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How did coming off sertraline effect you?

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paul89462
paul89462

Into my fourth day of reduced sertraline and was just wondering how it effected other people comming off it. Did not have a great day today with the usual constipation problems when yesterday was a very loose day. Would just be very interested in how long it took until people felt clear of sertraline

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • betsy0603
    betsy0603 paul89462

    Posted

    I can't attest to the symptoms coming off, but any time I see that some one is trying to come off, I jump in to give guidance.  Having gone through protracted withdrawal and reinstatement with Effexor, I just want to help people avoid the problems.

    What was your highest dose, how long were you on, and what is your taper schedule?  Are you doing this under the advisement of your doctor?

    I will tell you first of all that doctors don't acknowledge protracted withdrawal in general.  If you have the extreme withdrawal symptoms of depression and anxiety hit you at 3 months out, they are quick to say that you have relapsed and need to go back on the med. They are only half right, in that reinstatement may be your best bet for getting relief, but not because your original condition came back!

    Secondly, they will tell you to come off much too fast and jump off at too high a dose, which assures you of failure.

    I am not trying to scare you, but there is no benefit to you to have any kind of "I'll tough it out" attitude, because AD withdrawal has turned the toughest of men into mere shadows of themselves.  This is serious business.  These drugs have profoundly changed your nervous system.  It is not like a heroin withdrawal, where after so many days or weeks of having the drug out of your system you are back to normal.  No, heroin addicts agree that antidepressant WD is far worse.  And that is because it is not about the drug being in your system, but about the drug not being IN your system when your system remodeled around its actions.  Take away the drug too quickly and the imbalance created is because your system is left in utter chaos, unable to function normally without the action of the drug.  It takes a good long while for the nervous system to adapt back.  It can take months and even years depending on how long you were on, what the highest dose was, whether you had gone on and come off before, whether you are taking other drugs or had multiple AD switches along the way. 

    It is recommended to do a very slow taper of 10% of your previous dose per month.  Never do a cut if you are still experience any kind of wd symptoms.  It is advised to not cut more often than every 3-4 weeks.

    These drugs do actual injury to the nervous system, and it takes a long time to recover, but thankfully we have neuroplasticity in our favor, that is, the ability to remodel back. 

    If you would like I can pm you some links for helpful information.  There is a link to a support forum in this thread, where it says "Why to taper 10%..." or some such title.  Go to that forum, Surviving Antidepressants.  This is a non-profit peer supported forum where people who have been in the trenches will advise you.  You can do a search there for your drug and find others who have come off or are in progress. Everyone is incredibly supportive and friendly, because we know what it is like!

    Aain, scroll down to Reducing Antidepressants using the 10% taper method

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/depression-resources-298570

    • paul89462
      paul89462 betsy0603

      Posted

      On advice of doctor reduced to 100mg - 50mg for a week then 50mg - nothing for a further week then nothing. To be honest I have only been on this drug for about 7 weeks and am now on week two of reduction. I can not function on this drug, constipation and loose movements, no appitite and weight loss, dry mouth, anxiety, abdomen discomfort, stomach problems and now a 3 day headache so far. I feel house bound and have to force myself to go out even for simple messages at the moment. Once this week is over that's it this drug will never be in my mouth again. I have MS and enough to deal with without the extra complications of sertraline.
    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 paul89462

      Posted

      Even though you were only on it a short time, that is still a pretty fast taper!  All the symptoms you listed, were those after you started the reduction or before?  If you are still in the process of reducing, I would recommend waiting until you feel a little more stable before making the next cut.  Docs tend to have us adhere to a rapid taper schedule without taking into account how we are faring at each step, and if you are having a strong reaction to a cut, the last thing you need to do is cut again!  It's about your nervous system readapting to the reduction.  Symptoms are caused by destabilization, and cutting at that time means even more destabilization.  I would hold at the dose you are at now and wait to see if the waves will settle before doing another cut.  Diarrhea is a common symptom.
    • paul89462
      paul89462 betsy0603

      Posted

      Thankyou Betsy, I have a constant headache and abdomen discomfort and the odd dry mouth no appitite and constipation. The loose bowel has stopped. I understand what you have said and it all makes good since but I have a week of reduction to go and I am done. Never again it's been the worst period off my life and I am done with it and willing to take what comes. Bit head strong but can feel my appitite comming back and the rest should follow once I start eating properly again.
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