Jamer17: Help please, I'm new

[Jamer17]

Hello, I'm new to this site and have only recently become aware of antidepressant withdrawal and the use of slow tapering. I've been on antidepressants since february 1996 and as far as I can remember have never had a review by a doctor. I feel I was just prescribed and forgotten.

 

Following watching a documentary about antidepressant withdrawal I decided to give it a try. Previous attempts to come off the drugs have come to disastrous results over a relatively short period of time and a hasty return to a new prescription, trying a new drug to myself, sertraline 100mg, at the beginning of 2022.

 

On August 1st 2023 I reduced my dose to 95mg by diluting a 25mg tablet into 5mls water, discarding 1ml to make 20mg and adding a 50 and 25 mg tablet to make a total of 95mg. I have no idea of the efficacy and accuracy of this method which seemed to be working for the first few days. However over the last seven days or so I've noticed startling and really frightening withdrawal symptoms such as fairly extreme emotional instability, anxiety, panic, agitation, lack of tolerance, loss of appetite/weight loss, sweating, slight tremor, vivid dreams, agitation and irritability. I'm genuinely feeling pretty overwhelmed and think perhaps I should return to 100mg until the withdrawal stops or find a more efficient method. I tried to obtain liquid sertraline from my doctor but it's not used in my county of Worcestershire, UK so I was prescribed 25 and 50 mg tablets.

 

I would greatly appreciate some advice and support on exactly what to do.

 

Does anybody know an alternative liquid drug I may be able to get prescribed?

 

Is my method of tapering extremely poor?

 

Is it usual to have severe symptoms from a relatively small taper?

 

I'm desperate to get off sertraline, I don't even recognise myself anymore,

 

Thanks for your kind attention, Jamer17

 

 

 

 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  I'm sorry to hear that you are dealing with this situation.  Most of us here have been through similar experiences, and we empathize with you.  Yes, many doctors leave people parked on these drugs for very long periods of time.  This happened to me, as well.  

 

In reading about your recent taper attempt, it sounds like a prudent and small reduction, and you did do your calculations correctly.  Is it possible you forgot a dose, or did you take your doses at different times of the day?  Have you been using alchohol, or any other mind altering drugs or substances?  If not, it is possible that since you've been on it for so long, and have had previous taper attempts, that your system has become sensitive, and you may need to do a micro taper, and/or taper extra slowly.  

 

It could also be that changing part of your dose to a liquid, on top of reducing the dose, was too many changes for your nervous system.  There are other ways to taper, which will be discussed below.  

 

Can you please give us specific information in your signature about your drug history for all drugs and supplements you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  We only need drug names, dosages, and dates, as best you can remember.  Please read the link below for instructions.  

 

How to List Your Drug History in Your Signature

 

Also, please check to see if your drugs have interactions by using this drug interaction checker.  Please post any interactions in this thread.  

 

https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html

 

Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work.  This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications, and why it's so important to taper slowly and carefully, and be very cautious about changing our doses: 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we generally taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the reduction becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Tips for Tapering Sertraline

 

Let me try and answer some of your questions.  

 

On 8/15/2023 at 1:25 PM, Jamer17 said:

Does anybody know an alternative liquid drug I may be able to get prescribed?

Switching to another drug, when your system is already destabilized, it not a good idea.  It is risky, and may make your situation even worse. 

 

On 8/15/2023 at 1:25 PM, Jamer17 said:

Is my method of tapering extremely poor?

I don't think it is a poor tapering method, it sounds logical and prudent to me. 

 

On 8/15/2023 at 1:25 PM, Jamer17 said:

s it usual to have severe symptoms from a relatively small taper?

Everyone is different, and reacts to tapering in different ways.  

 

On 8/15/2023 at 1:25 PM, Jamer17 said:

I'm genuinely feeling pretty overwhelmed and think perhaps I should return to 100mg until the withdrawal stops or find a more efficient method.

I think this idea is a pretty good one.  If it were me, I would stay on the 100 mg for about 6-12 months, and really give my nervous system time to heal and stabilize.  

 

I've given you quite a lot of information here.  Soon I'll give you more info about withdrawal symptoms, and non drug ways to cope with them.  

[Jamer17]

Hi getofflex,

thankyou so much for contacting me, the information you've supplied has been really really helpful.

 

For the time being I'm back on 100mg and have been in communication with my doctor and pharmacist about the best way forward, though their knowledge of the subject seems very limited.

 

As you said there is a lot of information in your email and I'm slowly working my way through it, but it's all very valuable.

 

Thanks again getofflex and I hope to hear from you soon with more advice,

 

Jamer17

 

[getofflex]

I understand.  I will warn you though that doctors are very likely to want to push drugs on you, and if they do taper you off, the vast majority will do so way too fast.  I hope you will consider talking to them about the harm reduction protocol of this site should you taper in the future.  This link has some printable info you can share with them. 

 

How to Talk to a Doctor About Tapering and Withdrawal

 

[Jamer17]

Hello again getofflex, thanks again for getting back to me and apologies for the delay in replying but have been feeling pretty manic and have really been filling my days, walking the dog for miles, cycling, diy etc. 

 

I've printed off some of the information in the last link and am going to forward some of it to the pharmacist at my GP surgery.

 

Thanks again getofflex,

 

jamer17

[getofflex]

I would like to also give you some links with information about withdrawal symptoms, and non drug ways of coping with them. 

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

Another option for tapering, that is even gentler, is micro tapering.  You would reduce by a minute amount each time, but do reductions more frequently.  Hear a link about that.  

 

Brassmonkey Slide Method of Micro Tapering