So I was actually doing well, a lot of my concussion symptoms had gone away except for some visualization stuff. I’d been suffering from some post partum depression so my OB prescribed me 50 mg Zoloft. I took one dose and it didn’t make me feel good at all so I stopped taking it after that, and now all my concussion symptoms are back and I think they’re worse than before.

I could handle most of the symptoms however the one that I can’t handle is where I get strange jumbled images and thoughts as I’m waking up and falling asleep and now it seems to be happening while I’m awake too. It’s really scaring me and I’m so afraid that I’m losing my mind/going crazy….The thoughts and images don’t make any sense and I’m so afraid that I’ve ruined my brain and that I’ll never be normal again.

On the verge of having a panic attack all the time now. I’m supposed to talk to the neurologist today, really need help. Any feedback would be so appreciated, feeling desperate

I've not had to deal with concussions, but 10 yrs of depression and finally a good ole time doc I talked to realized ikt was a low funcioning thyroid and put me on desiccated support and the depression was gone in 4 days. This is my story and just sharing. Thyroid is so overlooked.....Drugs are handed out like candy. Zoloft was one of them in my 10 yrs of depression.

I don't recommend antidepressants for concussions or PCS. The withdrawal effects can be bad, so you may have to taper the dose down.

If you look at the most severe PCS cases, Antidepressants are usually involved, so it's questionable whether there is a benefit, or if they screw you up. And some of the people taking them have been struggling for over a decade. They may provide temporary relief, but they're not good for long term recovery.

I'd recommend other depression treatments, like a healthy diet and exercise routine. Depression is also linked to imbalances in the gut microbiome, so incorporate Gut Health into your treatment plan.

Positive Vibes,
I wonder if you are getting good sleep. Caring for an infant challenges the sleep process.

You may also be struggling with hormone regulation.

I would encourage you to get assessed by a Women's Health specialist who is an expert with bio-identical hormones. Your brain is likely more sensitive to hormones that most women.

No, you are not losing your mind. Your mind is under stress and struggling temporarily.

btw, Many of us believe PCP/GPs, OB, and GYNs should not be prescribing psychotropic meds. Few have the proper training in psychotropic meds.

Thank you so much for your replies everyone! Mark, so you don’t think Zoloft did any further damage to my brain from the one dose? Or made things worse? I’m hoping it’s just a flare up from the med and that it’ll go away….as long as I don’t become delusional and stay sane I could get through this.

You’re right my sleep hasn’t been the best, and I do feel that my hormones are out of whack for sure. My stress levels are through the roof now that my concussion symptoms have come back on top of having a new baby…

I’ve never heard of bio identical hormones before, what’s that? Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever touch another anti depressant again after this experience.

Ob/Gyns like to prescribe patented hormones that are similar but not the same as the hormones your body produces. Bio-identical hormones are synthetic hormones that are exact bio-identical copies of natural hormones. They cannot be patented because they are natural.

There are many practitioners who understand how important proper hormones are to functioning well in stressful environments.

Some who have suffered brain injuries seek out neuro-endocrinologists who understand brain injuries.

Your relapse of PCS is not uncommon. Sleep, diet, and stress can all cause a relapse.

Zoloft is an SSRI, Selective Serotonin Reuntake Inhibitor. It works by increasing serotonin levels. Some do not respond to it well. One dose or even a weeks use will not harm you. It takes weeks to build up enough blood concentration to be effective. The first few days of an SSRI can be miserable.

Google Post Partum Depression and 5-HTP. 5-HTP may be helpful for you without causing the Zoloft side effects.

Thank you for your reply Mark! I wanted to mention one other concern I have. Some of the concussion symptoms that have flared up after taking the Zoloft are different from last time when I initially hit my head.

They are strange cognitive ones, I’ve been getting what I think they call “mind pops” constantly while awake and also having strange, maybe delusional thoughts now and then….it’s terrifying and I’m so afraid I’ve made my brain worse and that I’ll go crazy…I feel like I’ve lost control of my mind.

If someone could please give me some advice or reassurance, I’m at the end of my rope, so stressed out about all of this

Hi, sorry to hear of your troubles. You're not losing your mind or going crazy.

I went back and read from the first post on the thread here and you mentioned strange jumbled images and thoughts as you're waking and falling asleep.

I hope you have indeed talked to your doctor about what's going on especially if you were prescribed the Zoloft for post partum depression. You really need expert care in this situation so that it resolves and does not get worse.

I don't know if your doctor has mentioned these but sometimes people can have what are called hypnopompic hallucinations and also hypnagogic hallucinations that are usually quite benign and are sleep disturbances.

Hypnopompic occur usually on waking and hypnagogic occur usually on going to sleep but they can occur during waking hours as well. It's like when you're not quite awake and not quite asleep.

These can be quite frightening if you don't know they occur a lot and some medications can cause them to start but people can get them without being on any medication at all. I know they occur in some people who take Propranolol for instance, and I know for a fact personally that they can occur when taking Zoloft. That's not everyone, it's just some people. You said you only took one dose, so it's difficult to think that it could be related to that.

If they do occur it's usually in people who have sleep "disorders" or disturbances and if you are post concussion, and have a new baby then it's highly possible that your sleep is disturbed, if you know what I mean.

Please look into hypnopompic and hypnagogic hallucinations and see if they sound similar.

Remember, they are usually totally harmless but it's best to tell your doctor if they're occuring. They may just go away once your sleep settles down. I hope so. The reason I'm posting this is that because you have been dealing with Post Partum Depression it's imperative that you talk to your doctor and make sure that they're not related to that condition.

I actually did experience the hypnopompic and the hypnagogic when on Zoloft and I was sleep disturbed and at first they were extremely frightening until I learned more about them. They went away. I can't remember too much it was so long ago. Some people have them and feel afraid to tell anyone because they're so out of the ordinary.

What Are Hypnopompic Hallucinations? | Sleep Foundation