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jb2112
16-10-07, 12:30
Hi

I've been on zoloft for 9 weeks at 50mg and don't feel any better so am going to wean off them - has anyone else done this and when dosage did you reduce to over what timeframe pl? Has anyone gone down the non-meds route and how have you got on???

thanks
John

Wilburis
17-10-07, 22:09
Hi

I was on 150mg for 5 months.

Weaned off them really quickly, 100mg one day and then 50mg the next. Then took nothing for 2 days and started my new meds!

My Doc said that Zoloft doesnt have side effects when you come off them!

Hope that helps.- Liz xx

MistyBlue
18-10-07, 09:38
I was on Zoloft for 7 years, alternating between 50mg to 150mg. I had to come off them cold turkey due to a medical condition. I was fine. In fact, have felt better since coming off of them. I have not taken anything for 8 years now.

Good luck and I'm sure you'll be fine.:hugs:

Lisa xx

Dying_Swan
18-10-07, 10:56
Zoloft is Sertraline right?

I'm afraid I don't know much about withdrawal, but just wanted to say please go through your GP if you're going to come off them!

Good luck, I hope it all goes well xx

MistyBlue
18-10-07, 11:08
Dying-Swan, yes Zoloft is Sertraline. :)

I agree, do please go see your GP if you are coming off of them. I only came off of them on medical advice.

Lisa x

jb2112
25-10-07, 18:41
Well, no easy withdrawal for me - I;ve been admitted to psychiatric ward as I feel so bad - nausea, depersonalization, bad aches, ringing in ears/balance problems, insomnia.

The Consultant advises this is 'normal'(!) and takes approx 2 weeks to get better.. 1 hr is too much of this let alone 14 days. Has everyone else withdrawn with no problem apart from me!!? They want me to 'wash out' completely and see what happens - I'm so scared I can't put it into words.

take care all.
JB

MoonlightFire
23-06-08, 17:44
I've been taking Sertraline for 5 years now and I have an ongoing battle with my doctor's surgery who insist on seeing me each time I need a new prescription instead of giving me a repeat. I am a really busy person so sometimes I neglect to get my doctor's appointment in time and end up with no meds to see me through until I can see the Dcotor (silly of me, I know). I've been without sertraline now for 5 or 6 days and the withdrawal is awful. I have palpatations, irritibility, dizziness, extreme tiredness, my body feels heavy, my eyes can hardly focus, my balance is messed up and when I walk I feel like half my body is a second behind the rest of me. I know it's my fault for not getting my appointment sorted in time but I just wanted to share my experience with everyone...and reassure jb2112 that he's not the only one who has experiencing nasty withdrawal symptoms from this medication.

On a positive note...I have had mostly good experiences with Sertraline and it has been absolutely fantastic for my anxiety and my depression.

sandy222
26-06-08, 21:41
Hiya- all medications like this have a withdrawal syndrome.unfortunately i have lost my job over mine as mine was horrifically sever. im 11 months off baclofen and still have not recovered from withdrawals due to my ignorant doc. be careful.x

tafflass
10-07-08, 13:16
hi jb
no you are not alone i am withdrawing also.
the aches stiff muscles head aches, bad bad stomache, needing the toilet all the time. dont worry you will be ok, take care and be strong, ive done this on my own with 4 kids to look after, if i can do it you can.
today is the first day ive smiled in over 2 weeks, i actualy got some propper sleep lastnight.
i wish you all the best in your recovery and hope all goes well after xtafflassx

joegg888
05-09-08, 21:30
Hi

I was on 150mg for 5 months.

Weaned off them really quickly, 100mg one day and then 50mg the next. Then took nothing for 2 days and started my new meds!

My Doc said that Zoloft doesnt have side effects when you come off them!

Hope that helps.- Liz xx

Hi Liz, I am amazed that your doctor has said that Sertraline has no withdrawal side effects!!!!!!! He/She has obviously never had to suffer withdrawal from an SSRI. Having been on this site and also reading many other articles regarding Sertraline withdrawal and also suffering horrendously even though I stopped this drug 4 weeks ago, I am appalled that a doctor with medical training can dismiss any withdrawal this way!!!!! I am a qualified pharmacist and can say that ALL SSRI's carry a great risk of withdrawal effects that can be very debilitating indeed. If you ever need to know about medication use/withdrawal/side effects etc. please speak to a pharmacist as they are trained specifically to give you that advice and they also have many other references and drug information departments that they can contact in order to provide any information you request.
Some patients suffer no withdrawal problems at all. They are very lucky!!!
I hope this helps you and others. Take care and keep well, Jo x

joegg888
05-09-08, 21:45
hi jb
no you are not alone i am withdrawing also.
the aches stiff muscles head aches, bad bad stomache, needing the toilet all the time. dont worry you will be ok, take care and be strong, ive done this on my own with 4 kids to look after, if i can do it you can.
today is the first day ive smiled in over 2 weeks, i actualy got some propper sleep lastnight.
i wish you all the best in your recovery and hope all goes well after xtafflassx

Hi Tafflass, I too am withdrawing from Sertraline. It has been 4 weeks since I stopped taking it. I am suffering exactly like you. I feel so sick, I vomited before going to work for the first time in 5 weeks yesterday, I again vomited whilst at work and also when I got home. The headaches are really severe, and I also have aching back muscles. If I am not actually being sick then I end up rushing to the loo with diarrhoea!!! I dont sleep properly at night, usually having nightmares or very vivid dreams and always wake up at 5 am each morning!!! I cannot have any more time off work or I will end up losing my job, but this withdrawal is so severe. I know that I will eventually become free of this drug, and I am so determined to do so. How long have you been off Sertraline now? Do you know how long we will have to go through all this for? This withdrawal is worse than the depression I had originally! Take care and keep well, you are doing great, Jo x

joegg888
05-09-08, 22:09
Hi JB, Moonlightfire, Tafflass and anyone else coming off Sertraline.
I too am suffering the most horrendous withdrawal effects.
I have been totally off this drug for 4 weeks now, and the effects are still as bad. I feel so sick and have been vomiting constantly for the past 24 hours.
If I am not being sick then I have terrible diarrhoea and stomach cramps. I also feel dizzy, have an awful headache and have muscle aches and also ringing in the ears!!!!!!!!
I honestly thought that after 4 weeks I would be feeling better!!!
Different GP's have put my symptoms down to a brain haemorrhage, meningitis, or stomach problems !!!!!!! I keep saying that I am withdrawing from Sertraline and that these symptoms are classic withdrawal effects but noone seems to listen.
How long will these awful symptoms last for?????
I have withdrawn from this drug after discussing it with my GP and after 4 weeks off it I am determined that I will never take it or another SSRI again!
I look forward to any replies, take care all, Jo x

silk0226
04-10-08, 06:43
I have been on and off Zoloft/Sertraline for several years now. I stopped taking Sertraline 3 weeks ago and wow, have I ever had the withdrawal symptoms. I have stopped cold turkey in the past and never had any withdrawal but this time is a different story. Maybe it's because I was on a higher dose. At first I thought I was just sick with the flu until I looked up the withdrawal symptoms. The worst for me has been the dizziness and severe headaches.

I'm sure if we can all hang in there and tough it out we will be much better off. It makes one wonder what damage the drug has done. Thank God I have not had any depression just the other yucky withdrawal stuff.

Hang in there!!!

Debbie

50cent84
04-10-08, 18:35
can someone tell me what an ssri is ??? Is this a diff med to others

silk0226
06-10-08, 04:05
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a class of drugs that include Prozac, Zoloft. The following was from the Mayo Clinic website "
How SSRIs work

It's not clear precisely how SSRIs affect depression. Certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters are associated with depression, including the neurotransmitter serotonin (ser-oh-TOE-nin). Some research suggests that abnormalities in neurotransmitter activity affect mood and behavior. SSRIs seem to relieve symptoms of depression by blocking the reabsorption (reuptake) of serotonin by certain nerve cells in the brain. This leaves more serotonin available in the brain. As a result, this enhances neurotransmission — the sending of nerve impulses — and improves mood. SSRIs are called selective because they seem to affect only serotonin, not other neurotransmitters."


I hope that helps.

davidthegnome
06-10-08, 13:01
I've been on zoloft for about ten years. I came off of it twice, and it was too much for me. I don't want to scare you, but it was really hard for me, the second time I tried coming off of it I had a relapse and was in really bad shape. Make sure you do it slowly. It effects everyone differently, so the best advice I can give is to listen to your Doctor and not go too fast.

Please be very careful

joegg888
09-10-08, 19:18
Hi All,
Well I have now been off Sertraline for over 60 days now !!!:yesyes:
I have had the most awful time and ended up having to take time off work.
I now feel wonderful ! :D
I am so chuffed that I have managed to come off this drug after over 4 years of feeling controlled.
The withdrawal was pretty awful, but talking to others on this site certainly helped.
Having been on a course about mental health I would recommend that anyone going through anxiety, depression, or any other stress talks to someone who is trained in cognitive behavior therapy. They will go through all your feelings and fears with you and give you coping methods etc. I wish that I had known that this was available a few weeks ago.
Anyway all, I will keep in touch, and if anyone wants to ask me anything then please reply to this message and I will get in touch.
Good Luck and God Bless to you all.
Jo :yahoo: