☼ AlecApps: sertraline / Zoloft Withdrawal - advice needed after awful doctors advice

[AlecApps]

Hey guys, 

 

I'm just going to create a topic about myself, my current situation and my experience with antidepressants/benzos as well as ask for some advice for what to do next.

This is going to be a full picture.

Lorazepam = Ativan

Sertraline = Zoloft

 

I'm a 22 year old.

Starting the 19th November - I caught  respiratory infection due to being extremely stressed and highly anxious (never before seen in my life, literally pulling my hair out from irrational worries)

Starting the 26th November - I started to get headaches and nausea, most likely due to this stress.

On the 1st December - stress ended, but the nausea and loss of appetite with the headaches persisted. 

20th December - I started to take a beta blocker for stress due to paranoia about the headaches (thinking it could be a tumour due to the continued headaches with loss of appetite)

23rd December - I was prescribed Sertraline to help with the stress and freaking out about the headaches and health issues. I took one pill, where I noticed my pupils went completely dilated for the next week. I didn't continue the drug after that one pill as it gave me insomnia. It may be worth considering serotonin syndrome?

Around the 23rd December - I started to get a numbness squeezing/bandlike pain in my foot that climbed all the way up to the top of my leg over the next few days, my current hypothesis that this was either, stress, the beta blocker, or starting the sertraline that caused this.

25/26/27 December - I went to Accident and Emergency, where the Doctors thought I could have MS and didn't consider ask about current drugs. This sent me into a big spiral as I worried a lot about this.  Around this time my headaches, nausea and loss of appetite stopped.

27th December - I started Lorazepam (2mg)

31st December - Started up Sertraline 50mg at the advice of the doctors to help with my stress. My head MRI came back fine, all normal (So not MS).

5th January - Muscle cramps, and widespread pain with bandlike sensations in legs and arms.

14th January - 3mg Lorazepam with and increase to 100mg advised by my doctor. 

19th January - Tapered off lorazepam and started to notice stiffness in back, legs and wrists. 

26th January - completed off lorazepam.

1st February - Reduction of symptoms around this time, except obvious lorazepam withdrawal of shaking and sweating. The only other symptom that persisted was very tight calves.

2nd February - Reduced to 50mg of Sertraline.

6th February - Started to get a whole host of symptoms -Burning Legs and lower spine, muscle spasms, vibrating left eye, nausea, diarrhoea, dark stools, less appetite, insomnia, numbness/tightness in limbs, vertigo, enhanced smell - (I could smell empty wine glass from the other side of the room, slight instability.

10th February - Reduction to 25mg Sertraline.

14th February - Saw a neurologist who told me the sertraline had nothing to do with this since I was on such a low dose, but also said everything seemed fine from an neurological assessment (I could walk fine, I could feel everything he done). Thus, he told me to stop taking the Sertraline completely. ( I now see this as a big mistake.)

Present day (3rd March) - Many of those symptoms have gone, although currently persisting: Much rarer burning (less than before), muscle spasms (less than before), slight instability, nausea, tight bandlike sensations in legs and arms, hyper sensitivity to cold (causes pain if something too cold touches me, almost like my nerves are hyper sensitive to everything. I did start to have really bad physical ticks for a week after stopping the sertraline completely, but they seem to have stopped completely now. I also got brain zaps, but that seems to be very rare now.

 

I was thinking about going back on the Sertraline to help with the burning sensations and muscle pains (and other symptoms.) It's interesting to note that these were also the same symptoms I had first coming on/ upping my sertraline dose. 

 

Does anyone have any advice whether it would be best to:

A.) Wait out the withdrawal, and if so, how long until I'm back to normal again? Will these symptoms eventually go? The muscle tight band pain is definitely the worst effect I have.

B.) Reinstate at a low dose. If so, how low a dose should I reinstate back at? How long should I stay on that dose for before dropping the dose? How much should I drop the dose?

 

I also wonder if some of these effects could be lorazepam protracted withdrawal coinciding with the sertraline side effects/withdrawal. It seems the lorazepam could have been masking some of the side effects I may have had from the sertraline. 

 

Thank you for reading, any advice would be much appreciated. I'll be sure to return the favour once I'm well and help others suffering from withdrawal and antidepressant mis-advice from doctors. 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @AlecApps

 

It appears that you got withdrawal symptoms from going up and down on lorazepam and sertraline. 

 

On 3/3/2022 at 12:58 PM, AlecApps said:

14th February - Saw a neurologist who told me the sertraline had nothing to do with this since I was on such a low dose

 

Dosage has nothing to do with it. You will find most doctors of any type will not know anything about withdrawal syndrome. Almost always, when people have seen neurologists, they've found nothing wrong according to the tests they do for the diseases they treat. It's good news your neurology results were negative.

 

On 3/3/2022 at 12:58 PM, AlecApps said:

Present day (3rd March) - Many of those symptoms have gone, although currently persisting: Much rarer burning (less than before), muscle spasms (less than before), slight instability, nausea, tight bandlike sensations in legs and arms, hyper sensitivity to cold (causes pain if something too cold touches me, almost like my nerves are hyper sensitive to everything. I did start to have really bad physical ticks for a week after stopping the sertraline completely, but they seem to have stopped completely now. I also got brain zaps, but that seems to be very rare now.

 

This is the usual course of withdrawal syndrome -- symptoms very gradually go away. Since you've seen some improvement, you're on your way to stabilizing. Are you taking 25mg sertraline? It's important that you maintain a consistent dose, taking it at the same time each day, so as not to present further difficulties for your nervous system.

 

If I were you, I'd leave well enough alone and not try to push your recovery from withdrawal faster by taking a higher dose of sertraline. We have seen this backfire over and over. Going on and off drugs has made your nervous system sensitive to many things, a higher dose of sertraline might cause reactions that make you a lot worse. Also, it may get upset from even a little bit of alcohol or other drugs, even antibiotics.

 

You will need to be patient. Stabilizing will be very gradual over months. 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. Please let us know how you’re doing.

[AlecApps]

Hey Altostrata!

 

I really appreciate the reply, I know how busy it must get for you guys. You guys are true heroes in a world with doctors who have no idea what impact prescribing medications they don't know anything about has.

 

To follow up, I have come off sertraline completely. I've been off completely since the 14th February, so 3 weeks now.

I have read your posts on supplements, and I now take fish oil tablets, magnesium glycinate as well as vitamin e for the mobilisation of the fish oils.

I've read that vitamin B is good for nerves, especially 6 and 12. I saw that you said that it's "activating". What does this mean? Should I start taking Vitamin B supplements?

 

I'm not sure if I'm seeing this correctly, but recently I've identified that some of the issues I had coming on the drug at first seem to be manifesting, such as painful hamstrings, and some symptoms I had when first upping the drug (sertraline) to 100mg (burning all over) seem to be disappearing. 

It this a trend that happens? Such that the symptoms that appeared first stay the longest and the symptoms that appeared at its worst are the shortest? 

 

I find that showering is really great while I'm in it, almost like I'm back to normal. but afterwards everything seems to tighten up and I start to get muscle pains a lot worse. I'm wondering if that's something to do with the sensitivity of my nervous system, over firing my nerves despite the lack of stimulus. 

 

Finally, is it a thing that symptoms can be worse at different times of the day? Mine are always consistently worse at night, when I'm winding down.

 

Thanks so much again! I'm so happy I've found a group of people that actually understand what I'm going through/ been through.

 

 

[Altostrata]

What we've seen is that going on and off drugs and having adverse drug reactions can sensitize the nervous system, which takes a while to settle down. B vitamins can be activating to sensitive nervous systems, it may be best to avoid them for a while until you're more stable.

 

You seem to be recovering normally from withdrawal, but your nervous system may be very sensitive for a long while. You can support its recovery with healthy, fresh foods and taking care to keep a regular sleep schedule. 

 

See What is withdrawal syndrome?

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Are We There Yet? How Long is Withdrawal Going to Take?

 

The importance of recognizing you're feeling good

 

Progress! What withdrawal symptoms have gone away for you?

 

If you have a tendency to health anxiety, you might work with a psychotherapist or coach to learn ways to manage it. This may minimize the chances a doctor will prescribe more psychiatric drugs for you if you should display such anxiety to them. As you can see, they don't know what they're doing with the drugs.

 

 

[AlecApps]

In my case, since I've come off the drugs and things seem to be *slowly* improving, should I not reinstate them? Going by advice, the right way would have been to do a 10% taper, although, mine was far from that with just 8 days.

 

 

[Altostrata]

It's been less than 3 weeks since you went off, and you're improving. Unless you find your symptoms to be intolerable, I would be patient and let nature take its course. Otherwise, you might reinstate 1mg sertraline, using the liquid, and see if that helps.

[AlecApps]

Hey Altostrata, 

 

Thanks for the advice! I'll try and stay off of it. Seems like the better plan if I can bare it. 

 

I would just like to ask, are there symptoms that can appear slightly later into withdrawal? For example, recently I've started sweating, a lot. Especially in my legs. I find if I sit in a slightly warm area at all my legs will start sweating uncontrollably. 

[Altostrata]

Withdrawal symptoms tend to fluctuate and change. See The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Papers on diagnosis of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome

 

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

 

Dysautonomia (autonomic dysregulation)

 

[AlecApps]

Hey guys, 

 

Thought I'd give you an update on everything so far.

Over the past four days the "Band-like" sensations have slowly disappeared and some other symptoms seem to have gotten better. 

 

I spoke to my doctor today, who is now my permanent doctor. She had the results of my Spine MRI and said it was all clear, nothing to worry about. This completely rules out multiple sclerosis. Therefore, from a neurological standpoint, so far it seems I am fine. 

 

This lead my doctor to say she is fairly sure it's Drug withdrawal symptoms/side effects, or a lower chance it could be post viral syndrome.

Currently my main symptom is: Burning Legs & painful calves/hamstrings.

 

My doctor spoke about possible peripheral neuropathy, which I researched can also be caused by toxic substances, such as antidepressants.

This typically takes a few months to heal typically, given the drug is stopped or reduced.

 

[Altostrata]

Appears you are experiencing the normal course of recovery from withdrawal syndrome, which may take some months. Take care not to do anything that might upset your nervous system, such as drinking alcohol, overdoing anything, or not getting enough sleep.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[AlecApps]

Hey Altostrata,

 

Just thought I'd give you (and anyone viewing) an update.

 

So today and yesterday the Burning in my Legs and Calves has been effectively non existent, which is great.

This just leaves me with some random pains here and there (sort of fibromyalgia like pains), lower back pain as well as hamstring/calves tightness/pain. This as well as balance issues (which I've had ever since coming off sertraline) and occasional waves of nausea with some gastro issues.

 

Ultimately, things have improved drastically, given that I have finally gotten rid of the burning and the tight band sensation has yet to resurfaced in any major way. I am currently going through my 4th/5th week of withdrawal.

 

It so far seems that the effects that I got first from the medication (tight hamstrings/calves) have carried on the longest, whereas the ones that appeared later on have slowly disappeared. Although, I can still say that the hamstring pain is improving, and I manged to drive for 4 hours whereas this wasn't possible without awful cramps before.

 

So far so good,

cheers

[Altostrata]

Be sure to drink lots of water. 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/

 

Magnesium in particular relaxes tight muscles. You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you. Please let us know how you’re doing.

[AlecApps]

Hey Altostrata,

 

So I tried the magnesium, gave me horrible cramps and really bad gastro issues, so I don't think I can stomach that at all haha. 

 

Still going through a lot of the same issues, sometimes they seem better, other times not at all. Ultimately I do think its going in the right direction. A lot less burning that I used to get, so that's got to be a good sign. The numbness feeling in my arm is very rare as well.

 

I find I have a lot of: Joint pain, muscle pain, lower back pain, pain sensitivity and tightness/rigidity all over my body. Doing some research, fibromyalgia came up as a probable cause, which has been hypothesises to be due to a lack of serotonin, which I imagine would be due to coming off the antidepressant and my nerves not yet producing the same amount as they used to get.

 

Cheers for your advice so far!  

[Altostrata]

How much magnesium did you take?

 

4 hours ago, AlecApps said:

which has been hypothesises to be due to a lack of serotonin

 

This is nonsense. Serotonin is not the key to everything. Joint and muscle pain are common withdrawal symptoms, probably due to a more pervasive autonomic dysregulation.

[AlecApps]

Hey Altostrata,

 

It's 100mg of Magnesium Glycinate.

 

The thing is, I also got this symptoms coming onto the sertraline as well. Is it possible its an averse reaction?

 

Cheers

[Altostrata]

1 hour ago, AlecApps said:

The thing is, I also got this symptoms coming onto the sertraline as well. Is it possible its an averse reaction?

 

Which symptoms?

[AlecApps]

The aches and stiffness initially, then the burning (I think when upping the dose to 100mg) with widespread pain.

[Altostrata]

It's possible withdrawal is affecting you where you already were sensitive. Suggest gentle leg stretches and massage with magnesium oil.

[AlecApps]

Ahhh I see! 

 

I feel like it's possible this could be benzo withdrawal perhaps?

 

See: 

https://www.benzo.org.uk/pws04.htm 

 

It lists everything I'm currently suffering with, although, they tend to be with continuous users, whereas I was only on lorazepam for 4 weeks.

[Altostrata]

It's possible it could be benzo withdrawal, or withdrawal from both drugs.

[AlecApps]

I think this is highly likely, that coming of the combination of the two at such a fast rate has hypersensitised and altered my nervous system. 

I was on Sertraline for 6 weeks and Lorazepam for 4 weeks. 

 

Do you think it's likely this is all reversable, it terrifies me at the thought that this will never go away. It's been such a struggle recently.

[Blossom71]

Hi @AlecApps

I’m in Sertraline and one of my main symptoms of withdrawal are muscle and joint pain. I did an inadvertent cold turkey a couple of years ago and the pain was pretty bad. I’m doing small drops now but I still get a mild version.  Mine resolves so there’s no reason that yours won’t.

[Altostrata]

How often did you take lorazepam, at what times of day? It's possible that reinstatement of low-dose lorazepam or another benzo might help your withdrawal symptoms. You'd stabilize on the lowest effective dose and then taper off by tiny amounts later.

[AlecApps]

So I took 1mg 3 times a day for about 3 weeks. Then tapered off over a week reducing by 0.5mg every two days.

[Altostrata]

Yes, it is quite easy to become physiologically dependent on lorazepam taken that often. Are your withdrawal symptoms such that you want to ask a a doctor for a continuing prescription of a low-dose benzo, so you might stabilize and taper off? This may take some months.

[AlecApps]

They are really quite debilitating, but I am also concerned is a mixture of lorazepam withdrawal and sertraline withdrawal.

 

I can cope, but only given they slowly get better. Currently my symptoms just seem to go through a cycle of calf pain, burning, arm numbness, widespread pain and moodswings. Not all of these at once, but they tend to cycle out through a few days. 

 

Is it still safe to say it's early days yet in the withdrawal process and things could get significantly better? If not it might be worth me contacting a doctor for a 0.1mg of lorazepam.

[Altostrata]

It appears you're very slowly recovering and in better shape than a lot of people here who are only a few months into withdrawal syndrome. It's up to you if you want to campaign for low-dose lorazepam or another benzo.

 

Doctors are not going to understand 0.1mg lorazepam, that's a much lower dosage than they're used to. You'd have to accept a "normal" dose and titrate it yourself.

[AlecApps]

Hey guys,

 

Cheers for the advice, I'll stay off the meds.

It's been strange, since everything was getting better until it wasn't. Which is when I released that these "sleeping tablets" the doctors said were harmless and useful to use once a week or so are effectively another benzo.

Zopiclone. They told me it was a completely fine chill drug that is completely not addictive and safe to use. It literally works on the gaba system like a benzo. I'm very frustrated. I took one of these about 5 days back for helping to get back into sleeping and suddenly over the next few days my symptoms worsened. Safe to say I've cut them out completely. I had used them for a month (with the lorazepam) as well as here and there when needed (such as the other day). This is also probably why my withdrawal is so bad for such a short period of time. I've been withdrawing from 3 drugs at once. THE JOYS.

 

 

[AlecApps]

UPDATE

 

Most my symptoms seem to be decreasing, less burning that I used to get (it's more just tingly now), less hypersensitivity, better balance, less random pains (still get them though). 

 

I currently have COVID, but so far it doesn't seem to have had any awful effect on my nervous system. 

[Altostrata]

Hope you recover quickly from covid and proceed with your healing from withdrawal syndrome.

 

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. Please let us know how you’re doing.

[AlecApps]

Perfect!

 

So my covid symptoms have in fact brought on a lot of muscle pain, although I'm cautiously optimistic that it's just Covid as many people with Oricon have complained about muscle pains.

 

Fortunately a lot of the paraesthesia has gotten better, barely even noticeable today. 

 

I shall try and introduce these supplements gradually. 

 

Thank you for the advice!

[OldDodgy]

@AlecApps

 

Sorry you got the Covid.  It certainly isn’t a bundle of fun. I am on day 7.  I foolishly mowed the grass on day 4 and wondered what the fuss was about. 
 

Since then I have been quite muddled, especially at night. I was advised by the Mods to hold on my meds and give it time to ease. 
 

Fortunately high doses of ibuprofen and paracetamol haven’t seemed to increase mental health symptoms.  Except being tearful because of the awful aloneness, inability to dress, wash, prepare meals or manage the dog as I would like. 
 

Bereavement setback as might expect.  
 

This is a foul virus and I sincerely hope you can overcome it quickly and your plans are not effected. .  Certainly the support on SA has been invaluable. 
 

Yours OldDodgy 
 

 

[AlecApps]

Hey Guys, I'm really considering going back on Lorazepam to help the withdrawal symptoms.

 

What dose would you recommend restarting at?

 

I peaked at 3mg a day 3 weeks in. Would about 0.2mg be good to try and prevent kindling? 

 

I've found that having Covid has caused all these symptoms to fire up again as well as all the mental health side effects too.

 

 

 

[OldDodgy]

@AlecApps

 

Sorry  you are suffering. 
 

Am day nine Covid and feel like I did when hosp CT me for hip op. 
 

Very acute physical symptoms, nightmares, early morning wakening and anhedonia.
 

Could you be in the same situation?  
 

I have resisted taken any extra psychotropic meds.
 

Yours OldDodgy  
 

[Altostrata]

Is taking a benzo your only option? How about an NSAID, such as ibuprofen or naproxen?

[AlecApps]

Hey guys,

 

thought I'd give you an update!

 

Everything has been slowly getting a lot better. I went to the gym for the first time a few days ago. 

I found that although it flared up my symptoms a little bit, it's not enough to justify not going.

 

My main symptom at the moment is cold sensitivity, a very small amount of muscle pains and occasional burning. (All this used to be a lot and constant, now it's occasional and less intense.)

I seem to be very anxious at the moment as well. 

 

I even went out clubbing! I drunk no alcohol, so I was totally sober as I've heard that with Benzo withdrawal it can cause your withdrawal symptoms to get worse. 

 

My biggest issue at the moment is worry.

 

 

This horrible journey all started with leg paraesthesia, with tingling and numbness in my foot that slowly spread to my entire lower leg, before going away after a few days. This was the same time as I was given a beta blocker (propranolol) which I took for a few days previous to this. I went to A&E about it and they mentioned Multiple Sclerosis which head dove myself into a deep depression and mass anxiety, which lead to me being given Anti-Depressents, Benzos, and Zopiclone. Around the same time of being given the drugs (maybe about a week later) I started getting all these awful symptoms, such as calf burning and tightness as well as muscle pains & IBS. I thought at the time it could be fibromyalgia. These symptoms slowly got better over the course of 2-4 weeks until they were pretty much gone. Which is when I came off of them and started to get a load more symptoms start occuring again. 

 

To me, this all sounds like going on medication side effects as well as going off medication side effects/withdrawal. Although I still worry as all the symptoms I've had/still have are common in multiple sclerosis as well: Cold Sensitivity, Burning, Shakyness,  Eye pain, back pain ect ect (effectively just neurological issues). The thing is, I've had an MRI of both my head and full spine which showed completely normal. I had bloods done, completely normal. I had a neurological assessment, completely normal. So all the evidence points against it. But I'm still really worried. 

 

Can anyone shed any light? Am I being over anxious? Is this just rebound anxiety? Having the MRIs of my head and spine should be really reassuring, and it was, but for some reason now I'm terrified again. I must admit I've had awful health anxiety for a long time, which really doesn't help. 

 

Cheers in advance for your advice!