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Not depressed… but in need of antidepressants

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This is seratonin, the neurotransmitter that Zoloft inhibits and that plays a role in the persons mood.

This is seratonin, the neurotransmitter that Zoloft inhibits and that plays a role in the persons mood.

Since the very first day I discovered my bald spots and I called my brother (the neurologist) in panic, he suggested that I should start an antidepressant regime. He said that for my case the best medication was Sertraline (commercially sold by the name Zoloft).

My first response at that time was that I was not depressed; actually I was very happy having just returned from a very nice vacation. Still he said that such medication would help control the anxiety that was causing the alopecia areata and the panic and the extra anxiety that resulted from the hair loss.

The following morning before going to the beach I looked unsuccessfully for the medication in two pharmacies close to our place. They didn’t have it. Then I talked about it with Carlos (my psychiatrist) at the beach that morning and he recommended waiting, not to take medications right away. I decided to wait.

But four weeks after the diagnosis I decided that I was going to find and take the medication. My mood swings were not many but they were very drastic. I could easily go from happy and optimistic, to sad and devastated, to anxious and terrified in any day.

After three very bad days I told Carlos that regardless his opinion I was going to follow the recommendations of my brother. At that moment he agreed that taking the drug could be beneficial in my case.

So I called every pharmacy in Cuba just to find that there was no Sertraline at the time in the coutry. Nevertheless my sister was visiting in a few days and she brought it with her.

The first few days after taking 50 mg of Sertraline in the morning I struggled with some nausea (pretty severe the first day) and also with some drowsiness.

But after more than a month on Zoloft I feel fine, the side effects are gone and I haven’t felt sad or anxious in several weeks, I feel optimistic and happy. My husband says that he could immediately tell when the drug was taking effect, because overnight I stopped talking about my hair all day long.


Tagged: alopecia areata, antidepressants, Anxiety, baldness, depression, hair, Health, neurology, panic, psychiatry, seratonin, Stress, zoloft

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