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Help! I don’t know what to do - taper down?

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Kernel__49695
Kernel__49695

hi

i am in a mess looking for any advice from anyone whos been through similar

i was on sertraline for 10 years 100mg and 150mg for first few years for anxiety and was doing fine.

decided time was right to come off so tapered slowly over 2 years and took only 25mg for last year all ok til i went to zero and then i started getting withdrawal intense panic attacks, flu symptoms within 3 weeks of stopping which set off my anxiety spiral.

psychiatrist put me back on increasing each week 25 -50 - 100 -150 over last 8 weeks and i have been through hell. intrusive thoughts and anxiety off scale for first few weeks then intense electric feeling of anxiety running through me for last couple of weeks that is definitely chemical anxiety as ive had similar before on another ssri. i have burning skin on my stomach last 3 weeks parasthesia its called and at night every night i wake in a panic attack that feels like ive been plugged into the mains. my mood is low enough that i am suicidal.

has anyone had this happen when reinstating it after being on it for so many years?

i feel like its poisoning me and want yo reduce down but equally im petrified that it mught destabilise my brain even more. i literally feel trapped,

i cant see how it is going to work now as these side effects appear to be worsening not subsiding?

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • patient_mod2
    patient_mod2 Kernel__49695

    Posted

    Hi Kernel__49695

    We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologies for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.

    If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.

    Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.

    If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.

    Kindest regards

    Patient

  • kerry56645
    kerry56645 Kernel__49695

    Posted

    bi im so sorry to hear about this it sounds horrendous, im also taking 150 mg for 3 years so it scares me reading this. What does your doctor say?

    i suppose this one rely is up to you, if you were doing ok tapering of at 25mg why not just stay here and reduce down from this, then do the cold turkey until its out of your system fully. then reassess your anxiety a good 2 month after.

    alternatively get them back i your ayatem and accept they are here to stay.

    i would be really interested go hear how you get on so pkease keep me updated as im faced woth the same decision as you, try and loom at some alterantive coping strategies whimst coning off them like mundfulness, exercise and eating well, sounds silly but will give you something to cling to when the anxiety is bad and help it from spiralising into disppair , take care and please let me know how you go xxx

  • Lisa_LC
    Lisa_LC Kernel__49695

    Posted

    your drops and reinstatements are too large and fast for your individual system. the effects pass but are horrible when happening and feels like it will last forever. I went from going off totally way too fast (ended up in ER) to having to reinstate to 25mg immediately which had me in bed with uncontrollable leg shaking. got up to 75mg with bad side effects. Now reducing by 6.25mg at a time every 3 months. I could not think of going any faster than this. I have reinstated after several previous attempts to stop. Each time was hell going back on but every time it all normalized. but my dosages were smaller than yours. so sorry you're going through this!

  • kerry56645
    kerry56645 Kernel__49695

    Posted

    Kernel, how are you feeling and have you decided how you will proceed from here on in ?

    i hope your ok there is always a way forward when tour in a bad place it can only get better xxx

  • Kernel__49695
    Kernel__49695

    Posted

    They want to get me right down on the dose so I am having to go down from 100mg to 75mg tonight. It seems I have just been very unlucky in that my brain/body could not accept it a second time and the physical side effects are worse and my anxiety is beyond anything I have known before. Perhaps my brain had got used to only having 25mg for the last year and it can’t cope with high doses - at least that’s what I am clinging to. 

  • Kernel__49695
    Kernel__49695

    Posted

    How quick are they tapering you to start on Prozac? 

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