Coming off Sertraline
Discussion
I have decided to wean myself off since it's been almost a year since first being diagnosed with depression and having Sertraline prescribed as well as counseling.
I'm in my 50s had been separated from my wife for 6 years, living alone, working hard or looking after my kids when not working. No one at work would say I was unhappy but I was suffering terrible anxiety and was terribly sad. I stoically, I guess, put this all down to my situation not illness.
Anyhow, the counseling was a relief to have someone to talk to, although the CBT exercises were no help, she only told me what I knew already. But it was good to have an understanding 'friend' once a week for around 15 weeks.
The pills however had a remarkable effect. The first 6 weeks I was a mess. Literally shaking with nerves, cancelling work because of panic attacks just feeling awful but I persevered. They finally started to work.
I was calmer, braver about work and social situations, very down to earth and would manage arguments carefully and not lose my temper. I finally started doing things for myself ie moving to the country after living all my 53 years in London, getting a new car that I had always wanted, enjoying the now much longer drives to work.
So why come off them?
I suppose it can't be good to rely on a chemical crutch for the rest of my life and I have to take enough tablets anyway thanks to a heart attack back in 2009.
I can deal with the vivid dreams and bad night sweats as well as the sexual problems as I live on my own but a relationship may be in the offing and I don't want to ruin it with the symptoms of the side effects.
I have read a few horror stories about coming off the drug but as of the last fortnight I have started taking the 100mg tablets every other night instead of every night.
So far so good. I feel a bit woolly today but the sexual problems have eased off, a lot, but how long does the drug last in your system?
Will it be a while before I start suffering the new anxiety and brain shocks that I have heard about.
Just want to know how others have coped really. Good luck everyone and cheers.
I'm in my 50s had been separated from my wife for 6 years, living alone, working hard or looking after my kids when not working. No one at work would say I was unhappy but I was suffering terrible anxiety and was terribly sad. I stoically, I guess, put this all down to my situation not illness.
Anyhow, the counseling was a relief to have someone to talk to, although the CBT exercises were no help, she only told me what I knew already. But it was good to have an understanding 'friend' once a week for around 15 weeks.
The pills however had a remarkable effect. The first 6 weeks I was a mess. Literally shaking with nerves, cancelling work because of panic attacks just feeling awful but I persevered. They finally started to work.
I was calmer, braver about work and social situations, very down to earth and would manage arguments carefully and not lose my temper. I finally started doing things for myself ie moving to the country after living all my 53 years in London, getting a new car that I had always wanted, enjoying the now much longer drives to work.
So why come off them?
I suppose it can't be good to rely on a chemical crutch for the rest of my life and I have to take enough tablets anyway thanks to a heart attack back in 2009.
I can deal with the vivid dreams and bad night sweats as well as the sexual problems as I live on my own but a relationship may be in the offing and I don't want to ruin it with the symptoms of the side effects.
I have read a few horror stories about coming off the drug but as of the last fortnight I have started taking the 100mg tablets every other night instead of every night.
So far so good. I feel a bit woolly today but the sexual problems have eased off, a lot, but how long does the drug last in your system?
Will it be a while before I start suffering the new anxiety and brain shocks that I have heard about.
Just want to know how others have coped really. Good luck everyone and cheers.
I only used sertraline for a bit. I had terrible time getting on it same as you. Because of my size (6'5'' / 17 stone) the Dr put me on a full whack dose (200mg), I came of it pretty quickly, went down to 150, then 100, then 50 and off in a couple of weeks.
I had no problems at all and I recall the sexual function (i.e. it not taking 10 years to "finish") reversed itself within days.
I had no problems at all and I recall the sexual function (i.e. it not taking 10 years to "finish") reversed itself within days.
discontinuation syndrome can vary widely person to person and there's much discussion on various fora about individual experiences.
slow reduction with weekly decrements is almost always the order of the day, preferably with prescriber monitoring. the "model" of alternate day dosing is pretty standard. be mindful that it can be difficult to distinguish between some of these side-effects and an early relapse so keep talking to your Dr and ensure that a good eye is kept on the clinical picture/mental state
paul
slow reduction with weekly decrements is almost always the order of the day, preferably with prescriber monitoring. the "model" of alternate day dosing is pretty standard. be mindful that it can be difficult to distinguish between some of these side-effects and an early relapse so keep talking to your Dr and ensure that a good eye is kept on the clinical picture/mental state
paul
I started the discontinuation by taking one tablet one day, half a tablet the next, then one tablet, then half.............for a month
Then half tablet every day for a month
Then quarter/half and so on until I was off completely
The brain zaps are weird, not that unpleasant just weird
Just be sensible and monitor your changes in mood and feeling. And up the exercise while you do this, helped me no end!
Then half tablet every day for a month
Then quarter/half and so on until I was off completely
The brain zaps are weird, not that unpleasant just weird
Just be sensible and monitor your changes in mood and feeling. And up the exercise while you do this, helped me no end!
You might be better to decrease your dose rather than double the amount of time between doses, something you should chat with your GP about.
I tried Sertraline for a short time, but it wasnt for me. I went with Venlafaxine as it was the best compromise of a few different things (ie still being able to pitch tents, but taking a while to 'finish) and when I came off them it was mostly from thinking I didnt really need them anymore. I started splitting the tablets, then got a dose reduction (equal to the half tablets) for a month, then started splitting the lower dose tablets
I was probably on a minimum dose at the end, and set New Years Day as the time to stop taking them, I guess 2 years ago. It felt like I had a bad cold for about a fortnight, combined with head zaps. I found taking sleeping tablets, they're just called Sleep Aid and you can get them from a Co-Op pharmacy really helped with the zaps (which seem fairly specific to venlafaxine) and the dizziness wasnt quite as bad. Most over the counter sleep aids arent enough to knock you out anyway. Of course, if you operate machinery or drive for a living you might want to rethink this
From New Years Day it took probably a fortnight or so for everything to wash through, and maybe 3 months in total before I felt 'off them' completely. The weird thing was, it used to take ages to finish while I was on them, but after a month of not being on them I was a 2 minute wonder for about 3 months. Then everything went back to relatively normal.
I tried Sertraline for a short time, but it wasnt for me. I went with Venlafaxine as it was the best compromise of a few different things (ie still being able to pitch tents, but taking a while to 'finish) and when I came off them it was mostly from thinking I didnt really need them anymore. I started splitting the tablets, then got a dose reduction (equal to the half tablets) for a month, then started splitting the lower dose tablets
I was probably on a minimum dose at the end, and set New Years Day as the time to stop taking them, I guess 2 years ago. It felt like I had a bad cold for about a fortnight, combined with head zaps. I found taking sleeping tablets, they're just called Sleep Aid and you can get them from a Co-Op pharmacy really helped with the zaps (which seem fairly specific to venlafaxine) and the dizziness wasnt quite as bad. Most over the counter sleep aids arent enough to knock you out anyway. Of course, if you operate machinery or drive for a living you might want to rethink this
From New Years Day it took probably a fortnight or so for everything to wash through, and maybe 3 months in total before I felt 'off them' completely. The weird thing was, it used to take ages to finish while I was on them, but after a month of not being on them I was a 2 minute wonder for about 3 months. Then everything went back to relatively normal.
Edited by andy-xr on Monday 4th April 14:23
Can anyone really describe these brain zaps.
I seem to be getting something if I move my head. As if there is a high pitched noise only dogs can hear accompanying any head movement.
I've been doing the 100mg every other day for a while but now in a bit of trouble as I have had to extend my stay in LA due to sad unexpected circumstances.
Stupidly I only packed enough of my tablets including heart stuff to include an airport delay. I now have been taking the 100mg every 3 days and now only have two tabs to last me 7 days.
My head is definitely feeling a bit weird.
I seem to be getting something if I move my head. As if there is a high pitched noise only dogs can hear accompanying any head movement.
I've been doing the 100mg every other day for a while but now in a bit of trouble as I have had to extend my stay in LA due to sad unexpected circumstances.
Stupidly I only packed enough of my tablets including heart stuff to include an airport delay. I now have been taking the 100mg every 3 days and now only have two tabs to last me 7 days.
My head is definitely feeling a bit weird.
Be aware of your own mood. Go and see your GP if you start feeling bad. This is important. Changes of dosage, up or down, appear to be risky times with SSRIs. I think my wife's dose of citalopram had been upped not too long before she killed herself. I had a course of sertraline twenty years ago, and came off it with no problems, but reading around there can be issues. Good luck, I hope your recovery continues.
I just felt hungover for about a month. I still get anxiety but these manage to deal with it rather than having a total melt down.
It's an odd affliction because I get it worse when leading up to stuff I enjoy like going racing. Stressful work meetings and I'm generally fine. Weird
Anyway good luck fella.
It's an odd affliction because I get it worse when leading up to stuff I enjoy like going racing. Stressful work meetings and I'm generally fine. Weird
Anyway good luck fella.
Tapered off Fluoxetine from Feb, finished it mid-March.
Still not entirely 'normal'. Difficult to concentrate for lengthy periods. Get tired easily. Numb and unpleasantly'woolly' feeling in my brain quite often.
Just wonder whether they (SSRI's) might have done some permanent damage to me.
Still not entirely 'normal'. Difficult to concentrate for lengthy periods. Get tired easily. Numb and unpleasantly'woolly' feeling in my brain quite often.
Just wonder whether they (SSRI's) might have done some permanent damage to me.
It's been two weeks since I stopped due to running out in the US. I had been taking my 100mg every other day.
I feel light headed and getting the weird zaps but I now sleep without the vivid dreams and no longer waking a number of times a night absolutely soaked in sweat.
The sexual side effects are already reversing thank heavens as I'm in a good place having met a wonderful and understanding girl. Didn't want to disappoint her.
Only problem is she lives in LA so it's getting expensive but I don't care.
Good luck everyone.
I feel light headed and getting the weird zaps but I now sleep without the vivid dreams and no longer waking a number of times a night absolutely soaked in sweat.
The sexual side effects are already reversing thank heavens as I'm in a good place having met a wonderful and understanding girl. Didn't want to disappoint her.
Only problem is she lives in LA so it's getting expensive but I don't care.
Good luck everyone.
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