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When do you know it's time to come off?

Posted , 7 users are following.

kikidee76
kikidee76

Hi everyone,

I'm on 100mg of sertraline having gradually built up. It's now been 9 mths and things are going pretty well. The only noticeable side effect that has remained really is its effects on sex.

I don't want to be on medication, so I'm wondering now if I should think about tapering off. Thing is tho, I also kind of think maybe some of us just need a little help with our moods. However, my mum has just received some worrying health news and I didn't cry - this concerns me, what if I'm going thru life without really being me, without really feeling.

And then there's the good old inner critic telling me I would go back to a life of anxiety without sertraline and that I won't be able to cope on my own.

Interested to hear people's views / experiences of life after sertraline.

Thanks for reading.

1 like, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • deborah12336
    deborah12336 kikidee76

    Posted

    just my opinion, but if you are coping with anxiety better, why come off of it? I don't think this drug makes up not ourselves, it may dampen some emotions but for now I need it to deal with anxiety. Good luck to you!
  • imelda16796
    imelda16796 kikidee76

    Posted

    talk to your doctor about cutting down to a lower dose and eventually weaning off them, i'm off mine now 8 weeks, i felt at the time that the pills were keeping me from making decisions etc so with my dr help i'm off them and feel great. I was on them 50mg for 9 months and needed them at the time, now i dont need them but still have some in the house, good luck with whatever you decide.
    • kikidee76
      kikidee76 imelda16796

      Posted

      Thanks for replying Imelda. Can I ask what you were prescribed it for? For me it was anxiety so I'm concerned I may feel bad again when I come off them. Did you ha and any wobbles whilst tapering off?
    • imelda16796
      imelda16796 kikidee76

      Posted

      i was depressed after my mothers death and started having panic attacks, heart racing, feeling faint, hot. its not easy coming off them, thats why it is so important to do it with your doc and be weaned off gradually, you are on a strong dose and would need to come down slowly to 50mg first and yes it is daunting and you may have the off day as i had but i kept telling myself i was doing ok, went for lots of walks, did some gardening and kept myself occupied, even tried to plat a musical instrument.
    • kikidee76
      kikidee76 imelda16796

      Posted

      So sorry you lost your mum Imelda. Can't even imagine how painful that is. Good to hear you're improving.

      I think I will just really take my time with it - go down to 75mg for quite a while, then 50mg & so on. I thought 100mg was quite average - my Dr told me anything less than that wouldn't do anything and I did personally find that to be true.

      In all honesty my first ever real panic attack was a few weeks into sertraline so I'm kind of trying to hold on to that fact whenever I doubt myself and whether I can handle coming off them.

      💜💗💙

  • david49878
    david49878 kikidee76

    Posted

    Not sure if I'm addressing a man or woman, but it shouldn't make any difference if I answer the questions. I have been off and on anti-deps a long time, and sertraline is the one with the fewest and/or least annoying side effects I suppose. Having said that, it is a powerful drug and I currently take 150 mg/day, which as everyone knows is a big dose, and I can definitely identify with what you say because the effect on my long-active libido has been pure sh*t from my honest point of view, and the other thing I detest is how darned tired I get after taking a dose. Problem is, I also take alfuzosin and finasteride for my prostate, and depending on which so-called "expert" one consults, both of those may or may not be causing my side effects. All I know is if I take ANY of them, I get real tired but am 64, so who knows what is causing what? Just battled my doc for at least the third time on changing to something that at least didn't mess with my libido, and I gave in again, but admittedly do not take the dose every day. The main reasons they continue to prescribe sertraline to me is for anxiety and anger management, so I'm told, since I have made it clear I don't believe any medication can clear up depression (though some days aren't that bad) unless they have perfected a safe way to inject massive amounts of serotonin directly into my brain. I don't believe they would tell me if they had, nor do I believe they ever plan for me to get off this stuff. I do admit if I stay off the sertraline for awhile, it seems I do get riled easier, but the honest truth is, so many people today are so friggin' stupid, I don't know how anyone can just be lah-de-dah (I did tell my doc I wouldn't mind trying one of those Michael Jackson feel-good drugs, but she wasn't too keen on that idea. I just would like to feel good more often. The last year, in particular, has been rough.

    Any comments? Not sure I helped you, but since I have probably the last 7-8 years of experience with this drug, I thought I would make a rare post.

    • kikidee76
      kikidee76 david49878

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply David. Good to hear from someone who has long term experience with these issues.

      It's a pain being tired all the time isn't it, I am too but in all honesty I always have lacked energy! I have low blood pressure and also going thru premature menopause (yep, female!) so that doesn't help.

      Some Drs can be useless can't they - better reading up on these things ourselves. I hope you find a better balance between your medications that start to improve for you.

    • deborah12336
      deborah12336 david49878

      Posted

      I think its great you posted and shared your experience. I have a friend that is on 200 mg. I'm currently on 100, hoping to calm the panic attacks. hopefully very soon, lol.
  • don45258
    don45258 kikidee76

    Posted

    Hi just need a little help if you can please Ive been on sertraline 50mg for 5 weeks and 100 mg for 2 weeks sould it have kicked In yet I'm still feeling a bit down and got anxiety how long before you felt normal thanks ?
    • kikidee76
      kikidee76 don45258

      Posted

      It was a long and rocky road before I felt settled on them to be honest Don. It wasn't until I went to 100mg that I felt they were helping. And it was subtle, not like I woke up one day feeling carefree. I had many side effects in the beginning but I could handle them all knowing they were temporary. The only real test was heightened anxiety, so I took propranolol alongside it back then to help get thru that stage.

      Good luck

    • don45258
      don45258 kikidee76

      Posted

      Thanks for reply

      Did you feel worse in a morning ? Did you have negative thoughts ? Like I said it's been 5 weeks on 50mg 2 weeks on 100 mg gp told me 3 weeks and they will be working 😁 R u back to you old self ? Sorry for all the questions it's just there on my mine feel like I'm never going to get better

    • kikidee76
      kikidee76 don45258

      Posted

      Yep feel worse in the morning. I take mine just before sleep in the eve, so somewhere between 10-12pm. I do still have vivid dreams which aren't scary just more annoying really. I tried taking it first thingthinthe morn but it felt like it was peaking early afternoon which I didn't really feel comfortable with. I think some ppl like that peak but I prefer it to happen while I'm asleep, it just felt a little too close to anxiety for me. But that was a while ago, maybe it wouldn't feel like that now it's been in my system longer.

      It's no miracle pill Don, not for me anyway. I know you're looking for that but it takes effort too to live with anxiety. This pill has taken away alot of fear for me but I kind of think it's just a sort of numbing.

      I think distraction is the best tool you can have in your kit. Practice noticing negative thoughts and it's not even about fighting them cos that creates tension. Just calmly say 'right that way of thinking is doing me no good, it's not helping me' and start noticing other things going on around you etc. I've even started thinking of my anxiety as boring, like not scared of it just bored of it when it tries to rear up!

      Good luck with it.

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