Hi there. I'd like to respond to your post. We live in stressful times. As we get older, our level of anxieties tend to increase. That's just the way it is. I have never met one human being who gets up in the morning and says "Glory Be, it's a beautiful day, hit me with neuropathy pain and I'll function just fine". My husband couldn't do that on a bet!!!!

I myself have anxieties all over the place. Anxieties can sometimes stop people in their tracks from even taking a car ride, a bus or going into a tunnel. My sister-in-law takes an ativan before she gets in a car, goes into a tunnel or on a bridge. That's her thing.

If her adult children get on a plane, she takes an ativan. She's the most wonderful kind caring person I have ever met. She also has been on trazadone most of her life and they have to keep upping her dose. she is also on high blood pressure medicine for many years. She just retired from 25 years on her job. It made her function, believe me!!!!

For me, the only time I take xanax is to sleep or when I have a dental appointment. I am severely dental phobic. I go on dental phobia boards and read the messages and help other people. That is how I cope.

I did the zoloft thing about two years ago because I was crying in my kitchen over my son and I could not cope. I went to my GP, (he's really a nice guy) who explained "melody, some people can deal with the stuff you are dealing with and some can't, I'll give you zoloft. He gave me all samples and I never had to buy a single pill.

Now how did it make me feel.....took a while (it doesn't work overnight), I was like a completely different human being. I walked around like a mellow fellow. Nothing bothered me. I took 100 a day of the zoloft.

Took it for almost a year. Why did I stop? Because in my case, I gained weight and I'm diabetic and I had to lose weight. So, regretfully I stopped it and joined a gamanon support group and that's how I have coped.


My husband (about 5 months ago) was put on zoloft because our son's compulsive gambling and it was destroying our health.

I had to call his doctor who immediately put him on zoloft (50) and when a crisis happened he doubled it. You should see this man today. He's a different human being. Had no affect on his weight whatsoever. He lost 73 lbs of fat and is a different person.

Now my husband is not like me whatsoever. Has no dental phobia whatsoever and as far as I know the only thing he never liked to do was answer the phone or deal with people too much. My husband was always a loner (he's the one in our house with the PN).

Since he has been on the zoloft, he's a different human being. More outgoing, nicer to be around and he speaks on the phone any time the phone rings. He never did that once in all our marriage. I was always the one to answer the phone and have company over, etc.

The zoloft, in my opinion, changed his brain in such a way that he became much more easy going and life doesn't impact him the way it did before.

And when you have an adult child who acts the way my son does, let me tell you, you will take anything prescribed to get you through stuff.

Sometimes it's necessary. I commend people who tough it out, don't take anything for their nerves, can put their heads on pillows and clonk out for the night. I have never been able to do that in my entire life.

I am also on blood pressure medicine. Zestoretic 20/25. My pressure is stable.

Alan is on metoprolol (25) once a day (they cut it down from two times a day) He had a stent put him 7 or so months ago so he take all kinds of blood pressure stuff. He is also on altace.

As far as his PN, he used to be on the fentanyl pain patch but since he went to a chiropractic/neurologist and we use the magnassager, well, his pain is much much less. Sometimes his feet are only numb, not the stabbing pain thing.

He is doing just fine and I'm happy to report.......

YESTERDAY, HE GOT A PART TIME JOB .

He is there right now doing an orientation. He's 59 years old and had to quit 5 years ago because of his PN.

So I thank the zoloft people who invented this drug because he's a different man. Now some people take Paxil, and my girfriend takes wellbutrin.

Whatever works.

I do know that some doctors do not like to prescribe any kind of medication.
Well, in my opinion, they shouldn't be doctors. I mean, life hands you a whole bunch of lemons sometimes and while some people can make the so-called lemonade, others can't make crap!!!

So if a prescription anti-depressant makes you function, and as is the case with my husband, helped him beyond words,,,,,,all I can say is find a doctor that you can really talk to and express your concerns.

Change your GP, and get the anti-depressants from your psychologist.
Might cost you $120 for this but in the long run, you might function so much better on a Seratonin Re-uptake inhibitor... that you might not need the $120 guy so much any more. At least I would consider it. If it doesn't fit with your other prescription stuff you are taking, then at least you gave it a try, right???

So, in summary, my husband takes an anti-depressant, and blood pressure medicine and they all work nicely. I take an occasional xanax for dentistry and to sleep, and I function pretty darn well. Maybe someday I won't have to take a xanax to go to the dentist!!
Who knows.

All I know is the day somebody tells me I have to go for a colonoscopy, I'll renew my xanax!!!!!!!!!

take care,
Melody