Verity3 Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Hi, I'm at the end of my first week with no sertraline, and my withdrawal symptoms are just starting to be bothersome. So NOW I discover that, far from being able to expect to completely go off the medicine over my summer break, withdrawal symptoms can last weeks, months, or years! This is not going to work -- I'm a school bus driver, and need to be in top shape when September rolls around. I'm so grateful to have come across this site relatively early in the process. Hoping to undo/prevent some of the damage. My biggest symptoms right now are dizziness and irritability, which worsen at night. The dizziness comes in split-second "zaps," so I tend to refer to it as my "brain zaps," but it doesn't feel like an electrical current as some people describe. Am I confusing the term? I want to go back to my last dose when I was feeling good (half the maintenance dose... basically, the first week of my taper which was a 50% drop), and do a SLOOOOOWWW taper from there. Waiting to hear back from my PCP's office whether they approve this plan and can prescribe a liquid form. Ten years on Sertraline Most recent maintenance dose: 50 mg July 17: 25 mg daily July 24: 25 mg, every other day July 31: tried to stop Aug. 1: took 25 mg Aug 2: put away the bottle Aug 9: back to 40 mg/daily Link to comment
Verity3 Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 Well, the good news is my PCP is agreeable, and is prescribing the liquid Zoloft. But he recommends 40 mg "to get it back in my system," while I wanted to try staying with 25 mg a day because I felt comfortable with it. Though from reading this site so far, it sounds like even 50 --> 40 mg is a jump. :/ On the OTHER hand, most of what I'm reading about the 10% method seems to assume you're starting from your regular maintenance dose and choosing to go down 10% from there to begin with. That's not my situation -- it's over three weeks since my last maintenance dose and a week since my last half-pill. They're writing the script for "20 to 40 mg as directed" and pretty much letting me decide. I have my yearly appointment with him next week anyway, so I guess I'll get a better chance to speak with him directly about the details I'm learning from SA. But I need to decide how much to take tonight, and over the next week. I think I want to go along with my doctor's 40 mg recommendation. What do the mods here think? Ten years on Sertraline Most recent maintenance dose: 50 mg July 17: 25 mg daily July 24: 25 mg, every other day July 31: tried to stop Aug. 1: took 25 mg Aug 2: put away the bottle Aug 9: back to 40 mg/daily Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus mammaP Posted August 9, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 9, 2017 (edited) Hi Verity, welcome to SA. I never thought I would say this but as it is only 3 weeks since you went to 25 I agree with your doctor. 50% is a big drop and would have caught up with you eventually. I am so glad that he gave you the liquid but would recommend taking part tablet and part liquid, maybe 25 tablet and 15 liquid. This will give your body chance to get used to the liquid which will be slightly different . I would wait at least 3 months at 40 to stabilise before restarting the taper. This will minimise the risk of withdrawal on an already unstable nervous system. This is just a set back, you will get back on track. Most of us found this site after tapering too fast, you are not alone! Here is our topic for tapering sertraline http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1441-tips-for-tapering-off-zoloft-sertraline/ Why taper 10% http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/ Preparing to taper http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1789-preparing-to-taper/ Log symptoms so you can notice any withdrawal and adjust doses/time between drops http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1779-rate-symptoms-daily-to-catch-withdrawal-early/ Keep us posted! Edited August 9, 2017 by mammaP **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 Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted August 9, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 9, 2017 Hi Verity, and welcome to SA from me too. I'm really glad that you have found this site so early in the piece. I was in a similar situation when I found SA. I really found these helpful in understanding SA's recommendations: Brain Remodelling Video: Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery The AD we take changes our brain, and it is when we reduce the dose too quickly that we experience withdrawal symptoms. Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist I tried to reduce my dose by 1/2, 100mg Pristiq to 50mg, and experienced 3 weeks of extreme brain fog. After 3 weeks I couldn't type. Being a professional typist I realised straight away that something was wrong. I updosed and within 4 hours my brain fog started clearing and I was able to type again. I knew it was not placebo but that my brain need the AD because I had a benchmark. The good news is that since then I have been reducing my dose by no more than 10% of the previous dose and I am now down to 20mg. I have experienced only mild withdrawal symptoms since November 2016 and my tapering has faded into the background. * 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 Link to comment
Verity3 Posted August 10, 2017 Author Share Posted August 10, 2017 Thanks, mammaP and ChessieCat! I think I will do the tablet+liquid for a few days. I may not have access to a computer over the next few days, but I will update again as soon as I am able! Ten years on Sertraline Most recent maintenance dose: 50 mg July 17: 25 mg daily July 24: 25 mg, every other day July 31: tried to stop Aug. 1: took 25 mg Aug 2: put away the bottle Aug 9: back to 40 mg/daily Link to comment
Verity3 Posted August 11, 2017 Author Share Posted August 11, 2017 I feel SO much better today. Thank you so much for this site and providing the info to show me the right way to come off sertraline gradually. Ten years on Sertraline Most recent maintenance dose: 50 mg July 17: 25 mg daily July 24: 25 mg, every other day July 31: tried to stop Aug. 1: took 25 mg Aug 2: put away the bottle Aug 9: back to 40 mg/daily Link to comment
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