Yankee: Should I reinstate Zoloft after 1.5 years?

[yankee]

Hi everyone, 

 

I apologize for the length of this post. TLDR; My main hypothesis is that I finished a Zoloft taper 06/2018, had horribly traumatic real life incidents happen in 2020 as well as simultaneous strange health incidents through 2020 to current. Developed intense muscle tension and pain in my neck and jaw, as well as stomach pain and reflux. I had an epiphany and realized that these could be the result of my withdrawal and am considering reinstating Zoloft for any hope of relieving myself from this living nightmare. 

 

I took Zoloft approximately 2014-2018. I felt great on it. I don’t think i could have finished college without it. I had horrible anxiety and panic attacks prior to taking Zoloft. Very little if any side effects for the duration aside from some dizziness when starting initially. I got in shape and had worked on managing my anxiety. I was in a better state and thought I didn’t need the medication any longer, so I decided to stop in 2018 and started a too fast taper. Then I found this site in October 2018 and completed the last 12.5mg of my taper in a slow fashion, but much better than I would have without finding this site. When I jumped off to 0 in June of 2019, I was shaving off the very top of a 25mg tablet. Still should have probably gone slower in hindsight.  I had pretty awful typical withdrawal symptoms for quite a while but at some point I just stopped noticing it or forgot I had gone through this and figured I was just dealing with normal anxiety and panic symptoms. I felt reasonably okay and was stable until COVID hit. 

 

March 2020 I have a pretty high stress job as a computer programmer for a large company in a big US city. In fact, I was tasked with analyzing covid infection and death data - I cannot explain enough how terrified I was looking at this initial data when people were still holding large events and lockdowns had not started.  My fear permeated every thought I had and everything I did. I bought food and supplies weeks before it was on other people’s radar, and desperately pleaded with everyone I knew (including my wonderful girlfriend I live with). It was a constant battle for this first few weeks and it began to take its toll. I felt a horrendous pain in the pit of my stomach and I quite literally could not bring myself to eat. I lost approximately 15-20 pounds from March to May. I couldn’t shut off the fight or flight. I was focused on protecting us from a virus I thought could destroy myself and everything I loved. I picked up and moved to my parents in another state with my gf. My throat was tight and couldn’t hardly swallow properly. I knew I was afraid but I truly consciously believed I had a real reason to be afraid, and that my fear would guide me to safety. 

 

April 2020 My stomach problems got worse and I eventually sought the care of a doctor for this as I suspected it was some form of horrible reflux. I took some Prilosec they gave me and it did start to help, but I couldn’t gain weight back. My appetite was gone. 

 

May 2020 I started having strange, strange symptoms in my head and face. I felt a pressure around my temples, sinuses, and in my jaw. Horrible pain down sides of my neck. Doctor took MRI of my head to make sure I didn’t have something else worse. All clear. ENT said it could be migraines but they didn’t know. 

 

June 2020 I can barely function at this point, wonder wtf is wrong with me. 

 

July 2020 Back in big city out of necessity. Decide to see a chiro for neck issue, suggests could be TMJ. Dentist confirms I’ve been grinding teeth. 

 

August 2020 Stopped Prilosec. Traumatic events out of our control in big city apartment cause us to move out, and then back to apartment near family. Extreme 10/10 stress from work and moving to a new home on literally 24 hours notice. Hard to even think about this period of time let alone type this out. Jaw and neck tension felt like it was choking me at all times. Nothing I did brought me relief. Started physical therapy which helped the neck tension a bit. I figured this was the issue, just a muscular imbalance brought upon by posture being horrible during lockdowns, and losing weight and muscle from my eating problems. Still in physical pain. 

 

October 2020 Stomach pain returns en force. Had every GI test known to man, with only a few things like small hiatal hernia and bile reflux which really should not be causing the amount of sharp pain I was experiencing. Took more Prilosec per doctors orders. 

 

January 2021 Stomach better again so reduced Prilosec to 0 with GI specialist. Was able to work out better. Neck and jaw pain flared back up almost like clockwork when stomach got better. Started physical therapy and doctor suggested I try taking Cymbalta for what seemed like nerve pain issues in my neck, stomach and other areas of my body. That made something click in my head. What if this was all neuro related, and not actually my stomach or muscles causing this? What if I was in withdrawal from Zoloft still? Started mental therapy as well and am doing deep breathing and meditation daily. Working on managing all of this but it’s so much. 

 

February 2021 Filled my cymbalta script but never took it. Asked the doc what he thought about trying Zoloft again. He gave me a script for 50mg and sent me on my way. PT has been helpful at times with the muscle issues by dry needling my neck muscles. I’m not convinced that this is the very root cause. My muscles are still tense almost 24/7 causing pressure in my mouth, face, head, neck, etc. Tinnitus, dizziness occasionally, hard to get proper exercise let alone leave bed. 

 

So now here I am. Do you guys think that these strange issues of insane muscle tension are related to me stopping Zoloft / panic and anxiety?

 

I can hardly function or work. I have developed agoraphobia to the point where I’m afraid to drive and be in situations where if my panic sets in and my heart starts pounding, muscles tense to the point of crisis and something and will happen. I need some relief. I’m willing to go full dose of Zoloft. I take a small dose of Ativan occasionally and that does help relieve some muscle tension. 

 

If I reinstate, what is a reasonable dose? I won’t take the full 50mg right away. I’ve read the thread on reinstatement and I am still not sure what to do. It’s been a year and a half since I stopped... do I have any hope? Could I go right to 25mg? 12.5 low enough? Is the recommended dose of 1mg really enough? 

 

Thank you so much for reading. 

[ChessieCat]

Hi yankee and welcome to SA,

 

Thank you for creating your drug signature.

 

So that we have a complete history at a glance please include ALL drugs / supplements, past and present: 

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

Q:  What was the last dose you took of Zoloft?  Please add to end of drug information shown below.

 

So that it does not take up too much room, you can change it so it reads:

 

Zoloft:  2015-2016, 50mg; 2017, 75mg; 2018, 100mg; Began taper approx 05/2018, unsure what the steps were but was at around 12.5mg on 10/2018; 06/2019, 0mg - last dose xxmg

Prisolec: 

 

Q:  Have you taken any Ativan and clonazepam this year?  If yes, please state post dates and doses.  Thank you.

 

2 hours ago, yankee said:

If I reinstate, what is a reasonable dose?

 

I will leave this for one of the other mods to make a suggestion.

 

2 hours ago, yankee said:

Is the recommended dose of 1mg really enough?

 

It might be.  Psychiatric drugs are strong.  Also, if we have experienced withdrawal our nervous system can be sensitised.  It is better to start with a small dose and increase by a small amount if needed than to risk taking too much.  Taking too much might make things worse.  Also, starting with a small amount means that if you have a bad reaction to it, then you can stop taking it straight away.

 

You said that you have seen the reinstatement topic.  I will post the link again here.  Please read/re-read Post #1.  There is a lot of information there and you might have missed something when you read it before:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

This is your own Introduction topic which is the best place to ask questions specific to your own situation and where you can journal your progress.

[yankee]

22 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

It might be.  Psychiatric drugs are strong.  Also, if we have experienced withdrawal our nervous system can be sensitised.  It is better to start with a small dose and increase by a small amount if needed than to risk taking too much.  Taking too much might make things worse.  Also, starting with a small amount means that if you have a bad reaction to it, then you can stop taking it straight away.

Thanks ChessieCat. I updated my signature. I certainly see why you do recommend this strategy. I don’t want to start it and have a horrible experience and then have to wean down again in agony. I also want to make sure that I take enough so that I can reach a level where I will be able to reap some positive benefit if there is one to be had. Don’t want to miss out on further months of my life if not absolutely necessary. Hard to know where that balance lies. I appreciate your input.
 

Do these symptoms sound like they could be caused by withdrawal this far out? 

[yankee]

I think my post is still hidden. If anyone has anything to add here I would really appreciate it. 

[getofflex]

Hello Yankee.  I'm sorry you are having to deal with these difficult issues.  This is a forum that is run by people who have been on psychiatric drugs and who are or have gotten off of them.  

 

From the description of your life circumstances, it sounds like you have been under a huge stress load - multiple moves, the fear of COVID19, a high stress job, and getting off of Zoloft.  It could very well be that many, if not most, of your symptoms are due to high stress.  Stress can certainly cause the difficulties you describe with GI trouble, muscle tension and pain.  Perhaps what you are experiencing is a blend of the two.  

 

The way I see it, you have a couple of options.  

 

1) try reinstatement.  If you do, we recommend starting at a very low dose, (say, 0.5 mg to 1.0 mg) and then take it from there, especially since it's been over a year and a half since you stopped taking Zoloft.  Did you read the information about reinstatement in the link ChessieCat gave you?  The pros are that it might help with your symptoms.  The cons are that it could further destabilize your nervous system and make you feel worse, and it could cause kindling, which will sensitize you and make getting off of it even harder in the future.  You could just be kicking the can down the road, so to speak. 

 

2) Don't add any new drugs or reinstate, and try some non drug ways of coping with stress.  The pros are that you have less chance of destabilizing your nervous system with psych drugs, you will incur less dependency on the psych drugs, and you won't further sensitive your system.  The cons are that you may have to endure the uncomfortable symptoms. 

 

Please read these links that will inform you more about how these drugs work, and what happens when you take the drugs, and withdraw from the drugs.  It will help you make a more informed decision.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Non Drug Techniques to Cope with Symptoms

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but here are some that we do often find helpful. Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that ae single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Fish Oil

Magnesium

Melatonin for Sleep

 

Let us know what you think after reading over this information and mulling it over.  Good luck, and hang in there.  

Edited March 12, 2021 by getofflex
add sentence about adding one supplement at a time. soften wording

[Kostas]

Hi ,

If you read my story  ,you will see that I suffered from sharp muscle pains on my back and shawder  , together with insomnia  ,exhaust and anxiety , 4 years after stopping my ssri ,being fine in between !

All medical exams showed nothing and even tried pain clinics for some relief ,without any result. 

It lasted almost 4 months  ,and then gradually faded away and finally one morning I was fine. 

Now 5 years after , it never returned ,and feeling very good. 

Best of luck. 

Edited March 4, 2021 by Kostas
Spelling mistake.

[DaBro]

Hi @yankee  I’ve read a lot of posts on here to look for patterns and my conclusion is that we all walk a unique path with a selection of symptoms from a very long menu. I’ve had tinnitus, head pressure and dizziness pretty much continuously through WD with episodes of sweating, nausea and anxiety/self criticism. My worst time in WD was 12-18 months out, at which point I started to see improvements. After a year off working I restarted working at 24 months out and really struggled to cope with tiredness and anxiety.  I got a prescription for 50mg Zoloft at 26 months out to help me cope with work but never took it. It’s still unopened in my drawer. I’m personally glad I didn’t as I’m feeling much better now and I figured taking it would reset the WD clock to zero. 

 

Ive found Magnesium Glycinate helps with anxiety/racing brain. I take 400mg at bedtime to help sleep through. 

 

if you didn’t have these symptoms before Zoloft then I guess it’s probably caused by WD. In my case I had a pretty stable persona and then in 2016 had heart problems requiring surgery and some bad things in work which resulted in acute stress, insomnia and ended with going on Zoloft. It got me out of a hole, but I know my recent symptoms weren’t there before 2016/Zoloft, so are from WD. I’m coming up to 29 months now. I can work 40 hours, but remember tough times 18 months out when I often couldn’t get out of bed. 

[yankee]

@DaBro I really appreciate your response. Thank you for sharing your experience - it’s nice to know I’m not the only one experiencing things this far out. I sure don’t want to reset that clock to 0 either, especially after all that hard work and pain. I never want to endure that again. I took mag glycinate while I was going through acute WD - this is a good reminder that I should start taking that again with my daily supplements. Great to hear that you’re doing a bit better. I hope you continue to heal! 

[yankee]

@KostasThank you for sharing. It is very encouraging to hear people have had similar experiences and have had it start to resolve after some time. I’m so glad to hear you are doing better. 

[yankee]

On 3/4/2021 at 1:12 PM, getofflex said:

Hello Yankee.  I'm sorry you are having to deal with these difficult issues.  This is a forum that is run by people who have been on psychiatric drugs and who are or have gotten off of them.  

 

From the description of your life circumstances, it sounds like you have been under a huge stress load - multiple moves, the fear of COVID19, a high stress job, and getting off of Zoloft.  It could very well be that many, if not most, of your symptoms are due to high stress.  Stress can certainly cause the difficulties you describe with GI trouble, muscle tension and pain.  Perhaps what you are experiencing is a blend of the two.  

 

The way I see it, you have a couple of options.  

 

1) try reinstatement.  If you do, we recommend starting at a very low dose, (say, 0.5 mg to 1.0 mg) and then take it from there, especially since it's been over a year and a half since you stopped taking Zoloft.  Did you read the information about reinstatement in the link ChessieCat gave you?  The pros are that it might help with your symptoms.  The cons are that it could further destabilize your nervous system and make you feel worse, and it could cause kindling, which will sensitize you and make getting off of it even harder in the future.  You could just be kicking the can down the road, so to speak. 

 

2) Don't add any new drugs or reinstate, and try some non drug ways of coping with stress.  The pros are that you have less chance of destabilizing your nervous system with psych drugs, you will incur less dependency on the psych drugs, and you won't further sensitive your system.  The cons are that you may have to endure the uncomfortable symptoms. 

 

Please read these links that will inform you more about how these drugs work, and what happens when you take the drugs, and withdraw from the drugs.  It will help you make a more informed decision.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Non Drug Techniques to Cope with Symptoms

 

We don't recommend many supplements, but here are some that we do recommend. Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that ae single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Fish Oil

Magnesium

Melatonin for Sleep

 

Let us know what you think after reading over this information and mulling it over.  Good luck, and hang in there.  

Thank you for your extremely thoughtful response. I think you are right that there is probably a combination causing my issues. I think I owe it to myself to navigate the second option you mentioned to try non medication coping mechanisms first to see if I can’t help myself without risking destabilizing my nervous system further. Therapy has given me a lot to think about and I will try using that as a first step to address my stress issues. Thanks again for your input - I truly appreciate it. 

[getofflex]

@yankeeI"m very happy to hear that you have decided to do that.  I'm glad you have a therapist to help you.  Stress can and does exacerbate WD symptoms.  Of course life happens, and often it can't be helped.  Stick around, we are here to help.  Prayers.  

 

 

[Heath]

@yankee welcome to SA! Sorry you are in a tough place right now. I have experienced the neck shoulder low back pain too. Usually when I have taper too fast ! It’s like I’m tensed up maybe. Hang in there!