My experience of coming off sertraline

Hi, just curious to how things went for you? I've come down from 150 to 75. I felt better on 100 than I did 150 but 10 days after lowering to 75 I'm feeling anxious and jittery. Not all the time but on and off and I'm wondering whether I should go back to 100 or stock it out...x

Hi there I'm coming of sedative from 200mg been brilliant for the first 2 wks then I'm down to 50 and feeling anxiety coming any Advice Plsw

How's it been going? I have been on zilift for over 18 yrs. I really want to get off them.

I'm just so afraid of relapse but now I'm willing to try harder. Doctor wants me to.

But as soon as I get the electric shocks and light headed, I usually panic.

:-(

Hi. I just saw your post and felt compelled to sign up and respond. I was on Zoloft 200mgs for 10+ years and have recently titrated off it completely. With the help of my dr and a (friend) nutritionist, I slowly slowly slowly reduced my dosage over the past 9 months. Slow is the key word. So for 2-3mos I reduced to 150mgs and stayed there for awhile. Then I reduced to 125/100/50!very slowly, eventually leveling off at 50 and staying there for a couple of months. Initially I was so scared to try to wean off because of side effects, irritability, depression, agitation, etc... For the past 2 weeks I have been taking ZERO Zoloft and I feel pretty good and I think I've done it! Some people go much faster/more aggressively but I knew better, and having taken it for so long (and for good reasons) I wanted to proceed with the utmost caution. The nutritional supplements I am taking I think helped me profoundly with reducing and other health benefits as well (more energy, digestion, general well-being)---

High potency (100 billion strain probiotics), vitamin D, essential omega oils/fats, liquid vitamin B12, daily 15-20 exercise (outsidebif pisdible), 5-10 mins of "meditation" and positive self-talk... If I can do it, you can do it. Hope this helps

Thank you for such a positive post Sarah. I too am in the same situation trying to get off meds.

So thankful to find this thread too - I have been on 200mg for 7 years and 150 for about 6 before that I think . I'm going to try and sloooowwwwlllyyy taper - and with supplements and exercise and meditation- I'm sure I can do it . Reading all of these comments - the brain sucking - light headed - headaches - sweats - nausea - shocks ---- is all part of it. I'm going for it - and revisit my old self without 200 mg of Zoloft a day - and with a lot more experience and coping strategies ..... God help me ---- I will live through this .... And I'm not a religious person ---- but might start to be if I get through this.

Helo!

How are you doing today with no meds? I'm weaning myself off so I can get my weight under control and most important my sex drive ha ha any advice ?

I have been on Sertraline 200 mg for at least 5 years and other antidepressants before that. I have gradually been coming off them. After 1 week reducing down50 mg each week. I have been off them now for over a week. My problem is feeling dizzy and having terrible nightmares. I haven't had any electric shocks but I am worried about the other side effects. Does anyone else have these effects. 

Hi 

How have you found 5HTP

I have been on sertraline 100mg for nearly 5 years. I was ok for the first 4 weeks but then old symptoms come back like racing mind, anxiety and agitation. I have tried 5HTP for a day or 2 but can't say they helped much. How's your experience of 5HTP

Sarah how are you going now?

Oh yes!! I'been decreasing my Sertraline amount over last few weeks and have now stopped taking it. At first it helped with my general anxiety disorder but after a while the side effects just numbed me, 200mg was too much for me! Electric shock as you described, it's like sudden jolts isn't it? When trying to meditate the jolts seem to happen more often aswell!

Only been on sertraline for 8 weeks, 25 mg.  last two weeks I reduced it in half.  Now today feel really funny.  Do you think I should go back up to 25 mg?  Do you think I would have side effects?  

Hi Carole , I have just started to reduce my tablets from 50mg to 25mg I'm feeling very anxious 😩 but I felt anxious any way , and that's why the doc wants me to come off of sertaline think it's stoped working . But if I was you I would stick with it because you have only been on it a short time and on a small amount . Good luck.

I've been on Zoloft, well the generic of, for 4 years now. I was taking 50mg a day to try and help the GAD. I took a few other medications for anxiety as well. Over the past year, I have stopped the other meds and added some supplements and amino acids and medical marijuana. I kept taking the Zoloft until four weeks ago. I weaned myself off and took my last pill a week ago.

The first couple of days was no big deal. theeeeeen.......wowie ! I'm ok, I think but man, do I have those "electric shocks" and vertigo like symptoms. I mostly get the "electric shocks" at night or first thing in the am. The rest of the day is vertigo and sweats.

I am having some pretty bad day and night sweats that I thought were pre-menopause but now I'm not sure if it is or maybe a combo.

Yes, will this go away ?

Love this forum because no one else in my life gets it. Unless you've been through it, you're almost looked at like a hypochondriac or something. Nooooo, it's that I have to figure out what this is so I can address it properly without causing anxiety or panic and end up in the same damn place !

Ok, I'm done.

I really would like some feedback on this.

"the brain sucking-light headed-headaches-sweats-nausea-shocks---is all part of it. I'm going for it-"

I love it ! Yep, sucks but won't kill us, right ?

Good luck. I'm not religious either so I will send good vibes your way and positive energy. 😃

hello ladies,

well i'm now exactly 12 months since coming off setraline and i'll tell you the first 6 months were tough - a few times i thought maybe im not ready to come off them but i persevered and after approx 6 months things started to return to normal.

I think hormones have a huge part in the way i have felt over the last few years but im drug free so thats a bonus.

Good luck and dont be hard in yourself when having bad days - they get less and less.

xx

Hi you just have to go for it, I was on setraline 100mg for to many years. I realized one day that I wanted to be me again. I cut down slowly then when I was on 25mg I took that for a week then stopped. It's been nearly 2 weeks without them and I am so happy and have energy again, it is wonderful to feel alive. I do have a dizzy feeling on and off but I can so deal with that. Go for it you will be amazed and so proud of yourself.I wish you well just stay strong. X

Good afternoon,

I realize that your post is 5 years ago but what do you mean by electric shocks?

I stopped taking Sertraline for 2 weeks now and and since Monday, I have had a weird feeling of little electric shocks in my head. I am asking you now how long did those shocks last? Thank you

@sarah1629 well done.

I found your reply really useful. I have been on sertraline for 18 mths. Reduced from 100mg to 50mg just before Christmas and now I'm trying to reduce again. I have been taking 50mg every other day for 2 weeks. Some days I feel jittery and shakey. Its a strange feeling and sometimes can't describe it. I've noticed my heart beats a lot faster on an evening when I'm relaxed which is really odd. I'm going to carry on with one 50mg every other day for the next week then try half the tablet so that I'm taking 25mg every other day.

Fingers crossed...in 2 months time I'd like to think I'm totally weaned off them but not putting huge pressure on myself. Also hoping that I can shift the excess weight I have gained since starting this medication. It's an issue physically at the moment but mentally I am happy and more settled than I have been in years. X

Hi over the last 2 weeks I have started to reduce mu sertraline. These pages with people's comments are so helpful. I started on Sertraline 6 years ago starting on 200mg then over time reduced to 50mg which I continued to take for a few more years then last year increased to 100mg. Over the last couple of weeks I have alternated each day with a 100mg then 50mg. Over the next few weeks I will reduce to 50mg a day then alternate the 50mg with 25mg to every other day then gradually wean off the 25mg. I know if I sometimes forget to take one I can get the electric shock feeling in my head. I too have gained a few pounds over the last few years and normally I have lost weight easily when dieted but find now that even when dieting and cutting out alcohol I don't lose weight so I am hoping this will change too when I completely come off sertraline. Good luck with your weaning off the medication 😃

Hi ClaraD thank you for sharing your experience it has really helped me . I hope you have found a solution to the electric shocks ?

I have been taking 50mg Sertraline for around 5 years and really want to come off them, I lost my Father in 2016 and had family issues following his passing and in the same year my partner left me too . The tablets really helped me for the first few years but I have put on so much weight , I'm absolutely shattered and yawn all the time at work. I really wanted to stop suddenly yesterday but after reading your post I realised that it would be better to begin to wean myself off and cut my tablets in half , do you think I should take 25mg for a few weeks or longer ? As its only a low dose I did contemplate stopping altogether yesterday and didn't take a tablet . I've now cut my tablets in half and begun tonight . Thank you for sharing .

Hi, I've only been on sertraline for 2-3 months 50mg per day. I've also experienced these lighting bolt sensations in my head, more recently because my insurance/doc/pharmacy messed up my refill, so I went 5 days without. For me, this lighting bolt head sensation is triggered with side to side eye movement. It happens when laying down or standing up.

From what I've read online, it is a common sensation/symptom/side effect when getting off SSRIs. Like me, if you plan on getting off sertraline we may be experiencing these lightning bolt sensations for 2-4 weeks. It's more annoying for than scary now that I know it's common. Not looking forward to 6-8 months from now when I stop taking it again. Good luck to you.

hi Clara, i came off sertraline a month ago. i was on meds for 3 years and decided that it was a good time to come off. i had brain zaps first week and then they settled down. i have had quite a few other symptoms but it appears that i might have come off too fast. So they will settle down just takes time and for everyone is defferent i guess.

Do you still experience your heart racing when you are trying to relax? I wasn't even on Zoloft for very long but when I got off of it that's what I experienced. I've been off of it for a month and my heart still races/pounds when I'm trying to relax.

Hi Angela, how did you go with this method? I have just started doing the 100/50 & am hoping the side affects arent too much. i generally suffer quiet a lot going on & off antidepressants

How did things turn out for you?