Hi BethU. You posted almost a week ago, so I'm hoping that you have made some changes to taking Zoloft. The symptoms you described are not typical, and to me (I'm a psychologist), sound alarming. I think you are probably on track that the Zoloft may be interacting with other meds. Have you talked to your Doc about the side effects and making changes? If not, PLEASE do! As for emotional lability, if that is the only symptom, I agree with the person who wondered why take an anti-depressant. I'm thinking emotional lability may be a normal reaction to a crazy disease. Are you talking with anyone about how you've been feeling nowadays? I'll keep you in my prayers. Take care!
Thanks for the input! (And the prayers! I need both.) I haven't talked to the doctor, as I can't be understood on the phone, so have to write her a snail-mail letter and let her know.
I stopped the Zoloft when my feet and ankles started swelling, which was listed as a side effect ... I have heart disease and can't afford to retain fluids, as it brings on congestive heart failure.
The swelling went down after two days, but in the meantime I went into a DEEP depression for about 36 hours ... to the point where I was looking up ways to commit suicide, until I came to the part where it said you had to swallow 100 pills, and I started laughing. I would definitely die of old age before I could possibly swallow 100 pills! It takes me 15 minutes to get one down. I guess God looks out for us bulbar-onset types.
Then I remembered that those kinds of thoughts were also listed as a side effect of Zoloft. So I will tell the doctor that I'd better stay far, far away from the serotonin "uptake" types of drugs.
All the effects are gone now, and I feel human again.
The weepy stuff is not in response to the seriousness of the diagnosed. I've done some normal crying about that. But this is out-of-place and very embarrassing. Like, when I went to Kinko's to get a FedEx shipment straightened out, and burst into tears because the clerk was so efficient! Or when I put a cat in a cage to take him to the vet (this was a year before the diagnosed) and got literally hysterical because he looked so sad. Had to let him out of the cage and cancel the appt. because I couldn't stop sobbing about how sad he looked. (Note: I've made hundreds of trips to vets with cats in carriers in my life, and never had that reaction before. And, as I said, this was a year before the diagnosed, so it was not an emotional reaction to knowing I have ALS.)
I think the lability is part of the ALS neurological package, not a normal emotional reaction to a stinky situation.
Thanks again!
BethU