Cold Turkey for 7 days - I think
Posted , 4 users are following.
I've been on Sertraline for about a year, only 50mg a day. In the early stages I asked to be upped to 100mg, but i just couldn't take the side effects. I've decided I need to come off it, and as the side effects were bad getting on it for about 2 months, I reconned they would be bad coming off too. I know it is recommended to slowly ween yourslef of - but I thought just sod it, go for it. I think I'm on about day 7 or 8 (lose track of days - not working and no committments). Splitting headaches, dizzyness, nausea, sweats etc, but mood-wise, I'm pleased to say it's going ok. I have trouble getting to sleep, and wake 3 or 4 times in the night, but I'm already feeling less hungover in the morning than on Sertraline. A few tearful moments, but largely in charge of my emotions more. Feeling more anxious, and getting chest pains, but no worse than the side effects when getting it into my system in the first place. I see cold turkey as a challenge. I think I am enjoying feeling I don't need Sertraline anymore. It was good for me when i really needed it, now it's time to let it go.
0 likes, 7 replies
Yorkshire campergirl
Posted
I'm currently on 25mg one day, 12.5mg the next.
The only physical side effect I have had is my teeth feel numb. I do feel tired, but i always do so not sure if that's my normal or a side effect.
I have had 3 small moments of anxiety, but nothing major and it has soon passed.
I, like you, am enjoying the challenge of coming off and feeling I no longer need it (been on it 9.5 months). It has been great for me and has given me the time I needed to sort my head out, but I feel I can go on from here without it.
I did wonder if I was being ridiculous dragging the withdraw out so long, but I didn't want to cope with work and my child with bad side effects.
It's interesting reading from someone who has done it in the opposite way!
I wish you all the best :-) xx
campergirl Yorkshire
Posted
gingemac1977 campergirl
Posted
morning campergirl,
i don't think i would have the guts to go cold turkey to be honest!! i know you're never supposed to rely on your meds, but things got so bad for me that i did rely and still do rely on them, i've been on it for 10 months now and compared to how i was before, i'm probably 90% back to my normal self so i'm not even considering coming off sertraline, it's been a god send to me and i'm a strong believer in if it's not broke, don't fix it. i had months and months of feeling crap every day, then feeling ok for 1, off for 2, ok for 3 and then bad for 7, i just couldn't handle it, it was causing all kinds of problems with my relationship and i didn't want it to continue. for the first time in over a year, (because i was struggling for months before that without going to the doctors), i'm feeling stable with my life, me and my boyfriend are getting on again and i don't want that to change.
good luck with your cold turkey campergirl but the only time i'll be considering reducing or coming off my meds is when i've been stable for a good few months with little issues. i can't rely on my own mental state so i'm sticking with it, i feel relaxed and happy, i've got my personality and character back, which had totally gone, and i've not had that for months. was like i'd had a personality transplant, didn't find anything funny, nothing made me smile or happy, i was a total bitch and ratbag with my boyfriend, our lives were hell, so not a chance for me going back to that!! good luck and let us know how you get on, take care :-)
lisaduly gingemac1977
Posted
I wanted to reply to your post because it sounds similar to my own situation.
I have no intention of coming off them while I'm feeling more stable all the time, I've only been on them a couple of months.
The only thing is that I think they're messing up my sex life. I used to reach climax a lot with my partner and now its almost impossible. Its obviously not something I wanted to compromise. My GP says it should settle down, but I just wondered if you or anyone else has this issue, and what to do about it?
Lisa x
Yorkshire lisaduly
Posted
It got slightly better, but as I'm weaning off I've noticed a massive difference and I'm much more back to how I was.
I'm on 12.5mg a day now and it has significantly improved from when I was on 50mg x
lisaduly Yorkshire
Posted
campergirl
Posted