# Is Zoloft Activating?



## tooker (May 1, 2006)

I hear that different SSRI's have activating or sedating properties. Is Zoloft an activating one?


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

Here is a really good pdf article on which ones are activating and which ones are sedating:

Psychopharmacology of Energy and Fatigue

If you get lost in the pharm-speak, just look at the pretty picture on page 2.


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## tooker (May 1, 2006)

Caedmon said:


> Here is a really good pdf article on which ones are activating and which ones are sedating:
> 
> Psychopharmacology of Energy and Fatigue
> 
> If you get lost in the pharm-speak, just look at the pretty picture on page 2.


Sorry, I might be reading the chart wrong, but does it show that setraline is also a dopamine reuptake inhibitor?


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

No, you're reading it right, Zoloft has some DRI properties.


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## tooker (May 1, 2006)

tooker said:


> Caedmon said:
> 
> 
> > Here is a really good pdf article on which ones are activating and which ones are sedating:
> ...


Nevermind, should have read the text first. It says that sertraline may have dopamine reuptake properties. Correct me if im wrong, but since most sexual side effects come from SSRI's indirect depletion of Dopamine, wouldnt this mean that Sertraline would probably have less sexual side effects?


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

According to its label Zoloft can go either way. Patients in their clinical trials reported insomnia at about twice the level of those on placebo. So it's stimulating. But other patients reported drowsiness also at about twice the level of those on the placebo. So it's sedating.

It's both and which you get seems to depend on who you are and many get neither. I tried Zoloft at up to 300 mg and it did not effect me in any way other than killing sex drive.


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## tooker (May 1, 2006)

UltraShy said:


> According to its label Zoloft can go either way. Patients in their clinical trials reported insomnia at about twice the level of those on placebo. So it's stimulating. But other patients reported drowsiness also at about twice the level of those on the placebo. So it's sedating.
> 
> It's both and which you get seems to depend on who you are and many get neither. I tried Zoloft at up to 300 mg and it did not effect me in any way other than killing sex drive.


Wow, thats a lot. Have you responded to any SSRI's?


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

> Correct me if im wrong, but since most sexual side effects come from SSRI's indirect depletion of Dopamine, wouldnt this mean that Sertraline would probably have less sexual side effects?


In theory, yes. 

But... sertraline [Zoloft] has such a high affinity for serotonin that it typically does not affect dopamine, although there are probably individual variations. The ratio of SRI to DRI is such that the DRI doesn't happen a whole lot.

As the dose of sertraline is increased, serotonin is saturated at SRI sites, and the ratio changes so that it affects more DRI sites. Therefore, _high _doses of sertraline may act like a dual serotonin-dopamine reuptake inhibitor. (Doses over 200mg, usually.) I've read anecdotes by people on 300 or even 400mg of the stuff, and claiming that it does indeed seem to have both SRI and DRI properties.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

tooker said:


> Wow, thats a lot. Have you responded to any SSRI's?


Not in any positive way:

-Paxil: anti-orgasm pills that makes me sweat a lot
-Prozac: anti-orgasm pill
-Lexapro: anti-orgasm pill
-Zoloft: doesn't prevent orgasm at all, but kills sex drive so the ability to orgasm is really of no use

I feel that I've fully explored SSRIs and don't care to beat this dead horse any longer. I don't intend to take another SSRI every again as long as I live.


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## tooker (May 1, 2006)

UltraShy said:


> tooker said:
> 
> 
> > Wow, thats a lot. Have you responded to any SSRI's?
> ...


Sorry to hear that. Have you taken an MAOI? Seems like that would be a good treatment since you have so many drugs have been unsuccesfull.


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