Sertraline withdrawal please help
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi
Quick back story, was on Citalopran for 14 years on and off had a breakdown last June was put on Sertraline 7 weeks ago , 50mg 1st week the 100mg then upto 200mg , had a seizure psychiatrist dropped me down to 100mg had another seizure dropped down to 50mg had a partial seizure (Pusdo seizures) went into mental health ward for a week and have now stopped Sertraline its day 10 now , having withdrawals, brain zaps , upset tummy, no energy, feeling very low , can’t get out for walks due to lost confidence, how long will the withdrawal last ? Any tips on helping the symptoms?
Also take 15mg Mirtazapine at night and in the process of weaning off Diazipan, was on 5mg 3 times a day now taking 5mg in the morning and 2.5mg in the afternoon.
Don’t know how much longer I can stand this , please if you have any positive feedback please take the time to reply , I want off all this poison and have registered these withdrawals on the Yellow Card on the FDA , if you have experienced any harsh side effects/ withdrawal please report them too.
Thank you
Matt
0 likes, 68 replies
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
How are things? I’ve had a terrible night. My head feels awful. The withdrawal seems to be getting worse. Do you think I will turn a corner soon? I still can’t believe this is only withdrawal. It is so brutal.😂
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
Yes it’s withdrawal.
When I stopped smoking the first couple of weeks weren’t too bad but then for 4 weeks after it was horrible, coughing, headaches, not sleeping and generally feeling agitated and low and that was just nicotine, imagine the fight your body brain is going through to readjust to the chemicals of Sertraline not being there anymore , remember when you started them , 4-6 weeks for them to get into our system properly so it makes sense it’ll be the same with them leaving the body.
I had a good day yesterday apart from the morning which always seem worse for me , we went out for the day to look around the shops and then visited a friend then Tesco, I drove ! All of these things I haven’t been able to do for weeks and weeks.
This morning I feel tired and low but small improvements will become bigger as the weeks go on, are you keeping a diary?
I go to the Mind crisis cafe on a Sunday afternoon, it’s really good to chat to others , do you have a Mind where you are ? Well worth getting involved if you do, you’ve got the webinars too this week , small steps Lynn as you won’t feel better over night , it takes time and determination which you must have because you choose to come off Sertraline, keep reminding yourself that you won’t feel all this crap forever, you’ll notice that you have good days and bad even good and bad parts of the day , like I said morning is the worst time for me and lots of others.
Keep going your doing great and we’ll both get there eventually!
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
You are very kind and supportive to me. I am so worried because my head feels like it is about to explode. You are right that the first two weeks were bad but I now feel the real fight is about to start. The tinnitus is bad and I also have nausea. I also feel tense. I will force myself to walk today but I really feel so ill with this problem and the poor nights sleep. 😂
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
I don’t advocate meds now but I have to say that 15mg of Mirtazapine at night gives me a good sleep, not any higher dose though as the consultant explained that for some reason higher dose’s don’t have the same effect, it might be worth asking your GP about them , I intend to come off them to but for now they are helping with sleep so I’m not in any hurry to wean off them.
You never answer when I ask if you’re drinking lots of water ? It will help and keep a diary.
Dig in girl and look forward to a better future, do the webinars this week, all these things help I promise
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
I initially was prescribed Mirtazapine but I seemed to have a bad reaction to it. Last night I got about 5 and a half hours sleep but would have preferred 7. I do drink a lot of water. Only 1 caffeinated drink per day. I just feel so distressed that my head feels pressured and waterlogged all day.
I have just had my walk and I will spend the day quietly🙏
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
Hi Lynn
I know how your head feels mine is the same but not quite as bad as a week ago going by my score in my diary for last week, I’m still incredibly tired all the time and have to really focus on the positive of all this but as you know it’s hard to do that when you feel like crap 😂.
I just want to wake up one day and realise that I feel “normal “ but I know that will be a wee while yet but will get there I just know it.
Also another thought , I’m 53 and had a new Mirena Coil put in 2 months ago , I’m pretty much through the menopause but after doing some research found a lot of positive stuff about having a new one (last one had been in 7.5 years so had obviously stopped working as it should only last 5 years) I don’t know how old you are , you may not even have started menopause but I definitely feel calmer since having this new one............... just a thought
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
I’m 58 but had a late menopause at 56. I started HRT five weeks ago because I thought it might help. I have now stopped it as I feel so much worse than before I started it. It may also be contributing to my waterlogged head feeling. I am in so much distress because I don’t know what to expect day by day. Did your head feel bad all day like mine or did it come in waves? My head was better two weeks ago but now it feels so awful. I have some clomazapine but I am reluctant to use any more headmeds. I just want to feel normal again.😩
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
Your head is all part of it , head meds won’t really work , well they don’t for me anyway.
My head is worse the more tired I am , it’s pretty awful today ek!
HRT mmmmmm this Mirena Coil has helped me but that’s just Progesterone, I will see in a month or two if I want to try some Estrogel, it’s plant based bio identical hormone so not made by synthetic chemicals.
Go to YouTube and watch the Carol Vorderman interview about it , she was so low she thought she couldn’t go on anymore, menopause has a massive part to play in our mental health , some women get off lightly with hot flushes some are not so lucky , do your research, bio identical hormones are much kinder to your body .
Believe me you and me will get through this , it’s just awful at the moment.
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
I cannot see your latest post as it is being moderated. Can you reply again?
Feeling really weird today.
Head feels odd and I am shaky.
How are you?🤞
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
I think it’s being moderated because I mentioned the name of a meditation guy, you can’t advertise on here.
I had a crap day yesterday and feel the same today , really foggy head , ear ache , tired and very low , that’s just how it seems to go , a good ish day then some bad days , hopefully the day will improve or there’s always tomorrow !
Sorry I can’t be more helpful today as I’m feeling so yuk!
Take it easy and keep your mind busy if you can , I do word searches!
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Lynn
Same here. Despite a good 7 hours sleep my head feels its going to explode and I have terrible nausea. Just had a walk but feel worse. Take it easy and we will catch up tomorrow.🙏
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
I was on bioidentical hormones, in fact the same one as Carol Vorderman! My problem is more about anxiety and insomnia than depression. Now that I am off all day the meds, I will be able to gauge how I feel. The HRT was also making me feel bloated and I wonder if the Estrogel was having some impact on my brain fog and giving me nausea. My wish is just to sleep well and feel like my old self. Do you think the waterlogged head will go once Sertraline is out of my system for good? I am really pleased to hear your head has improved from last week. 🙏
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
Hi Lynn
So you’ve had the HRT and Sertraline in your system, these things take time to go and have a clear system, you will get better and your brain fog will go , sleep is so important, I feel twice as bad if I haven’t slept well.
Try the Michael Sealey deep sleep medication on YouTube, I never get to the end of it when I use it 😂 best listening with little head phones , I love his meditation’s , I use him all the time , there’s some on anxiety too , think it’s called releasing emotional blockage’s like anxiety, it’s very good.
We will get there Lynn and come out the other end stronger 💪
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
I hope you are feeling better from yesterday. I had a terrible night sleep with only 5 hours and weird dreams. I feel awful today. My head is in a complete haze. I seem to be getting worse. I really don’t want to reinstate the drug.
I seem to have all the withdrawal symptoms but my doctor tells me it is not withdrawal- it is anxiety.
Any advice as this is hell?😩
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
I slept better last night . I have a yoga therapist coming today at 10am , she’ll do some yoga with me but also therapy which is to release emotional blockages , I’ll give anything a go !
My anxiety is pretty high at the moment too , you are having withdrawal symptoms no doubt about it but anxiety defo makes them worse, vicious circle isn’t it but once the Sertraline is completely out of your system you can then work really hard on your anxiety, please make time to do the Mindfulness webinar on Wednesday it will open your eyes to ways to help yourself more.
Do you have a local “Mind” where you live ?
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
I’ve just done 40 minutes walking on my treadmill at home. Can’t say I feel better right now! Bad sleep completely wreaks my day.
I hope your yoga session goes well. My one dose of Prozac was given to ease the withdrawal from Sertraline. What worries me is that I have read that it can take some people months for withdrawal to go with others never getting better. What are your thoughts on how long it might take? I seem to be worse now than before. What about you?🤞
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
Just to let you know that I cannot join the webinar because my GP is not in your area.
I sent you a message earlier. Hope your day has been good.🙏
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
Do you have a “Mind” in your town , I go to their drop in days also very good. .
Just been to CBT , broke down crying, not a good day ! Still think menopause has a lot to do with it all agh!
Hope your day improved
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
Another night of terrible sleep having awoken at 12 with nausea. I had about 5 hours but took half clomazapine at 6 just to get a couple more hours. I am feeling really ill today on day 19 of withdrawal. Do you think this will ease up? I can’t take much more.😩
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
Hi Lynn
Well I gave in today and have started Evorel 25 patches, bio identical Ostrogen, I had Mirena coil fitted 2 months ago which has helped so I am hoping these patches will help to, I know you said you tried HRT for 5 weeks but I am more convinced than ever that what we are going through is hormonal with the menopause, I am willing to give this a try rather than go back on anti depressants, they just don't work, well they don't for me anyway.
I will give the HRT 1 month, if that doesn't work then I'll try going up to 50mg patch of Everol, if I am still the same then I'll come off everything and seek out something else.
I know by my diary that I am no where near as bad as I was when I was on Sertraline so that's all the evidence I need to keep pushing on and trying this and that.
I really feel for you because I know what you are going through but it will get better, please have a re think if maybe menopause is making you feel his bad, I think it is me and after reading so many posts from women who were taking anti depressants but they were not working then tried HRT saying it worked!!!!!
Go and have another chat with your GP, maybe a Mirena (Progesterone) and try another bio identical Estrogen but give it longer than 5 weeks, it may just have been that what you tried before wasn't fr you and a different one will work?
We should be enjoying this time of our lives not having to deal with this crap all the time, its just not right.
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
I hope the HRT works out. My decision is to stop until my symptoms ease. My head is really suffering with a heavy feeling and the nausea is bad.
I will be there interested to see how the HRT works out. Coming off it after 4 weeks may have given me this nausea but I will see how things go. 🤞
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
I lasted 24 hours with the patch had to take it off it made me feel sick and dizzy !
How are you today?
I had a mammogram yesterday and my anxiety kicked in teally bad , ended up with a panic attack, feel awful today.
Hope your feeling a bit better?
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
Sorry to hear about the HRT disappointment. I am having a terrible week. My sleep was awful again last night and I feel the usual head problems. I woke with an a full sweat. I have some bloating which I put down to coming off the HET after 4 weeks. Feel really nauseaus and sleep deprived. I’m forcing myself to walk today although this is going to be a bad day. Let’s keep supporting each other as it helps to know someone understands🙏🤞
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
Hi Lynn
Yes I agree , support works 😊 although I’ll be worried sick waiting for the mammogram result, I just naturally think the worst, that’s the problem with anxiety!
Your doing great so keep going 💪
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
Sounds like we both suffer from health anxiety. I am always anxious before test results.
How is your sleep? I was sleeping better but after three weeks off Sertraline, it has become a bit erratic and this has led to anxiety. I am annoyed that I went on HRT because I now don’t know what is withdrawal from the ssri or from the HRT. My decision is to stay off all meds apart from some clomazapine so that I can work out how I feel. Do you have any ideas about how long withdrawal takes? 😩
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
I have no idea how long but I would guess 6-8 weeks completely med free would be my target anyway.
Yes I have health anxiety, I thought I’d be brave and go to the mammogram yesterday, kind of wish I hadn’t as I’m sick with anxiety now , I should have left it a couple of months but thought I was doing the right thing by facing it .
I didn’t sleep great last night so took a lorazepam which are very strong, spaced out today and knackered!
Haven’t been out in the sun just laying on my bed with all sorts of yuk going through my mind .
We’ll get there Lynn, we just got to keep on going
Matt
lynn260 matt39801
Posted
Hi Matt
I hope you had a settled night. I took a clomazapine and had 7 hours sleep. I feel awful though! How is your head? My head feels it’s in a constant bubble. I feel anxious, agitated and nauseaus. I am also sweating which I think could be the HRT withdrawal. Going to force myself to walk now.
Do you think these symptoms will ever let up? They are brutal.
😩🙏
matt39801 lynn260
Posted
I’ve sent you a private message