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Sertraline withdrawal symptoms.. please help!

Posted , 10 users are following.

eleanor_fl18858
eleanor_fl18858

I've been on sertraline for 6 years, for anxiety and panic attacks. (I also take lorazepam if I'm having a panic attack.) I have decided to come off sertraline as I felt it wasn't helping me anymore. I reduced the dose very slowly and carefully with the help of my GP. And have been tablet free for a week now. However I'm feeling really odd. I'm assuming it's the withdrawal? I've had heart palpitations, feeling quite anxious all the time (I tend to have a lot of health anxiety and panic a lot when I don't feel well particularly surrounding feelings of sickness or being sick), I've felt nauseas, had a slightly dodgey tummy but then I do have IBS so not uncommon for me. I can't quite put a finger on what I feel, I just feel odd! And not right, I guess slightly light headed and woozy? I'm going away for 6 months in 10 days and I really want to feel better by then because feeling this way is causing me anxiety, I'm tired all the time and Just don't feel with it at all.

Can anyone share their experiences with how long it takes to feel better or whether you have any tips for feeling better? I've started taking zinc supplements and a multi vitamin which has vitamin B complex in it as I've read that this is good for anxiety. I've also taken some paracetamol as I saw someone say that helped with them feeling less light headed! Please help!! Starting to regret coming off these tablets now..

Thank you!!

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • GodsServant
    GodsServant eleanor_fl18858

    Posted

    Hi Eleanor, why do you feel sertraline wasn’t working? The pooped out effect? If this is the case, it’s a good idea to start another drug. Or just because you no longer want to be on sertraline? From personal experience I can tell you that each time I get off sertraline, it’s been to my detriment. I would do well for a few weeks or months or even a couple of years but then it all comes crashing down. I don’t mean to scare you, but why get off med or even lower dosage before a major event or trip or vacation? I learned this the hard way with this Nov attack.

    If you just want to know how long it takes to get over the side effects that you mentioned getting off sertraline, it’s about 2-3 weeks  - for me, nausea, headaches, sweating, stomach problems, etc.

    Tips: I heard the same thing – zinc and Vit B are good to reduce stress – so you’re on the right track. Also, get enough sleep and exercise (or some physical activity). Also, eat healthy (less sugar) to increase serotonin levels (that’s what sertraline does, serotonin reuptake inhibitor).

    If you’ve just gotten off sertraline, you can get back on. If you’ve taken it for some time, which you have, it stays in your system for awhile (longer) and if you go back to taking it now, it shouldn’t take long for the drug to build up to a level where you felt like before.

    • eleanor_fl18858
      eleanor_fl18858 GodsServant

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply. I decided to come off sertraline purely because I was still having daily anxiety and panic attacks and just felt like it wasn't doing anything to help me anymore. When I went to the GP I wanted to come off sertraline completely and try and cope on my own, however she said that because I'll be away for 6 months abroad that it isn't the right time to be on nothing so she wanted me to start Citalopram. I made the mistake of googling side effects of citalopram and just really scared myself. I was making myself have panic attack just over the thought of taking that tablet, so I decided not to take the citalopram and just not take anything. I've been off the sertraline for a week now and I think what I want to do is just go back on the sertraline for the time that I'm away and then maybe try a different SSRI when I'm back home in August. hopefully you're right and if I start taking it again now my body should just accept it as it's used to the medication. Fingers crossed this works! I'll definitely keep up the zinc and try to exercise more and keep positive to help keep the anxiety at bay while I'm away. Don't want it to ruin my travelling!

    • GodsServant
      GodsServant eleanor_fl18858

      Posted

      It will definitely work, Eleanor! And a wonderful idea to change meds when you're not traveling. I lowered my dosage in Sept and Oct., right before my trip - BIG mistake.  

      And I had the most horrible trip of what should had been trip-of-a-lifetime. Instead I was just trying to kill the image of hanging myself with hotel curtains WHILE I was on the trip.  

      God saved me, yet again, so I decided this time to come back here and post when I am doing well to help others cuz I'd been there...and could always go back there but NEVER want to. 

      Cheers. Have a wonderful time!

       

  • maureen75524
    maureen75524 eleanor_fl18858

    Posted

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/sertraline-withdrawal-symptoms-please-help--556462

    This is a good forum that I found very helpful.  Many of us had symptoms for over a year.  The drug however affects everyone differently.  I for one did not have a good experience on sertraline or any other A.D.  After two years of experimenting with several others I tapered off completely.  it took me a good yar and a half to fell like myself again.

    • eleanor_fl18858
      eleanor_fl18858 maureen75524

      Posted

      It's crazy what an effect the tablets can still have on your body even after you've finished taking it.. thank you for sending over that link. I'll have a look now. Although I'm thinking of just going back on sertraline for the six months that I'm away as a sort of safety blanket and then maybe try coming off again when I'm home and in a safe environment.

    • amy97770
      amy97770 eleanor_fl18858

      Posted

      Hi Eleanor,

      I think it's possibly a good idea you stay on them especially whilst you're away. This is my 5th time restarting them as I'm totally independant and basically want to do it on my own without tablets, but find my anxiety and low mood come back within months. I think I'm likely to stay on them now indefinitely as I had felt awful just before Xmas, although taking them has made me feel worse (I'm 2 weeks in!)

      I had unusual side effects coming off them such as feeling a bit not with it, having brain fog etc. I think it's possibly your brain adjusting to not having its regular serotonin!

      Hope you feel better soon x

    • eleanor_fl18858
      eleanor_fl18858 amy97770

      Posted

      Hi Amy,

      How long were you off sertraline before you started them again? I think I may try and come off then again when I'm back but I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we come to it! I did speak to a GP a few years ago that said it is possible that I'll have to be on a low dose for life. That just seems extreme to me but we shall see!! Thank you for your response and I hope you start to feel better soon.

  • tg295
    tg295 eleanor_fl18858

    Posted

    Hi eleanor,

    I've also been experiencing problems with withdrawal symptoms and was wandering if anyone had advice on what to do from here. I was on 50mg of sertraline for roughly 6 months to treat SAD and depression, and about a month ago I cut down to 25mg. However as of last Friday, so six days ago, I decided to go cold turkey. I was initially going to taper more slowly, i.e. start taking 25mg every other day for a while then every two days and so on, but I felt great the day after stopping and wanted to get this s**t out of my system for good and so naively decided to cut it out permanently. Five days on and i've been suffering from dizziness, headaches, tiredness, anxiety, and I wouldn't say brain zaps but brain tingles, especially when I move my eyes or head quickly. It's not unbearable; I can still get through my day, do my work and socialise to an extent, but its just kind of annoying and I'm wandering when it might stop.

    I've been taking omega 3, twice daily, and vitamin b-12, four times daily, to try and combat the symptoms. At first they seemed to be doing wanders but I'm not particularly feeling the benefits anymore.

    I'm now aware that I may have tapered off too quickly so maybe it would be best to start taking it again and taper off more slowly? On the other hand I wasn't on the medication for that long a time so maybe my brain chemistry wasn't altered too much and so hopefully the withdrawal effects won't last too long?

    I'd appreciate any advice! 

    Thanks  [smile]  

    • sarah83856
      sarah83856 tg295

      Posted

      Hi just wondering how long your withdrawal symptoms lasted for as i too am experiencing these symptoms. I am on day 4 with out sertraline  
  • sarah83856
    sarah83856 eleanor_fl18858

    Posted

    Hi eleanor just wondering how you got on with process of coming off sertraline? I am experiencing the same withdrawal symptoms as you had and its freaking me out a little. Just wondering how long did these symptoms last for you? Thanks  
  • kristin16642
    kristin16642 eleanor_fl18858

    Posted

    I have been on setraline for a year and a bit now.  Twice I have tried to come off them and felt rubbish. Headaches, dizzy spiny headrushes feeling, especially on movement and my heart palpitation are back! Along with my aggressive side 😓😫 not great. I was on 50mg then agreed with my gp to go onto 25mg which was absolutely fine for me! Managed till today with the side effects coming off the tablets (stopped last week) and have just went and took my 25mg.  I guess I’m just accepting now that this is me for life, I’m 35 Just now x

    • faye00841
      faye00841 kristin16642

      Posted

      Hi Kristin,

      Are you ok on the 25 dose ? I'm just tapering now from 50 as they gave me really bad stomach problems so I'm now taking 25 for 2 weeks then one 25mg every other day for a week . Iv still got the tummy problems with reducing so I'm not sure what to do! Had all other tests for ibd etc and all a clear so I'm not sure whether to just stick at 25 now like you 

    • kristin16642
      kristin16642 faye00841

      Posted

      Hi, I’ve never had stomach issues with them.  Right now I’m on 25mg every second day and I’m also having a legal herbal cannabis tea every morning to see if that combats the withdrawal, tbh so far so good 😊 going to start 25mg every second day soon and then every third and so on to stop completely. But keep up with the tea. Have you ever heard of the tea? I got mine from Hope CBD, they are online and they have had good reviews, need to get off the pharmaceuticals 😂 

    • faye00841
      faye00841 kristin16642

      Posted

      I know it's awful isn't it !! I just want to get off it altogether but I'm scared the anxiety will return now . Haven heard of the tea however I'm sure we shouldn't get many withdrawals from such as low dose etc . 

  • SamofftheMeds
    SamofftheMeds eleanor_fl18858

    Posted

    I came off sertraline 10 days ago.

    Was on 600mg, down to 300 then 150mg. I went cold turkey from 150 mg, been ok apart from feeling dizzy bursts every now and then. Previously I was also taking progabalin, and tramadol. 3 punch combo, yuk. Never again. Each to there own though, good luck. 😊

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