My experience of coming off sertraline

I have been taking Sertraline for about 13 years after a being off work with depression/ nervous exhaustion, which I later realised had been coming on for at least 15 months. Having made a good recovery (having been a good patient I came off the drug, but then quickly lapsed back into depression that was quite debilitating. After talking to a psychiatrist friend, I then suggested to my GP maintaining a low dose, as a prophylactic, as prevention is sure better than cure, and he agreed it was worth trying. 13 challenging but successful years later I have just retired from my substantive post. I reduced from 100mg to 50mg 7 weeks ago and then stopped taking the drug 2 weeks ago. I believe that I will be able to function without Sertraline now Ithat have so much more choice and empowerment in my life.

The symptons I have experienced thus far- which may, or may not, be related are:-

- inability to get to sleep (improving)

- increased impatience and irritability (but I am aware)

- feeling of a thick head - possibly related to lack of sleep.

- feeling a little tearful, but nothing major.

- increased sex drive.

In conclusion, I would suggest that a phased withdrawal is by far the best. I am hopeful that my symptons will fade soon and that I will cope quite happily without Sertraline or similar. It certainly was a godsend to me when I needed it, but I know my biological system will be better without it. My wife is aware of my strategy so that she can helped me monitor my well being. I will be going to see my GP, whom I am able to discuss things with and whom I value greatly, to ensure that I have covered all the bases.

I wish anyone who needs to take this or similar medication all the best. It os very valuable to help you manage your condition, but include others in monitoring how you are getting on.

OMG!! I'm so glad I found this discussion!! I have been on Sertraline 50mg for 11 months and from the recommendation from my GP 4 days ago now take them every other day until I get bored and forget altogether.

I feel so weird and was worried this was the "normal" me but having read this string realise I just need to ride it out.

I feel totally spaced out, sick, headaches and really sleepy. I feel like I've been span round in circles so I can't gain focus on anything... I'm a bit ratty and irritated but totally aware I am doing it and able to think realistically and logically all at the same time.

Anyway I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences, it's a huge relief to know that I'm not on my own... How long can I expect this for?

Good luck everyone 

Em x

I have been taking sertraline for 10 months. They made my lifeblood again. I was on 150mg a day. I have been trying to cut them out for 3 months an managed to get myself down to 50mg a day. I took my last tablet last Thursday so have been a week without. I feel so dazed and spinning head and so angry all the time. Please tell me this will wear off?? I unlike others lost weight on these tablets so that made me feel good too. I wasn't over weight to start with so a bit worrying to others. I am worried I will put weight on now I have stopped them. This anger is also having dire effects on my marriage too. My husband also got prescribed sertraline but came off them a month ago after ejaculation failure which he couldn't cope with. Very stressed house at the minute. I have a 3 and 2 yr old so really don't want my rages to effect them. Can anyone tell me if it's normal to be angry and will it pass soon? Thanks.

I've been taking 50mg of sertraline for more than 10 years.  From time to time I've tried to stop taking them and experienced all the head shocks and lightheadedness  that others have noted.  What really interests me is what prompts people to start kicking anti-depressants.  For me, I just realised that I didn't care too much about anything, and my will power and motivation to do things was practically non-existant.  That may be a contributing factor to the weight gain that I hadn't attributed to sertraline before, but certainly seems to be an issue for many users.

About six months ago, and with my GPs support, I started to halve my tablets and take 25mg daily.  At first I enjoyed the return of enthusiasm for things that I used to enjoy.  I started to take up hobbies and felt more true enjoyment in life than I had done for years.  I could also feel genuinely sad and cried for the first time in ages.  On less good days I could say "this will pass" and it did. Unfortunately I have recently started to experience more extreme mood swings and I can feel myself sliding into depression again as I become irritable and retreat into myself for days at a time and just want to sleep.  At first I enjoyed the ability to feel things properly again, and my interests sustained me enough to get through the low points.  Now I have a constant headache and I am beginning to lose enthusiam for everything and have even lost my appetite.  I still have some good days, but they seem to be getting fewer.  I still take 25 mg each day, but obviously haven't dropped sertraline completely.  I know that if I see my GP she will probably put me back on 50 mg or an even higher dose and I'll be back in the bubble.

I'm not sure what to do now.

 

These posts are so helpful. I have been on Sertraline for 5 years now--starting with 200mg, and now I've been on 50mg/day for about 2 years. It seems to be the perfect amount for me and allows me to function well with everything. I don't really want to get off of it, but I have to have an appointment for every refill and sometimes it is impossible to get in before my prescription has run out. Right now it has been 4 days without anything and I am nauseated, dizzy, having hot sweats, and I'm extremely emotional. I hate feeling like this and I am worried that I while the physical symptoms will go away with time, I'm afraid if I get off of sertraline completely that I will always be this emotionally unstable. I originally started taking it for anxiety but now when I'm off of it, the anxiety seems way worse than it was when I began. I hate to be dependant, but I don't know any other options. Regardless, I hate having to ask for more every month. I really don't know what to do. Has anyone else been prescribed sertraline just for anxiety??

I have been on 100mg of Sertraline for just over a year, and was perscribed it for anxiety.  When starting it, I had every negative symptom you can imaging.  Night sweats. Headaches, Incontinance. Tremors. Jitters.  My Dr told me that she had not heard of such things, and I suspect she felt I was inventing them.

AAfter 3 months they subsided, except for night tremors, and I started to feel pretty good.  Lately I have noticed changes in my mood, and have started to experience the same sort of side effects I had in the beginning, so decided to step down the dose to 50 mg.

It's been 8 days, and I have been dizzy for most of it, but still able to function. I also have knumbness in my hands, tired muscles and headaches.  I'm going to stick to the 50mg until all these issues fade, and then decide the next step.

 

Hello all. I stopped taking sertraline after two years. I was on the 100mg dose. The first few weeks after stopping were pretty bad with brain zaps and light headedness. Those have now gone, but I am going through some desperate spells of loneliness and malaise that are not like the depression, but are still horrid. Will these pass? It has now been ten weeks since I stopped taking the tablets. I'm frightened of going to my doctor in case he recommends I go back on the sertraline, which is the last thing I want to do. I've read that with some people it takes at least three months for side-effects to stop completely, so I'll give it a few more weeks before seeing my GP.

Hi everyone

I've been on sertraline for the last 4yrs, I have had it

rough the last 6 months. The doctor advised me to change my meds. I am half way through coming off sertraline, I am feeling light headed, sick and just unwell is this normal. Don't know how long I can keep feeling like this for.

i was diagnosed phobic disorder and was put  on sicam 1/2 tab  2 months and sertraline 50mg for 8 months, but  i continued sertaline 50 mg and there is no doubt it had remarkable difference on me, i felt no fear and anxiety, but now i just want to stop sertraline, can i take 50mg tablet into half i.e it will turn to 25 mg is it ok to take half or buy 25 mg tab. please help and guide me in this regard.