Vandert: Sertraline Discontinuation Attempt

[vandert]

I was diagnosed with OCD around 1996.  In addition, I suffered from moderate depression and severe anxiety.  I started taking Prozac but tried other SSRIs until landing on sertraline (100mg) which was very tolerable.  Because my OCD was of the "pure-o" variety, I didn't do the ERP therapy and just used medication to treat the problem.  While not perfect, sertraline did help with my anxiety and I was generally healthy and functional.

 

Fast forward to 2006.  During what I now know was a compulsion, I stumbled on an article that literally changed my life.  I was as if the author had interviewed me and used that as the basis for the content.  It made me realize I did truly have OCD and I began the process of accepting it and doing whatever it took to manage it.  I started therapy, did the ERP, and made great strides.  I was doing well and decided I wanted to see if I could manage without the sertraline.  I stepped down my dose over a 6 week period under the supervision of my psychologist.  As the dosage reduced, I felt great.  I had more energy, confidence, and clearer thinking.  Over the two months or so following my last dose of sertraline I felt the absolute best I had ever felt in my adult life.

 

Then, one night, something changed.  It was as if a switch in my brain was flipped.  I started feeling very anxious.  Within a few days I could no longer sleep.  Each passing day the anxiety got worse and, eventually, major depression kicked in.  About 2 weeks following the "switch" I was in a behavioral hospital because I was a suicide threat.  My brain was completely out of my control.  I was discharged after 3 nights but was back again a month later.  I started started seeing a psychiatrist along with my therapist and ended up on Seroquel and returned to sertraline.  In addition, both doctors believed I had bipolar.  The only debate was whether it was type I or II.

 

After many months, I felt stable again and discontinued the Seroquel in favor of Lamictal.  I have been on sertraline and Lamictal ever since.

 

The entire episode left me with many questions and for a while I just assumed I'd never understand what happened.  My doctors never brought up "discontinuation syndrome".  The explanation for my 8 weeks of feeling great was hypomania.  Within the past year I asked my psychiatrist about the bipolar diagnosis as it never made sense to me.  He stated he no longer believed I had bipolar as my mood had been too stable over the years.  Great so what the hell was/is wrong with me?

 

Just yesterday I found this site and other resources that made me think my episode was caused by withdrawal syndrome.  It is the first explanation that makes any sense.  Bipolar never made sense as it appears SSRIs without mood stabilizers (me on sertraline without mood stabilizer for 10 years) tends to worsen or trigger mania.  I had never had anything approaching a manic episode.  I did struggle with anxiety but it was nothing like the horror I experienced following my discontinuation of sertraline.  I can't help but think withdrawal is the best explanation.

 

Since my terrible episode I have felt very cheated and disappointed.  For 6 months I experienced joy in achieving successful therapy for OCD.  I made great strides and gained the most confidence I'd ever had.  Those last two months were fantastic.  Then the rug was yanked out from under me.  I have been somewhat bitter thinking it was all "fake" and haven't been very motivated to achieve.  I guess you could say I have felt defeated.

 

Now, after discovering others with similar experiences, I have a little bit of hope.  I would like to try coming off of sertraline one more time.  This time, however, I'll do it very slowly under the guidance of a psychiatrist.  Having said that, I am scared.  I cannot go through that dreadful experience again.

[mammaP]

Hi Vandert, welcome to SA. Many of us here have the bi polar label that was actually withdrawal!  

I am pleased that you came here first this time to learn the correct way to taper without the awful withdrawal. Most doctors haven't a clue so it will be great if your doctor is on board and supportive of your taper. Most of them think that a few weeks is all that is needed, then blame relapse when it goes wrong instead of recognising withdrawal. 

 

Here is our topic on tapering sertraline (Zoloft)  read it carefully and if you follow the advice carefully you will be more successful.

It is important to listen to your body, any withdrawal symptoms then hold until they have been settled for a few weeks before another cut. 

Don't be tempted to rush, take your time and you could feel better as the dose lowers. 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1441-tips-for-tapering-off-zoloft-sertraline/

 

If you are mathematically mnded you will find the following interesting about the concentrations of the drug as the doses get smaller.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6036-why-taper-paper-demonstrates-importance-of-gradual-change-in-plasma-concentration/

 

The 3 KIS  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6632-the-rule-of-3kis-keep-it-simple-keep-it-slow-keep-it-stable/

 

You can log your progress here and ask any questions along the way.  

[bromor]

I had a similar thing happen ~ was on sertaline for years & decided to go cold turkey for lack of knowledge on how to taper. First 3 months, I felt great!!!! Then something switched & I went through horrible withdrawal. After another year and a few months of on/off/changing doses, I found this incredible site. I am fairly stable ~ still have symptoms but nothing like before. Our bodies are amazing and will heal. It just requires patience and wisdom on our part to allow and help. You've come to the right place!

[SquirrellyGirl]

Hello vandert, 

 

I just wanted to chip and say hello.  I had a similar experience as you when I came off Effexor too fast - a period of doing fine and then BLAMMO!  I totally understand your fear because in essence we develop PTSD after that experience!  I didn't know it was withdrawal either, went 10 months before ending up back on Effexor after being put on Remeron, which couldn't hold up to Effexor WD.  So, I too felt angry once I realized what had happened and that I was now on two drugs, not one!  I have been tapering slowly ever since, and doing very well.  It will be a year of tapering next month.  I was on Effexor for 12 years and other ADs a total of 20, so I have accepted that coming off has to be a slow process that will take longer than I initially wanted.  When we discover that all our troubles were caused by AD withdrawal, we want off the poison BAD! 

 

It is quite a common tale around here, that people diagnosed as bi-polar after a failed attempt to come off meds, misdiagnosed.

 

Hopefully, your doctor will be willing to work with you to taper slowly.  Mine thinks I am going too slow, and that is also a common story around here, since they don't seem to acknowledge protracted withdrawal and say that anything after 6 weeks is "something else."

 

These links may be helpful to you in that regard:

 

What should I expect from my doctor about withdrawal symptoms?

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

 

I'm so glad you found SA - welcome!

 

SG

[Hopefull]

Hi Vandert,

WDS is a truly horrendous experience.

I completely sympathise with you. I have gone through a horrible experience after Zoloft reaction, and I want to let you know that it is not you. You are not bipolar, it is the WDS from Zoloft.

I was also given Seroquel following Zoloft reaction.

I experienced terrible depression after Zoloft and I was also suicidal.

I have never experienced anything like it in my life.

I don't know why psychiatrist throw antipsycotics into the mix following WDS.

Antipsycotic medication should be reserved for people who really need it and not for people who have anxiety disorders.

When you decide to come off Zoloft, tapper off very slowly.

Follow the advice given to you by the moderators.

You will heal and you will get better.

Best wishes, Hopefull.

[vandert]

I've been reading the forums a good bit and I have to say I'm extremely nervous about attempting a second discontinuation of Zoloft.  I suppose most of the horror stories I've read are from those who tapered too quickly but I'm not sure of that.  The reasons for stopping medication follow:

 

• I felt great for 2 months following discontinuation.
• While I tolerate Zoloft well, I still believe it makes me sluggish and contributes to difficulties maintaining healthy weight.
• I don't want to be on any medication unless it's medically necessary.

 

I am seduced by the idea I will feel great as I did following my previous discontinuation but will not have the crash if I taper slowly enough.  I haven't found any success stories to back this up.  I cannot have a repeat of what I experienced before as I'm not sure I'll survive it.  I am not trying to be overly dramatic.  I was very suicidal and had to hospitalized twice.

 

With this in mind, and with the understanding that I am the only one who can make the decision, is it worth trying again?

[geminigirl]

To be honest, for me I would be very weary of it.

 

I tried tapering very slowly, 5% of my current dose, and still got hit with bad withdrawal which I am trying to recover from. I just recently updosed in the hopes that I will go back to normal.

[DaddyCee]

Hi,

 

I think you answered your own question with this

 

I don't want to be on any medication unless it's medically necessary.

 

If you take it slow and listen to your body then you will lessen the chance of a bumpy ride.  I believe that it is way better to live a life that is med free than to be on a med that not even the professionals are sure what it does to you long term.

 

Good luck in your decision.

 

Namaste, DC.

[LukeZoloft]

It's definitely worth getting of these drugs if you want a healthy life style in the future.

 

How ever you should taper a lot slower this time, so that you don't get hit hard with heavy withdrawal symptoms. You have to make a decision, do you want to be a slave to pharmaceuticals for the rest of your life and just about stay alive? or do you want to experience a healthy life without drugs?  

 

I would choose the healthy life style without drugs option every time. No matter how hard it get's know that your life will eventually be great again of these drugs, if you can hold on to that belief, then you will do fine in getting through the hardest of situations withdrawing from these drugs.

[andy]

100% worth it,I came off zoloft and felt a lot better for it .yes it was hard and yes I thought I had lost my mind forever at times but it was 100% worth it and I would never go back down that route

[vandert]

All of these responses are very helpful.  The one thing I will add is I do not believe I was erroneously placed on an SSRI.  In many ways I believe it helped me get through many years before I took my OCD diagnosis seriously.  For that reason I do not regret taking Zoloft.

 

Having said that, I have done extensive CBT/ERP for my disorder and would really like to try living SSRI free.

 

Are there any success stories someone can link me to? 

[andy]

ive just written one,I was on Zoloft twice for anxiety and depression,I tapered of it very fast but it didnt seem that bad to get off.I have been off it for about 2 years now I think .I never really give Zoloft a second thought now so its clearly all in the past for me but at the time was life cosuming.

CBT and a good Doctor helped me with my mental health problems,it took me a long time to find the right support but once I did I started to recover quite quickly.You can do it ,I once thought meds were the answer and would have took anything a doctor offered me but they really are not the answer at all

good luck

[SquirrellyGirl]

Hi vandert, I merged your two intros - it's one Intro per member.

 

Could you please update your signature to include the Lamictal, and include dosages of both meds?  Include any other meds you are on as well.  It would be good if you could run your meds through the Drug Interactions Checker.  Please copy and paste the results here.  Sometimes this will help us see which drug would be better to reduce first.

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

This time you are in total control of your taper, and can take it as slowly as you like to stay stable and comfortable. This is a helpful topic:

 

Preparing to taper

 

This time you will have the knowledge that if symptoms do come up, they are due to withdrawal and are a sign of healing as your nervous system adapts to less drug.  

 

This link makes me hopeful for the future when I finally jump off the last bits:  Experiences after tapering to zero

 

SG