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Withdrawing Off Sertraline (Good!)

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Guest
Guest

Hey everyone!

As you've saw from my previous posts, I went through a horrible, horrible time when getting on the sertraline. I had every single symptom imaginable. I was sick and unable to eat for the 4 weeks that I was on it and lost 10 pounds, had depression, consistent and very intense anxiety, horrible intrusive thoughts (thinking about dying, what happens, why other people weren't freaking out, etc) and all around just a bad, bad time. I was on 25mg for 6 days and then 100mg for exactly 3 weeks.

I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I have had anxiety for almost 8 years now and I have taken countless medications and I *knew* this medication was not right for me and it was harming my body and mind in a way that I've never experienced and a way that I wasn't ok with. I went back to my doctor and she attempted to talk me into staying on it, but I said absolutely not. (She also said some other unimaginable quacky things, but I digress.)

Today is day 4 of weaning off of the sertraline. My doctor told me to just switch to Buspar and not wean (remember, quacky...) and I decided to take it upon myself. I dropped to 75mg on Day 1 and already felt a tiny bit saner (is that a word?) and the past 3 days I have taken 50mg. My head is so much more clear, I am now able to focus for the most part, I have been able to eat again which is been amazing. The sickness went away on day 2ish. The depression is basically gone for the most part as well. I'm going to drop down to 25mg starting tomorrow and hope to be off of it within 4 or so more days.

I do have some leftover anxiety that is more than my normal. I'm not even sure if I would attribute it to the withdraw moreso than what I experienced while on the medication. I have been known to suffer with PTSD before and I honestly believe I am suffering it again from the absolutel h e l l I went through while on that medication. I have never been that scared for that long in my entire left and I feel like it really screwed my head a bit. It is getting a bit better every day and I'm sure it will continue to as I get fully off of the Zoloft and onto the Buspar.

So the only symptom I'm really having is being absolutely exhausted. But again, that could just be being so mentally tired and/or because my doctor doubled my dose of propanolol and/or because I started the Buspar.

Just wanted to share because I saw the horror stories of going off of it. I had a horror story of going onto it and coming off has by far been way better. I was expecting to go through h e l l again but I think my body is thanking me for taking it out of my system, ha!

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • yanna07372
    yanna07372 Guest

    Posted

    Hello, Brillogato!  So happy things are looking up for you.  It sounds like you have had an exhausing ride.  Wishing you the best.
    • Guest
      Guest yanna07372

      Posted

      I have. Still riding out the huge wave but getting there. Thanks for the support! This board has kept me as sane as I could be on that stuff.
  • Tezes
    Tezes Guest

    Posted

    Hi so glad things are working out for you,mi would think the tiredness is the propranolol, it makes me tired and breathless.

    im down to 12.5 mg sert now have been tapering for 4 months and hope to be off completely in a month or so.

    good luck with the new drug buspar, don't know it but maybe it's helping you come off the sert x

  • parisian
    parisian Guest

    Posted

    Hi Brillo.

    Let me share a couple of points with you in the hope they may help.

    Three years ago I was in the thick of a terrible time trying to cope with the severe difficulties of our teenage daughter. I don't think I was so much depressed as "burnt out". Her shrink put me on an antidepressant (forget which). For the next week, I was in the most lamentable state: unable to get out of bed, shaking like a leaf (my wife had to feed me!), terribly upset and panicked by the least everyday occurence...etc...Pure hell.

    So I called the doc and he told me to stop that stuff and switch to Sertraline, which I did. It was OK for me and I stayed on it for three years until recently, which goes to show that some antidepressants work for some people and others don't. 

    I'm sure you'll be OK.

    The trouble for me came when I recently tapered myself off the stuff. I guess I did it too quickly. I've described this fresh hell in another post on this group. So when the day comes that you feel like stopping the Buspar (don't know that one), do be sure to wind your doses down very slowly and gradually over what may seem to you an unreasonably long time period.

    Again, I'm sure you'll be OK.

    And another thing that occurs to me: have you noticed on this group (compared to elsewhere on the internet) how intelligent and articulate most of the people who post are? Jeez, they can actually put more than two words together!

    I'm convinced it goes with the territory. A degree of depression is an intelligent reaction to the modern world - so have faith in yourself.

    Just sayin'!

    All the best to you. Enjoy whatever moments you can and let the others pass.

  • CoolBeans
    CoolBeans Guest

    Posted

    Hi Brillo-cat - How are you feeling?? I remember your saying originally 25 was OK and had helped with why you went on it. Hoping you're feeling better! Did you stick at the 25 or are you still holding ok on beimg altogether off?

    Here's me now: I haven't taken any sert in 3 days. My head is 98% clear (no more headaches, but short term memory is still flaky, but better than while on it). I'm still itchy* and getting pin pricks (ugh!), and occasional weird eye flashes (which, I'm embarrassed to admit are kind of cool), but I'm so glad to be near off - it's been 3 days off 6mgs and I'm hanging in there. Taking B vits, krill oil, 5-HTP at 6pm (seratonin precursor) and StJWort in AM, as previously discussed. I am FINALLY sleeping through the night, no wake-and-stay-ups at 3 anymore - hooray!! Didn't want to (no motivation), but I cleaned the house ALL DAY Thursday, and was so happy about how it looked when everyone got home. (c: Cleaning was better than some of the other things I perhaps should have been doing - the lesser of the evils I suppose...

    Had an anxiety episode while cleaning out mum's house yesterday, which led to a really down bout later on (she's not well and why I went on the Zoloft in the first place), but I think maybe that's normal, and didn't bend to taking anything even though the numb might have felt better; I keep the Xanax in my purse as a sort of life preserver, but i didn't feel bad enough to give in, so i just kept moving along through it all.

    *The itching is definitely tied to red wine and chocolate (that's SO WRONG )c: ). Never had this before and am trying to get more info on receptors not being blocked etc and relation to food sensitivities /allergies. I was never sensitive to either before but Geez Louise! My forearms and lower legs still itch like mad! Otherwise I am keeping my chin up and have decided others have bigger, uglier, heavier baskets to carry than I do...

    Thank you for being a supportive friend though this. Please keep us all posted as to how you're doing. Best, Beans

    • Guest
      Guest CoolBeans

      Posted

      Hey Beans!

      I'm doing pretty good! Much better without the sertraline. I took 50mg for about 2 days and dropped to 25 for 2 days and wasn't feeling terrible so I stopped all together and I'm on day 3? of no zoloft. My sanity is almost completely back. Still having some bouts of the weird thoughts but I think I'm suffering a bit of PTSD or something from those side effects. I know that sounds extreme but that zoloft was so so bad.

      Now I just upped the buspar almost 3 days ago and am starting to feel a bit bad so I may go back down for another week (was told to up within 1-2 weeks and I did after 1) to give my body a bit more time but overall it's definitely nothing near how horrid I felt on the Zoloft and my brain isn't freaking out.

      I wish I still had a Benzo to keep on hand because I did the same as you but I'm unable to get them now. It really sucks not having that safety net there but im hoping the buspar will do it's job.

      Glad to get you're doing well! Well minus the itching. No wine and chocolate just isn't fair haha

    • CoolBeans
      CoolBeans Guest

      Posted

      Hooray!! You sound SO much happier! I couldn't stand it either. I'm so glad you're feeling better. Amazing how in tune we can feel after being put through the ringer. I hope the Buspar helps, but it sounds like you'll know. Keep feeling good and keep us posted. Giant hugs!
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