Help Please

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Hi all I was on sert for a Year max dosage 100mg for anxiety, I came off it almost three months ago, I used the slow taper over a few months and it seemed to be ok a a few side effects but ok. when I was Finely off it I was doing ok not 100% but about 60% or 70% low mood very spaced out and pretty high anxiety but just put this down to the withdrawal and hoped it would pass in time. Then I felt myself kinda getting better a small bit every week not much but a bit better and then out of blue the last week I seem to be going down hill big time. Anxiety through the roof, extreamly low mood to the point of depression, the fun seems to be gone from my life cant stop thinking Im going mad. I find it hard to do anything and every day is a struggle at the moment. I could do with some help am I getting protracted withdrawal and has anyone out there gone through this, any bit of advice would be a help.

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  • Posted

    I went through this. I did a slow taper from 200 mg over 4 months. About 2 months after stopping my anxiety went through the roof and I was having numerous panic attacks. I went back on Zoloft on July 18. Just this week I am starting to feel like myself again. I have accepted that being on sertraline is just going to be something I have to be on life long. I am okay with that. It's a safe drug and I figure if I had diabetes I would treat it, same as with a chemical imbalance like GAD.

    • Posted

      Hi anniem, I upped my dose on July 11th. You say you're just starting to feel better? Did you have a variety of feelings right up until you felt better? I ask because I have had good days where my anxiety is minimal and my intrusive thoughts are non existent and I'm still having days where my anxiety is pretty bad.

    • Posted

      Yes I just started feeling better the past three days. I upped my dose to 100 8 days ago. I did have lots of ups and downs. But yesterday and today I feel like myself again.
    • Posted

      Oh yes very much. The first 12 days were hell, but I stuck with it because I knew it would work like before.
    • Posted

      Thanks so much. I really should go back on them, and stay on them for life, but I'm so afraid of the start up side effects.

    • Posted

      I totally understand. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. It's a terrible feeling to feel like you are going insane. It's awful. But seven weeks later and I am finally getting some relief.

    • Posted

      Sorry for all the questions but you said you had ups and downs. Did your ups feel the same as your past three days or did those past three days feel like a different good. The reason I ask is because I had 3 good days a couple of weeks ago and I thought was the end of anything bad. I'm just wondering if it's the kind of feeling where you know you're actually getting there

    • Posted

      No worries I don't mind the questions. I spend a lot of time googling for answers! No my 'ups' we're still not me. I had underlying anxiety but could talk myself through it. The past three days I haven't had any anxiety. I actually had several hours of not even thinking about it! I felt like myself again.

    • Posted

      Thats what my good days are like now, underlying anxiety, but cope able. I'm really looking forward to days like yours. I'm happy you have a successful story and I thank you for sharing it. Wishing you all good days ahead.

    • Posted

      Hi,

      Can I ask for how many years u v been on 200mg? And if during this period everything was always stable and normal?

    • Posted

      I started on Zoloft 15 years ago. I went up to 200 six years ago when I was going through a divorce. I was stable and normal until that happened.
  • Posted

    So sorry for what you are going through , ive been on it for 10 months now almost a year . It's a great med it helped me so much that I'm afraid from tapering off it one day .

    My Doc told me that I will have to be on it 2 years then start tapering off slowly . I don't know wether you followed your doc advice or you did it by yourself ?

    Just want to remind you that this med took a very long time to get you feel better I think you can give it some more time to be flushed out your system , if you can't beat this so my advice to you is go see your doc.

    Try to think of what used to make you happy either your kids or shopping or exercising etc ..

    Don't focus on the med and what you feel without it bec probably monitoring your feelings brings anixiety .

    Good luck dear and keep us updated , hope you feel better soon .

    • Posted

      hey dodo81786, you have been on sertraline same amount of time as me. ibe seen you on here since i started. glad to hear you are doing well. i also am so far.

      and like you im too scared to ever come off. especialy after reading michaels post 😕

      i havnt even seen my doc in at least 6 or 7 months, becauae im scared she will tell me to start coming off.

      but deep down i would like to be off.

      but am petrified of going through depressiom and anxiety again.

      wish more people that are well would stay in touch here and people who have succesfuly come off.

      just wanted to vent my concerns

    • Posted

      Why would your doctor make you come off if it's helpful? I'm curious because I was never given a time limit when I started.

    • Posted

      It is my first time in my life taking AD med , so I guess my doc doesn't like to tell me that I might be on them longer or so bec of my anixity I had was so bad . Also he is that kind of docs that don't prefere to give meds a lot if I don't really really need it .

    • Posted

      So scared of this time but I keep telling my self not to think about it . It's hard though .

      I wish I can come off without any side effects bec I have put on a lot of weight .

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