My experience coming off of Zoloft
Posted , 6 users are following.
I remember when I was coming off of my meds and experiencing horrendous side effects- I could never find a succussful story about getting off Zoloft, so I decided to make one as I'm almost a year off!
I started taking Zoloft when I was 13. 50 mg for one year, then 100 mg for roughly four years. I felt like I had reached a healthy state so I decided to ween off. I did not inform my parents or psych about this (I do not advise this) so I pretty much dealt on my own.
My method was to decrease 25 mg every two weeks.
My first two weeks (75 mg): light-headed, a little fuzzy, but stable.
My next two weeks (50 mg): mostly the same, slightly increased dizziness.
The following weeks (25 mg): This was when I started to actually feel it. Instead of two weeks, I remained on this dose for four. I was experiencing brain zaps, I could not focus, I was incredibly dizzy to the point where I feared driving. My moods were mostly stable besides the anger I felt towards my symptoms.
When I was completely off, I really felt hellish. For about four months I felt extremely depressed, I was constantly dizzy to the point where I was spending a lot of time in bed, my ears would randomly ring, and I felt incredibly anxious- which was a new symptom for me, I had every withdrawl in the book and I felt hopeless.
The only thing thag kept me going was the fact that I came so far, and I refused to believe that these effects would last forever. And I'm so glad I persevered because they did. My healthy mindset came back first. I experienced my physical symptoms still, but they were definetely becoming less severe. By month six- I felt very normal. Just about everything had subsided, only a slight anxiety still continues to this day. But I feel like so much more of a person now! My emotions feel much more real and raw, my libido has returned, I lost weight, and overall I'm very proud I was able to do it. That was my biggest accomplishment. I am not trusting of ssri's after that experience, those drugs are not made for periodic use- and I think patients taking this drug should be made aware of that. I was not, and I feel very wronged. But despite the nighmare I lived for six months- I made it and I feel better than before.
If you are in the same boat, don't give up! It really does get better.
2 likes, 6 replies
kerry56645 peachyred
Posted
I didn't know they were addictive my doctor said they weren't I had no idea about these side affects
peachyred kerry56645
Posted
I'm not sure what it is about them that makes people typically respond to it this way. I don't know if it would classify as addictive since it's not a controlled substance, but it's very common for people to have an extremely rough time coming off of this particular ssri, especially after having been on it for so long. I'd suggest talking to your doctor about it! More doctors need to be aware of these kind of effects.
philip49799 peachyred
Posted
carolyn79 peachyred
Posted
Thanks for that. I was on sertraline few years back for 12 months and came off fine. Next time I needed them they didn't work so put on mirtazapine. Drug from hell. Worked ok but massive appetite. Came off on docs advice quickly to change back to sertraline. Boy I was in a terrible state for at least a month or two. Persevered with sertraline. 18 months in and thinking about coming off them but so worried about side effects. Delighted to feel better now. I'm 55 now and going through end of menopause and feel like embracing clean living and that includes all meds.
cyndi85006 peachyred
Posted
I am so happy to read your story. I've been on antidepressants for about 18 years. I've been on sertraline (Zoloft) for the past 7 months. It pulled me out of a depression that came on even though I was at the time on 50mg of citalopram (Celexa). And yet now at 150mg I'm getting depressed again anyway. So, I'm thinking again of trying to get off of them once and for all.
I've tried to wean off ADs before but could never go beyond a week or two of being completely off of them. Hearing that things changed for you at 6 months gives me hope and courage. Thank you. Best of luck with everything.
maryejobe peachyred
Posted