KAD1 Posted February 25, 2017 Posted February 25, 2017 (edited) I have been on ssris for 13 years now. I was switched to Zoloft 9 months ago because it's suppose to be good for anxiety. Unfortunately it gives me crazy heartburn and now I'm having to take meds for that. After talking to my dr we decided to try coming off the meds all together. I am having bad out of it, drunk feelings and am wondering if there is anything you can take to help with that? Edited March 4, 2017 by scallywag tags Effexor 100 (Something) mg - 2004 to 2012 weaned down while weaning up on Cipralex Cipralex 25mg - 2012 to 2016 weaned down while weaning up on the Zoloft Zoloft 100mg - 2016 to 2017 Tapered down took 6 months last dose of 12.5mg was on June 23, 2017
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted February 25, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Posted February 25, 2017 KAD1 -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA) I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us. What is your current dose of Zoloft? What medication -- prescription, or over-the-counter -- are you taking for the heartburn/GERD? What changes have you made recently in either which medication you take or the dosage of medications? When did the feeling "out of it" and "drunk" start? If you haven't started to decrease your Zoloft dose yet, it's GREAT that you found us. Most doctors believe that people can quickly taper off these medications in a few weeks. Tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of self-reported anecdotes on on the internet and views on sites like this one would suggest that this is NOT universally true, NOT EVEN CLOSE. We suggest that people taper by making small, gradual reductions: next dose = 90% or more of the previous/current dose, decreasing once per month or less often. You can read more about tapering in these topics: Before you begin tapering -- what you need to know. Why taper by 10% of my dosage?. 3KIS: Keep it slow. Keep it simple. Keep it stable. A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly? Any drugs prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. You can find instructions in this topic: Please put your withdrawal history in signature If you are using a phone or mobile device, you need to switch to the "full" or desktop version of the site. Instructions are in Post 9 and Post 10 Relevant to your situation: Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline) If we have information on this site about the med(s) you take for the gastric issue, I'll post that in a later message. Have a look at the links I've posted, and please create a drug history signature. Please let us know how things are going for you. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet
KAD1 Posted August 31, 2017 Author Posted August 31, 2017 So I have been totally off the Zoloft for 11 weeks this Friday. My anxiety wasn't to bad but last week it was through the roof!!! I am crying all the time about everything! I have stopped the Nexium for GERD as well. Everyone that I talk to says something different. Dr's and pharmacy says that it would be totally out of my system in 4 weeks 6 tops and that this is my anxiety symptoms. Other people say that you can have withdrawal for up to 4 months after. I have started taking EMPower by True Hope and I don't know if it is working, I have tried 5htp and my stomach/bowels didn't agree with it. I am also starting to take an amino acid mix which I have heard helps with withdrawal (if that's what it is). I am at the point where my life is really suffering and I am seriously considering going back on meds. Effexor 100 (Something) mg - 2004 to 2012 weaned down while weaning up on Cipralex Cipralex 25mg - 2012 to 2016 weaned down while weaning up on the Zoloft Zoloft 100mg - 2016 to 2017 Tapered down took 6 months last dose of 12.5mg was on June 23, 2017
KAD1 Posted August 31, 2017 Author Posted August 31, 2017 I have been off Zoloft for 11 weeks now and last week my anxiety was extremely bad!! I was super angry, irritable, annoyed or raging. Now I cant stop crying, I cry all day all the time about everything. My anxiety is so bad, the obsessing thoughts and the wanting to crawl out of my skin for no reason, I have anxious dreams where I wake up in a panic attack. Dr's are saying that there is no way I would still be withdrawing and that this is my Anxiety. If you talk to others or do research I have read that it could take up to 4 months or more before you start feeling better. I started taking EMPower by True Hope in the hopes that it would help with the anxiety, I am also starting to take a amino-mix I have heard that this is also good to help with withdrawals. I am at the point now where I have had enough of feeling like **** and really need to get some kind of life back. DR's want to try me on LYRICA because I am so sensitive to everything and didn't do great on the SSRI/SNRI's. Effexor 100 (Something) mg - 2004 to 2012 weaned down while weaning up on Cipralex Cipralex 25mg - 2012 to 2016 weaned down while weaning up on the Zoloft Zoloft 100mg - 2016 to 2017 Tapered down took 6 months last dose of 12.5mg was on June 23, 2017
Moderator Emeritus mammaP Posted August 31, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Posted August 31, 2017 Hi Kadi, welcome from me too. You are suffring from withdrawal and it can go on for a very long time for some people. Doctors do not understand withdrawal and usually say it is relapse when it is actually withdrawal! You could reinstate a very small dose of zoloft. Even just 0.5mg could help. Zoloft is available in a liquid, or you can make a liquid from tablets and use an oral syringe. This topic tells you how to make it. Start with 0.5mg, and titrate up if you need to. Some people find that small amount helps. When you are stable you can slowly taper off that tiny dose. Your doctor is unlikely to think it will help but tiny doses have helped many people here. I tapered from 37.5 mg effexor too fast and reinstated 1mg. My doctor laughed at me but it really worked! Supplements can have an adverse effect when in withdrawal and at best make very expensive wee! The only thng to cure withdrawal is the drug that was withdrawn. Many people here find that simple fish oil and magnesium help with some symptoms but most other supplements are best left alone. Your brain and nervous will heal themselves in time, they are remarkable! **I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge. Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem) 1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat 2002 effexor. Tapered March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads. Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013 Restarted taper Nov 2013 OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015 Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014 Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg July 2017 30mg. May 15 2018 25mg Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33 Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible
chrona Posted September 1, 2017 Posted September 1, 2017 please do not take Lyrica. I am going through hell trying an extremely slow taper from an analogue. this is a hellish drug I think only to be used in dire need for an extremely short time, like days. there are many many people going through wd from it, go see on FB if you need to. many years ago given sinequan for depression bad reaction so tiny dose of meleril to balance... quit after a year or so c/t years pass no drugs reg doc had me try all of the a/d bc of upset due to divorce. couldn't handle any. took klonopin to sleep .5 mg 2003 taper klonopin hooked on tramadol accidentally. 2006-2008 husband had migraines and took them like candy. so i became dependent too. c/t 2008 diagnosis of porphyria after years of symptoms, then toxic event made me really ill. gabapentin 300mg every 3 hours , 6x day. propranolol 180 mg 6x / day since 2012 clonazepam prescribed as 1 mg / day but beginning to take more to deal with withdrawals and sleeplessness
KAD1 Posted September 1, 2017 Author Posted September 1, 2017 (edited) I've been on ssri/snri's for 14 years my last dose was end of June it's been 11 weeks tomorrow. Doctors say I should have been fine 6weeks max now I'm reading on here years!! I'm not doing well first I was angry rageing now im crying all the time. Im constantly fearful with obsessive thoughts running through my head over and over. I'm depressed fed up and don't want to live like this. They want to put me back on meds and I would like some quality of life. Edited September 1, 2017 by scallywag merged topics Effexor 100 (Something) mg - 2004 to 2012 weaned down while weaning up on Cipralex Cipralex 25mg - 2012 to 2016 weaned down while weaning up on the Zoloft Zoloft 100mg - 2016 to 2017 Tapered down took 6 months last dose of 12.5mg was on June 23, 2017
KAD1 Posted September 2, 2017 Author Posted September 2, 2017 I'm still not to sure how this sight works but I need help. Yesterday I had the worst panick attack I have had in years. Litteraly thought I was going to die. Couldn't see well felt like I was going to pass out, my body was so restless and then I got muscle shakes. I didn't know what to do so I took a clonazopam to help calm me down. Unfortunately they make me super dizzy! I started taking some inositol and I think that helped a bit, I'm not really sure how that works. I got a bit of sleep had to get up at 11 to take more inositol. I'm just wondering if this is withdrawal or my anxiety, I know dr will say anxiety. If it is withdrawal how the hell do I make it go away because I'm ready to try some new meds if it dosent stop soon. Effexor 100 (Something) mg - 2004 to 2012 weaned down while weaning up on Cipralex Cipralex 25mg - 2012 to 2016 weaned down while weaning up on the Zoloft Zoloft 100mg - 2016 to 2017 Tapered down took 6 months last dose of 12.5mg was on June 23, 2017
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted September 2, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Posted September 2, 2017 On 01/09/2017 at 7:34 AM, mammaP said: You could reinstate a very small dose of zoloft. Even just 0.5mg could help. Please read Post #1 of this topic: About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now