Sertraline Withdrawal .. Does it go away?

Hi

I am now on day 6 off stopping Sertraline, I too have been doing a lot of research into SSRI’s etc for anxiety and depression, I am aiming to be drug free within the next 6 weeks, got Diazipan and Mirtazapine to kick after this Sertraline withdrawal.

I am going down the psychological route and now strongly believe that long term use of these meds are not the answer, yes I’m suffering withdrawal and will coming off the other two as well but personally I think with the right mind set , support and determination a lot of us can be med free which can only be a good thing.

I am not in anyway insulting or demeaning anyone using these meds and having a good life on them but for me and many others I’m willing to try a more natural approach, I may fail but I’m gonna give it my best shot !

Good luck to anyone who is making this decision too , it’s not an easy one but I wish you well.

Read David Burns - feeling good , it certainly opened my eyes 👀 

Matt 

Also Lost Connections - Johann Hari , totalling amazing!

To all those above coming off sertraline

i came off last year after taking for 3 years. I followed the 10% tapering method (that's dropping 10% of your dose for a month then another 10% of what left each month and so on until I was on a minute dose - approx 5mg (you can get liquid to help with this). It took about 5-6 months to come off altogether but I avoided all the withdrawal symptoms and often lasting damage that can be caused by coming off too and tapering quickly. 

IMO well worth the patience it needs to do it this way but it is well researched for a safe withdrawal, hope my experience is of some help.

thank you for responding!

I wanted to stop taking it because I didn't like how I was feeling. I know 50 mg was pretty low, but about 6 weeks after I started that dose, I couldn't sleep, I was agitated, I would lay in bed rocking myself back and forth, and my head was just way out of whack!! this medicine was not for me.  I am fortunate that I feel my anxiety and depression was due to situations..and now that I have dealt with them I feel like I can move on. I am really glad to hear that you are doing better!!! and I agree.....I don't want to be on a medicine to control my happiness. and the sad thing is, I really have nothing to be unhappy about!!! I have a nice life, my kids are incredible, I am a stay home mom to my two school age kids and I have older kids from a previous marriage that are very successful!! so sometimes I don't even know what my problem is....other than it has nothing to do with all that. its my thinking that needs the change.

To Billy08333 and any other people suffering/worrying due to Setraline.

I choose to stop taking Setraline due to a huge list of negative side affects and the unbelievable damage and confusion I was having daily.

I had no relevant short term memory, it was common to lose money, keys, phones, medication and any judgement about time.

I found my eyesight had dramatically improved, I need glasses to see signs in the distance but amazingly this disappeared whilst taking Setraline. I was becoming conscious about things I was doing like suddenly finding myself in the supermarket at 4am with a load of groceries I had no memory of how or why. Continually withdrawing cash from the ATM with no real understanding why. I could leave home in the morning and travel for under an hour and lose my phone, wallet and keys, I was mislaying everything.. even leaving cash in the drawer of the ATM.

I repeatedly told parents and friends I was losing my mind. Most things I was doing I have zero recollection, phone calls, texts and letters were a disaster.

Everything was falling apart and I had no control.

My doctor could not provide any answers, just a request to keep going, things would change for the better.

Eventually I decided to stop, I couldn't do it any more, I felt so lost, isolated and alone. To be honest I was going insane. The sudden withdrawal was horrendous, doctors only told me that I couldn't just stop the medication, it was dangerous.

Setraline is highly addictive, maybe not physically although I was shaking and sweating and unable to eat. Psychological addiction is ridiculous, if you do not take Setraline daily the thoughts and feelings are living hell.

Suicide, Murder, Aggression were very real thoughts.. life was unbearable.

Its been OVER 6 months since I took Setraline and I would say I'm back to around 75 percent normality, I don't know if the damage is reversible.

I no longer discuss it with doctors as they simply do not want to talk about it, the best opinion I received was Setraline was nothing more than a sedative, something to mask the depression.

Setraline states its only for the 'RELIEF OF SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION '

Like paracetamol relieves toothache, you still need a dentist, except in this case the alternative treatment is CBT which only HAS a 40 percent success rate at best and only if you receive it quickly, psychologists are busy people these days.

Your doctor may diagnose you with depression, but there is no quantifiable way to check, no blood test or anything measurable.

At best it's your guess that doctors act on. Prescribing SSRIS is also a wild guess, doctors only receive a clinical handbook on these medications, the time required is beyond our understanding. Once you have a prescription you then wait to see a psychiatrist/psychologist. The longer you have to wait the more time the psychotropic medication is controlling your mind.

The mind has to heal correctly and in my personal opinion Setraline and other such medication are a feeble substitute for a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet, avoiding all substances is imperative.

I wish you all the very best.

Hi Billy,

Sorry to hear about the withdrawal's that you went through. Doctors don't seem to explain the withdrawal to their patients after coming off zoloft. I was perscribed zoloft when I was getting such bad panic and anxiety atracks from my health, my brother in law stage 4 esophagus cancer that spread to his brain then myself finding him dead. Also at the same time taking care of his mother with dementia for four years straight , doing everything 24/7. I was drained and still am. And it's been almost six months since the passing of my mother in law. My health has gotten a little better, not 100%. But I can cope now. I decided I want to be normal again. Well at least I thought that I was some what normal. Lol

I was originally on 50mg, then 100mg, then 150mg all without follow ups by my ob/gyn. So, I had phoned to speak and a really rude receptionist saying the dr was no longer with them. The new doctors wouldn't even get on the phone. To make a long story a little short. I had already started weening off ( thank goodness) or I would be f***ed up. So right now I do go through a little brain fog and tiredness. But I'm a strong person. I will deal with this withdrawal until I am completely free of this medication. Never, ever again !.

Right now I am on less then 12mg. I do it slowly , I cut a little off ever two weeks or so. It's been almost six months but I'm doing it gradually. Sorry again what you also went through. I do know from research that " never" go cold turkey off of this medication. If you need someone to talk too, I am here as well.

I think all these medications cause problems when coming down off them. I had mirtazapine and six months later still getting symptoms, nightmares, anxiety etc.  I think its a bit better but i am now so aware of any aches, pains or nausea i get, its out of,proportion

Agree 100 % , I feel everything now. Things that used to pass as a thought now register as pain and discomfort. Honestly feels like my nervous system reactes to every nerve ending.

Possibly because these medications have similar attributes such as psychotropic and psychoactive reactions.

Personally I believe this is a very serious unwanted side affect that certain people are still trying to hide from user's.

Just looking over oldmessages, wondering if you are doing ok.  I am six months off but still need diazepam for anxiety.  Some days decent still some not.  Have you left all this behind het

Hi there Ann, sorry to hear your not fully clear and free yet, time seems to be the only important factor unfortunately. It's been nearly 7 months now since I last used Setraline/Zoloft, or any other medication. I chose to avoid absolutely everything, not even aspirin or paracetamol, vitamins or supplements. Nil by mouth so to speak. Zero alcohol or any substances. Still smoking im afraid, a battle for another time. My weight is ridiculously high, never been so out of shape in my entire life, still bald too lol. Relationship status is permanently single, I don't see my sex drive returning any time soon, wouldn't know if any of that is related though. I'm just trying to remain in a positive state of mind, that's probably my main long term goal.

I went back to my doctor months ago to discuss various pain and discomfort, restless legs and elbows mainly. The only SAFE medication available was Mirtazipine according to her, I refused. I really don't want any more neurological medication in any form.

My sleeping pattern is pretty non exsistant, returning to employment is still just a vague hope at present, soon hopefully.

To be honest I just do not trust medical practice in any way now, I find it hard to believe I was the only patient who had severe issues with SSRI medication. The closest answer I could get was that my doctor thinks anti depressants are nothing more than sedatives at best.

Since there was no test for a ' low or imbalanced SEROTONIN level ' I am sure this is merely pseudo science. Psychotropic medication gets you high and you start to forget about problems, that's all. It's a extremely dangerous gamble created by pharmaceutical companies and played by doctors, there is no real solution, we were all lied to. I do wish I had a less bitter answer but the information only seems to point one way. As always I may be completely wrong, its only my opinion, I have searched everywhere for information, its not easy to find anything subjectively credible. I am surprised to hear you were prescribed diazepam though, it's not regarded as safe at all anymore due to the risk of addiction and liver damage.. ( dosage dependant ).

I wish you all the very best Ann, hopefully your 6 months will pass quickly and you start to live pill free, its the only positive way I know, it's been a difficult lesson to accept. I can only hope my experience was pretty unique, I don't want to think about more people going through this turmoil, especially since it was meant to be a solution in the first place, if only I had the choice to make again.

Please take everything I have said with a pinch of salt, I do believe the reaction I had is highly irregular.

Please keep your head up and get through the remaining months quickly and your experience will be behind you, enjoy life again !!!

I am still suffering from anxiety and some depression, also nausea.  Seven months offf mirtazapine.  They have tried ssri, snri, even augmented with seroquel. They dont know whats wrong with me thatsnthe answer and i dont fit thr standard issue.  I am left here with diazepam only and trying to keep it below 8/9 mg.  yesterday 1mg.  Day before 5mg. It varies so much on whether imget a good sleep or not.   Got me on prochloperazine 3mg for nausea, makes me drowsy. What do,i say to psych s

who cant fix me, and his arsenal is all these horrid meds? I am lost.