Has anyone else stopped SSRI after a few weeks?

[cattia]

I know this will probably get moved to the meds forum but I'm posting it here because most of the people who go there are still on meds. I've been on Sertraline five weeks now. My anxiety is a little better but I'm exhausted all the time, getting low moods, no motivation, not enjoying anything. All I feel like doing is staying in bed all day. I'm still worrying that there's something physically wrong for me to feel so rubbish. Has anyone quit an SSRI after a few weeks? How much should I taper and what are withdrawals like? I'm on 50mg.

[snowflake293]

I know this will probably get moved to the meds forum but I'm posting it here because most of the people who go there are still on meds. I've been on Sertraline five weeks now. My anxiety is a little better but I'm exhausted all the time, getting low moods, no motivation, not enjoying anything. All I feel like doing is staying in bed all day. I'm still worrying that there's something physically wrong for me to feel so rubbish. Has anyone quit an SSRI after a few weeks? How much should I taper and what are withdrawals like? I'm on 50mg.

I recently came off Sertraline but I had been on it for years. I found tapering slowly was the best thing to do. I remember coming off Citalopram after a few months once and I tapered slowly and had no withdrawal.

Best thing you can do is talk to your GP and be kind to yourself, it can take a while to come off SSRIs but hopefully cause it has been weeks rather than years it won't be as bad.

Hope it goes well xx

[cattia]

Thanks, I am seeing the doctor tomorrow. He is talking about switching me to prozac which worked well for me in the past but I'm just not sure. I can't see the point in being less anxious if I'm more depressed with no energy. I'd like to think I can do it without meds but obviously that wasn't working either which is why I've ended up on them in the first place.

[cattia]

My doctor has switched me to prozac, starting on 10mg. I'm not sure whether I want to take it or not but I'm done with Sertraline, it isn't helping me much. I'm just worried about withdrawal and the effects of switching.

[Geepee]

Please do talk to your GP - I moved off Sertraline with no taper and straight onto another med but only with GP advice. You will be fine - I was advised to take one day at a time. The pharmacists were also a great help and it could be worth ringing them. Some hospitals have phone lines you can call I you are in their area and under GP care.

[cattia]

The Dr said it's fine to just switch. I have a friend who is a pharmacist so I'm asking her about it.

[MyNameIsTerry]

This is the guide they go by:

http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=1651179592

As you can see in the switching table a "stop start" is appropriate with your combination.

Withdrawal is very unlikely as you've not been on the Sert long enough. Start up side effects from the Fluoxetine are obviously a possibility though like with anti Starr or switch but there is going to be some overlap between the two meds in terms of increased Serotonin which may mitigate that (switches are supposed to be easily than starting from scratch for this reason).

Fluoxetine is a bit of a slow burn. It takes over a month to reach steady-state in your blood plasma compared to the shorter time on most others like Sert (which is just under a week) so it's side effects can be less harsh.

[Geepee]

Wishing you all the best with it. Fluoxetine worked very well for me for many years. Am sure all will be well.

[cattia]

Thank you both. I'm scared of starting fluoxetine but it's that or nothing as I don't think the Sert is working. I've been on it more than once before so I know there's a good chance of it being successful at this dose, it's just going through all the side effects is the scary thing.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Look at it this way, you've been through a month on Sert which was a bolder move since you had no idea how it would really go. It hasn't worked out for you and it's been very difficult and whilst I'm sure the thought of stomaching even another day like this a switch may also reduce your current anxiety that the Sert has brought on. Just lowering the Sert dose alone might bring respite if it is too activating.

Plus you have an idea of how the Fluoxetine will affect you.

When I relapsed I was dreading going to see my GP because I knew he would suggest meds. My first med, Citalopram, was a hard experience. He put me on Duloxetine this time and it was a much much harder experience. But I got through it and so will you.

Try to face each day as it comes. Take things hour by hour. Just bite down hard and hold on. It's often all we can do until that day comes when you get up and feel less overwhelmed by the med and then you can start to work on recovery again. This is what I told myself when I had to my GP and it got me through some weeks of utter hell getting onto my current med. Next week was not in my thoughts, only today & tomorrow really and trying to hang on. And with you being on your next med before you would already know a lot about the start up and it's unlikely it will be any worse unless you yourself are a lot worse.

There are some regular people, like BikeRider, who frequent the Fluoxetine board so I'm sure they will support you too.

[Ethansmom]

I have. I was having bad side effects at one point, and I my doctor told me to just stop. I felt better afterwards. Of course I was then immediately put on another med since I do have bad anxiety.

[cattia]

Thanks, I feel like my anxiety is in freefall today so I've started prozac. At least I know where I am with this drug as I've taken it twice before. It worked both times so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I just didn't know if the fatigue I had on Sertraline was going to improve or not.