Zoloft & the band... anyone else having issues?

The person who may be able to help you the most is your pharmacist.  That's what they are paid to do.  Whatever you do, do not stop taking your meds.

I have a terrible time with the zoloft. i can take just about anything but for some reason that one is terrible it helps to eat a little something with it sometimes

Zoloft comes in a liquid and I believe there is a generic liquid as well.

Are you taking a PPI?

Ok... this is where I guess I fess up. I am deplorable at taking my meds. I am trying to get this all back on track this year.

Yes, I am supposed to be taking PPI (Nexium) for reflux. I haven't taken it in quite awhile. I need to find a new PCP (long story) and get another script for it. I only know I have reflux from endoscopy that was done shortly after surgery checking for erosion. I "feel" no reflux. Ever. So it was hard to stay on track with that.

So IF I was being the good patient I am supposed to be. I would be taking 100mg Nexium, 1500mg of Metformin, and 150mg of Zoloft. None of which I am taking right now. I know. Bad. Bad. Got appointments lined up to fix that.

And I am ecstatic to know Zoloft does have liquid form! Thanks.

You can buy prilosec OTC. The 20mg strength is at Walgreens, Target, any pharmacy. It too, is a PPI. Might consider taking that until you can get an MD appt.

I was also having problems taking my pills (One which is 150mg of Zoloft) with my lap band. The pills would irritate my pouch and I would, in lack of a better word, hork them up. With my depression/anxiety/bi-polar issues, I NEED my meds, so I read all the labels on my pill bottles. I saw absolutely nothing saying that the pills can't be crushed, so I drove to Wal-Mart and bought a cheap pill crusher. Now I crush all my medications and drink them down with hot tea, haven't had an issue since! Good luck on your journey!

Kristina

 Yes, Zoloft comes in liquid form.  As long as a pill doesn't have tiny little capsules in it (look like millions of little dots) or say "XR" or extended release or something to that fact it can be crushed or broken.  Might not taste the best but you can try mixing the crushed med in with applesauce, yogurt or drinking it down in a little bit of your protein shake.  Or taking it with a milk based product can help coat your stomach or in this case pouch helping to relieve the irritation the med might cause.  
Good luck getting back on track and finding something that works for you.  

I guess I am one of the lucky pill takers (so far, anyway) in that I can take all of my meds, including a generic Effexor XR capsule, all in one handful!

As someone already posted, Zoloft is available generically and in liquid form. However, the liquid form is a concentrate and should be diluted in 120ml of liquid to drink.  Both the brand name and the generic tablets are very small and can be broken if half, if that makes swallowing the talbet easier.

 As for PPI's, if you need a small one, Aciphex is the smallest. It is a little round tablet. BUT, it is not available generically and some insurance won't cover it. Protonix is a slighly larger, oval tablet that IS available generically and will probably go down easier than a Nexium capsule. Your pharmacy should let you look at them for size comparison if you ask.

Metformin is also available in liquid form, called Riomet and is 500mg per teaspoonful.  However, it has been on backorder from the manufacturer off and on for awhile and can be hard to find. If your doctor wants to prescribe it, ask your pharmacy to check their wholesaler to make sure it is in stock.

 Additional Information: Due to the harmful Zoloft side effects, a number of lawsuits against Pfizer have been filed to recover damages for individuals who committed suicide while on Zoloft. The litigations contend that Pfizer failed to warn the public about the dangers of taking Zoloft. One class action in California implicated the company of restricting the information about the side effects of Zoloft from the public.  

I am having horrible burning when I take my Zoloft.  It burns so bad I wonder if I could be doing damage to my pouch.  I tried eating before and after and drinking hot tea.  It feels like it just sits there like acid.  I take many supplements and Advil and never have problems with them.  Any suggestions?