Mother 78, Had to stop sertraline 50mg after 17 yeare due to intolerance
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hello, everyone
I'm searching for some help for my mother 78 years old, she has taken sertraline 50mg for 17 years, but had to stop because it was raising her blood pressure to dangerous levels and she even vomited and had diarrhea, she still takes trazodone wish helps her sleep for years.
She tool her last dose 6 days ago and she's getting better everyday, her blood pressure is returning to normal and she even took a nap for the first time during the afternoon, she never could fall asleep during years while on zoloft on the afternoon
I don't know if she had mild serotonin syndrome from the combination, after years of toxic accumulation of sertraline in her brain, half life is 32 hours, so it will accumulate after decades for sure despite the fact that they claim stable blood values after continued use, this has never been studied on the long term as far as i know
Now the psychiatrist just want to switch to another AD, citalopram, i'm not confident on adding just more of the same dangerous combinations and i'm considering seriously adding a low dose NAC 150mg or 250mg to keep her stabilized, not because she needs it, but just in case and it't proven to be effective for anxiety depression.
As for withdrawal, i am familiar with protracted withdrawal wish i admit may happen, but there are also risks by adding citalopram and make just another cocktail again.
As anyone been on sertraline for years and had to quit cold turkey due to intolerance and then be fine with trazodone or another AD alone? Or using NAC as help?
Thank you for feedback
0 likes, 5 replies
sam18386 mirtout
Edited
hi mirtout, i read your post with much interest. dreadful! your post reminds me of how terrible it feels after the amount of years i was left on prozac. i had to wean myself off, it did so much damage. whilst i realize this is a different drug the story is similar, on a drug and left. i now refuse to take any drugs off doctors. i had this as i had PTSD and at the time i had lost almost everything well so i thought.... i was initially given it SHORT term because my grandfather died and i was struggling but then i was assaulted... i hit rock bottom. but that's me, at 78 and sadly with no knowledge of this drug except what i've heard off other people on here it's as bad as any other antidepressant, they work for WEEKS not 17 years... it doesn't matter how but get her off it and quick... i wish you so much luck. 🤞🤞
mirtout sam18386
Posted
Thank you Sam18386 i appreciate very much your encouragement, they want me to give my mother citalopram, but it's just more of the same SSRI drugs.
Did you wean of cold turkey too? Prozac at least has a long half life, it self tapers itself i think
I hope her trazodone 50mg wish is a weak ssri spares her of any withdrawal
She's on day 7, so far no noticeable withdrawal signs
I'm also giving her a very low dose NAC 150mg every other day, there are studies showing it raises serotonin levels.
sam18386 mirtout
Edited
hi mirtout, i try to give people hope as at the time i was on prozac i had none! i would stay off certain drugs after a long time they don't help but hinder. if a drug works for your mum that's good but for me it did nothing...i take no nothing for anything anymore. i didn't go cold turkey but cut the tablets down and down... i hope you're mum gets on ok?🤞🤞🤞
mirtout sam18386
Posted
Thank you very much Sam, at least you had the kindness of answering my concerns,
My mum is doing ok for now, giving her NAC 150mg every other day and she still takes her trazodone wish is the only med that helps her sleep now and depression.
sam18386 mirtout
Edited
hi mirtout, i take it by this that your mum takes no sertraline, if she doesn't that's a great result! i am really sorry you've had to tread this path, i hope she gets on a bit better now.