me just so they could avoid scripting a bit of diazepam because benzos are bad m'kay. This was fucking awful. I don't know how anyone can function on the shite. It's better than being psychotic I'm sure... but I'm not diagnosed with psychosis.

Later got a private psychiatrist to just script me diazepam. Fast forward a bit I'm now on clonazepam. Much better anxiety drug than any SSRI with hardly any side effects when taken as prescribed honestly. I take frequent tolerance breaks and never had addiction issues with benzos and I've used 'em on and off for almost a decade. This for me is the key with benzos - you can use them on a PRN basis, which you cannot do with antidepressants.

But anyway. Everyone is different and I have known people who felt better after starting SSRI's. Fluoxetine (Prozac) seems to be the other big one right now and I've known people who did get some relief from depression on it, but for some the side effects were not worth it and they found the withdrawals to be awful when they wanted to come off it.

That's another thing that is important to mention in all honesty. In medical literature SSRI withdrawal is often termed "discontinuation syndrome" but this shuffling of words doesn't make it any less serious than, say, chronic benzo withdrawal or opiate withdrawal. It's still a nasty rattle no matter how you slice it.

OP I hope your son is one of those who gets along well with this medication but the main thing I'd watch for is suicidal ideation. A worryingly common side effect of all SSRI's and SNRI's. It's on the side effect list for every single one.

 

[Iceman1216]

Thank you !! As some one who has been on and off SSRI ( Lexapro) since PTSD and cancer treatments
This is an eye opener
I take 1/2 of what I am prescribed ( cut 20s) and seems ok?
Not thrilled with side effects , but a lot of that is mostly age ( how did I get to 60 So Fast??)
I hope I can tapper of SSRI like opiates?
Not a fan of cold turkey

 

[Wilson Wilson]

Thank you !! As some one who has been on and off SSRI ( Lexapro) since PTSD and cancer treatments
This is an eye opener
I take 1/2 of what I am prescribed ( cut 20s) and seems ok?
Not thrilled with side effects , but a lot of that is mostly age ( how did I get to 60 So Fast??)
I hope I can tapper of SSRI like opiates?
Not a fan of cold turkey

Yes you absolutely can and should taper if you want to come off them, speak to your doctor about it and they can give you a taper plan and lower dose tablets to help the process. They're usually pretty flexible with SSRI tapers and will let you go at your own pace since they're not demonised like benzos.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

That's another thing that is important to mention in all honesty. In medical literature SSRI withdrawal is often termed "discontinuation syndrome" but this shuffling of words doesn't make it any less serious than, say, chronic benzo withdrawal or opiate withdrawal. It's still a nasty rattle no matter how you slice it.

Absolutely! It makes me laugh the way they talk about 'discontinuation syndrome' as though its totally different from withdrawal. But to call it withdrawal would be admitting that SSRIs cause dependence...