Lyndsey Weaning off zoloft

[Lyndsey]

Hello,   I’m new to this and I wanted to see if anyone could help.   I’ve been on Zoloft for a while and in Oct when my father in law got sick my doc upped my dose.   December I had a miscarriage and Feb my father In law passed.   I’ve been dealing with constant nausea.  Last week my doc took me down to 25 mg and this week none.   I woke up yesterday feeling like I had he stomach flu- diarrhea, vomiting and achy.   Has anyone else dealt with this?? 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Lyndsey.

 

You have withdrawal syndrome from going off Zoloft too fast. Do you have any Zoloft left? If I were you, I'd immediately take 25mg again.

 

Figure on staying at 25mg for at least a month, or until withdrawal symptoms go away. Then you can taper more gradually. Please read

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline)

[Lyndsey]

My doctor was weaning me off zoloft so that I could start on Amitriptyline.    

I was hoping once I started that I would feel better?

[Songbird]

Hi Lyndsey,  how long have you been taking Zoloft?  Why did your doc want to switch you from Zoloft to Amitriptyline? 

 

It would be helpful if you could create a signature with your med history, listing drugs, doses and dates.  You can edit your signature under your Account Settings. See this topic for more info: Please put your withdrawal history in your signature

 

[Lyndsey]

Hi Songbird.    

I hope my signature was added to this.    Basically I get severe nausea which results in no appetite and weight loss.   The nausea makes me depressed because I can’t do things I normally would.   I honestly thing the doc is just trying new things because they can’t figure it out.   ☹️     I feel like my life is a total mess right now.   I have one great day and then feel awful for a week (even before I started tapering off).

[RenewedLife]

Hi Lyndsey, I don’t know what SA recommends, but could you reinstate until your body is stable and then do a cross taper? I’ve read of people doing that and it keeping their symptoms at bay until they can switch? I only say that because if you can see my signature, switching from one AD to another is not good on your body or brain. I have been on 4 Different medications since January this year and each time I felt I was getting worse. I finally had to stop them to see how I would do. I’m by no means saying don’t do it, you know what is best for your body, I’m just letting you know that I have had a very rough 5 months that I have so much shame and guilt over putting my family through what I have when trying to stabilize and get better. 

[Lyndsey]

27 minutes ago, RenewedLife said:

Hi Lyndsey, I don’t know what SA recommends, but could you reinstate until your body is stable and then do a cross taper? I’ve read of people doing that and it keeping their symptoms at bay until they can switch? I only say that because if you can see my signature, switching from one AD to another is not good on your body or brain. I have been on 4 Different medications since January this year and each time I felt I was getting worse. I finally had to stop them to see how I would do. I’m by no means saying don’t do it, you know what is best for your body, I’m just letting you know that I have had a very rough 5 months that I have so much shame and guilt over putting my family through what I have when trying to stabilize and get better. 

Thanks for the info.  I just sent my doc a message.   I don’t know what to do at this point.

[RenewedLife]

I’m sorry you are going through this! Do you have a good support system in place to help?? I know what I’ve gone through is so hard on my husband, but when I’m having a really bad day he steps up and helps give me a break. You can get through this, just keep fighting!!

[Lyndsey]

Yes, thanks for asking.   I can’t even explain how amazing my husband has been through this.  He is so understanding and just so sweet about it all. I feel like a terrible wife for putting him through this but he says he knows it will get better and just keeps pushing through.

[RenewedLife]

Good!! I feel the same way when it comes to everything I've put my family through. My saving grace is my son is only 2 and doesn't understand. I've been very thankful for that.

 

He's right. It will get better!! I have to tell myself that too. It's always easier to give advice or support to someone other than ourselves. At least that's how i feel.

 

Hopefully your doctor will come back with a good solution and way to help you. If not, I'm sure someone on this site will have very beneficial advice. Everything I have read on here is much more informative than anything my doctor has said. I have started losing faith in doctors after the last 8 months. I went to a new PCP last week who was very nice and did not push ADs on me, but he did make a statement that they were not hard to get off of... The new psych I went to said that your neurotransmitters fix themself within 4 weeks of being off the drugs... Everything I've read says otherwise.

 

Keep us posted on how you are doing. I will keep following your thread to see how you are doing!!

[Lyndsey]

Thanks lady!   

[Gridley]

I would follow Altostrata's advice above.  I know the nausea is bad, but if you can reinstate and hold and then taper as she suggests, you will find that side effects like nausea generally decrease as you taper and your dose gets lower.

[Songbird]

Hi Lyndsey, what dose were you on before the doc upped your dose?  What dose did he increase it to?  When did your nausea begin?

 

Coming off Zoloft so quickly is a recipe for disaster.  Your system has got used to Zoloft and taking it away suddenly is a shock to the system.  It's usually best to reduce dose very slowly over a long time period.  Switching meds is risky - antidepressants often do not cover for each other very well - sometimes it works, but often it does not work or gets people into a worse mess. 

 

Are you able to reinstate 25mg of Zoloft as Alto suggested?

[Lyndsey]

I was on 25 before I was switched in October.  The nausea began before I was switched to 50 but was kind of sporadic.  

Now it’s pretty much daily. 

It makes sense for the body to not react well to stopping, it also really sucks.

I spoke with my doc and she said I just stay of the Zoloft and started me on Amitriptyline. 

It did make me sleep well 2 which I haven’t been doing. The past week.     She wants me to try it and come see her in a week.    

I told her if I am still feeling bad after a week that I’d like to see a psychiatrist to try to iron things out. 

[RenewedLife]

Not getting adequate sleep really causes issues for me. I'm glad that it is helping you sleep. Hopefully you can get everything worked out and get back on track. Keep us updated!!

[Lyndsey]

Thank you so much!   

[Songbird]

12 hours ago, Lyndsey said:

I was on 25 before I was switched in October.  The nausea began before I was switched to 50 but was kind of sporadic.  

Now it’s pretty much daily. 

It makes sense for the body to not react well to stopping, it also really sucks.

I spoke with my doc and she said I just stay of the Zoloft and started me on Amitriptyline. 

It did make me sleep well 2 which I haven’t been doing. The past week.     She wants me to try it and come see her in a week.    

I told her if I am still feeling bad after a week that I’d like to see a psychiatrist to try to iron things out. 

 

Lyndsey, please can you add drugs, doses and dates (starting and stopping) to your signature.  I can't understand your signature information - you say you started antidepressants in 2017 but were on paroxetine and pristiq for a few years before Zoloft.