In such a bad way...please any advice?

[IrishLondon]

Hi

I'm going through a very rough time these past few days - and i really don't know what to do.

At the start of January I started to reduce me sertraline dose. I took my last dose about 3 weeks ago.

I am now experiencing awful insomnia, increased anxiety and burning sensations across my thighs and twitching in my leg muscles.

I've been reading awful stories on an anti-depressant websites about how this could be withdrawal and how awful ADs are.

I've no idea what to do now to relieve these symptoms. If I go to the doctor, they will want to put me back on 50mg of sertraline and from reading all these horror stories on the web, I literally have no idea what to do.

It feels like my anxiety and insomnia are spiralling out of control - and I feel so stupid because 4 weeks ago I was actually feeling ok.

Any advice from anyone who has been through something similar?

Ryan

[Dazza123]

The web is full of horror stories, as people with good stories dont bother posting on the internet and just get on with their lives, thats the reason for so many horror stories.

Why did you come off them Ryan, were you feel better, or was it side effects etc?

I came off Pregabalin a short while ago because I was having some problems with that, and for a few weeks I felt great. I pretty quickly went down hill again after this and are now back on them, I hate taking them, any medication in fact, but I know I am a lot better on them (so far).

Why do you not want to go back on them, is there a specific reason?

[MrAndy]

dont read websites about withdrawal it will only scare you,I came off sertraline 50mg with no problems at all not even any brain zaps,just some very slight nausea and dizziness
Go back to your doctor and explain how you feel,its no shame having to go back on them ,especially as you was feeling good before you stopped

[lior]

I don't know this drug but it could be that those are side effects that pass. Your doctor will know more. Good luck and I hope your body adjusts very soon

[Toronto girl]

Irishlondon, I agree don't read any websites on withdrawals as you will only find horror stories. Run your symptoms by your doctor but definitely mention you don't want to increase your dosage. I am sure he will give you some helpful advice.

I have a question for you. I remember in the past you had neurological symptoms. Did they turn out to be anxiety? I would love to know because I have neuro symptoms as well. After much testing no cause has ever been found. If you could tell me a bit about what your symptoms were all about and how you got rid of them I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[Fishmanpa]

Having seen you posting for some time and the difficulties you were going through, it was good to see that the meds were working. You were posting WAY less and even then, your posts weren't as irrational.

Why the heck did you stop taking the meds without consulting your doctor, especially in light of them beginning to work? And why would you be opposed to taking them when they helped?

Positive thoughts

[IrishLondon]

Thanks everyone

I started coming off them because the doc felt that the Sertraline might be causing the burning sensations in my legs. So she recommended I cut down from 50mg to 25mg. I did this for a few weeks and because I felt good I halved the dose again to 12.5mg for two weeks and then stopped. Im seeing the doctor on Friday. I should have just stayed at 25mg like she told me to. Ive started back on the 25mg in the past few days to see if I can pick up where I left off. But the anxiety is absolutely in full force in me right now.

[Fishmanpa]

Yeah... well... side effects from SSRIs both in going on and coming off have a tendency to increase your anxiety. Nature of the beast unfortunately. Definitely speak with your doctor and hang in there. Keep saying to yourself it will pass. When you see your doctor, discuss this in detail. Maybe sertraline just isn't for you. My daughter had to try three different meds until they found one that worked right for her.

Positive thoughts

[MrAndy]

a 50% reduction when coming off is probably to fast ,its recomended to drop by 10% between doses and hold for a month.If sert was working for you before it will again,the more you mess with dose the more unbalanced your nervous system will be.Try and get back on a stable dose and take it from there,I am sure you will settle again and be ok

[IrishLondon]

Thanks Fishman

Have to wait until Friday to see the Doctor. I know everyone on here has been through similar stuff, but when you're in the middle of it, it just feels like the worst thing ever. Everytime I try to rest I get this surge of adrenaline, my heart races, my skin burns. Trying to do each moment as it comes but it just feels like i might go mad.

Thanks for all your support
Ryan

---------- Post added at 15:29 ---------- Previous post was at 15:26 ----------

Thank you MrAndy. I really appreciate that. I've been back on 25mg for 3 days now. I know I need to give it time to work after 3 weeks off it. I just wish I could get something to help me relax until the sert kicks in again.


Thanks again mate.

[popejoan]

I've been starting and coming off anti-depressants for 10 years. Never had horrible withdrawal symptoms. I'm on Sertraline 50 mg as well, been on it about a month. I don't think you should reduce your dose without asking your GP. You can tell them to give you a smaller dose, this is what I will do next time I see my GP.

[IrishLondon]

Thank you very much. I have started taking a lower dose myself over the past few days...25 mg. I can't get an appoiintment to Friday so I'm hoping the small dose will help calm things a bit.

Thanks for everyone's support. Don't feel so alone now with this.

---------- Post added at 22:20 ---------- Previous post was at 18:25 ----------

Hope I'm not speaking to soon but I'm feeling just a bit better tonight...heart isn't pounding. Even a few hours of feeling slightly better is an improvement. Today is the 3rd day bsck on 25mg so maybe is calming the brain down a bit. Or maybe it's all your really helpful messages. Thank you again.

[Dazza123]

Glad you feel better, Im sure there is some sertaline settling into your system now so hopefully its getting you back on track and you will start to feel more settled :)

[IrishLondon]

Thanks Dazza. How are you doing? I'm still on the 100mg pregabalin too. How you getting on with it?

[Toronto girl]

Irishlondon, do you feel that the pregabalin is helping with your symptoms?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Ryan,

If you withdrew without tapering then its likely to be withdrawal. If you did it in a tapered fashion and the side effects were manageable then it could be that the medication was masking the anxiety symptoms and that you are not yet ready in your recovery to reduce them.

I tapered off Citalopram after being on for a few years as my GP was pressuring me with being back at work. I went with his advice and I managed the 20-10mg then 10-0mg pretty well (mostly cotton wool heads, head zaps, lightheadedness and dizziness when going to 0 but the previous taper wasn't much. The side effects from taking no Citalopram lasted about 15 days but they were ok) but after a couple of months I started having problems again. It gradually got worse until I relapsed within 6 months and went back on medication.

Why did this happen to me? I hadn't done enough to recover so effectively set the scene for a later relapse.

So, you have to be confident that you are ready and look at how your life is going, are you socialising well without issues, can you do X without issues, are you confident again, do you have faith in yourself, do you feel good about yourself, etc. If you can't say yes to all that, then maybe its not time.

[IrishLondon]

Thanks so much Terry.

It wasn't the right for me to come off them, even though I was feeling better on them, I still had underlying anxiety and symptoms that would crop up now and again. I should have let my mind and my body stabilise. i hope now I'm bsck on a low dose that the anxiety will start to ease. I also have an assessment for CBT next week so hopefully that will be a good addition.

Thanks so much again for your message. It just helps to know thst other people understand.

Ryan

[MrAndy]

you will be ok Ryan,treat this as a blip and then move on.The meds will kick in again and you will be fine

[IrishLondon]

Thanks Andy. I need to stop googling stuff and just let myself get better. It's one of my biggest downfalls. Hearing stories likes yours and how medication helped you really does a lot to ease the worst of my anxiety.

Thanks again
Ryan