Slowlydoesit tapering sertraline

[Slowlydoesit]

I am currently tapering my Sertraline with my doctor's approval. 

I started at 100mg. I have been taking this for approximately 10 years. Before that I was on Venlafaxine 150mg for 5 years. My brain will never be the same because of this I'm sure. 

 

Anyway, I've tried several times before to taper, but suffered severe withdrawals. Constant anxiety and severe panic attacks which would come in waves and last hours. I felt like I was going mad. 

 

This time I'm going SUPER slow and it's been ok so far. I'm not far along though. I've used a jewellery scale and a nail file to get my dose reductions fairly accurate. 

 

May 2023 - dropped to 90mg

July 2023 - dropped by 2.5mg every 10 days until I got down to 85mg.

August 2023 til now I dropped by 2.5mg every 10 days til I got to 80mg. 

 

I've been on 80mg for a few weeks now. I have had little withdrawals. There has been a mild increase in anxiety, but it's all very manageable. 

 

I think the thing is to stick to a dose for as long as you need to adjust before tapering down more. It may mean just listening to your body/brain and not following a strict schedule. 

 

I am happy to take a year or more to taper. I don't know if I'll ever get completely off it, but I at least want to get down to 50mg. 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @Slowlydoesit

 

I moved your post here to start your Introductions topic, where you can ask questions and track progress for your particular situation.

 

Is that your doctor's tapering plan? Are you taking 80mg now? How do you feel? Suggest you wait until you're clear of even mild withdrawal symptoms before you reduce again, don't compound the severity of withdrawal with another rounds of withdrawal symptoms.

 

On 8/20/2023 at 4:13 AM, Slowlydoesit said:

I think the thing is to stick to a dose for as long as you need to adjust before tapering down more. It may mean just listening to your body/brain and not following a strict schedule. 

 

True, but tapering tends to get more difficult as you go lower in dosage, and your nervous system gets more and more bruised if you get withdrawal symptoms with every decrease.

 

FYI Tips for tapering off sertraline (Zoloft)  We recommend a taper of 10% per month, calculated on your last dosage. If you're taking 80mg, your total monthly decrease would be no more than 8mg. 

 

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