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Immediately stopped taking Sertraline (50mg) six days ago, don't know whether to take it again?

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beetlejuice101
beetlejuice101

I started taking Sertraline (25mg/per day) two months ago, and after two weeks upped to 50mg per day and continued with this. Side effects for me at the beginning were bad with sickness and brain zaps, heightened anxiety and complete restlessness but after a couple of weeks it became much better and I was dealing with my life, feeling weak but stable. 

I go up and down with my progress because my lifestlye is not really one where you'd expect someone to be taking a medication to be more calm, as I'm constantly running and doing everything and I don't want to miss my opportunities to have fun and socialise etc. 

Last Saturday it got to around 10pm and I was working a 16 hour shift, came to take my pill and I realised I'd finished them. I went to look for a pharmacy but they were closed so I just accepted that I'd have to miss my pill that day. Then I missed it the next day, and the day after and it's come to today and I'm wondering maybe I can just stop taking it completely.

I am experiencing what I believe are side effects of withdrawal... feeling dizzy and sometimes strange, I have a little anxiety and all of my normal things but I am in the realisation that it is all psychological and I just have to wait for it to pass, and allow my mind to move onto other things and stop obsessing over the fact that I am experiencing a wave of anxiety. When I was running around today doing my things, I realsed my arms and legs and body felt quite weak, and I was a little dizzy. Could this be a side effect???

PERSONALLY I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF STAYING ON THE MEDICATION!!!

I would love to come off of it immediately as I don't feel like I'm even dependant on it and I don't like having it in my body, I'd like to feel that I can live my life without having to take a drug. 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • fancy_fun
    fancy_fun beetlejuice101

    Posted

    I know how you feel..I am tapering off..started at 25mg..up to 75mg in a 3 month period..now down to 37.5 for a week..25 for a week..12.5 for a week..then OFF! bad experience for me from beginning..never got rid of side effect even those my dose was adjusted very gradually..be so glad to be off this..good luck to all that are on this medication..just not for me
    • mariaisms19
      mariaisms19 fancy_fun

      Posted

      Fancy fun out of curiosity. How did you feel the first few days you stopped taking the sertraline? And did you have any sort of withdrawl effects a week or so after you stopped taking it? Im about to stop taking it 2 day from now so id like any advice or experiances you've had. Thanks
    • fancy_fun
      fancy_fun mariaisms19

      Posted

      the first 2 days were fine..I started my taper at 62.5mg..I am tapering down 12.5 a week..yesterday I experienced headaches, fatigue, dizziness..woke up this morning feeling good, slept good..I tapering down today to 25mg..stay there for a week..I am definitely feeling some original side effects..but see a light at the end of the tunnel..I was on sertraline for a total of 3 months, never experienced a "side-effect" free day..today I feel somewhat back to myself..good luck, hang in there
  • mariaisms19
    mariaisms19 beetlejuice101

    Posted

    Im currently comming off of it too. I went from 100 to 75 for a week and a half to 50mg for another week and a half and now ive been on 25mg for another week and a half. On the 9th i plan to either come off completely of try 12.5mg every other day. Depending on how i cope these next 8 days. I felt fantastic 3 days ago. Better than i have in months. But yesterday and today ive been dizzy, light headed, headache and sleeping a lot. But i know it me adjisting to the meds. I wish you both luck and hope we can all come off of this and be better. I was on sertraline for 4 months.
  • Tezes
    Tezes beetlejuice101

    Posted

    I came off approx eight weeks ago after a six month taper, by doing it slowly I avoided the withdrawals.

    it is recommended that you taper down 10% of your last dose maintain that for a month then go down another 10% and so on. This is a recommended researched method and the only way to prevent the damage to the nervous system, it allows your body to adjust to the missing chemicals of the drugs.

    you cannot go cold turkey without suffering the consequences, your nervous system goes into shock, hence the W Symptoms.

    you can reinstate to stabilise then once you feel better start the tapering method I've described, it needs patience but believe me it is worth it to avoid not only the w/d but any lasting damage.

    please have a look at 'sertraline withdrawal, does it go away' on this site there are lots of good advice on that thread and links to the 10% tapering methods.

    Good luck

    • fancy_fun
      fancy_fun Tezes

      Posted

      so true..the large increases, decreases are kind of scary..from my experience..and from what I have read, this is a medication with severe side effects that needs to be administered at a slow safe rate..will be totally off this medication in 3 weeks, tapering at a safe rate
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