Coming off sertraline - my journey

Posted , 14 users are following.

Hi everyone!

I haven’t been on this forum for a year since posting my success story regarding taking Sertraline but wanted to come back to discuss my journey in coming off the tablets to spread some much needed happiness! If you are struggling in the early stages of taking the tablets then please read my previous post and I hope this gives you even a small amount of hope that we as anxious beings often need!

I decided around 3 months ago that I no longer needed to be on medication. I had been feeling 100% myself for around 10 months, had a stable job and a support network around me. I visited the doctor and discussed how I would like to start the process of coming off (I was on 100mg). Me and the doctor talked it through and he discussed tapering over around 3 weeks. But in my heart of hearts, I knew this was too quick. I expressed this and he said that was fine and prescribed 2 months worth of tablets. 

The problem as we know with doctors ans the NHS is that there just isn’t the funding needed into mental health. I know from reading up that tapering for 3 weeks from 100mg was far too quick so with the support of my family I made my own plan. Please note that everyone is different and this is just what worked for me. I had a friend who was on the same tablets who stopped without tapering and had no withdrawal symptoms at all! (Lucky her!!!) My plan was:

1. Alternate 100mg one day and 50mg the next for 2 weeks. 

2. Reduce to 50mg and stay there for 1 month. 

3.  Alternate 50mg one day and 25mg the next for 2 weeks. 

4. Reduce to 25mg and stay there for 1 month. 

5. Alternate 25mg one day and nothing the next for 3 weeks. 

6. Stop tablets altogether. 

Therefore, it ended up taking 3 months and so within that time I went back to the doctors for another months worth of tablets. The first important point is you have to listen to your body. There is no rush to come off the tablets so take your time and be kind to yourself. Before stopping the tablets altogether, the only side effects I got were 2 days worth of dizziness around 4 days after each reduction. But I couldn’t believe how easy it was, especially after the hell I had experienced in side effects going onto the tablets!

I have now been sertraline free for 2 weeks. I timed my stopping for the Christmas holidays, so that I was off work and knew that if I felt rough I could stay at home and recover. 

The side effects from fully stopping were quite brutal for around a week, starting approximately 4 days after my final dose. These were mostly dizziness and a piercing headache. It is a rough ride for a short while, but it is so worth it. I am now tablet free and feeling strong. So far I have had no signs of any anxiety or depression coming back and each day I am feeling better. 

I hope that whatever stage you are up to in your journey, whether that is just starting on or coming off, you can know that I was in the the absolute worst place 18 months ago and now I am happy, healthy and tablet free. 

Xxxx

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  • Posted

    Thank you so much Kate, that was very helpful in my decision making to come off Sertraline.

    It may seem a strange idea in the middle of a pandemic, but it is right for me, I feel. I'm working from home, and am lucky enough to live surrounded by lovely woodland and great walking country. Without the daily commute, there's plenty of time to walk a couple of hours every day, and keep an eye on my headspace.

    I had been on a daily dosage of 50 mg for just over a year. For two weeks now, this has reduced to 50mg one day, and 25mg the next.

    I'll continue this dosage for another week, and then reduce to 25mg daily for 3-4 weeks.

    If all goes well, I'll reduce to 25mg every other day for a further 3-4 weeks.

    i know I'm only at week 3, but so far have had no negative side-effects at all. one slightly dizzy episode, but I'll put this down to gardening in this heat.

    I'm paying close attention to my emotional and physical feelings. I've always eaten well, and as I say, am getting more daily walking than for years. I'm also strictly limiting my alcohol intake during this period - probably kicking the national trend in this weird lockdown environment 😃

    i will reoprt back every couple of weeks. Stay well everyone

  • Posted

    your story gives me hope. I have been on 200mg Sertraline for a few years and I talked to my dr about not wanting it anymore. he had me go from my 200 MG daily to 100mg for 2 weeks then 50mg for 2 weeks and now Ive been off of it completely for 5 days and i am regretting it. I feel awful. All I want to do is lay in bed and cry. I constantly feel like I am going to vomit. anyway, I hope these symptoms subside soon because I'm not sure how much longer I can do this.

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