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My experience of coming off sertraline

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Guest
Guest

I have found this site very helpful during the period that I was taking sertraline and felt I should share my experiences of coming off the drug, in the hope that they may be of help to others.

I was diagnosed with depression last year and have been on 200mg of sertraline for approx 10 months. I also had some therapy during this period and recently took the decision (with my doctor's support) to come off the medication. Wary of repeating the experiences some other posters on this site have had I resolved to reduce my dosage gradually over a period of about a month (more gradually than suggested by my doctor).

Each week I reduced the dosage by 50mg a day. So week one I went down to 150mg a day, week 2 100mg a day etc. The first two weeks were fine with no real changes. By the end of week 3 I began to feel a bit light headed, with hot sweats and dry-mouth also returning. As a result I remained on this dose another week instead of stopping altogether in week 4.

I have now been 5 days with no sertraline and have found the experience of quitting surprisingly easy. I still feel a little light-headed now and again, but other side effects I suffered during the full dose (yawning, tiredness, sexual dysfunction) have all but gone, and although I kind of miss the 'wrapped in cotton wool' feeling I am glad to be back to life without medication.

For what its worth I would suggest that gradual reduction of dosage is the most effective way to avoid the worse of the side-effects experienced when coming off sertraline and that the good news (for me anyway) has been the speed at which the side-effects disappeared.

31 likes, 450 replies

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  • deeebeee
    deeebeee Guest

    Posted

    Oh I'm so glad you were able to successfully get off Sertraline.  I, however, am terrified as I've been on it for 20 years!!!  200mg/day also.  Prior to finding Zoloft/Sertraline I went through a hideous clinical depression and tried many anti-depressants that worked for a week or two, then back into the deep depression.  I tried Wellbutrin, Prozac.  The best for me was Nardil (an MAOI Inhibitor) which gave me energy ... despite the dietary restrictions it was so worth it.

    I don't know if you still follow this, but wondered if you've gone onto another anti-d.?  My problem with Sertraline is that I truly believe (and have heard) it has screwed up my Melatonin so I can no longer sleep at night.  What a hell.  

  • izzyx
    izzyx Guest

    Posted

    I too am attempting to quit sertraline, though the dosage I've been on (since around this time last year) is a bit lower than others on this post! 50mg once a day, and because there are no lower dose tablets than this I've been chopping the tablets in half and taking 25mg instead, have been doing this for nearly a week now. I feel a bit light headed at the moment but nothing debilitating. I am going to soon start taking half a tablet every other day for a few weeks, then reduce it to every 2 or 3 days, and so on and so forth. Hopefully it will work out! I don't feel like I emotionally need it anymore, it's just the physical effects of withdrawal I hate!
  • Daddee777
    Daddee777 Guest

    Posted

    Sounds like a plan to me Izzy. It's a good idea to ask a couple of people you trust, and who you have contact with regularly, to let you know if your behaviour changes significantly as it is hard to spot this yourself. If you are aiming to come off meds altogether you need to make sure that you eat well, do some regular exercise (preferably something you enjoy and do with others) and keep yourself busy - sitting around on your own is a recipe for disaster for anyone, let alone someone who is vulnerable to depression/anxiety. The more interest you take in other people, and the more you are out and about, the happier you will be. Good luck x
  • ju78852
    ju78852 Guest

    Posted

    Hi M Guest,

    Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It's really helped me with my transition weaning off of sertraline.

    May I ask if you are still antidepressant free?

    Thanks

    • Blu02
      Blu02 ju78852

      Posted

      Hi Ju, I'm pretty certain 'M Guest' doesn't come on this forum anymore 😔
  • colin_58991
    colin_58991 Guest

    Posted

    Hi there, your stories are so interesting. I have been fighting depression for over two years having had a horrendous time at work with a bullying control freak boss and an impossible workload finally cracking me up after several near misses in the previous year. My doctors put me on 50mg of sertraline a year ago and I have felt the benefits during this period although I did get the electric shocks, find difficulty in sleeping and put on weight. I knew about the first three but the weight gain I only found out about on reading this which is a bit of a bonus because I will hopefully lose some when I eventually get off the damned things. My doctor advised halving my dose but recommended doing this starting at the end of January as it would take a month or two to complete this. She advised that January was the worst month to come off anti depressants as a lot of people get very maudling any way and by the time I complete the remaining course of tablets it would be end of March which is better weather, temperature and light wise and will improve mood and general wellbeing. This is how I have started

    Week 1 - Reduce dose to 1 a day for 3 days thethaen half a pill on the fourth day ) One Pill a day until start of next week.

    Week 2 - Reduce dose to 1 a day for 2 days than half a pill on third day. Do this twice and then 1 pill on last day.

    week 3 - Reduce dose to 1 a day for 1 day than half a pill on second day. Finish week by taking one pill on last day

    Week 4 - Reduce to half a pill a day (reduction to 50% dose)

    This is where I currently am and am noticing the following. I seem to be more edgy this week, whether this is because I told my boss to stick her job up her arse I don't know!!!!! But the reduction is 25% of dose so it could be this. I am sleeping better but still get the electric shocks. My hands and feet will twitch involuntarily (does anyone else get this) and sometimes as I am dropping off to sleep I have a massive jump and I mean massive, the wife jumps out of her skin!!!!

    I'm about to start on half a pill a day next week missing the fourth day completely and so on week after week.

    I shal let you know how it go's.

    • Daddee777
      Daddee777 colin_58991

      Posted

      Hi Colin. It sounds as though you are managing your condition positively, well done, and have a supportive and sensible GP, which is great. Don't be in too much of a rush to reduce your dose. I would look at reducing by 25mg every week at the most. Drugs have an aggregated effect so, just as it takes 2/3 weeks for them to kick in and then they seem to suddenly work, you need to manage a gradual reduction so that you don't get sudden withdrawal reactions.

      Try and have an honest look at the rest of your situation as well, because the meds are only part of the solution. Do you eat healthily? Are you active? Do you get out and about and mix with other people? Do you help other people? Do you need to find a different job? Do you make time to indulge your passion/s? (sport, music, art, travel, machines, whatever... ). Anyway, hope it all works out really well for you.

  • bret83814
    bret83814 Guest

    Posted

    I took 50mg everyday for 5+yrs and I just quit two weeks ago cold turkey.  I am having light headness, light headache and slight dizzyness.  I have noticed that I am not falling asleep durring the day as much as I was before.  At this point I am wondering should I just stay the course or take one every few days to get though the side effects I am having right now, but will that just put me back like I am on them?  I am thinking these effects should pass soon and I should just stay the course.  Any advise from anyone out there? 
    • Blu02
      Blu02 bret83814

      Posted

      Hi Bret, if you're still having problems with withdrawals you could try starting up again with a smaller dose, say 25mg, for a week or two then leave a day between doses then if all goes well 2 days between doses etc and see if that works! I hear it can take a while to get out of the system.
  • MalcElst
    MalcElst Guest

    Posted

    I have come off Sertraline via the cold turkey method, after being on it for 7 months. I was previously on Citalopram for 3 years previous to the Sertraline and I have decided enough is enough. I just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced the 'teary' or emotional side effect and if so, how long did it last? I can cope with it but it can be a little embarrassing when daddy starts to well up at Peppa Pig or something... The tingling and dizziness has also began to annoy me so maybe if I go to the Docs he may perscribe me another lifter to get over the side effects of the previous lifters? This forum really helped as I read through all your stories and suggestions, thanks. 
  • wassilly
    wassilly Guest

    Posted

    This is exactly what I'm doing right now! I'm a 26 yr old Male. Been on 200mg for 6months, then 100mg for another 6months and now I'm trying to taper down. Did you or anyone reading this experience shortness of breath on reducing dose? And if so did it go? I have been on 75mg for 3 weeks now and I am still having breathing troubles. 

    Best 

    Jack 

  • jo87025
    jo87025 Guest

    Posted

    Hello,  Just want to say how glad I am to find a forum like this one.  There is , as you know,  a great deal of misleading, overgeneralized info on the web. Most folks here, all? haven't read all... are reporting simply their experience, and I can i.d. with many. I feel that after a year on setroline, it's weighing me down (yes with weight, but can't fully blame the pill). It was a great drug to get me through a rough time, and now I feel very low, I am pretty sure, from it. Low, not like the depression or anxiety, but an inablity to motivate. More so than ever. I am also taking, as a complement, adderall. That, for adhd, which I clearly have as an adult. And that med, taken with caution on my part, is very effective. Anway, it is hard to convice my psychpharm that I want to go off. She is great, and thinks in this time , I should stay on. This weekend, I forgot to take my meds. (and took them out twice). I am NOT going cold turkey. Did that many years ago with a much lower, short term dosage, but I am encouraged here to ween off the meds. And if I find out in a month something is still needed, so be it. Anway, thanks again everyone for adding your two cents here. J
  • jo87025
    jo87025 Guest

    Posted

    Hello, Just made a post but not sure it was to "guest", the origin of this thread. Just thanks for writing such a clear, sane, reaction. Have been looking for others who were ready to get off for similar reasons, and found plenty here, as a result of your original note. 
  • christina74499
    christina74499 Guest

    Posted

    I had been on Sertraline for 7 months I was only on 50mg and I started to cut down on them over a few weeks and took the last one last Friday!!!! I have been having  hot sweats  dry mouth and  light headed I did not think I would get all this with only being on 50mg.

    Can someone tell how long will these things last , I must say I feel great and in a better place then 7months ago. Reading this forum has stopped me from thinking I was going madcool

  • Sarangha
    Sarangha Guest

    Posted

    Hi,

    I am new to this group and have been on Sertraline for 1 year. I started on a very low dosage because I was scared of taking medication for my depression.

    I was diagnosed with depression from the time I was 17 years old. I did everything I could to overcome (journal, work out, social outing) but last year I had severe depression and suicidal thoughts. At 35 I decided to start taking medication because I felt I could not fight anymore. I took it and slept as I went through the headaches and drowsiness/ after a month, my body adjusted and I have been on the pill till now (100MG). I like the fact that I am calmer and happier but I enjoy doing research, therefore I landed in this forum and I wanted to read about long term side effects.

    I am very thankful for everything that is being shared because I wanted to be knowledgeable to receive care if any of the symptoms that were mentioned were to surface.

    Thank you guys for sharing!

    I hope to continue to read and learn from you guys so that I can continue to do well!

    Best

    Sarangha

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