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Sertraline withdrawal after short term use

Posted , 4 users are following.

Sandpiper90
Sandpiper90

I had been on medication for 13 years and slowly came off everything and was medication free for 6 months and doing well when I started becoming really anxious again. My GP suggested trying Sertraline. I took 50mg for one month and found the side effects too unpleasant (headaches, insomnia, excessive perspiration) so decided to come off it. My GP told me to take 25mg for 3 days and then stop. It’s been 1.5 weeks and I have been experiencing serious nausea, dizziness and vertigo, particularly when standing. I also feel very derealized and keep having waves of panic and anxiety. I’ve also had terrible diarrhea for the last week. My doctor told me it wasn’t the medication and that I wasn’t on it for long enough for it to cause withdrawal symptoms. She thought I could have a bug and took a blood test but that came back negative. I know what medication withdrawal feels like and this feels like withdrawal - could being on the medication for such a short time still cause withdrawals? I don’t really trust by dr tbh. 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • lynn260
    lynn260 Sandpiper90

    Posted

    I have been on Sertraline for 7 months. In January I started to come down from 150mg and am now taking 25mg since last week. The withdrawal is horrific. Dizziness, waterlogged head, anxiety, head pressure, etc. 

    Although you were on a lower dose, I still think you are suffering from withdrawal. Doctors are good at handing out pills but not good at advising people about withdrawal. 

    I have been advised to revert to liquid Prozac and withdraw from that.  Let me know how it goes for you.

  • monna93589
    monna93589 Sandpiper90

    Posted

    Hi there,

    I was on Sertralin for 18 years but anxiety crept back on me. I started Sertralin but couldn’t handle the side effects - had terrible nausea and anxiety was just crazy. So much benzodiazepines didn’t even help. I was on 125 mg and did not wean off but stopped cold turkey and went straight to Cymbalta. That’s what my psychiatrist told me to do. And I feel rubbish. I feel anxious, so so anxious, I’m nauseated, I feel I have a fever, I’m shaking. 

    Not sure what this is but it is not nice at all! Let’s follow each other’s progress.

    • monna93589
      monna93589

      Posted

      Oh and took it for only 15 days.
  • Belle1993
    Belle1993 Sandpiper90

    Posted

    I’m having the exact same symptoms as your having unfortunately😭I take 25mg for anxiety and have been doing for 4/5 weeks now because I’m too scared to increase on them🙄I keep thinking I feel better and then my symptoms come back and hit me like a tonne of bricks xx

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