Symptoms of Sertraline wearing offa

It is a psychaitrist who has recommended them and they have certainly helped her, however as her mood is more or less back to normal I would really like to get her off them as soon as possble due to the evening agitation. Do you know why this practice is frowned upon?

Hi Kate

I've been taking sertraline for a few months now. My reasons for anxiety are probably different, but I have some emotional difficulties. 

I have found that if I miss a tablet, I know it, and do does my partner. To say I turn into a monster is perhaps a little extreme, but I do notice that I am less stable and much more edgy and agitated if I miss one. 

My Dr suggested I increase the dosage, as ive been more stressed and felt less well lately, and I'm certainly not ready to come off them.

Hope this helps?

Lisa x

Yes the practice of giving psychotic drugs to children is frowned up.  Good luck to you and your daughter.

 

Hi Kate

Sorry to hear about your situation. Sertraline will affect everybody differently. I'm off them now, but I can remember that I could tell when they were wearing off and another was due, more so at the beginning of my time on them. I was never bouncy, but I would be agitated and grind my teeth/bite my tongue without realising. 

Your daughter will only just be getting to the stage where her body has fully adjusted to them so this side effect may wear off, as it did for me. 

I feel 'basket case' is such a strong word and would just like to say that I work with teenagers with Aspergers and quite a few of them are on sertraline or similar for anxiety.

It depends on the route of the anxiety, if it is a natural personality trait, sertraline, alongside cbt is great as it helps you learn how to deal with anxiety. Anxiety can be brought on by a stressful situation (that's my story) and setraline got me thorough the stress and counselling and I've come out of the other side feeling so much better! It should be a doctors last resort tho. 

Hope this helps a bit Kate x

Thank you Yorkshire, yes I thought the use of the words 'basket case' was a little over the top too, and potentially an insult to everyone who take SSRIs. My daughter has a diagnosis of Aspergers, as well as Pathological Demand Aviodance, which results in her suffering from extreme anxiety over normal everyday demands (even avoidance of the things that she really wants to do hence the use of the term pathological). She had been placed in a special school that was incompatible with her needs, which she has flatly refused to go to. This has resulted in extreme anxiety and withdrawal from society, which is why the doctor has prescribed Setraline. I really do not like her being on medication and would prefer that we could work with her to help her to overcome her difficulties another way, but at the moment she is unable to do so. We first need to get her relaxed enough so that she will be able to try things like CBT, and we are working on it but we are not at that point with her yet, although she is now coming out of the house (and her room!) and enjoying things again, which is a massive step forward. Other than her difficulties with social situations and her associated anxieties she is a chatty, bright, beautiful (almost) teenager who I am trying very hard to understand so that I can help her through this. So any insights that people have from using this drug will be helpful to me as I have not used it and therefore do not know what effects she might be feeling.

What is Asperger's?  Apparently that one isn't in the new psychiatrist book.  First one they deleted, first ever.  No child should be on these drugs.  End of story.

 

Apologies, I wish you well.  What has happened in her life?  I sign out.

 

Unfortunately Angela2014, judgemental people happened to her!

I would seek GP help immediatly TBH. Best of luck Kate

Dear Kate

One of the side effects of Sert for me has been restless legs in the night, but it does also occur through the whole body and gives a restless feeling. As far as I know, this is an initial side effect. I do not think it is the dose 'wearing off' because it settles down after a few weeks. I hope that helps. Best to stay on a set dose for a while. It props up systems which have failed. We wouldn't whip a crutch away from someone with a broken leg just because they are walking fine with it.

Withdrawing from low doses should be done extremely slowly, try to shave off 2.5mg of the tablet every other day. If this is tolerated, do it every day. Then after a few weeks shave off slightly more of the tablet every other day, etc... never reduce dose by more than 10% every few weeks as the body's response to the drug, and therefore to a lack of it, is most pronounced under the 50mg mark. Long term success of withdrawal hinges on it being painstakingly gradual.

Research repairing the limbic system, upregulating receptors so that the body has a fighting chance of using its own chemical resources successfully. Exercise, diet, self control and for serotonin receptors massage.

Well done for looking after your daughter's health and facing the nonsense on this site. I can't believe people lack the wherewithall to control their misuse of the keyboard when they might have useful experiences to elucidate if only they would take the time.

All the best, please keep us updated. I am really saddened to know that your daughter's experiences in life have had such a profoundly negative effect on her and hope she continues to mend well with your

loving care and supportive nature.