Zoloft, the first few days I took it was the best thing that EVER happened to my life! I absolutely could have told you why people took drugs, it made me high as a kite, I had never been happier. Three months later? I was trying to plan my own suicide.
My son was 10 the first time the psychiatrist put him on it. He was great the first month. Then he tried to hang himself in a closet. At 16 against my advice and after being arrested they put him on it in Department of Juvenile Justice. After being on it for three weeks? He tried to hang himself with a sheet. He called and told me he was going to do it, and I was on the phone with his so-called therapist when she got an emergency call about 'a client'. They took him off of it immediately. Oddly enough? My idealizations of suicide were about hanging myself. Not planning it out physically, just thinking about it. I discussed it with my t-doctor and went on Prozac next which ended up being worse for me. I'm not on Welbutrin and can say it works very well for me.
As for my son? Nothing out of 65 medications over the last 16 years have helped him in the least. I would factor in age, immaturity, willingness to allow them long enough to trial. There is a period of time for ALL anxiety medications to work relatively speaking, but everyone is different so I would check with your pharmacist.
Here in SC a young man killed his Grandparents, and set their bodies and home on fire after being on Zoloft. He won't be eligible for parole until he's 45 year old. He was 12 when he killed them. His defense counsel tried to blame Zoloft. The Supreme court didn't believe it. I'm not sure I did either.
So to answer your question fairly? It could be the medication, but in order to really have a fair assessment? You'd have to take her to base (no medications) after a step down because you can not just stop Zoloft cold turkey....and then observe her behaviors for a period of time and see if in fact she was more or less aggressive. Then you have to consider outside factors - stress, school, home. Then trial her on a new medication. I do know this for a fact. If you or your husband are on an anti-anxiety medication, or anti-depressant and it works well for one of you? The chances of that medication working well for one of your children is better than average, and I would mention that medication to your daughters psychiatrist as a possibility. Some medications just aren't safe for children or have not been tested on young children or teens so there's always a risk. Anger management and therapy for her and the family are REALLY EXCELLENT tools for all of you to have. There is no one pill that is going to fix her....and as far as parenting? What works for your other kids or other kids period? Is NOT going to work for her. So get some help - knowledge is going to be the best tool you can have in helping her. She's brilliant you know....trying to stay one step ahead of her is going to wear you out. Getting assistance with that? Good idea.
Not trying to scare you - we're here to help, educate and support. (and laugh if we can - oh and teach you shadow puppets) lol. never mind me my mind is just gone.
Hugs
Star