SarahOz: wanting to get off sertraline

[SarahOz]

Hello everyone. 

I have been on anti depressants for 16 years. Id love to get off sertraline 100mg (and zyban - which I take to counteract the sedative effects of sertraline) but if I even take a dose 12 hrs late i’m in floods of tears. When I came off venlafaxine (too quickly it appears...even though I was under the guidance of a psychiatrist) the world fell appart so I thought that this meant I couldn’t do it - but a doctor recently told me this was withdrawal not depression so here I am at this site feeling hopeful.. 

 

I have had counselling and I think I will be ok off then if I can withdraw properly. 

 

All help gratefully received.. 

 

sarah 

Edited October 5, 2018 by ChessieCat
resized

[Gridley]

Welcome, SarahOz.  I'm glad you found your way here.  

 

Thank you for doing your signature.  Zyban, which you said you also take, doesn't appear in the signature.  Could you please add it along with the dosage and whether it is sustained release?  

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

At Surviving Antidepressants, it is recommended that a person taper by no more than 10% of their current dose with at least a four week hold in-between decreases.  The 10% taper recommendation is a harm reduction approach to going off psychiatric drugs.  Some people may have to taper at a more conservative rate as they are sensitive to even the smallest drops.

  

Before you begin tapering what you need to know

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Brain Remodelling

 

We generally recommend you taper only one drug at a time.  That way, if there are difficulties, you can identify what's causing it.  Unless you are having a problem with one of your drugs, we advise tapering the more activating drug first, and leaving the more sedating drug to taper next.  Since the Sertraline has sedative effects on you, you should consider tapering the more activating Zyban first.  This is explained in the following link:

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

Here is specific information about tapering Zyban (Wellbrutin):

Tips for tapering off Wellbutrin, SR, XR, XL (buproprion)

 

From what I can tell from the Internet, Zyban comes in a sustained release tablet.  The previous link has a section on how to taper sustained release Wellbutrin.

This is your introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community.  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, again, I am glad that you found us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SarahOz]

I’m going to need some sensitive scales. Do you have any recommendations for the UK?

[ChessieCat]

using-a-digital-scale-to-measure-doses

 

This is one that most members seem to use.  https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM

 

This looks like it is the same one from the UK Amazon site.  Much dearer though.

[SarahOz]

Thanks - the USA amazon delivers to the UK for $5 so I’ve done that!

[ChessieCat]

Oh, that's good.