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Setraline- what to know before starting!

Posted , 4 users are following.

laura2114
laura2114

I am a 22 year old who was prescribed Setraline for "situational anxiety" (I studied abroad for a month which made me very anxious). I have been on Setraline for 6 months (even though I really only needed it for about a month). One my prescription was up, I decided I really didn't need it anymore and just stopped it this past Saturday. Every day since I have the spins, ALL day. It feels as if I'm intoxicated almost. I also throw up every day from this. I was only on 50mg. If I could go back and do this all over, I would have never ever taken Setraline. This feeling is miserable; it makes me incapable of doing so many things. In my opinion, it is better to live with anxiety instead of taking medication to treat it. I have never felt so ill and "off" in my life. My brain is not working like it should be and it scares me; I want to cry all of the time. I wish my Dr. had told me that this could happen when going off of Setraline. I would have NEVER started it in the first place.

If anyone out there has anxiety, I recommend using other methods such as talking with a therapist, doing yoga, eating healthy, working out, pretty much anything to avoid taking medication. Trust me, you will be thankful in the long run! This feeling is unbearable and worse than my anxiety ever made me feel.

2 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • don45258
    don45258 laura2114

    Posted

    You sould never just stop this med that's why you feel so bad you need to ween yourself off them slowly
    • laura2114
      laura2114 don45258

      Posted

      You are 100% right!! I was not informed this by my doctor & once I started feeling so ill, I did some research & learned this. I called my Dr. yesterday & am waiting to hear back on what I should do. I just hope everything else is informed about weening yourself off! I wish I would have been....
    • don45258
      don45258 laura2114

      Posted

      Just remember you need to do this slowly the slower the better good look
  • DawnDedee
    DawnDedee laura2114

    Posted

    I agree
    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee

      Posted

      Medications have their place and so do other methods like cognitive behavioral therapy. They work great together. One month of Sertraline would not be enough for it takes a couple to a few months to work effectively. I am sorry you had to learn the brutal way that you cannot stop Sertraline cold turkey. It needs to be tapered under a doctors instructions.

      Glad you made it through ok. Sertraline has helped me greatly along with therapy throughout my life and I recommend it. I tend to use it for two or three years at a time usually following a major life shock. An event that I cannot cope well with. Have had plenty of those.

      Take care,

      Dawn, USA

    • Tezes
      Tezes DawnDedee

      Posted

      Hi dawn,

      just saw this and wondered if you could give me some advice on 'weening' off sertraline/lustral.

      i have been taking 80 msg slow release for approx 18 months for anxiety during a combination of very stressful life events, culminating in being diagnosed with a neuro condition called dystonia. Dystonia also causes anxiety and anxiety makes the dystonia more pronounced. However since I am now also having to take clonazepam and propranolol for life, I would like to stop taking the sertraline . I'm hoping I may not need it now I'm taking propranolol.

      therefore as you have come off sertraline before I would like your thoughts on the best way to stop it.

      many thanks

    • Tezes
      Tezes

      Posted

      Whoops I meant 50 mgs once at night
    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee Tezes

      Posted

      Hi Tezes,

      First I want to preface saying that your doc needs to know your plan to ween off of sertraline and perhaps he could guide you and also supply you with smaller and smaller doses of sertraline as you go along so you do not have to mess with pill cutting which can be a pain.

      However, my opinion is that weening can be done slowly over two to three weeks depending on the dose size you begin with and how long you have been on it.

      I was on 100 mg for about three years. Similar to you, I was put on another med and felt that doubling up was too much. I live with a depressive disorder and have found that a small nighttime dose of Amitriptyline keeps me level as well as causes great sleep.

      So, here is how I would ween off. Just start cutting the pills in half and do that for a week. Then, cut into thirds and take one third for three or four days. Then stay at that low dose and begin skipping one day between each low dose and you will know when you can stop altogether.

      Just keep it slow and you can always go back up a bit on your dose if needed at any time. If you begin to feel funny in your head, or see bright psychedelic lights when you close your eyes or have really weird unsettling dreams, then you will know you are weening off too fast. BUT, you might find that your clonazepam will help you through it.

      Good luck and hope it goes smoothly for you.

      Take care,

      💛 Dawn, USA

    • Tezes
      Tezes DawnDedee

      Posted

      Hi Dawn thanks for your post it's helpful. I've an app with my GP later today so will discuss with him. I did try weaning off 3 months ago by reducing by half to 25 mgs from usual 50mgs. I did that fora week but didn't feel well and had horrible dreams, I was also reducing my hours at work and arranging to retire, then a family problem occurred and I had a cancer scare so decided it prob wasn't the best time to come off them.

      things have settled now, I feel great on them but don't want to have to take so many meds for evermore. Last night I split the tabs and took 3/4 so will do that for a month then go to 1/2 for a month then a 1/4 for a month then try without. I hope that works so that I don't experience the horrific side effects.

      will keep updating xx

       

  • USAngel
    USAngel laura2114

    Posted

    It baffles me when a patient complains of anxiety (situational) and the doctors are QUICK to had out this drug. Zoloft/Setraline. I was weaning off of Tramadol and my doctor quickly prescribed me Zoloft to take. I was so out of it, sick as a dog, feeling like I'm losing my mind, weak, headache, dizzy, sick & twisted night terrors etc. This only lasted less than a week before I weaned myself off that crap. It would have benefited me more had he instructed me to just take an extra Xanax for the anxiety the Tramadol was causing as I was weaning off of it. I wrote about that situation here. I now believe that Zoloft is geared toward people that have some kind of mental imbalance. They seem to have good reports about this drug. This drug should not be used for short term "situational anxiety". I agree with you about speaking to a therapist, eating healthy, excercising instead of a "Quick Fix" (pop a pill) perhaps being uneducated to other alternatives or just plain not wanting to pick in the work (eating healthy, excercise, therapist etc)?? Should I ever find myself unable to Cope with whatever is going on at that time in my life (future) best believe I will not be crying to my doctor about it. No thank you. I'll go dancing and have a drink instead. Excercise, eat heathly, meditate, pray, therapy, hot tub, massage etc. I will Never take this hell in a pill form ever again.

    And as for my doctor ever prescribing me anything else for whatever ails me. I will do my research prior to the consumption of The Quick Fix/little fix-it pills in a bottle, package etc.

    NOTE: This is coming from a guy who does not suffer from mental illness. I took Tramadol for severe back pain due to rear end collision. Then wanted to get off. Had to wean with various other drugs and Zoloft was one. Tramadol is ANOTHER story horrible weaning experience. I wrote about my experience under Tramadol. 

    I hope your doing better laura2114. What did your doctor recommend for your weaning off of Zoloft/Setraline? 

  • Zerodark
    Zerodark laura2114

    Posted

    how is it now off the setraline ? did the anxiety go ?
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