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Sertraline Withdrawal .. Does it go away?

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meteor63
meteor63

Hi. I just wondered if anyone had been through sertraline withdrawal and got better? I look on the internet and can't find anything positive about ssri withdrawal, particularly sertraline. I guess when people stop posting, it means they've got better. All I seem to see is posts from people who've been suffering for months or longer. I just want some hope.

I was on citalopram last year (first ever anti depressant) and came off it after 2 months because I had terrible reactions to it. A week later I was put on sertraline and reacted terribly to that too (I'm still suffering the side effects).

I took my last sertraline 3 weeks ago. My top dose was 100mg and I was going nuts. I dropped down to 50mg for about 5 weeks, 25mg for 2 weeks and 25mg every other day for a week.

Since then (and during titration) I have been having brain zaps all day every day and every time I move my eyes. I'm more exhausted than I've ever been in my life. I have sweats. I have worse sinus problems than I've ever had. I have loads of pressure behind and around my left eye. I can barely look at the television or read. I have long crying bouts. All this on top of the existing hideous and ongoing side effects which are worse than withdrawal.

I was on sertraline for a total of about 3.5 months and have been off 3.5 weeks. I've heard the average for withdrawal symptoms is around 6 weeks but can be much longer. Given my extreme sensitivity to medication, I'm afraid that I may be one if the unlucky ones. I was much better before I took any meds.

I'm taking loads of fish oil and magnesium, eating healthily and drinking lots of water. I was trying to be positive but am becoming less positive by the day.

Anyone else experienced this and recovered? I can't bear the thought of going on any more meds because I can't tolerate them.

Thank you.

31 likes, 714 replies

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  • FormerMarine74
    FormerMarine74 meteor63

    Posted

    TAKING SERTRALINE FOR 10 YEARS ON 200MG A DAY, I DECIDED JUST TO STOP BECAUSE I COULDNT GET TO PHARMACY FOR MY REPEAT. 

    BEEN SERTRALINE FREE FOR 2 MONTHS NOW, APART FROM VIVID NIGHT TERRORS NOW AND AGAIN, EVERYTHING IS FINE, FEEL MUCH BETTER IN MYSELF AND HAVE LOTS MORE ENERGY THAN WALKING AROUND LIKE A ZOMBIE FOR THE LAST DECADE

     

  • Shed1976
    Shed1976 meteor63

    Posted

    Hi everyone, new to the forum and keen to get your thoughts. I've been on 200mg per day for around a year now. I've been on Sertraline since 2002. My initial dose was 100mg per day and over the years it's been increased, each time as a result of stress-related breakdowns (due to my working environment) 

    Since my last bout of illness at the end of last year, I have completely revamped my working life and feel I have finally achieved the correct balance. The last few months have been the happiest of my life.

    So my attention turned to reducing my medication. The doctor said 200mg is the maximum dose I can take. I don't suffer any side effects at all and, having spent the last few years working hard to lose 3 stones, do not want to be put onto any other medication, as I understand they all have weight gain as a side effect. Gaining weight would definitely put me on a downward spiral!

    I feel as if, while helping me, the medication 'holds me to ransom.' I know you'll know what I mean when I say that. I would like to have 'wriggle room', the ability to increase the Sertraline if I ever need to in the future.

    I decided, with doctor's approval, to cut down extremely slowly. On a Monday for 6 weeks I'd take 150mg instead of 200mg, then after 6 weeks cut down on a Tuesday to 150mg and so on. I felt very little change after cutting down for 6 weeks on a Monday, now I'm 5 weeks into cutting down on the Tuesday too.

    I am acutely aware of everything I'm feeling, as obviously, I don't want to fall ill again. I'm experiencing some zaps behind my left eye and the world just doesn't seem so bright anymore. I basically don't feel as 'up' as I did a few weeks ago and although I'm laughing at things because I KNOW they are funnny, I'm not FEELING it. Nothing has changed in my life other than reducing the medication, so that has to be the reason I feel I'm struggling a bit.

    It would be easy to tought it out if I knew there would be an end point and this is as bad as it will get. Trouble is, I don't know on either front. I'm scared it gets worse, I start becoming irritable and unable to function properly.

    The doctor says I should go back up to 200mg, but I don't want to 'give in' when I've come this far. I'd be happy knowing I've managed the Monday and Tuesday cut, then think about the Wednesday when spring (and more light) come around.

    I feel as though I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Everyone around me says 'you were great on the 200mg, you coped brilliantly with whatever was thrown at you.' I worry though, where would I go next? I can't increase any further on Sertraline. It's on my mind all the time, so an advice would be gratefully received. Thank you everyone x

    So, I came up with a plan which would see a super-gradual taper down. I decided on a Monday, to take 150mg and after a 4 weeks, do that on a Tuesday too, until I was taking 150mg every day. Surely, I thought, a 7 month long process would mean I wouldn't notice?

    • meteor63
      meteor63 Shed1976

      Posted

      Hello shed

      im not sure that yo-yoing around with doses is a good idea. It creates chaos. That every other thing that doctors suggest is a really bad idea.

      you could go on the surviving antidepressants website and ask for advice there.

      good luck.

  • Guest
    Guest meteor63

    Posted

    Same symptoms as so many of you. Thank you for the detailed posts. Just knowing these crazy abnormal withdrawal symptoms are "normal" helps a lot. I am amazed how such a small dose 10mg vs none is the difference between me being functional with mild symptoms, to being near needing external intervention or institutionalization. Will try fish oil suggestion. Thank you so much. You are all very brave. 
    • angela2014
      angela2014 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Warren, am taking St Johns Wort, Fish oil, zinc and vit B.  (no Zoloft, or Effexor, or anything, now for 4 months.).Wish I had done this earlier.  Lets hope it helps for me.  I am expecting this will last for over 12 months for me....  I feel awful.
    • meteor63
      meteor63 Guest

      Posted

      Sorry for the late reply, warren.

      10mg isn't really a small dose, as psychiatrists suggest. you can go a lot lower than that.

      the surviving antidepressants website recommend 10% of your current dose every 3-6 weeks.

  • elsieg75
    elsieg75 meteor63

    Posted

    I am going threw the transition ov changing from sertraline was on 150mg 2 weeks ago feel like crap now down to 50mg to me that's to fast ave been on them for 5 years my head is everywhere right now start new tablets Friday hope my stomach settles an I can sleep an these headaches ease up sad 
    • Shed1976
      Shed1976 elsieg75

      Posted

      Hi, I know everyone's situation is unique, but in my opinion, you've been reducing far too quickly. Not sure if you read my last post, but I've been on 200mg for a year now and have got to week 11 of reduction. For first 6 weeks I cut down to 150mg on a Monday only, then week 7-11 I added the Tuesday too. It's now Wednesday week 11 and I have been suffering horrible withdrawls, mainly over last 3 weeks. Sweating, feeling sick, cracking headaches (on left side) and anxiety have been the worst. Along with laughing at things because I KNOW they're funny, but not actually being able to 'feel' they're funny. I can't allow myself to get any worse, because if the obsessive thoughts and rages return it's game over as far as being able to function at work is concerned. I am returning to 200mg and plan to try again in the spring when there's more light. I will also only cut on the Monday for a much longer period than 6 weeks. I know I upset and frustrate people close to me because to them it's simple, 'take the medication, it keeps you well and you don't suffer any side effects.' That is true, and a big part of me agrees the easiest thing is to keep taking the tablets, but I worry about long-term use and where I'd go if I have another crash further down the line as I'm on the top level of this medication. I often think it'd be easier to be a bit thick because then I'd just take the meds without question. Or maybe I'm the stupid one for not just doing that in the first place?! LOL, what a to-do!
    • Guest
      Guest Shed1976

      Posted

      Agreed. I think Homer Simpson said it best "Shut up brain or I'll poke you with a Q-tip".

      Definitely helps to try to keep a sense of humour, even it it is "artificial" - they say "fake it until you make it" and I think forcing a little levity can help.

      Your comments about slowing down the rate of meds reduction certainly rings true here also.. SSRI's not only reduces the rate at which the body breaks down seritonine, but making more seritonine available causes our body to create more receptors. This takes weeks, and so both adding more meds or reducing should generally be a processes measured in months, not a few weeks, and certainly not in days.

      Like you say, everyone reacts differently, but a bell curve is a bell curve and most people should benefit from slower withdrawal.

      Looked at another way, there isn't much downside to withdrawing too slow, but there certainly are big issues with withdrawing too fast.

      I am no expert (other than having suffered symptions from changing meds and managing withdrawals currently), but for anyone looking to come off SSRI's I would throw out a suggestion of a withdrawal plan that is at least as long as you've been taking the meds, up to a max of 1 year. So if you've been on them 18 months, take one year to withdraw.. if on them for 9 months, then take 9 months to withdraw. 

      Again, not an expert, but I've experienced withdrawing too fast and having to go back on, then wait for symptoms to subside, then try to taper again, and it would have been less tramatic if I had put a 1 year plan together and stuck to it.

      Probably the biggest unknown beyond withdrawal is what happens when we are off the meds ... there was SOME reason we went on them.. and this is different for everyone too. but that is a who nuther journey in itself..

    • angela2014
      angela2014 Shed1976

      Posted

      So good to feel support from those going through it too.  It would be easier going back on the meds, but the meds have too many side effects for me. They have caused manic depression, out of depression, given me high blood pressure, and make my brain "thick".  And i still felt depressed on them?
    • meteor63
      meteor63 elsieg75

      Posted

      Sorry I haven't replied until now. I'm struggling.  I'm sorry you're having a bad time. It sounds like you're going too fast. The withdrawal websites recommend tapering by 10% of your current dose every 3-6 weeks. Surviving antidepressants has good tapering advice.
    • elsieg75
      elsieg75 Shed1976

      Posted

      Sorry for just replying to you just starting to feel a bit real again withdrawal symptoms are still bad but not as bad as they where I have cut down to 30mg of my new tablets just until I start to feel normal again thank you for your advice very much appreciated 
  • angela2014
    angela2014 meteor63

    Posted

    hello, stick to it.  You are doing well.  I am also going through withdrawal, Getting off Efexor was the worst, but now off the Zoloft for about 4 months.  I now know why I am nauseaous, lethargic, sad.  It is terrible to hear you have only been on the tablets for 3.5 months.  My history has been on and off antidepressants for 18 years.  Now i know they were causeing the problem, not fixing it.  But so damn hard, feeling so low.
    • meteor63
      meteor63 angela2014

      Posted

      Thanks Angela

      im so sorry for what you're going through.

      I was only on for a short time but there is more to my story. It started in September 2013 when I went on citalopram and I quickly developed severe akathisia which I still have and a host of other terrible side effects. I was given valium to take as needed at the time. I only took it occasionally but it seemed to make me more anxious if anything.

      After coming off the Citalopram, I was put on both seroquel and sertraline and I became even worse than I already was. I was told I must keep taking my tablets and all the time I was getting sicker. I was later given lorazepam. It actually helped me. I hardly ever took it because I was scared of it. I was taking it here and there and three times I took it 2 days in a row. Even though I hardly ever took it I hit tolerance really quickly and the drug turned on me.

      I think I have withdrawal from all three drugs. It's impossible to know which did what. I highly suspect the sertraline did me in though as very soon after I stopped taking it, withdrawal slammed me.

      i tried a small reinstatement but stopped it in mid June.

      Im somewhere between 5 and 6 months off all drugs and am dreadfully ill. I just hope this gets better.

       

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