Sertraline withdrawal, need some advice please!

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hello everyone and thank you for taking the time to have a look at this thread.

So I have been on Sertraline for about 5 months now, I know that's not that long to some people but I don't want to be on it for much longer. I feel they have helped me out of a very dark place that I was in a few months ago and my anxiety has calmed down greatly, I am not 100% but have been feeling ok and able to go about a living normally near enough. I may be kidding myself in thinking I can be ok without the meds but I want to come off them now I have come this far.

There are other reasons that I want to come off them such as, my hair is falling out at an increasing rate and i'm pretty sure this is the meds causing this, they make my vision blurry, also my short term memory is non existent. Also although I have been feeling much better which I am so greatful for, I still feel in a slight daze/dreamy world most of the time; not the severe derealisation I was feeling before but it is still a noticeable dream like feeling. I feel it also may be the Sertraline causing this and the only way I can see clearly, have a clear head and feel normal again is by being medication free and anxiety free.

I have come down from 75mg to 50mg and now to 25mg which I have been on for a few weeks now. I have been feeling fine but the last few days I can tell I am withdrawing from the drug, my vision is going blurry again, and I have uneven pupil size which I used to have when first starting the drug. Also I have woken up a little anxious in the mornings which I haven't had for a while. Nothing major at all but still its something that I don't want creeping back in.

I'm just looking for some advice, should I continue to come off the meds or am I really kidding myself in thinking I will be ok? I know im forgetting how bad things were a few months ago but I still want to give it a real go being anxiety free without meds.

It may not seem like a big thing to some people but losing my hair is a major issue to me so that just adds to me wanting to be medication free. Also I just want to feel my full emotions and get back to normal and feel I cant while im on meds.

Are these feelings the old anxiety creeping back in or are they just due to the withdrawal symptoms?

Anyone that has experienced coming off meds please let me know how you managed it. Any advice and replys are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for reading

---------- Post added at 20:55 ---------- Previous post was at 18:48 ----------

Anyone?

[AuntieMoosie]

Hi there

I hope, and assume, that you are coming off of them under the care and guidance of your doctor?? I only ask that because I cant see where you've mentioned it in your post hun

I'm currently on 100mgs Sertraline and I can't say that I've noticed my hair falling out maybe it effects some people and not others.

What is making you so desperate to come off of them hun?? Are you frightened of long term effects or side effects?? It seems a shame as you've said that they have made you feel so much better.

I would think that your symptoms could be where you're coming off of them and they could also be your anxiety, it's difficult to know for sure really.

I would strongly advise you to go and have a chat with your doctor and see what they think and I don't really think it would be a good idea to reduce your dose any more until you have seen your doctor, just to be on the safe side, as the last thing that you want is for your anxiety to return.

I hope this helps hun

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Thanks AuntieMoosie,

My doctor knows what im doing yea but I don't know what everyone elses doctors are like but mine don't give you any advice or anything. What Guidance can they really give you anyway? They just say to do what you think is right.

I am so desperate to come off them because I don't ever feel clear headed i'm still in a fog even though I have no anxiety. My short term memory is so bad, they make my vision blurry and they make my hair fall out. To other people that may not seem a lot but i'm a guy in my early twenty's and my hair is important to me, so having my hair fall out is not what I need at all. I know it is the meds causing it before anyway says it isn't.

Also I just don't want to have to be on some drug to feel calm or live a normal life.

I'm coming off them anyway, i'll just see what happens I suppose.

[AuntieMoosie]

Yes I do, of course, understand what you're saying about it being important for you to be looking good. I'm 52 and female, so I also wouldn't be too happy to be loosing my hair

I do really hope that all goes well for you though, you know that we're always here if you ever need more help or advice, update us on how you're getting on please, wishing you well

[Emphyrio]

Hello,

Was wondering how you tapered from 75-25 - as in the timescale? Many doctors will suggest a taper plan that is fairly short - while some people can get through the withdrawal in a matter of weeks, some people experience protracted withdrawal symptoms that last for months (I'm sure that's what I've experienced myself). Some people recommend tapering at 10% every 3-6 weeks, though if you have been on them 5 months you won't need as much time to come off them.

What I would do is to stick at 25mg for another month or two and see what happens to the withdrawal effects If they persist, you could try 50mg again. If the withdrawal effects go away in a matter of days (for native anxiety/depression, SSRI dose increases take several weeks to kick in) then you'll know its withdrawal and not original anxiety.

Unless you've cold turkeyed, doctors will always assume that increased anxiety is background anxiety rather than withdrawal symptoms. I have always had suspicions that the anxiety/agitation I felt when I stopped taking my medication was related to withdrawal. Yes, I do experience anxiety, but it was a different feeling - not just a general worry feeling, which I guess is my background anxiety, but a feeling like I was about to lose control. The doctors I saw just saw it as the background anxiety returning though.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hi Emphyrio,

I was only on 75mg for a couple of weeks then back down to 50mg which I then slowly tapered down over the past 2 moths really, down to 25mg and I am now in the process of going down to 25mg day on day off.

In terms of Anxiety I have still been ok pretty much, some slight feelings in the morning and very vivid dreams but nothing major yet. I have woken up feeling dizzy and my head feeling strange and my vision is a bit off but I know it is due to withdrawal so I cant let these things get me down or let it trigger my health anxiety like I used to.

I get what your saying about the slightly different feeling when coming off the medication, not like the old anxiety coming back but just don't feel all there in the head.

Im going to stay on 25mg day on day off for a while and if im still ok I will come off completely.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Been waking up in the middle of the night feeling really dizzy and strange head sensations. Feel strange today, foggy head and just feel a bit run down. Still not any major panic or anxiety yet though which is good.

Before I would of let these sensations get me down but not anymore.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Anxiety is still at bay, no major panic or severe anxiety generally calm most of the time. I do have quite a foggy head though and I feel like i'm becoming increasingly down and depressed.

I don't want coming off the meds cause me to become depressed instead of anxious. Has anyone experienced feeling really low as they come off there meds?

I suppose it is understandable as there will be less Serotonin (happy brain chemical) in my system. Just hope its not permanent.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Down to 25mg every 3 days now before I completely stop in the next week or so. Had a few anxious moments and some analysing of my heart and chest. The health anxiety is still there but still at bay.

The only thing that is getting me down is im having really bad dreams which wake me up and suddenly my fear of death and health anxiety is back for an hour or so. It fades as the day goes on and I feel ok. Just hope its not all creeping back already.