medication change

[lard]

I feel terrible, my whole body feels like I’m being given electric shocks and like I’m on a moving boat.
I have been taking Sertraline 100mgs daily for well over 5 years and was doing ok on it but that all changed 6 months ago when I had some extremely stressful events in my life and ended up having a breakdown. Since that day I have not felt the same, I cant relax and cant cope. My doctor tried adding antipsychotics to the Sertraline but that made me feel worse, then mitazipine which did raise my mood but left me feeling spaced out and extremely tired. So now after all that experimenting with different drugs I am coming off the Sertraline and starting Citalopram. I know this is a positive step in the right direction but I feel so horrible and terribly confused.
My doctor told me to taper down the Sertraline as so, drop down to 75mgs for 3 days, then 50mgs for 2 days then 25mgs and add 10mgs of Citalopram at this point, that was yesterday, I’m doing exactly what the doctor said to do but I feel so nasty. I know I’m suffering from withdraw symptoms as I remember what it was like coming off Seroxat a long time ago.
How long will this feeling last? I keep having the horrible black depression zaps also, the despair and desperation feeling.
I don’t feel human anymore, I feel lost and alone.
I’m trying to manage working and being married and looking after my 2 children but it feels like its piling on top of me and I’m losing touch with reality.
I love my wife and children so much but feel extreme guilt that I cant cope and just do what others do and just get on with it.
Help.

[joyce1980]

Try to take a deep breath, it does take time for the withdrawal symptoms to subside and the anxiety and depressed mood you are feeling is likely from the withdrawal.

I have just changed a week ago from 100mg sertraline (zoloft) back to the good ol paroxetine (aropax, seroxat)

I was cranky, hot, unbalanced, dizzy and unsure of myself and the electric shocks are disgusting.

For some reason, it only lasted a week !!!!! dr told me to stop zoloft for 2 days take nothing then start 20mg aropax.

I would def go back to the dr and say this method is not working, there are many many ways of weaning off one med and starting another

I used to see a psychiatrist last year, they know more about meds that gp's perhaps you can get an appointment with one,

Why did you stop paroxetine to go to zoloft ???? did it stop working

Go have a nice hot choccy drink and remember that meds work and once the change is complete you will be back to normal, enjoying your life and family again.

[KK77]

I don't agree with cross-taping, ie, tapering one drug while starting on another. I know doctors have different views on this because there aren't any set guidelines. The problem is withdrawal symptoms from one drug (sertraline) and the start-up side effects of the other (citalopram). It looks like this is why you're having such a hard time. Also, you've been on sertraline for a long time on a moderately high dose so I would have withdrawn a lot slower.

Go back to your GP and explain how awful you're feeling and ask to have your withdrawal plan looked at again.

It seems as though your doctor's rushed things a bit.

[smudger]

Hi matey. I felt dreadful when I stopped one drug completely whilst starting a completely different one. If you feel that bad please don't suffer even if its just to get reassurance to get you through these effects. Ask the doc for help, you need it for you and your family. Its difficult enough coping just for you but when you work and have a family, thats double difficult. Good luck..you will get there.