Question:
Sorry kind of embarrasing but i have to know

I have been on Zoloft for the last 3 years. I have had a terrible time with diareah when taking this but the benefits far outway the side effect. My question is after surgery will I have an increased problem with this because of the liquids? I was also wondering if anyone has been able to stop taking their Anti-Depressant after surgery? I know that physically we are different but mentally does the Depression subside as well...thanks and love to all    — kristen H. (posted on June 2, 2001)

June 2, 2001
I dont know if this will help but, I was on zoloft for six months and I had my surgery on May 15, 2001 and I have not had one pill since the day before my surgery. But I do have to say I wasnt taking it for depression but instead I was taking it for panic disorder. Hope this helps. Good Luck
   — Robin C.

June 2, 2001
I don't know about the anti-depressant medication, but after a RNY a lot of people including me get constipated so if you need to continue the medication you shouldn't have a problem. You should however ask your doctor, they know best.
   — [Anonymous]

June 2, 2001
This is something you should talk to your dr about, the one who prescribed the Zoloft for you. If you have been taking it for major depression you should probably not stop taking it without your MD's supervision. It takes awhile for Zoloft to build up to a theraputic level and it takes awhile to be totally out of your systemn. There are some nutritional foods and supplements that can be taken to help increase seratonin. These are listed inDr. Schwarzbein'sbook, "The Schwarzbein Principal."She recomends,a well balanced multivitamin ,a stress B complex with breakfast, 250-300 mg of St John's Wort in the morning,( increasing to 250-300mg 3 times a day as needed);1,000mgs of essential fatty acids 2 times a day capsules or liquid;(I use liquid flaxseed oil I buy refrigerated,at my health food store),250-500mg of L-Tryptophan(available by prescription only) or 25 to 50 mg of 5-hydroxy-tryptophan(5-HTP) (available over the counter)at bedtime;250-500 mgs of magnesium and 1,000 mgs of calcium at bedtime. It sounds easier to just take a pill doesn't it. I stopped taking Paxil that I was on for over 5 years when I began this program. I had recovered from a major depression and was taking it because I continued to have a milder depression. When I got to the point where I never felt sad, happy or angry, I decided that I would rather be depressed than numb.I gradually reduced my dose and added the nutritional supplements. The supplements are much cheaper than the Paxil was and do not have the unpleasant side effects of diarrhea (which I also experienced on Prozac) or the loss of libido, or the loss of emotion. these drugs are wonderful but I think that once folks are on them often they stay on them without ever attempting to see if they can do without. Remember there is no such thing as a Zoloft deficeit or a Prozac deficeit .It is a seratonin deficit that needs to be treated and good nutrition can help with that depending on the degree of the defeceit. I encourage you to ask your Dr before taking yourself off the meds. Good luck!
   — [Anonymous]

June 2, 2001
Hi. I've also been on Zoloft for 3 years. I have never noticed it to cause diareah in me but everyone's different. I'd ask the doctor who prescribed the Zoloft how it might affect you after surgery. As for your second question: I just had my open distal RNY surgery on 5/21/01, or 12 days ago. The nurse never brought me my Zoloft to take, and I don't know if that was just an oversight or if it was dr's orders. When I got home, I found it so difficult to get my other med. down that I didn't even bother with the Zoloft. So I haven't taken the Zoloft since the day before surgery. So far, so good. BUT, I really think I'm doing wrong here because stopping a drug like Zoloft should be done with a dr's supervision. I'm going to stop by & see my dr. about it on Tues., but to be honest, I really do feel good & don't want to go back. It's one less headache in the post-op regime & anyway, I'm really afraid I'll throw it up if I try to take it. I think it does come in a liquid form though. One last thing: one of the anonomous posts mentioned St. John's Wort. I just wanted to warn you, if you didn't know this already - NEVER TAKE ST. JOHN'S WORT & ZOLOFT TOGETHER! I forget the exact reasons but alls I know is that it's bad to do that. But St. John's Wort is pretty good, but probably not as good as the Zoloft. But I believe you have to wait some time, until Zoloft is out of your system, before trying St. John's Wort. So, work with your doctor! Take care.
   — lalasmommy

June 4, 2001
I am on Celexa for depression and I also have similar gastrointestinal side effects from the medicine. I was worried more about going off the meds after surgery b/c of these effects. My doctor said I can take it the day of my surgery and resume two days after. He also recommends that patients stay on anti-depressants for at least three months after surgery b/c 1) not fun going through withdrawal and recovering from WLS, 2) depression often follows WLS, 3) your body needs time to adjust to all the changes. Hope this helps.
   — PT LawMom