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Stopped Sertraline over a week ago

Posted , 7 users are following.

carol777
carol777

I have been taking 50mg Sertraline for over a year for hot flushes not depression, I felt they had stopped working recently so doc told me to come off them but said I wouldn't need to wean off as small  dose so I stopped them, that was a week and a half ago and I feel like I could explode, I am screaming at everyone at home,  have zero energy I'm shaking during night as if I'm in the North Pole having really weird dreams but can't remember dreaming at all while on them and crying at a drop of a hat even though while on them couldn't cry at all even at my mums funeral in December I couldn't shed a tear, this is the most surreal feeling I've ever had, I'm wondering if I am depressed or if these feelings are just withdrawal from the tablets? I'm also thinking I might go back on them and be emotions less  again as opposed to feeling like I could happily rip someone's head off and play football with it, also still getting hot flushes!!! 

 

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • kikidee76
    kikidee76 carol777

    Posted

    Hi carol,

    Sorry youre feeling like this sad I'm only starting out on my sertraline journey so can't really help re weaning off. But as im going thru premature menopause and it's a hot topic(!) for me too, was just wondering where you are with regards to hrt? My gp thinks I should try hrt as I'm young (30s) to go along time without estrogen. Ive often wondered about ad's vs hrt, or indeed trying both!!?

    Best wishes

    Kikidee

    • carol777
      carol777 kikidee76

      Posted

      Hi, I'm 52 and been having the flushes for over two years now , I was trying to avoid hrt because of poss side effects so doc suggested Sertraline as can help with symptoms, they did seem to help at first but lately they've got bad again with lots of sweats too so he said to stop them and see if symptoms worsened, I asked him about hrt as a last resort and he said he doesn't like to give them, but I think I'm going to have to try them as feel like the flushes/sweats are ruining my life but I didn't expect these withdrawal symptoms at all x
    • kikidee76
      kikidee76 carol777

      Posted

      Did the dr say why he wasn't keen on hrt? I know there was the whole breast cancer scare but my gp discussed all that with me, pulled out a book with all the stats re chance of breast cancer as a result of hrt (barely different to those not on hrt) and printed off loads of info for me to read up on. Her recommendation was to take it for no more than 2-3 yrs.

      Don't know if you've signed into 'menopause matters' website but the ladies on their forums are incredibly knowledge. Word of warning tho - a few are hardcore pro hrt!! That's yr decision, no one elses. x

    • carol777
      carol777 kikidee76

      Posted

      My mum had breast cancer but it was after her menopause so I should be ok, he just said he didn't like to give it out anymore so I think I'll go to see a female doc and see what she says, thanks x
  • Guest
    Guest carol777

    Posted

    Hi Carol....Poor you,the doctor gave you extremely bad advice.I would definitely go back on them,then taper off very slowly.If it was me I would take 50 mg for say a week,then,just take 25mg.I would stay on the 25mg for another week and then 12.5.(You could even reduce to 37.5 initially)for a good few days.That way you will really minimise the withdrawals.I cannot quite believe how ignorant some of these GPs are.It is actually dangerous to withdraw so abruptly.Hoping this helps,best from Sally x
    • carol777
      carol777 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Sally thank you for your advice I think I will have to go back on them and withdraw properly and then consider whether to give the hrt a a go for the flushes and try and egg my life back to normal.......the joys of being a woman x
  • maureen75524
    maureen75524 carol777

    Posted

    Carol I'm so sorry you were given this advice by your Dr. These are definitley withdrawal symptoms. Go into the link on this forum : does Sertraline withdrawl ever go away? You are not ALONE. I weaned off 150 mg, at 25 mg. every two weeks, took me three months. I'm totally off for 11 months now and still have withdrawl symptoms periodically. This morning, nausea, body shakes before I eat, which I'm thinking is low blood sugar. I never had this before. Hang in there, you'll be fine but it does take time.

    My husband was on cymbalta for pain. He quit cold turkey, 7 months ago and is still an aggressive angry bear!!!

    Hugs. Oh yes by the way I'm 68, had a complete hysterectomy at age 43. I've been on the estrogen patch ever since, 25 mg. Drs. tried to put me on a.d's at age 60. i said now ay I feel great and I"m not going off this patch!!I was put on Sertraline because of anxiety created by seasonal effective disorder. I will never again in my life take another A.D. I endured grief for two years, never worked for me.

    • carol777
      carol777 maureen75524

      Posted

      Thank you Maureen, I'm so glad I found this forum as I was really starting to worry about the way I felt, I am going to go back to docs and see a female and try and get on hrt even if it's just short term I'll get some relief from the flushes and in the meantime I'm going to go back on the ADs and wean off them slowly x
    • maureen75524
      maureen75524 carol777

      Posted

      i sweat profusley while on Sertraline and the first few months of tapering. This could also be part of your problem. I think I had every side effect going while on them and withdrawl that seems to last forever. They do indeed change your brain chemistry. The past month I haven't had any " crying spells" for thaqt I'm grateful. I'm ever so slowly getting back to normal!!

      Good Luck keep us posted. This forum was my life saver! My Dr. said I'd be over withdrawl in a month. They are so clueless for the most part, as they've never been on them! Take Care xx

  • sue14065
    sue14065 carol777

    Posted

    I've been taking 50mg of sertraline daily until recently, for more than 10 years.  I cut down to 25mg, with my doctors support, more than six months ago.  Like you, I felt that they probably were no longer effective.  Since being made redundant a couple of years ago I have had to try to find some energy and enthusiasm for life again, as to be honest I was just coasting it all the time I was on Sertraline.  I too found it impossible to cry, and just bumbled along without feeling any extremes.  Just cutting down to half my old dosage I have found that I can once again be moved by music and films and have started to pursue new interests.  However the down side of this is that I am also prone to depression again and can be very irritable.  Just had yet another disagreement with my husband (he doesn't do rows) which has left me feeling angry and upset.  Looks like another sleepless night ahead.  It's like I could overlook all the things that irritated me while on 50mg, but now I'm having to deal with all the things that made me take them in the first place.  I was hoping to cut Sertraline completely, but I'm now having to think about going back to my full dose again.  My husband wants me to do that, no doubt his life would be easier, but I don't want to be a zombie again.  I didn't know Sertraline was prescribed for hot flushes, and I am a bit shocked by this.  You could try a smaller dose for a while - this hasn't be successful for me, but may be for you.

    I have also been through the menopause, and did not find Sertraline helped with hot flushes.  I wasn't offered HRT, but probably wouldn't consider it anyway, but that's just me.  Hot flushes do get better, eventually, but I know how debilitating and embarrassing they can be.  Reading other replies to your post, I am also wondering if Sertraline is responsible for them, to some extent.

    Sorry for such a long and rambling reply.  Hope it helps to know you aren't alone.  I guess it helped me to get things off my chest too.  Hope you find a better doctor and get the support you need to come off of Sertraline safely.

     

    • carol777
      carol777 sue14065

      Posted

      Hi Sue, sounds like you've had a rough ride too, hope you feel a bit better soon. When my doc offered me Sertraline for the flushes I was so desperate to try anything (not hrt) that it didn't bother me it was an anti depressant he was giving me but I wished I had thought about it and looked into it more before I started, at the time I didn't need an AD but the way I feel now I need them which is worrying in it's self,I have started back on them 25mg so I can wean off slowly and hopefully get back to normal, thank you for your reply I really do appreciate the help xx
  • paul07701
    paul07701 carol777

    Posted

    I think Sally got it dead-on with her reduction method. I would suggest you also use the same time frame for each reduction as the body will know how to react. Good luck.
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