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Weaning off question

Posted , 4 users are following.

pam20810
pam20810

Hello,

I've been on Zoloft since January, started at 25mg, dropped to 12 and for the past month taking 6. The past 2 weeks I've been weaning off and taking 3mg. Wanted to ask those who have weanined off, did you have nightmares/strange dreams? Also I've been experiencing weird thoughts like worry about my health. I'm wondering if I should go back to 6 or just completely wean off. My doc isn't very helpful so I wanted to ask people that have had experience with this.

Thanks!

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Tezes
    Tezes pam20810

    Posted

    Hi Pam

    yes vivid dreams/nightmares are withdrawal symptoms, you have tapered quite quickly. Going down by 50% each time is a lot.

    Advice would be to go back to the last dose, in your case 6mg and wait until you have stabilised. The recommendation is to reduce by10% per month but since you haven't been on them very long you will prob get away with doing it faster but try a less drastic percentage. The lower you get the more likely the withdrawals so it's not good to get impatient to drop off altogether.

    i was on 50 mg for two years and tapered over 6 months, I've been off completely for three weeks but have still had the occasional nightmares, headaches and felt a bit disorientated when I've moved my head too quickly, nothing major but obvious withdrawal effects. I suppose it would be unusual to get off Scot free,

    good luck X

  • Tezes
    Tezes pam20810

    Posted

    Ps wanted to ask how you have reduced in mg's have you used liquid ? 

    I only had access to tablets so had to guesstimate the reductions

    • dodo81786
      dodo81786 Tezes

      Posted

      Hi Tezes , just want some reassurance from your experience. After your 2 yrs on this med are you now like yourself as you used to be before this ?

      My doc told me I have to take it for 2 yrs as I started November 2015 I'm coping now and much better from before but still feel scared when I recall the feelings I had before with all the mess that happened. Is this dark memory ever gonna vanish and be able to enjoy my life again ?

      I'm on 100 since last January.

      Thanks a lot .

    • Tezes
      Tezes dodo81786

      Posted

      Well when I was on them I could cope much better but only because it numbed my feelings. I often felt like the world could end around me and I wouldn't notice/care, not good really but it helped me through a very difficult time.

      Things have improved in my life- they are not perfect but I've learned to accept how the situation is and think about myself more. 

      Now im off I feel more like my old self with more realistic feelings and still able to cope with life as it is. Coupled with coming off the tabs as I've said I look after myself better, take responsibility for how I feel and not how others feel if that makes sense I.e. I am not responsible for making everyone else happy. I do more for myself and by myself, I am more content with life and don't get overwhelmed - I protect myself better

      i think if your situation has improved you will improve, the meds will help you cope. The thing is you also need to learn to deal with things and react to stresses differently so counselling or similar behavioural coping strategies will also help. 

      Good of luck with it all its a bit of a rollacoaster but then life is I guess 

    • dodo81786
      dodo81786 Tezes

      Posted

      Thank you so much I will keep your advice in mind and will try to see my feelings differently. I'm so happy for you . It's a tough time in my life and I hope I can be as i used to be before that mess in brain chemistry .
    • Tezes
      Tezes dodo81786

      Posted

      You'll be fine, it'll just take time, I was on them two years and made the decision to come off them myself. When you do decide be careful to follow the tapering method on here to avoid the nasty and often long term withdrawal effects,

      take care are of yourself x

  • iris46
    iris46 pam20810

    Posted

    You are supposed to take the mess for at least SIX months after you feel well again
  • pam20810
    pam20810

    Posted

    Terez thanks fir the response. Your the second person to say to go back to 6. Im thinking to go to 5.. Im going to get a scale to be more persrise with the milligrams.
  • pam20810
    pam20810

    Posted

    Also do you know how soon I will level out? Cant stand the way i feel, I reduced from 6 to 3 since April 1st so not that long..
    • iris46
      iris46 pam20810

      Posted

      If you are feeling negative withdrawal symptoms you are either not ready, or doing it too quickly
  • Tezes
    Tezes pam20810

    Posted

    If you go back to 6mg it should take 1-2 weeks but when I had to reinstate a previous dose for the same reason it took me a month before I felt ready to cut another 10%

     

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