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Sertraline Withdrawal .. Does it go away?

Posted , 276 users are following.

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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  • emma86257
    emma86257 meteor63

    Posted

    Hi,

    Can't offer any advice unfortunately but I'm also having problems.

    Have been on 50mg for 6 months or so, and am trying to taper off. Went down to 25mg for a few weeks, and then to nothing for the last week. I'm struggling with headaches, dizziness and nausea which started yesterday and have got worse today.

    Wondering whether to try and stick it out, or go back to 25mg and try and taper more slowly. Advice and experiences greatly appreciated.

    Thanks

  • Lizardgravy
    Lizardgravy meteor63

    Posted

    I have been off Zoloft for 3 years and it has definitely gotten better. I still have nightly rants of screaming and non stop talking, sometimes repeating myself over and over again. It's been hard on my marriage. I sometimes have low mood, depression and sad thoughts during the day. I retired early because it gave me osteoporosis and have had many bone fractures. But they all healed nicely. When I feel a rant coming on I drink decaffeinated hot tea and read books from the library which give me focus. You will

    get better as I have, it just takes time.

  • michael14116
    michael14116 meteor63

    Posted

    My husband has Sertraline as his new antidepressant * so far it seems to be helping him. He was on Duloxetine for 2 or 3 years & no-one believed it wasn't suiting him, All the doctors could do was telephone consultations and none were his doctor. So he was passed from pillar to post with his prescription going up and down like a yo-yo!

    We eventually found a sympathetic doctor & he was weaned off Duloxetine, the worst week being the one where you are having no tablets at all. These last weeks are horrible but once he started his sertraline he has begun to pick up.

    Not much help to you I'm sure but he is now absolutely exhausted all day , could this be Sertraline's revenge?

    If you can feel better without the medication then I would stay off them.....I have been on mine for more than 24 years now, which I find disappointing.

  • carmella36657
    carmella36657 meteor63

    Posted

    hi there I'm I need of help asap I feel like I don't know what to do. I came of sertraline about 3 months ago and stopped them to quickly started feeling really depressed again and my anxiety had got really bad again same with my ocd symptoms got so much worse. So I thought I would start the sertraline again at 50mg . Last Thursday I took one tablet at night about 8pm and then took another on Friday around the same time and then by 2am I was having the worst panic attack of my life didn't know what was happening to me? then I had uncontrollable crying and the worst depression feeling I've ever had. my hand started sweating uncontrollably, I had these type of tremors and shaking throughout my whole body. I became so confused I didn't know what was going on around me and when someone would talk to me I could hardly respond to them. also have a feeling of being scared to my stomach like a really strange feeling in my chest. my skin feels on fire sometimes and I have a crushing feeling all over my body. I also had a seizure type feeling is the only way I can explain it. this has been going on since last Thursday and seems to be not getting any better at all. I've also got an upset stomach and sick and haven't been able to eat a single thing since last Thursday so 7 days now not being able to eat and I have to force myself to drink. I also havent been able to sleep properly since waking up in a complete mess feeling like the world is going to end then having sweating, tremors, shaking panicking with all the symptoms I said before. it seems to get worse at about 6pm and lasts for hours. please someone help I don't know what to do and I'm so scared. the doctors keep wanting to put me on other medicines but I'm to scared to go on anything else after this. Will this ever stop? I feel the most ill I've ever felt in my life please someone help.

  • bigd24434
    bigd24434 meteor63

    Posted

    Hi all, I was on Sertraline for 8 months in total - 3months 50mg, 3 months 25 mg, 1 month 12.5 mg, 1 month 6 mg. I had some low level tinnitus which started with taking Sertraline so I was keen to get off it again.

    Unfortunately when I stopped the drug the tinnitus ramped up drastically. I am now 6 months off the drug and the tinnitus is not quite as bad as at first but it's still there and ramping up my anxiety.

    Just wondering has anyone developed tinnitus after coming off this or any other ssri and has it went away again?

    Stay strong everyone.

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