Aiden00 Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Hey Guys, Background: I am a 22 year old male living in Toronto, Canada. I started 50MG of Zoloft to deal with some issues stemming from childhood. Long story short, after picking up physical exercise and extensive therapy/reading/listening to podcasts (still not done), I felt a lot better and felt as though the antidepressants were not contributing much. In fact I was growing really tired of the emotional blunting I was experiencing, so I decided to go off them. Drug History: Started 50MG Zoloft on September 15th 2021. Went down to 25 mg in mid January 2022, then cold turkey'd two weeks after. Was feeling tired for the first week of both reductions in doses but was fine afterwards. Brain zaps after going cold turkey were a lot better after the first week. Question: Around 17 days after I went cold turkey, I decided to have a few drinks with my buddy because I felt fine (very minimal brain zaps etc). I do not usually drink, nor do I have a problem with alcohol, but I was eager to let loose a bit and have fun as I live a pretty hectic life for a 22 year old. The morning after, I felt really bad. Brain zaps came back (not as bad as before however), and I felt an intense level of hopelessness and sadness I never felt before. My question is, is this normal? It is really concerning me. I do however feel better at the time of me posting this (three days after). It's just really concerning because it feels like a setback with all the progress I made. Is this a common occurence? For the time being, I am taking a de-load week with my weight lifting routine to give my nervous system a break. Please excuse me if this question has been answered before in other forums. Thanks, god bless you all. Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Moderator Onmyway Posted February 16, 2022 Moderator Share Posted February 16, 2022 Hi @Aiden00, welcome to SA. What you are describing is not uncommon. Alcohol sets people back in their withdrawal for quite a while after they have stopped. If I were you, I'd avoid alcohol and any other psychoactive substances for months/year. This should heal, though, and it's a good indication that you feel better already. Please keep an eye on your symptoms. Sometimes post acute withdrawal symptoms emerge after weeks-months and doctors confuse them with relapse. It looks like you dodged a bullet with withdrawal (yaay!) and the additional changes you are making in your life have put you on the road to recovery and healing. Good call on taking time for self-care! Would you mind putting your drug history in a drug signature so if/when you come back we can quickly reference it? How to List Drug History in Signature - Introductions and updates - Surviving Antidepressants Fingers crossed that this heals quickly, OMW "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted February 16, 2022 Author Share Posted February 16, 2022 Thank you so much for the quick response! I appreciate it a ton and thank you for the kind words and encouragement! For me personally I tried to centre everything around self care and just use antidepressants as a tool. Weight lifting, martial arts, research about the mental health topic I am dealing with, and organizing myself with a calendar as well as journaling etc has really helped me push through adversity. It was a two year process to get to where I am at but I am happy with where things are heading. I wish I could have chosen a less aggressive taper, but I had midterm exams for school and I decided to deal with the worst of the symptoms as soon as possible so I can write the midterms with a more clear head. My doctor/pharmacist gave me 4 options to taper. Maybe I made the wrong decision, but everything was going good until the alcohol. Wish I could go back and stop myself. It was just concerning how bad I felt, I had never felt that lost ever.. I created a daily tracker to monitor how I feel through the tapering process and I had just recently stopped using it but I will definitely get back to it now with this setback. Thanks for the advice again! If you have any other tips, please let me know. Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Moderator Onmyway Posted February 17, 2022 Moderator Share Posted February 17, 2022 Hi @Aiden, thank you for filling in your signature. How are your symptoms now? There is a lot of information on the site but two things that we recommend are magnesium and Omega-3. Please introduce them one at a time at a low dosage to make sure that they are beneficial. Some people find any supplements hurt their withdrawal, so it is good to be cautious. You can read more about these here: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/ King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants OMW "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted February 18, 2022 Author Share Posted February 18, 2022 Hi and thanks for asking! I broke my de-load week at the gym and got carried away into a high intensity exercise session I should have avoided on Wednesday night. I really pushed myself hard. I woke up the next morning (yesterday) feeling bad again and I realized that the workout probably put a strong load on my nervous system and since it was at night (usually avoid night workouts), it messed up my sleep too. Both of those factors contributed to another setback (I think at least). What do you think of my hypothesis? Will certainly stay more strict with the resting for the time being. However on the bright side, I am feeling better this morning after a better sleep last night and a day of rest. Also yes, thats good to hear! I am on Omega 3 and Vitamin D but I will certainly looking into beginning a low dose of Magnesium! Thanks for the continuous assistance. I have put it in my notes to make a donation when I start working full time this summer. The work you guys do is incredible. Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Moderator Onmyway Posted February 19, 2022 Moderator Share Posted February 19, 2022 Hi @Aiden00 some of our members find strenuous exercise can exacerbate withdrawal. The majority find some exercise - gentle walking, for example, good for recovery. You can gauge how you are feeling and adapt to your own system. But maybe for a while dial back the intensity. I am not sure from your description whether your symptoms are bad enough to justify reinstatement - it seems like after the setbacks you get back to normal within a few days. If your symptoms become too difficult to get through, one possibility is to reinstate a very small amount of your drug - like 1mg or so. We find that that is often enough to take the edge off. It is best done soon after coming off of the drugs. You would then stabilize on that dosage and slowly taper by 10% of your previous dose every month (will be a long process). About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants Sometimes vitamin D can make people in withdrawal feel more on edge so if it does that to you, you may choose to stop taking it for a while, esp if you are not deficient. If you decide to keep taking it, best to do it in the morning. Thank you for your offer to donate, it is very sweet and we really appreciate it. It helps us run the website. However, it is not necessary if it will cause financial hardship. You can also donate to studies of withdrawal run by academics. We post calls for such donations on our website. We are all volunteers here and run a lean operation Hope you feel better quickly and pls keep us updated. I am hoping that your case will be one of quick recovery as it looks like things are getting better. But do take care not to overtax your system. OMW Hope you run 1 "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted February 19, 2022 Author Share Posted February 19, 2022 Thanks for the insight again. Yeah I think what I will do is to continue to track and monitor how things make me feel and go from there. You are right, I feel fine after some adequate rest etc so I think I will continue doing what I am doing and take it easy on the intense exercise. Thanks for mentioning the studies, I think what people need is scientifically backed transparency and more help from medical doctors, as not everyone knows about this forum. Studies certainly help this cause. Take Care, and I will keep you posted with updates. God bless. Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted March 16, 2022 Author Share Posted March 16, 2022 Hi All, Hope you’re doing well. Just wanted to follow up and ask about possible reinstatement or whatever you would suggest. After my recent update (first experience with alcohol and vigorous exercise), I don’t think I have returned to normal yet. I had better days in between the final dose of zoloft and that first time I attempted drinking. I’m still exercising often, would this have something to do with it? I am not depressed or having anxiety, I just dont feel as sharp as I used to. I also dont feel good after workouts like I used to. I feel as though my nervous system is shot and i’m not sure what I should do at this point. Would reinstating a small dose then coming off of it help? I have a doctors appointment (follow up) on the 24th. Will definitely discuss. Thanks Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Moderator Onmyway Posted March 17, 2022 Moderator Share Posted March 17, 2022 Hi @Aiden00 Reinstatement is a tricky situation. It is unlikely to bring you back to normal, it's more there to provide some level of livability with symptoms. Since your symptoms seem to not be too bad based on your words, I'd advise against reinstatement. Your brain needs stability right now. Any change introduces new variables. If you think it's the exercise that causes the lack of sharpness, you can experiment with less of it to see. Otherwise the principle is to keep it simple, stable and slow. "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted March 17, 2022 Author Share Posted March 17, 2022 Thanks for the quick response and clarification on reinstatement. I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll also evaluate my current exercise program and make some changes. Another thing I neglected to mention was I started taking a pretty heavy dose of melatonin before I sleep for the last few weeks. I removed that starting last night, going to replace it with magnesium supplementation. I think 5-10mg of melatonin a night had to do with some of the grogginess. I’m also starting breathing exercises and meditation (box breathing and deep breaths). If you have any suggestions on specific techniques to regulate the nervous system, pls let me know. Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
OldDodgy Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 (edited) @Aiden00 Hi I did partially reinstate when life was unbearable. But I think patience and reducing your melatonin would be a good start rather than add to the mix -) Best wishes OldDodgy If you would like a link to self hypnosis please message me. I have found it smooths out the bumps in our healing. OD Edited March 17, 2022 by OldDodgy Incomplete message My Intro topic. Was Dickie in FB gabapentinoids 2020 January Stopped Quetiapine 150 at night in a fairly chaotic fashion with holds, jumping at 6mg 2020 June Stopped Pregabalin 150 at night using Ashton Method Some holds. 2021 December Stopped Mirtazipine 15 using Ashton Method. (Slower at end). Nov 21 - Given Quetiapine 12.5 for sleep. Reduced mid March 2022 to 6mg - Off 30/5/22 Feb 2022 Ongoing Diazepam 17.5, Blip at Christmas when took 22.5mg for a few days, now 24 FEB Stable 17.5 as advised. Had long covid. Now going to 16.25 from 8/7/22. 7% drop Oxazepam 10mg.STOPPED 10th FEB 2022 “Rescue dose x 2 in 2 months. Buccastem 3mg less than 1 a month for nausea. Past meds since 1969 -Approx dates only available. Tranxene 15, Clomipramine 150 for about 25 years. 1993 Paroxetine 20 AD change. Diazepam 20mg swap from Tranxene. Oxazepam 10mg Prn since 1990's 1995 Trial of MAOIS. 2000 Escitaopram 10mg. 2015 trial of Trazadone. 2004 Pregabalin 150 at night. 2015 Started on Quetiapine 150 note, Mirtazipine 15 note. Diazepam increased to 30mg split dosing. Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted March 17, 2022 Author Share Posted March 17, 2022 Thanks for the advice and I completely agree, I should try and be more patient. Appreciate the well wishes. Please feel free to message me the self-hypnosis! That sounds very interesting! Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
OldDodgy Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 (edited) @Aiden00 https://www.bscah.com/ open web page. Click resources then click Covid resources (dunno why) then open “free audio downloads”. Then try them out. Do it twice a day for weeks til you drift off with in minutes. good luck OldDodgy Edited July 14, 2022 by ChessieCat Resized font My Intro topic. Was Dickie in FB gabapentinoids 2020 January Stopped Quetiapine 150 at night in a fairly chaotic fashion with holds, jumping at 6mg 2020 June Stopped Pregabalin 150 at night using Ashton Method Some holds. 2021 December Stopped Mirtazipine 15 using Ashton Method. (Slower at end). Nov 21 - Given Quetiapine 12.5 for sleep. Reduced mid March 2022 to 6mg - Off 30/5/22 Feb 2022 Ongoing Diazepam 17.5, Blip at Christmas when took 22.5mg for a few days, now 24 FEB Stable 17.5 as advised. Had long covid. Now going to 16.25 from 8/7/22. 7% drop Oxazepam 10mg.STOPPED 10th FEB 2022 “Rescue dose x 2 in 2 months. Buccastem 3mg less than 1 a month for nausea. Past meds since 1969 -Approx dates only available. Tranxene 15, Clomipramine 150 for about 25 years. 1993 Paroxetine 20 AD change. Diazepam 20mg swap from Tranxene. Oxazepam 10mg Prn since 1990's 1995 Trial of MAOIS. 2000 Escitaopram 10mg. 2015 trial of Trazadone. 2004 Pregabalin 150 at night. 2015 Started on Quetiapine 150 note, Mirtazipine 15 note. Diazepam increased to 30mg split dosing. Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted July 14, 2022 Author Share Posted July 14, 2022 (edited) Reinstatement? Assistance greatly appreciated. Hey guys, I tapered off of Zoloft 50 mg quite aggressively earlier this year (in 4 weeks). I was doing fine until I had some alcohol soon after fully tapering off and experienced depressive symptoms. Since then, I have not fully recovered, as I have been hammered negatively by every possible personal situation in life. I don’t want to get into details but I can just call it some extremely bad luck and very bad burn out. I’ve persevered through it all as of right now, but I think my nervous system is shot. To make matters worse, due to an injury I havent been able to exercise properly for two months, something that was a great release for me. My question is should I reinstate Zoloft? I felt a lot better on the medication and my plan would be to use it to kick start my nervous system again, and taper off a bit slower this time with no alcohol/extreme external stress. I would greatly appreciate any advice at all. Thanks Edited July 14, 2022 by ChessieCat added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Shep Posted July 17, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 17, 2022 On 3/16/2022 at 5:02 PM, Aiden00 said: I am not depressed or having anxiety, I just dont feel as sharp as I used to. You posted this in March. Do you feel any worse than you did back then? On 7/14/2022 at 10:45 AM, Aiden00 said: Since then, I have not fully recovered, as I have been hammered negatively by every possible personal situation in life. I don’t want to get into details but I can just call it some extremely bad luck and very bad burn out. I’ve persevered through it all as of right now, but I think my nervous system is shot. To make matters worse, due to an injury I havent been able to exercise properly for two months, something that was a great release for me. My question is should I reinstate Zoloft? I felt a lot better on the medication and my plan would be to use it to kick start my nervous system again, and taper off a bit slower this time with no alcohol/extreme external stress. You mentioned being injured and not being able to exercise. Are you taking any mediations for your injury? If so, please list them. It sounds like if you weren't injured and could exercise, you would be able to handle your symptoms that way. Do you feel that's true? Do you have an estimation as to when you'll recover from your injury and be able to resume exercise? Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted July 17, 2022 Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 Honestly I don't feel any better since March. Its concerning for me since its been so long, but like I mentioned I have to credit those personal issues/stresses for not allowing me to heal. I made this post because even though those issues are now over with, I feel just as low as I did in march. As for the exercising no I dont take medications for any injury. Since march, my workouts have helped symptoms but to a far lesser extent than when I was on the meds Recovery and return to 100% training capacity will resume soon which im grateful for, however I dont want to get too excisted. Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 18, 2022 Administrator Share Posted July 18, 2022 Hello, @Aiden00 what are the most prominent symptoms now that you attribute to withdrawal? Are they better or worse at any times of day? How's your sleep? You cold-turkeyed approximately in February 2022? How has your symptom pattern changed since May? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted July 19, 2022 Author Share Posted July 19, 2022 The most prominent symptom is burnout and brain fog. I am not as sharp as I was before in terms of conversation, academics etc etc. I feel as though something is slowing me down and my ability to deal with stress has greatly depreciated. I feel like a different person. Generally, I feel better in the morning for sure. Sleep is normal to my knowledge. Yes it was an aggressive taper in February. 25mg every two weeks. I was fine until a couple weeks post 0mg I had a few drinks at a social event. Never fully recovered since then. My symptom pattern since May has been the same unfortunately. Brain fog and easily burnt out. Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted July 19, 2022 Administrator Share Posted July 19, 2022 I would not pursue drug treatment for those symptoms. If I were you, I'd avoid alcohol and just let your nervous system fix itself. Get daily gentle exercise, such as walking. Fresh fruits and veggies, avoid junk food, keep regular sleep hours. Many people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/ https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/ You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you. We've seen recovery is very slow, taking months rather than weeks. Please let us know how you're doing. 1 This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted July 19, 2022 Author Share Posted July 19, 2022 Absolutely, i’ve been avoiding alcohol since that occasion as I am not much of a drinker. Trying my best with your suggestions. Hopefully as my injury heals so will my nervous system, more exercise couldn’t hurt. Thanks for the help. 1 Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted December 19, 2022 Administrator Share Posted December 19, 2022 Hello, @Aiden00 How are you doing? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted December 22, 2022 Author Share Posted December 22, 2022 Hi, Thanks a lot for reaching out again! It means a lot! I sustained a concussion in october unfortunately that exacerbated some of these symptoms and has cut off my ability to exercise. It was a low grade mild concussion, however due to my inability to stop work it hasnt healed fully yet. I am now in concussion rehab and I am finally starting to take some time off of things. My concussion specialists are recommending me to take antidepressants again as a better mood helps heal concussions (things in my personal life are also making things difficult). Have you heard of any link between SSRI and concussion recovery? I was recommended a small dose of 10mg. Thanks, Aiden Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Moderator Onmyway Posted December 22, 2022 Moderator Share Posted December 22, 2022 (edited) Hi @Aiden00 there is no evidence of ADs helping concussion recovery. I couldn't find any in the literature. The best study for zoloft finds no difference in recovery using or not using ADs in TBI. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19406291/ ADs also do not improve mood more than a placebo. Starting psychoactive drugs can be risky if you have been through withdrawal once. A concussion may sensitize you to AD's effects and can cause similar effects to what alcohol did with the withdrawal symptoms. In fact it seems like people taking ADs are more likely to get concussions and ADs may slow your recovery. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33962383/ "Premorbid DA itself does not seem to affect the incidence of concussion or the recovery of symptoms and neurocognitive dysfunction PI. However, antidepressant use for DA is associated with 1) increased concussion incidence and 2) elevated symptom scores and verbal memory scores up to 7 days after concussion, suggesting impaired symptomatic and neurocognitive recovery" You can show these doctors the studies. ADs have been standard for TBI but the evidence is just not there and now people are suggesting it as a placebo. Well, it is not a harmless sugar pill as you know and withdrawal from it can be ugly. If I were you, I would not take ADs - I can't see any good evidence for taking them. I hope you recover quickly from your concussion. omw Edited December 22, 2022 by Onmyway 1 "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted December 24, 2022 Administrator Share Posted December 24, 2022 There's a near-religious belief in antidepressants. Doctors will prescribe them for anything. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Aiden00 Posted December 24, 2022 Author Share Posted December 24, 2022 Thank you both for your insight and knowledge on the topic. It's interesting you mention this because I do believe me sustaining a concussion has to do with the fact that I was on AD earlier this year and my slow recovery is also tied to it. Man I wish I never got on those medication. I am deciding to not take them again regardless of what my doctor says. I think the last thing my nervous system needs is another hit from AD. My doctors rationale for AD is that it would bring up my mood (alleviate personal life stress) and reduce headaches as well. Is there anything you would recommend for post AD concussion recovery? Thanks a ton!! Started 50 mg of Zoloft in September 2021 Dropped dose to 25 mg in Mid January 2022 Cold turkey two weeks after starting 25 mg Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted December 27, 2022 Administrator Share Posted December 27, 2022 Sorry, I don't know anything about post-concussion recovery. See This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
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