AuraLee Posted April 22, 2019 Posted April 22, 2019 Hello all- I am looking for more information about the best way to go off Zoloft (generic sertraline). I have been on antidepressants since I was 18 (am now 36) for anxiety and depression and want to try and experience life without the drugs! I need support with how to best reduce dosage (current 75mg daily) and what I can expect and what my partner can expect during this process. Also, my partner wants to know the best way to be supportive. I started with Clexa in college and tried to go off after two years and had withdrawal symptoms (dizziness, felt like my brain was sloshing around, increased anxiety and tingling limbs etc) the doctors told me it was in my head and suggested I go back in the meds. Here I am 16 years later 😕. I am currently taking 75mg daily (roughly, I can only get 50mg pill form where I live and am trying my best with a pill cutter) I seem to be “stuck” at 75mg (I have gotten myself down from 150 over the course of 2 years). Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!! ❤️
Moderator Emeritus Gridley Posted April 22, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Posted April 22, 2019 Hello, AuraLee, and welcome to SA. Doctors know nothing about withdrawal (they don't believe it exists) and will tell you just what they told you. To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly. Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature. We recommend tapering no more than 10% of current dose every four weeks. Some have to go more slowly. Why taper by 10% of my dosage? These links explain the importance of a slow taper. Brain Remodelling Video: Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery This link is specifically about tapering Zoloft. It includes information about how to obtain the smaller non-standard doses you will need for a 10% taper. Just cutting the tablet and guessing is not a good idea. There are basically three methods to get the smaller doses: get your doctor to prescribe liquid Zoloft (I don't know if it is available in Mexico; make your own liquid (described in the link); or weigh your dose using a scale. Many members uses the AWS Gemini 20 scale, available in the U.S. on Amazon. Again, I don't know if you can order from Amazon in Mexico. Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline) How are you doing? Are you having withdrawal symptoms? Symptoms are a normal part of tapering. It's important to taper slowly enough that the symptoms are tolerable. What is withdrawal syndrome. Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list. When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur. This explains it really well: On 8/30/2011 at 2:28 PM, Rhiannon said: When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long. These links are helpful in talking to your doctor. How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal? What should I expect from my doctor about withdrawal symptoms? 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 I am glad that you found us. Gridley Introduction Lexapro 20 mg since 2004. Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017. End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg Oct. 30, 2020 Jump to zero from 0.025mg. Current dose: 0.000mg 3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete. Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium End 2021 year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper. Taper is 95% complete. Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986. Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper. Current dose as of Oct 15: 3.2mg Taper is 96% complete. Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotic, zinc, melatonin .3mg, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase, L-Glutamine, milk thistle, choline I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice. It is information based on my own experience as well as that of other members who have survived these drugs.
AuraLee Posted May 6, 2019 Author Posted May 6, 2019 Thanks. I will see what I can do about finding liquid Zoloft in Mexico. Otherwise I will have to shell out on my next visit to the States ( no insurance in US as am currently living abroad 😕)
Moderator Emeritus Songbird Posted May 6, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Posted May 6, 2019 Hi Auralee, please create a signature containing a summary of your med history, including all drugs, doses and dates (starting and stopping). Your signature appears below every post you make, and helps us see your situation easily without having to read from the top every time. You could look at my signature for an example. Instructions for creating your signature are here: Please put your withdrawal history in your signature. You can edit your signature here: edit your signature in Account Settings. 2001–2002 paroxetine 2003 citalopram 2004-2008 paroxetine (various failed tapers) 2008 paroxetine slow taper down to 2016 Aug off paroxetine2016 citalopram May 20mg Oct 15mg … slow taper down2018 citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg 18 Nov 3.8mg 2019 15 Mar 3.6mg 21 May 3.4mg 26 Dec 3.2mg 2020 19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg 2021 29 Aug 2.4mg 15 Nov 2.3mg
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