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Cold Turkey for 7 days - I think

Posted , 4 users are following.

campergirl
campergirl

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

7 Replies

  • Yorkshire
    Yorkshire campergirl

    Posted

    Hello, I thought I'd comment as I'm doing the opposite to you! I'm currently doing a very slow wean off 50mg a day, which I started in July. 

    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
      campergirl Yorkshire

      Posted

      getting on it was hell, dizzy, chest pains, palpitations, increased anxiety etc, so I know they are going to hit hard coming off. Cold turkey works for me (feel like crap today), cos no children/work to worry about. I just couldn't face dragging it out for months. Mind you - cold turkey may hurt for months anyway.

       

  • gingemac1977
    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
      lisaduly gingemac1977

      Posted

      Hi there

      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
      Yorkshire lisaduly

      Posted

      I experienced a very similar situation. It was almost impossible and I would then feel under pressure. 

      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
      lisaduly Yorkshire

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply, that's really helpful to know x
  • campergirl
    campergirl

    Posted

    About 2 weeks in now. Feeling more like my old sel, but the dizzyness and brain zaps are still there. I went to a vw festival at the weekend in my camper, and ended up gping to bed sat afternoon for a few hours. Anxiety and headaches, but the rest of the weekend was fab. Feeling very happy, positive and more active than I've been in a very, very long time. Cold turkey works best for me, no going back, just get on with it. I saw my gp about 3 months ago, and he said it was getting towards the time when he wanted me to think about coming of it by cutting down slowly. Complete panic from me, as I was no where near ready to come off it, and I was scared. Now is the right time for me. If it works for you - stay on it. If I need it again - I would accept going back on a low dose, it really did save me when I needed saving.

     

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