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JLR96: Please help me


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Hello, first time poster here. Six months I wasn’t tapered properly off Sertraline after 6 years of use. I foolishly cut my dose from 100 milligrams to 50 without a taper and was then cross tapered to Venlafaxine about a week after the initial dosage cut. I was already experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms and had warned my doctor multiple times but she insisted on the taper to a different drug. After a few days of dropping from my dosage even further as ordered from my doctor and heavily dealing with withdrawal symptoms I started developing tingling and mild numbness in my feet which over the course of a week had taken over all my limbs. 
 

Long story short, I completed the tapering process and switched to Venlafaxine, but still 6 months in I’m going through multiple bouts of horrific neurological symptoms and my neuropathy symptoms have turned to debilitating full body burning, aching, severe pain. I now have an extreme heat intolerance, I sweat excessively even when I’m cold, I have full body tremors and jerk in my sleep, I run a fever across my entire body and feel like my CNS is completely fried. 
 

I have an appointment coming up to see a Neurologist to get testing done in case this isn’t anything to do with my medication history but I firmly believe my issues are linked to severe case of AD withdrawal syndrome. Or at least it’s morphed into severe protracted withdrawal. I have never reinstated my previous drug but I only realised when I was in tears the other night in severe pain that I’ve still got the medication on hand and was tempted to try reinstating. I don’t think I can fight this any longer and the big ‘S’ word has passed my mind quite a few times. I’m so scared I’ve completely fried my system due to my own negligence as well as my doctor completely screwing me over and if reinstating gets rid of these debilitating symptoms than I’ll do it, but I’m scared I’ll kindle and further damage myself. 
 

It is possible to be stuck in severe withdrawal syndrome whilst actively still medicating via an antidepressant? I was on Sertraline which is an SSRI class drug but now I’m on Venlafaxine which is still an antidepressant but under the class SNRI, I’ve never heard of anyone else going through this experience besides me, it’s always people who have removed the drug entirely. I need some help guys if possible, at least some insight that I can pass onto my neurologist in a couple of days… I’m dying here. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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  • KenA changed the title to JLR96: Please help me
  • Moderator

Hi @JLR96

 

Welcome to SA,

 

I'm so sorry this has been your experience. While well-meaning, I believe doctors do not have the information they need to help us sometimes. Your symptoms sound very much like WD symptoms. 

 

Could you help us out by adding a signature. This will will ensure your drug history appears at the bottom of every post, making it easier for those trying to assist. 

 

How to Create a Signature 

 

These two links will help you to understand withdrawal syndrome:

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

When we take medication, the CNS responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS must then undo all the changes that were made. As the changes are undone, symptoms may occur. You can expect that they will follow 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of StabilizationSince the nervous system like stability, adding more medication can dysregulate it further and from experience, I know this isn't easy. 

 

Have any of your symptoms improved since switching to venlafaxine?

 

Please post any updates or questions related to your specific situation right here in your thread. It's helpful to keep everything related to your tapering journey in one spot. 

2003-2009 on and off various SSRI's for short periods

2010-2011 Ativan

2013-2021 ativan 1-1.5mg 10-12x/month, daily starting Oct 21 to help with buspar WD

2016 - Effexor 75mg, short-term

2021 Mar -Jun Buspar ADR at high dose, tapered 3 months

Oct 22/21 - Direct switch ativan to clonazepam (don't do this)

Tapered clonaz Oct/21 - Apr/23  - 0mg!

 

"Believe that your tragedies, your losses, your sorrows, your hurt, happened for you, not to you. And I bless the thing that broke you down and cracked you open, because the world needs you open" - Rebecca Campbell

 

*** Disclaimer: Please note, my suggestions/comments are based on my own personal experiences. Please consult a knowledgeable practitioner to discuss decisions regarding your medical care *** 

 

                                                             *** Please do not send me PM's ***

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I found the Venlafaxine is contributing to a degree for my mental health but it hasn’t stopped the still ongoing withdrawal effects from withdrawal in October from the Sertraline. It’s like I’m stuck in withdrawal from one medication whilst the other is now somewhat treating my depression. It’s bizarre… I’ve had multiple bouts of flare up’s of the withdrawal symptoms just go into full frenzy as if I’m like 2 weeks fresh of the medication, severe flu like symptoms, body aches and nerve pain all over, fever across my body etc, and then it gets better do a degree, and then flares again not long after that. 
 

It’s crippling me and I’m wanting to reinstate the drug but I think I’m too far gone now and I’m had a high risk of kindling or serotonin syndrome because of my Venlafaxine now. Don’t know what to do and I’m losing hope to continue fighting at this point. Worst pain I’ve ever been in and I need it to stop. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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  • Moderator

@JLR96

 

So, it sounds like you've had some degree of improvement, but are still dealing with a lot of physical symptoms?

 

You stopped the sertraline which month? And started venlafaxine which month?

2003-2009 on and off various SSRI's for short periods

2010-2011 Ativan

2013-2021 ativan 1-1.5mg 10-12x/month, daily starting Oct 21 to help with buspar WD

2016 - Effexor 75mg, short-term

2021 Mar -Jun Buspar ADR at high dose, tapered 3 months

Oct 22/21 - Direct switch ativan to clonazepam (don't do this)

Tapered clonaz Oct/21 - Apr/23  - 0mg!

 

"Believe that your tragedies, your losses, your sorrows, your hurt, happened for you, not to you. And I bless the thing that broke you down and cracked you open, because the world needs you open" - Rebecca Campbell

 

*** Disclaimer: Please note, my suggestions/comments are based on my own personal experiences. Please consult a knowledgeable practitioner to discuss decisions regarding your medical care *** 

 

                                                             *** Please do not send me PM's ***

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I was cross tapered off Sertraline onto Venlafaxine in the same month. It was a 4 week period, lowering my dosage each week and then the last week I was advised by my doctor to introduce the Venlafaxine at the same time and then stop the Sertraline after the 4th week period. Apparently this is a common pride cheer but I was already heavily withdrawn a week prior due to a cold turkey from 100 to 50. 
 

It was once I started dropping down below 50 that the physical symptoms began. I believe that had my doctor advised me to retake my usual dose and taper from there after my withdrawal symptoms had stabilised than the whole ordeal could’ve been avoided, but I trusted her judgment and here I am… 

 

Now I have to see a neurologist for possible CNS problems or conditions since my system is essentially fried now. It’s been 6 months and while the symptoms haven’t lessened and waxed and waned, they continue flaring up and putting me into weeks of severe symptoms and pain. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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Update: ended up seeing my neurology appointment and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling very underwhelmed at the response I got from my doctor. 
 

He ran me through some basic tests and examinations and was so focused on my neuropathy as opposed to listening to my story and allowing me to make it abundantly clear that all of this started 4 days after I did a cold turkey from 100 milligrams to 50 on my medication which I had been taking for over 6 years. He said exactly the same thing as my GP in that he DOESN’T KNOW why I’m experiencing the type of neuropathy that I am. My case is complex, it doesn’t follow a linear path, why is that? BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION, the drug I was foolishly taken off abruptly caused this. 
 

So now I’ve got another MRI scheduled, this time for my entire spine, and more blood work to be done, YAY! 
 

How long is it going to take before a medical professional connects the dots? How long will I have to suffer alone in silence because no one wants to admit that a drug that was prescribed to me to treat my depression and anxiety has completely fried my nervous system? 
 

In the mean time, I get to spend absorbent amounts of money to get tests done, see specialists who don’t even give me a solid 5-10 minutes to explain my story and situation before being gaslit and treated like a drug addict and hypochondriac. In the mean time I get suffer from debilitating nerve pain with NO relief because I’m not prescribed even a lose dose of Gabapentin or Pregabalin to take the edge off so that I can get even a small amount of relief and sleep better at night. 
 

All of this could’ve been avoided had my local hospital and first GP had picked up that my symptoms were fitting most logically to someone who was in severe withdrawal WHICH I STATED MULTIPLE TIMES, had they of just told me to go back to my stable dosage prior to my symptoms showing, I could’ve had time to be given the proper knowledge that I needed a careful taper process in order to avoid the symptoms that I was so scared of going through. But no, they tapered me further and reintroduced a completely different drug and here we are six months later. 
 

I trusted their medical degree’s and their medical knowledge and their judgements and now I get to suffer because of their stupidity. Never again, never again will I allow western medicine to fail me like it has now. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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  • Moderator

I feel your frustration for sure. I agree, I'm not sure why they have such a hard time putting the pieces together. Perhaps they don't want to believe that these drugs can be this harmful. Idk, it's beyond my comprehension at this point. 

 

What coping skills are you currently using for the nerve pain? Is this your most troublesome symptom? Mine was very severe initially, but if it's any reassurance, it did slowly get better over time.

 

Have you read through this thread? It might have some good coping strategies. 

 

 

 

2003-2009 on and off various SSRI's for short periods

2010-2011 Ativan

2013-2021 ativan 1-1.5mg 10-12x/month, daily starting Oct 21 to help with buspar WD

2016 - Effexor 75mg, short-term

2021 Mar -Jun Buspar ADR at high dose, tapered 3 months

Oct 22/21 - Direct switch ativan to clonazepam (don't do this)

Tapered clonaz Oct/21 - Apr/23  - 0mg!

 

"Believe that your tragedies, your losses, your sorrows, your hurt, happened for you, not to you. And I bless the thing that broke you down and cracked you open, because the world needs you open" - Rebecca Campbell

 

*** Disclaimer: Please note, my suggestions/comments are based on my own personal experiences. Please consult a knowledgeable practitioner to discuss decisions regarding your medical care *** 

 

                                                             *** Please do not send me PM's ***

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8 hours ago, LotusRising said:

I feel your frustration for sure. I agree, I'm not sure why they have such a hard time putting the pieces together. Perhaps they don't want to believe that these drugs can be this harmful. Idk, it's beyond my comprehension at this point. 

 

What coping skills are you currently using for the nerve pain? Is this your most troublesome symptom? Mine was very severe initially, but if it's any reassurance, it did slowly get better over time.

 

Have you read through this thread? It might have some good coping strategies. 

 

 

 


Yeah, unfortunately like many others, the mental stuff went away a lot quicker than the physical symptoms which seems to be quite common. The nerve pain comes in waves and windows. First it was subtle, then it spread and got worse, then it peaked at its highest point, then backed off, and sat at a mild level in just my legs, then it peaked again, got worse then backed off again. 
 

It’s by far the worst thing out of all these symptoms I’m dealing with. I get hot flashes which come on at random times, I’ll just start burning up inside, like my body doesn’t know how to regulate the temperature at all, then it backs off again. Doesn’t happen all the time but has happened at least 10 times so far over the 6 months. 
 

The nerve pain is like my entire nervous system is outside of my skin. I can feel everything and the pain that comes is so unpredictable and changes so often it’s so difficult to keep track of how I’m feeling every day. The pain changes hourly almost, especially when I’m in a flare up. 
 

The heat intolerance is another one. It has gotten better but when I’m right in the middle of a flare up again I simply cannot tolerate any sort of heat otherwise my body just doesn’t know what to do. I also sweat excessively at all times and that’s one of the main symptoms I deal with that EVERYONE can see at all times. They see how drenched I am all the time because I’m constantly sitting in a state of withdrawal and my body and nervous system no longer know how to regulate properly. 
 

Between the nerve pain the only other really debilitating symptom is the GI problems I deal with now as well. Constipation, stomach cramping, dry wretching every morning, loose stooles, nausea, the whole works.   

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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  • 1 month later...

My feet tingling worsened by taking Lorazepam for 4 or 6-7 days over the span of 4 weeks (occasionally), so I now feel the restlessness (not the tingling) on both my left arm's forearm and its hand's interdigital folds, as well as the left side of the hand in question. I wasn't able to sleep Tuesday's night, although I managed to sleep for around 3 hours last night (fortunately). I hope this restlessness over my arm resolves once I no longer feel the effects of Lorazepam withdrawal. I think benzodiazepine withdrawal usually lasts for several weeks if you didn't use them long-term. I hope so, I really hope so. I'm crossing my fingers, because regression should happen just like in many other cases like yours (sometimes, my tingling disappears out of nowhere for two or three days)... I truly, I truly hope it's not permanent damage (I'm fine with the tingling on my feet and toes).

April 2017 (court-ordered by the age of 16) to mid 2019Risperdal ~2-4mg (can't remember dosage), fast taper by 2019. Persistent anhedonia.

 

Mid 2021 to May 2023 (age of 21-23) — Fluoxetine (Prozac) starting by 20mg, fast taper through oral solution by 20% decreases until May 2023. By late 2023, possible WD kicking in with sleep disturbances, averaging 5-6 hours of highly interrupted sleep with extreme fatigue along with skin/body pain and extreme brain fog (never had none of these, thanks pharma), along with worsened anhedonia (thanks again).

 

By the beginning of 2024, I feel constant tingling on my feet (and, sometimes, up to the knee from behind), possible neuropathy(?) worsening by night. Sleep quality decreased, taking more hours just to fall asleep. NO WINDOWS OR WAVES, but WORSENING of SYMPTOMS through the months (suspected brain damage).

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  • 1 month later...

Hello everyone, haven't been back to the site since my initial introduction. Been doing my best to try stay off most social media sites, googling stuff and being in support groups/sites for my own sanity's sake. I know my journey is still rather early for most people on here and for most who are going, or have gone through med injury from antidepressants or any other drug, but for me it's been the longest most grueling 8 months of my entire life. I went through a period back in 2017 when I developed some weird vestibular issues which had me bedbound, housebound for over a year with debilitating symptoms and dizziness 24/7 which I still have some lingering PTSD from, but this med injury **** is 10 times harder than that. This is by far the most pain, the most amount of torture and mind destroying stuff I have EVER been through and I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy. I still cannot fathom that medication that is so easily prescribed by GP's can do this much damage to a person, it baffles me. 

In my introduction/initial post to the site I spoke about how much symptoms are very much physical as opposed to mental and 8 months out, it's still very much the case, minus some slight waves of heavy depression and minor suicidal ideation. My physical symptoms seem to change every few months, and wax and wane depending on whether I'm in a window or a wave. Even when I'm in a slight window period I still have symptoms just not as debilitating as when I'm in a wave. I've still got some heavy PTSD lingering around which is mainly due to everything I've gone through but also because I'm terrified of another really bad wave setting in. Luckily so far I haven't had another one since quitting smoking 3 months ago. 

 

I'm still on Venlafaxine and very much would like to come off it altogether as I wholeheartedly believe that further improvements and healing isn't going to happen if I don't get off these medications altogether. I shouldn't have let my GP put me in this in the first place but I was clueless, had no idea that my initial withdrawal symptoms from my Sertraline were the cause and believed I was experiencing the early developments of something like Multiple Sclerosis. Whilst I was damaged by withdrawal from Sertraline, switching over to Venlafaxine has done absolutely nothing in terms of alleviating my withdrawal symptoms, or providing any sort of beneficial relief mental wise. And now whenever I miss a dose or go without my medication it makes my withdrawal symptoms and damage flare up 30 times worse. So now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I either continue on with the medication and see if I can heal completely from the damage of getting of Sertraline or I potentially make my situation worse, go back to square one in terms of healing, relive through the excruciating nerve pain 24/7 and all the other symptoms in hopes that getting off ALL medication will in turn mean that I can heal completely in time... I don't know.

So far my main symptoms are:

 

  • Peripheral nerve pain throughout my legs, arms neck and face - this symptoms has been with me ever since I went into withdrawal 5 days after cutting down from 100 milligrams to 50. And is still with me 8 months out, albeit isn't as severe as it used to be. I have this symptom pretty much 24/7 but instead of it being everywhere all over my body now it just affects random parts of my limbs or a certain section of my body, if I'm in a pretty bad wave than it'll usually affect both legs, arms etc. It's a burning sensation which I can only relate to it as having a pretty bad sunburn all over my body and scratching it. It's a stinging, burning sensation that is usually accompanied by sweating. 
  • Facial pain "Trigeminal Neuralgia" like pain? - this is a weird one for me, as it wasn't a symptom that first initially started right after I went into withdrawal, but first started appearing about 2 months into it. It's nerve or muscle pain that pretty much checks all the boxes for something like "Trigeminal Neuralgia" and I'm at this point convinced that because of the med injury and my damaged CNS that I've developed this condition. It only affects my left side of my face and the area is mainly around my cheek area which extends out to my left side of my nose covering most of it. It never really reaches beyond that, sometimes it'll affect around near my eye as well, but this stopped happening about a month and a bit ago. The left hand side of my face usually has a "pins and needles" feeling covering it, and usually the pain in my face comes on whenever I can feel this sensation across my face. The pain comes and goes, but it's more of a deep aching sensation mixed with sore tenderness pain as opposed to any sort of "electrical jolting" or anything that most people with TN would feel. If I do have this condition now it'd definitely be a TN type 1 + 2 case as my pain fluctuates between episodic and 24/7. I haven't really seen any other people who have gone through antidepressant withdrawal who has had this type of symptom, which makes me believe it's not necessarily because of the withdrawal but maybe something else? It's by far my most severe symptom as of right now. 
  •  Excessive sweating & lack of temperature regulation - this symptom is definitely still happening a lot for me, not as severe or 24/7 like it used to be, but I still sweat a lot, and I still have episodes where my body will start burning up from the inside and I'll start sweating profusely, it doesn't happen often anymore but still happens from time to time. Most of the time it's just excessive sweating, usually when it comes to sleeping at night I have to sleep with my legs out of the blanket otherwise I'll start sweating badly on my legs. I wake up most nights covered in cold sweat, and that mixed with the insomnia means I barely get sleep still most nights. Again, not as bad as it was months ago, but still occurs and still affects me. 
  • DP/DR + brain fog - no surprise here on this symptom. Had this even prior to withdrawal damage as I developed it after my vestibular issues back in 2017. Sometimes on rare occasions it'll lift for a day and I'll feel so clear in my mind and head and it'll be great, but then it always comes back. It's like my brain is stuck in autopilot mode and has been for years now, whilst my withdrawal med injury has certainly not helped this existing symptom and I know it's a common symptom for most people going through med withdrawal damage, for me I've had this prior to all of this so it's something I'm used to at this point 7+ years in. 
  • Numbness in my fingertips - this symptom still happens from time to time, certainly not as much or as severe as it was months ago. Back in Feb, this symptom was excruciating and crippling mixed with my all over body nerve burning pain. It was like my nerves inside my fingertips were on the outside of my skin. I could feel my fingertips pulsating with pain. Now it's some very mild numbness in a fingertip or two here and there, usually if I'm on the computer and usually my fingers for too long it'll start in my left hand fingertips as I game with those fingers using my WASD keys. 
  • GI issues - of course I'd still have problems with this stuff, especially whilst still medicated. Was one of my long term side effects from being on antidepressants was the start of GI problems like bloating, acid reflux, stomach pain, GERD like symptoms and heartburn. Still ongoing and whilst I don't have daily heartburn, I still experience all of these symptoms. Also affects my vagus nerve I believe which is why I always feel like I'm having a heart attack or the heart palpitations. Was told like year and a half ago that I have GERD but no testing was ever done, was just an over the desk conclusion from a new doctor I had been seeing. Whether or not I have GERD is one thing, and whether or not the antidepressants were the cause of it is another. 

 

 

Going forward I need definitely need to make the decision on whether or not I try to stabilize and heal whilst staying on the Venlafaxine, or decide if I'm going to push through severe symptoms again, possibly further damage myself and get off all medications entirely. I still have roughly 2 weeks or so before I run out of medication to decide, as I'll need to go back to my GP and either ask for a lower dose of the Venlafaxine and start tapering, or up my dose from 75.2mg to 150... As being on 75.2mg does nothing for me and is only equivalent to 50 milligrams of being on my Sertraline. There's a slight chance that upping the dose could alleviate my symptoms as 100 milligrams of Sertraline was where I was at before my withdrawal + symptoms, but there's also a chance that 8 months out this doesn't happen and then I'm stuck on an even higher dose of a drug I need to get rid of in order to completely heal. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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On 6/13/2024 at 2:43 AM, JLR96 said:

Hello everyone, haven't been back to the site since my initial introduction. Been doing my best to try stay off most social media sites, googling stuff and being in support groups/sites for my own sanity's sake. I know my journey is still rather early for most people on here and for most who are going, or have gone through med injury from antidepressants or any other drug, but for me it's been the longest most grueling 8 months of my entire life. I went through a period back in 2017 when I developed some weird vestibular issues which had me bedbound, housebound for over a year with debilitating symptoms and dizziness 24/7 which I still have some lingering PTSD from, but this med injury **** is 10 times harder than that. This is by far the most pain, the most amount of torture and mind destroying stuff I have EVER been through and I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy. I still cannot fathom that medication that is so easily prescribed by GP's can do this much damage to a person, it baffles me. 

In my introduction/initial post to the site I spoke about how much symptoms are very much physical as opposed to mental and 8 months out, it's still very much the case, minus some slight waves of heavy depression and minor suicidal ideation. My physical symptoms seem to change every few months, and wax and wane depending on whether I'm in a window or a wave. Even when I'm in a slight window period I still have symptoms just not as debilitating as when I'm in a wave. I've still got some heavy PTSD lingering around which is mainly due to everything I've gone through but also because I'm terrified of another really bad wave setting in. Luckily so far I haven't had another one since quitting smoking 3 months ago. 

 

I'm still on Venlafaxine and very much would like to come off it altogether as I wholeheartedly believe that further improvements and healing isn't going to happen if I don't get off these medications altogether. I shouldn't have let my GP put me in this in the first place but I was clueless, had no idea that my initial withdrawal symptoms from my Sertraline were the cause and believed I was experiencing the early developments of something like Multiple Sclerosis. Whilst I was damaged by withdrawal from Sertraline, switching over to Venlafaxine has done absolutely nothing in terms of alleviating my withdrawal symptoms, or providing any sort of beneficial relief mental wise. And now whenever I miss a dose or go without my medication it makes my withdrawal symptoms and damage flare up 30 times worse. So now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I either continue on with the medication and see if I can heal completely from the damage of getting of Sertraline or I potentially make my situation worse, go back to square one in terms of healing, relive through the excruciating nerve pain 24/7 and all the other symptoms in hopes that getting off ALL medication will in turn mean that I can heal completely in time... I don't know.

So far my main symptoms are:

 

  • Peripheral nerve pain throughout my legs, arms neck and face - this symptoms has been with me ever since I went into withdrawal 5 days after cutting down from 100 milligrams to 50. And is still with me 8 months out, albeit isn't as severe as it used to be. I have this symptom pretty much 24/7 but instead of it being everywhere all over my body now it just affects random parts of my limbs or a certain section of my body, if I'm in a pretty bad wave than it'll usually affect both legs, arms etc. It's a burning sensation which I can only relate to it as having a pretty bad sunburn all over my body and scratching it. It's a stinging, burning sensation that is usually accompanied by sweating. 
  • Facial pain "Trigeminal Neuralgia" like pain? - this is a weird one for me, as it wasn't a symptom that first initially started right after I went into withdrawal, but first started appearing about 2 months into it. It's nerve or muscle pain that pretty much checks all the boxes for something like "Trigeminal Neuralgia" and I'm at this point convinced that because of the med injury and my damaged CNS that I've developed this condition. It only affects my left side of my face and the area is mainly around my cheek area which extends out to my left side of my nose covering most of it. It never really reaches beyond that, sometimes it'll affect around near my eye as well, but this stopped happening about a month and a bit ago. The left hand side of my face usually has a "pins and needles" feeling covering it, and usually the pain in my face comes on whenever I can feel this sensation across my face. The pain comes and goes, but it's more of a deep aching sensation mixed with sore tenderness pain as opposed to any sort of "electrical jolting" or anything that most people with TN would feel. If I do have this condition now it'd definitely be a TN type 1 + 2 case as my pain fluctuates between episodic and 24/7. I haven't really seen any other people who have gone through antidepressant withdrawal who has had this type of symptom, which makes me believe it's not necessarily because of the withdrawal but maybe something else? It's by far my most severe symptom as of right now. 
  •  Excessive sweating & lack of temperature regulation - this symptom is definitely still happening a lot for me, not as severe or 24/7 like it used to be, but I still sweat a lot, and I still have episodes where my body will start burning up from the inside and I'll start sweating profusely, it doesn't happen often anymore but still happens from time to time. Most of the time it's just excessive sweating, usually when it comes to sleeping at night I have to sleep with my legs out of the blanket otherwise I'll start sweating badly on my legs. I wake up most nights covered in cold sweat, and that mixed with the insomnia means I barely get sleep still most nights. Again, not as bad as it was months ago, but still occurs and still affects me. 
  • DP/DR + brain fog - no surprise here on this symptom. Had this even prior to withdrawal damage as I developed it after my vestibular issues back in 2017. Sometimes on rare occasions it'll lift for a day and I'll feel so clear in my mind and head and it'll be great, but then it always comes back. It's like my brain is stuck in autopilot mode and has been for years now, whilst my withdrawal med injury has certainly not helped this existing symptom and I know it's a common symptom for most people going through med withdrawal damage, for me I've had this prior to all of this so it's something I'm used to at this point 7+ years in. 
  • Numbness in my fingertips - this symptom still happens from time to time, certainly not as much or as severe as it was months ago. Back in Feb, this symptom was excruciating and crippling mixed with my all over body nerve burning pain. It was like my nerves inside my fingertips were on the outside of my skin. I could feel my fingertips pulsating with pain. Now it's some very mild numbness in a fingertip or two here and there, usually if I'm on the computer and usually my fingers for too long it'll start in my left hand fingertips as I game with those fingers using my WASD keys. 
  • GI issues - of course I'd still have problems with this stuff, especially whilst still medicated. Was one of my long term side effects from being on antidepressants was the start of GI problems like bloating, acid reflux, stomach pain, GERD like symptoms and heartburn. Still ongoing and whilst I don't have daily heartburn, I still experience all of these symptoms. Also affects my vagus nerve I believe which is why I always feel like I'm having a heart attack or the heart palpitations. Was told like year and a half ago that I have GERD but no testing was ever done, was just an over the desk conclusion from a new doctor I had been seeing. Whether or not I have GERD is one thing, and whether or not the antidepressants were the cause of it is another. 

 

 

Going forward I need definitely need to make the decision on whether or not I try to stabilize and heal whilst staying on the Venlafaxine, or decide if I'm going to push through severe symptoms again, possibly further damage myself and get off all medications entirely. I still have roughly 2 weeks or so before I run out of medication to decide, as I'll need to go back to my GP and either ask for a lower dose of the Venlafaxine and start tapering, or up my dose from 75.2mg to 150... As being on 75.2mg does nothing for me and is only equivalent to 50 milligrams of being on my Sertraline. There's a slight chance that upping the dose could alleviate my symptoms as 100 milligrams of Sertraline was where I was at before my withdrawal + symptoms, but there's also a chance that 8 months out this doesn't happen and then I'm stuck on an even higher dose of a drug I need to get rid of in order to completely heal. 

I get a lot of sweating when I sleep as well. I don't understand why. It doesn't happen as much during the day

Sertaline- tried 50 mg beginning of June 2023. Caused hyperreflexia.  So stopped after one dose. Tried several smaller doses that month.  Had burning and twitching so just stopped. 

Lexapro

June of 2023' 2.5 mg for two weeks 

July of 2023 5 mg for two weeks

July of 2023 7.5 mg for 2 weeks

August to mid September 10 mg

Mid September reduced to 7.5

October to October 15 reduced to 5

October 15 to October 30 reduced to 2.5 

October 30-off

 

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15 hours ago, Farm24 said:

I get a lot of sweating when I sleep as well. I don't understand why. It doesn't happen as much during the day

From what I've read it's to do with what the medication does to certain receptors or something. But for me, it's more about some sort of nervous system dysregulation with temperature, it's like my body can't regulate it properly anymore. It's a lot better than where it was like 4-5 months back but still occurs. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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19 hours ago, Farm24 said:

I get a lot of sweating when I sleep as well. I don't understand why. It doesn't happen as much during the day

I get the sweating  at night, too.  I also only have high blood pressure at night.  

1994-2002 several different SSRI’s,  klonopin.   
2002 ct klonopin,  2 wks later put back on klonopin, added  Seroquel & lexapro, 

2002 weaned klonopin 2003 weaned off seroquel.  2006 Ct lexapro, six week later added  imipramine 250mg, 2016-2017  imipramine taper 150mg,  2017-2019 100 mg, Jan 2020 50mg, 2 weeks later 60 mg November 2022 56 mg December 2022 50mg 4/5/23 47mg April 2023 40mg june 23,2023 35mg, April 15, 2024 33mg, May 15, 2024 32mg, 5/27/24 30mg, 6/09/24 29mg, 6/14 28mg, 8/2 27mg

Ropinirole 1/2020  3/21 ropinirol 2 mg 

Ozempic 4/2023 .25, 6/26/23 .37mg 12/1/23 .39mg, 4/24 40mg, 5/16/24 .25mg 6/14 0mg

clonidine .1mg 1/2024

Supplements: boron, diatomaceous earth, cream of tartar  and Celtic sea salt, transdermal magnesium oil

 

 

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9 minutes ago, Tulip52 said:

I get the sweating  at night, too.  I also only have high blood pressure at night.  

How long has yours been going on?

Sertaline- tried 50 mg beginning of June 2023. Caused hyperreflexia.  So stopped after one dose. Tried several smaller doses that month.  Had burning and twitching so just stopped. 

Lexapro

June of 2023' 2.5 mg for two weeks 

July of 2023 5 mg for two weeks

July of 2023 7.5 mg for 2 weeks

August to mid September 10 mg

Mid September reduced to 7.5

October to October 15 reduced to 5

October 15 to October 30 reduced to 2.5 

October 30-off

 

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@Farm24 It started when I resumed my taper in April.  I think it has a lot to do with high cortisol bc I wake up every couple of hours at night, too.

1994-2002 several different SSRI’s,  klonopin.   
2002 ct klonopin,  2 wks later put back on klonopin, added  Seroquel & lexapro, 

2002 weaned klonopin 2003 weaned off seroquel.  2006 Ct lexapro, six week later added  imipramine 250mg, 2016-2017  imipramine taper 150mg,  2017-2019 100 mg, Jan 2020 50mg, 2 weeks later 60 mg November 2022 56 mg December 2022 50mg 4/5/23 47mg April 2023 40mg june 23,2023 35mg, April 15, 2024 33mg, May 15, 2024 32mg, 5/27/24 30mg, 6/09/24 29mg, 6/14 28mg, 8/2 27mg

Ropinirole 1/2020  3/21 ropinirol 2 mg 

Ozempic 4/2023 .25, 6/26/23 .37mg 12/1/23 .39mg, 4/24 40mg, 5/16/24 .25mg 6/14 0mg

clonidine .1mg 1/2024

Supplements: boron, diatomaceous earth, cream of tartar  and Celtic sea salt, transdermal magnesium oil

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I also sweat strangely a lot in WD. It feels like the body cannot regulate the temperature. Seems to be a symptom or dysregulation as several here have it.

2007 Zoloft 25mg (2008 50mg)

2022 May - Dr wanted to increase to 62,5mg. Misinterpreted by Dr, it was tolerance/side effects. Felt sick, went back to 50mg efter 2 weeks.

2022 Oct - Reducing dose to 37,5mg (from 50mg). WD in few days, advised to go back to 50 - I then got adverse paradoxical reaction 

2022 Oct - Zoloft 50mg adverse reaction

2023 May 5th - Reducing dose to 25mg (directly from 50mg by Dr, difficult WD).

2023 Aug 1st - Reducing dose to 12,5mg 

2023 Oct 10th - Removed dose from 12mg to zero by Dr. Reinstated 2,5mg citalopram after 3 months, bad reaction. Reinstated 0,5mg zoloft for 6 days after 7 months, didn’t work. In terrible WD.

 

 

 


 

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Hey, I quit 200mg sertraline after being on it for almost 7 years back in January-February this year. I tapered too quick. Since then, I have felt horrid numbness and tingling in my left foot/leg/ankle and sometimes thigh. It flares up sometimes like you said. I also feel this tingling sometimes in my left cheek and left arm. It's completely left sided. Bloods are all fine, I am just lost. The best way I can describe how my leg feels sometimes is, it feels like I am wearing a sock when I'm not. Glad this place exists and I am not going crazy. Just wish there was a relief :( I get a lot of muscle ache too in the same places.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey guys, back with a little update on how I'm going, I appreciate all of you who have posted their own questions and even if only 1 person is somewhat interested in my story than that's enough for me, I deeply resonate and have a lot of love for everyone of you guys on this site going through the same thing. 

Last week marked the end of my journey with antidepressants altogether, since then I have not taken a single pill and I won't for the rest of my life, I am completely DONE. 

I was put down to 37.5mg on my Venlafaxine a few weeks prior coming down from 75mg which I had been taking since about December of last year when I completely came off Sertraline after 6+ years of being on it. All of my drug information and history can be found above, or in my signature below my posts/profile but quick summary is that I was initially harmed with coming off Sertraline and have spent the most of 7+ months trying to heal from the aggressive withdrawal symptoms that drug gave me, and was then cross tapered over to Venlafaxine during my withdrawal phase in December/January and was only taking the Venlafaxine from that point forward. 

Back to present time now, here I am now completely off both medications and no longer medicated for depression + anxiety at all. It's been a long time coming and my symptoms and general health is drastically improved, but I'm still not out of the woods just yet. Whilst ALL my symptoms are all from the withdrawal from my previous drug I can confidently say that I'm about 80-85% healed from the very severe symptoms that Sertraline gave me. The Venlafaxine never really gave me any new symptoms or improved or even surprisingly never worsened my current ones but being completely off the drug has definitely had a slight resurgence of symptoms but just at a lesser degree. 

I'm currently in a fresh withdrawal phase since being completely off the Venlafaxine now, and whilst I'm not happy I'm experiencing this stuff all over again, it's definitely comforting knowing it's not as bad as it was all those months ago when I was stuck in withdrawal from Sertraline. I knew this what going to happen, I knew that I had to get off ALL medications in order to experience a full healing process and I welcome it now. I'm definitely hoping this fresh withdrawal period is brief and my symptoms go back to be close to non existent again. I feel like there is a baseline that I'm at now, and once I'm over this last hurdle I'll get back there and continue the FULL healing process to 100% recovery. 

So far my main symptoms are:
 

  • Flu-like fever and body aches
  • Increase in overall depression
  • My overall anxiety seems to not have been affected much since this fresh withdrawal which is great but sometimes it peaks over so slightly if I'm feeling really run down
  • My left side face pain has returned a bit, it's pretty mild and not as severe as it used to be, but it definitely has resurfaced again
  • The burning and tingling sensations have also resurfaced but definitely at a manageable level, so far it's not full body and only affects small spots across my arms, legs etc and these sensations fluctuate heavily, and change often and go away and then come back 
  • My limbs are definitely still a bit shaky even being completely off all medications but hopefully I see more improvements in this particular symptom which has plagued me ever since I started taking Sertraline all those years ago, but they're certainly not as prominent as they used to be being medicated
  • My ability to ejaculate easier is certainly back, I no longer feel like I have to force myself to ejaculate during intercourse which is great, although the return of the "2 pump chump" has definitely risen again LOL - my ED issues are definitely still very much a thing, but again, it's still early days into being completely unmedicated so I definitely expect to see improvements over the next few months
  • My excessive sweating has certainly already seen some improvement, it's subtle but it's definitely a symptom that has plagued me and annoyed me for years being on antidepressants - it's still there, but hopefully this goes away in time

I dabbled a little for a week or two with smoking weed to help with the body aches and sleeping issues when I was coming down from 75mg to 37.5 and it was a surreal experience, I'm not going to continue partaking in doing it, but it definitely helped me to see some perspective with certain parts of myself and my body and provided some short relief to certain symptoms and my overall mental health at the time. I had quit vaping for a good while early into my withdrawal from Sertraline since I believed vaping was causing my nerve pain to increase, it was obviously affecting the drop in serotonin in my brain to some level of degree but I decided to start vaping again very recently over the past week or so just to help with counteracting my appetite issues as losing weight is definitely a big priority going into the future for me. It's not going to become a permanent thing again, once I get myself through this last hurdle with the Venlafaxine withdrawal phase and get myself into the gym I will promptly quit again, for good. Eating became a very big part of my life being on antidepressants and the drop in not having them in my system anymore has certainly started messing with my eating patterns, my consumption of food and vaping at the moment helps me stay away from the fridge and pantry. 

 

So far my main goals for the next 6 months going forward are mainly to start eating a clean and strict diet, and begin losing substantial amount of weight (currently weighing about 126kg) as well finally start working out and building some strength in my body. I also want to completely cut out both smoking and drinking any sort of alcohol permanently going forward and hopefully I continue to see more and more improvements with my overall med damage. I really do hope in the future with all of this coming together that my DP/DR issues which have affected me for so many years now sees some good improvement as I definitely want to get back out and gain some employment and finally get my full drivers license and begin rebuilding my life which has been stuck in limbo for well over 10+ years now, well before even embarking on my med journey. 

I'll definitely keep you guys posted and bring forth another update in the next coming months but until then, I'm signing off all social media, all the support forums and staying away from all things to do with antidepressants and withdrawal as it's a key thing in my recovery. I wish you all the best with your own journey's and keep fighting the good fight guys, we will all heal from this **** in time. It just takes time... Much love ❤️ 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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On 7/1/2024 at 1:26 PM, rocketdive said:

Hey, I quit 200mg sertraline after being on it for almost 7 years back in January-February this year. I tapered too quick. Since then, I have felt horrid numbness and tingling in my left foot/leg/ankle and sometimes thigh. It flares up sometimes like you said. I also feel this tingling sometimes in my left cheek and left arm. It's completely left sided. Bloods are all fine, I am just lost. The best way I can describe how my leg feels sometimes is, it feels like I am wearing a sock when I'm not. Glad this place exists and I am not going crazy. Just wish there was a relief :( I get a lot of muscle ache too in the same places.

Yeah I can definitely resonate with how you feel. Stay safe, and keep strong you got this mate! I truly didn't think I'd be at the point I'm at now even 4 months ago! Time is a big factor in all of this so we all just need to stay vigilant and hold onto hope and keep your faith that things will get better, because it truly does! 

Lean on your loved ones if you can, and if that isn't an option then stick with sites like this, and the people on YouTube who have made and documented their own stories and journeys, but also remember that obsessing over this stuff doesn't help us at all either, too much of all of this can do further mental damage if we allow it, trust me - I've been there... 

You got this! 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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On 6/29/2024 at 1:12 AM, Dahlia50 said:

I also sweat strangely a lot in WD. It feels like the body cannot regulate the temperature. Seems to be a symptom or dysregulation as several here have it.

Yeah it's certainly a very common symptom that's for sure, and one that also affects even other drug withdrawals like benzodiazepine etc. I believe it's the CNS going into defensive mode kind of like how our immune systems do when we get sick and end up with a fever, chills and body aches. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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  • 1 month later...

Well, here I am again to give another update - unfortunately this one isn't a good one. 

I'm feeling really lost right now, and defeated. I've had a lot of setbacks over the last month and my symptoms have been all over the place. Some days it feels like I'm back to acute withdrawal again and it's breaks me to my core. I'm going through heavy waves that seem to be very similar to how I was in acute withdrawal, it's like I get these rushes of severe depression, anxiety and my head starts feeling really weird, the fog descends over my brain and my cognitive function seems to go haywire. I feel like I can't really determine where I am in that current moment when it happens and I start feeling very disorientated and dizzy, lightheaded. I get these waves multiple times a day at this point again and then I have like a small break though window that allows me to feel somewhat clear headed for a while, and then I slip back into another wave again. 

The depression is so dark, it's like a thick darkness of negativity that clings to my soul and I have the deepest negative thoughts whilst in this state. I feel like giving up, I feel suicidal again and I feel like I'll never see the end of the tunnel. I've been crying a lot lately again and the anxiety that co-exists with the heavy depression is just 2 ends of a spectrum just smashing together all at once. 

Still dealing with a lot of physical symptoms, the burning nerve sensations are still there, they come and go when they like, the facial nerve pain is still there, same thing - it comes and goes. I've been getting twitching in certain parts of my body again lately, sometimes I'll get muscle twitching in my biceps, or my pinky finger will randomly just start twitching all over the place. They come on random and last like 30-40 seconds and then disappear. 

I've been completely off all my medication since a week before 23th of July which was my last post, and once I got over the flu like symptoms which were plaguing me every night, it just feels like I'm back to the first 2-3 months of withdrawal from the Sertraline. The depression stuff wasn't as bad when I was early in withdrawal from the Sertraline, but the Effexor withdrawal is absolutely KICKING my ASS! It's like the type of depression I never thought was possible to experience, and it's almost tempting to just go and reinstate the Effexor, but I won't. I cannot. It's like I'm fighting against myself inside to stop myself from un-aliving and it's the scariest **** ever. NO ONE around me understands, they don't get it. 

 

My underlying vestibular disorder issues have resurfaced completely since being completely off all medication as well, which has scared me as well. I've dealt with chronic dizziness, visual disturbances and weird head sensations since 2017 but being on antidepressants helped treat and remove a lot of those symptoms in the first 2 years or so of being on Sertraline, then the medication pooped out and ever since then I've never been the same on the drug. Man, looking back at it, Sertraline used to make me feel SO GOOD, but then the poop out came, then the long term side effects came, then the GI issues came and it's been downhill ever since. I miss how I felt back in 2020-2021 when the drug was working... I'm just hoping the resurfacing of my dizziness, visual stuff is just my withdrawal acting up and hopefully I'll feel better soon. I wasn't getting any dizziness or lightheadedness or problems with my vision when I was just withdrawing from Sertraline, this is only started happening since giving up on the Effexor as well, so I don't know...

 

I'm feeling lost guys, I'm in a pretty dark place right now and I'm holding on for dear life. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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6 hours ago, JLR96 said:

It's like the type of depression I never thought was possible to experience, and it's almost tempting to just go and reinstate the Effexor, but I won't. I cannot. It's like I'm fighting against myself inside to stop myself from un-aliving and it's the scariest **** ever. NO ONE around me understands, they don't get it. 

@JLR96 I am in the same horrible situation. So hard to be this bad when no one understands. But I really understand. Right now I also feel like I'm back where I was 3 months after I went off too fast from sertraline. Keep going. Hug.

2007 Zoloft 25mg (2008 50mg)

2022 May - Dr wanted to increase to 62,5mg. Misinterpreted by Dr, it was tolerance/side effects. Felt sick, went back to 50mg efter 2 weeks.

2022 Oct - Reducing dose to 37,5mg (from 50mg). WD in few days, advised to go back to 50 - I then got adverse paradoxical reaction 

2022 Oct - Zoloft 50mg adverse reaction

2023 May 5th - Reducing dose to 25mg (directly from 50mg by Dr, difficult WD).

2023 Aug 1st - Reducing dose to 12,5mg 

2023 Oct 10th - Removed dose from 12mg to zero by Dr. Reinstated 2,5mg citalopram after 3 months, bad reaction. Reinstated 0,5mg zoloft for 6 days after 7 months, didn’t work. In terrible WD.

 

 

 


 

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1 hour ago, Dahlia50 said:

@JLR96 I am in the same horrible situation. So hard to be this bad when no one understands. But I really understand. Right now I also feel like I'm back where I was 3 months after I went off too fast from sertraline. Keep going. Hug.

Hey, cheers for the reply - yeah it's extremely hard and sometimes I seriously don't know how I'm even functioning and staying alive. I know it's quite common for setbacks to happen and the road to recovery isn't as clear cut as we all hope it to be, but it's very discouraging nonetheless and certainly has me feeling like I'm taking one step forward and then three steps back, both physically and mentally. I'm coming up to my first 12 months through this and to say I'm still in the thick of it is so sad, I really hoped that I'd have gotten through this by now but it is what it is I guess. I just hope I don't go through years of this because I really can't afford to right now. I've got two kids to help financially support with my girlfriend and she's been working so vigorously the past 6 months and keeping us all afloat, we have plans in the next couple of months to move houses, and I really would like to try get back out and be working again for the first time in almost 8 years. I'm not asking for much, I just want to be able to work a part time job and help bring in some cash for my family. I want to feel useful again and this withdrawal stuff is just destroying me. My house feels like a prison at times and I'm not getting any younger, I'm coming up 30 in the next few years and have goals and plans for the future, but I can't see that happening whilst I'm stuck battling this. 

My girlfriend loves me, and she supports me but she's also the hardest person to converse with about mental health problems and she's seen me sick for so many years with my vestibular issues that going through this withdrawal stuff just seems like "the boy who cried wolf" scenario for her. She means well, but she doesn't understand that a simple drug I've taken to treat depression and anxiety has me going through 10 months of horrible withdrawal that virtually has me disabled. I can't really talk with my extended family either except for my cousin who is going through a bit of a mid life crisis at the moment herself and dealing with newfound anxiety, health anxiety and stress. She gets it to a point, but the drug stuff she has no idea what to say or how to talk me through it and I completely understand. 

I hope for the both of us that this healing process becomes speedy soon, wishing you all the best @Dahlia50 and thank you for your kinds words, stay strong friend.  

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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  • Moderator

 

@JLR96 - You are not alone and you will get through this.  I too am working to get off Effexor and ended up in a horrible place earlier this similar, which was similar to what are experiencing now and I can promise it does get better, but does take time.  I was tapering too fast, and you went way too quickly.  Effexor is hard to get off of, I've learned.  And even though it was no longer effective in helping with your depression, your body was still chemically dependent upon it.  Most of us have to taper off it very slowly to stay safe, functional, moderately comfortable.  For me, It is about six weeks since reinstating to a slightly higher dose than where I was, I'm not feeling great, but off the ledge - we need to get you off the ledge. Please hang in there.  You probably should consider reinstatement, but will let a moderator speak to that.

 

For recovery, I am fervent believer in supporting the healing process as much as we can - lots of rest, to the extent you can, and eating as nutritionally as you can, e.g.  Good info on this site about nutrition / supplements.

 

Does anything distract you from the negative thinking?  I listen to a lot of audible books - I favor historical fiction and old mysteries, such as by Agatha Christie - definitely stay away from anything dark or intense.  Just a thought.  As impossible as it seems, you can choose to change your thinking away from depressive / negative thoughts.  I try to spend at least a few minutes each day reliving past joyful experiences; find things each day to be grateful for (and I write them down); force myself to tune in to my physical surroundings using my five senses.  I read when I can and memorize Scripture.  Praying for you.  

I am not a doctor. My comments are based on my personal experience with ADs and tapering. Consult your doctor about your own medical decisions.

1985-2010 (est.) - various ADs including Wellbutrin, Elavil, Prozac, Zoloft.  dosages unk.

1991-1992 - stopped AD while to conceive and during pregnancy.  Resumed 1993 (?).

2005 (est.) - tried to stop, severe symptoms.  Resumed meds.

2010 (est) - started Celexa (dose unk)

2016 (est) - started Effexor, working up to 112.5 mg/day.  Stayed at this dose for many years.

2023 - Feb. began linear tapering off Effexor. Switched to hyperbolic tapering in April 2023.  By July 12, 2024 at 1.36 mg / day.

July 13, 2024 - up-dosed to 1.44 mg / day to address severe withdrawal symptoms.  Felt somewhat better by next day; symptoms continue to improve.

Other meds:  75 mcg/day Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism

Supplements:  Vitamin D3 (5,000 IU), Boron, Magnesium Threonate (3 per day of 2000 mg with 145 mg Mg), Vitamin E (every other day), Lugol's iodine (4 drops/day); Omega 3's (currently 1 capsule Krill oil in morning, 2 capsules DHA-1000 Fish oil, one in afternoon and one in evening); Adrenal "cocktail" once or twice per day (– ¾ ts cream of tarter plus ¼ tsp Celtic salt dissolved in water.  Taken with Vitamin C.)

My Intro Topic:  Jane318: Tapering off Effexor - Struggling at the End

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed.  Jeremiah 17:14a.

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I started developing GI problems mid way through being on Sertraline from January of 2018 up until October of 2023. I was loosely diagnosed with GERD mid way through of last year just a little before my withdrawal and was taking a PPI medication called "Pantoprazole" to help with reflux. I felt the medication wasn't working for the few months I was taking it and it was one of the drugs I completely stopped taking in October alongside the Agomelatine that I was prescribed at the same time as the PPI drug. I'm not entirely sure if I developed GI problems naturally or if being on Sertraline caused the GERD diagnosis but my GI problems are still very consistent and make going through this withdrawal stuff even harder. 

I don't know if a lot of my GI issues are being exacerbated from the withdrawal waves and damage altogether these days or if it's my underlying GERD that's flaring up and I really want to try and get it sorted. I want go back to my doctor and try and get more extensive testing done to rule out whether it's actually GERD, or a hiatal hernia, both - or if it's just damage from being on an SSRI that was doing more harm to me than good for so long. The reason I say this, and my strong belief that my SSRI caused my chronic GI issues is because once the poop out happened 2.5 years into taking Sertraline, the medication ended up causing paradoxical effects, like shakiness, tremors, akathisia and then gut problems. I stayed on the drug for a further couple of years and the GI issues just kept getting worse over time. Hence why I strongly believe Sertraline is the culprit, but I cannot be 100% sure as I haven't had my gut checked properly and an official diagnosis was never properly made. I also have gained a considerable amount of weight over the years and I'm weighing between 125-130kg, so I'm definitely tipping on the high end for BMI and obesity, my diet hasn't exactly been great and I have smoked both cigarettes and vaped throughout my antidepressant journey as well. 

My reasoning for this post in general is because I'd like to go back to my doctor and start figuring out my gut problems, as the reflux, the bloating, the severe heartburn and belching become a nuisance to deal with going through withdrawal and trying to heal from that. My concerns lie with possibly needing to get back on PPI medication and have a reaction to it 10 months into my withdrawal. I guess I'm also concerned about getting an endoscopy done and needing to go under for it and possibly having a reaction to the anesthesia? I'm also concerned on whether I have other problems wrong with my gut like an infection or something and my doctor wanting to prescribe antibiotics or something, given how people tend to react to taking them and having worse withdrawal symptoms or causing further damage. 

I just don't know what to do at this point as I definitely don't want to go back to taking different drugs to treat a problem I don't fully know if drugs ended up causing in the first place. And I don't want to further damage myself or set all my progress back to square one again, but my gut issues are extremely problematic and severe. It's bad enough that I'm highly sensitive to so much different foods due to the damage of the withdrawal. 

Should I go back to my doctor and run all this up and try to get help? Or should I just continue white knuckling this until I heal from SSRI withdrawal damage? What if I end up being diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and needing surgery? Will they give me medication that would further damage me? Will adding another PPI drug into my system right now further damage me? I'd like some guidance on this please from anyone who has some experience or expertise, cheers. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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  • 5 weeks later...

How are you going?

1998(approx.) 20mg Paroxetine, 1998 -2015  various unsuccessful tapers, 2015 app 6 month taper to 0, 2015 approx 6 months later reinstated  original brand after debilitating neurological delayed WD symptoms. Made worse after surgery.2023 Famotidine, Cetirizine, New Generic, muscle relaxer.  March/April19th June, 2023 - 23rd July, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 20mg to 15mg (on 15mg for 35 days), no significant symptoms.

24th July, 2023 - 26th July, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 15mg to 12.5mg (on 12.5mg for 3 days), no significant symptoms. 

27th July, 2023 - 3rd September, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 12.5mg to 10mg (on 10mg for 39 days), no significant symptoms.

4th September, 2023 - 15th September, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 10mg to 5mg i.e. 10mg every other day (on 5mg for 12 days), although not noted, must have experienced some symptoms, as I  decided to return to previous 10mg dosage on the 16th September.

16th September, 2023 - 25th November, 2023: Dosage increased from 5mg to 10mg i.e. 10mg every day (on 10mg for 71 days), symptoms start dates: Late September sweating, shaking and right side upper back pain., 5th October 23: Upper back pain worsening,21st Oct 23: Night time symptoms: insomnia, nausea, sweats, headaches, some anxiety (predominantly in the mornings)27th Oct 23 admitted to hospital with 1st hypertensive crisis with severe frontal headache  (now suspected of withdrawal ) BP 225/115.   Admitted twice more with high BP . Doctors at a loss for cause.  Given anti nausea, anti anxiety and sleeping tabs in hospital. . 1st Nov 23: , heart palpitations, some anxiety.. 7th Nov 23: Anxiety was now becoming more frequent (not severe)26th November, 2023 Dosage increased from 10mg to 20mg possibly first time taking 20 mg of Extine, new manufacturer. Approx around this time came of antihistamines . 3rd Dec 23 - 18th Dec, 23: Started taking 7.5mg - 15mg of Oxazepam when anxiety became unbearable only took 8 in total now stopped. Symptoms now more severe have head pain rather than headache. .Electrical shocks through body overnight accompanied by head pain. Sheer terror,. Sore eyes. 23rd Dec 23: All symptoms remain the same i.e. severe except for the last 2 days where my anxiety levels have not been as severe/ extreme and somewhat manageable (later in the day).22 Jan 24 Have some windows now but still suffering from all day head pain, upper back pain, waking up inner restlessness and terror , nausea, intermittent feelings of fear and wake up 12.30 am every morning  and sometimes up to 3 times a night with weird tingling down arms and back, pounding heart head pain and nausea.  2nd March 24, head pain/eye pain everyday and all day and & night wake ups.. Mild Akathisia early morning,, upper back pain, sweats. Anxiety much better.  21st April 24, drop 2.25% drop to 19.5 mg to test help with head /eye nerve pain and new symptom tinnitus. 12/5/24 19mg still eye/head/ back pain. Mild AKA AM. 2/6/24 18.93mg 9/8/24 18.04mg, 16/8/24 18mg, 19/9/24 17.6mg

 

 

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On 9/27/2024 at 4:40 PM, Xcaretuk said:

How are you going?


This month is my 1 year anniversary from withdrawal. In the worst wave yet, feel like I’m back square one again almost. I was doing a lot better over the last month but I started trying to get my weight down and I’ve started cutting out sugars, most carbs etc. Been eating a lot more meat and mainly doing an OMAD style diet. 
 

Don’t know if it’s because it’s my 1 year mark, some stress or the weight loss and diet changes but I’m back in the thick of it the past 2 days. The burning is back all over my body and face, the aching pains, muscle twitches, facial pain, the intrusive thoughts, the suicidal ideation, anxiety and depression and I feel like my mind is slipping again from me. 
 

It’s saddening but maybe this is the last surge before healing? I hope so… I really hoped I’d be recovered by now. 

2018 - was prescribed Sertraline (Zoloft) to treat my depression and anxiety from my migraine condition. Started at 50 milligrams and stayed on 100 for quite a while. 
 

2021 - felt like my medication wasn’t working anymore and was increased to 200 max dose. Not long after I developed drug induced tremors. Ended up developing RLS/akathisia like symptoms in my limbs after a week of withdrawal because of no meds. Tremors got worse and akathisia didn’t go away and suffered for 6 months or so before cutting my dose back to 100. Tremors reduced, akathisia went away not long after. Stayed at 100 milligrams until late 2023. 
 

2023 - tremors still there, developed GERD like symptoms and started feeling again like my medication was wearing off, doctor prescribed PPI medication for GERD and Agomelatine for my anxiety and depression to take alongside my Sertraline. In October I had an unusual flare up of neurological symptoms, most likely due to my migraine condition, but was scared I was going through serotonin syndrome from being on both Sertraline and Agomelatine, abruptly stopped taking Agomelatine and foolishly cut my SSRI dose in half to 50 milligrams and stopped taking my PPI medication. Severe withdrawal set in fast after 4-5 days and went to my GP. Told her I wanted off Sertraline and that I was withdrawing, and she cross tapered me to Venlafaxine in withdrawal from 100-50 milligrams to 50-0 milligrams within a four week period. 
 

October 2023 to July 2024 : developed tingling and numbness in my feet during withdrawal  + cross taper withdrawal which developed into full body wide peripheral neuropathy. After the cross taper period I switched to Venlafaxine and dose was set to 75 milligrams,  and since then I’ve still been going through either ADS or PAWS hell from my Sertraline withdrawal. My CNS is essentially fried, and I haven’t reinstated the drug since. 

 

July 2024 to present day: - felt like I was making significant improvement with the Sertraline withdrawal over the course of 7-8 months, but needed to get off the Venlafaxine as the drug wasn't helping with my depression or anxiety and would throw my nervous system out again whenever I missed a dose. About July of 2024 I tapered down completely off the Venlafaxine and went back into heavy withdrawal and since then a lot of the Sertraline withdrawal symptoms + new ones have reemerged and I've been dealing with heavy rapid waves and windows since. 

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Sorry to hear that. It sounds like you have definitely hit a wave. If you felt better before I am sure you will fill better again. Keep hanging in there…

1998(approx.) 20mg Paroxetine, 1998 -2015  various unsuccessful tapers, 2015 app 6 month taper to 0, 2015 approx 6 months later reinstated  original brand after debilitating neurological delayed WD symptoms. Made worse after surgery.2023 Famotidine, Cetirizine, New Generic, muscle relaxer.  March/April19th June, 2023 - 23rd July, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 20mg to 15mg (on 15mg for 35 days), no significant symptoms.

24th July, 2023 - 26th July, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 15mg to 12.5mg (on 12.5mg for 3 days), no significant symptoms. 

27th July, 2023 - 3rd September, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 12.5mg to 10mg (on 10mg for 39 days), no significant symptoms.

4th September, 2023 - 15th September, 2023: Paroxetine Dosage reduced from 10mg to 5mg i.e. 10mg every other day (on 5mg for 12 days), although not noted, must have experienced some symptoms, as I  decided to return to previous 10mg dosage on the 16th September.

16th September, 2023 - 25th November, 2023: Dosage increased from 5mg to 10mg i.e. 10mg every day (on 10mg for 71 days), symptoms start dates: Late September sweating, shaking and right side upper back pain., 5th October 23: Upper back pain worsening,21st Oct 23: Night time symptoms: insomnia, nausea, sweats, headaches, some anxiety (predominantly in the mornings)27th Oct 23 admitted to hospital with 1st hypertensive crisis with severe frontal headache  (now suspected of withdrawal ) BP 225/115.   Admitted twice more with high BP . Doctors at a loss for cause.  Given anti nausea, anti anxiety and sleeping tabs in hospital. . 1st Nov 23: , heart palpitations, some anxiety.. 7th Nov 23: Anxiety was now becoming more frequent (not severe)26th November, 2023 Dosage increased from 10mg to 20mg possibly first time taking 20 mg of Extine, new manufacturer. Approx around this time came of antihistamines . 3rd Dec 23 - 18th Dec, 23: Started taking 7.5mg - 15mg of Oxazepam when anxiety became unbearable only took 8 in total now stopped. Symptoms now more severe have head pain rather than headache. .Electrical shocks through body overnight accompanied by head pain. Sheer terror,. Sore eyes. 23rd Dec 23: All symptoms remain the same i.e. severe except for the last 2 days where my anxiety levels have not been as severe/ extreme and somewhat manageable (later in the day).22 Jan 24 Have some windows now but still suffering from all day head pain, upper back pain, waking up inner restlessness and terror , nausea, intermittent feelings of fear and wake up 12.30 am every morning  and sometimes up to 3 times a night with weird tingling down arms and back, pounding heart head pain and nausea.  2nd March 24, head pain/eye pain everyday and all day and & night wake ups.. Mild Akathisia early morning,, upper back pain, sweats. Anxiety much better.  21st April 24, drop 2.25% drop to 19.5 mg to test help with head /eye nerve pain and new symptom tinnitus. 12/5/24 19mg still eye/head/ back pain. Mild AKA AM. 2/6/24 18.93mg 9/8/24 18.04mg, 16/8/24 18mg, 19/9/24 17.6mg

 

 

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3 hours ago, JLR96 said:


This month is my 1 year anniversary from withdrawal. In the worst wave yet, feel like I’m back square one again almost. I was doing a lot better over the last month but I started trying to get my weight down and I’ve started cutting out sugars, most carbs etc. Been eating a lot more meat and mainly doing an OMAD style diet. 
 

Don’t know if it’s because it’s my 1 year mark, some stress or the weight loss and diet changes but I’m back in the thick of it the past 2 days. The burning is back all over my body and face, the aching pains, muscle twitches, facial pain, the intrusive thoughts, the suicidal ideation, anxiety and depression and I feel like my mind is slipping again from me. 
 

It’s saddening but maybe this is the last surge before healing? I hope so… I really hoped I’d be recovered by now. 

 

I find anniversaries hit me even when I don't realize the day. The body knows somehow. I see you've also only stopped venlafaxine a couple months ago so I'm sure your body is still healing. It sounds like you've been through a lot and reading your post history I have a lot of the same physical and emotional symptoms. They are overwhelming. I think you are right though - after each wave we have healing. That's all I can hope for. Keep us updated and take it day by day, hour by hour if you have to. I see you feel alone - me too. It's a battle we all have to take alone, even if we have the best family and support system. Proud of you for getting this far

2017 started Desvenlafaxine 50mg

2022 Tapered to 25mg 

May 2024 - stopped meds. Now in protracted withdrawal 5 months out

Lorazepam and Klonopin on and off for a decade - now on 9mg valium a day and .5 klonopin once a day to help with withdrawal.

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17 hours ago, JLR96 said:

This month is my 1 year anniversary from withdrawal. In the worst wave yet, feel like I’m back square one again almost.

I feel ya, I hit my one year a little over a month ago and a wave hit me pretty hard. Waves are signs of healing, even though it feels like the worst thing in the world. Keep on keeping on, it will pass, they always do. Praying this one passes quickly for you. 

I am not a medical professional - my advice is only based on my experience.

2016 - Lexapro 10mg, Klonapin as needed .5mg - Later Lexapro bumped to 20mg
2020 - (March) Lexapro cold Turkey attempt, reinstated 1 month Later along with Prozac. Tried Buspar, Zoloft and a couple other drugs that were added and removed within a 2 month period 2021 -  (Feb) 15mg -Taper off Lexapro 5mg per psychiatrist suggestion.

2021 -  (Feb) 10mg

2021 - (March) back to 20mg
2022 - Attempt Taper off Lexapro 2mg every 4 weeks (March 18mg, April 16mg, May 14mg, June 12mg, July 10mg, August 10mg hold, September 8mg,  October 8mg to 10mg, Nov 8mg, Dec 6mg, Jan 4mg)

2023 - January 4mg up to 5mg 

2023 - 10 percent brass monkey taper.

August 2023 COMPLETELY off medication.

Sep 2024 Currently in protracted antidepressant withdrawal

Supplements: omega-3, magnesium glycinate

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20 hours ago, JLR96 said:

It’s saddening but maybe this is the last surge before healing? I hope so… I really hoped I’d be recovered by now. 

I am pretty new here and still tapering, currently holding trying to stabilize after a bad crash in the summer.  First, congratulations for your one year mark off ADs!  That is such an accomplishment!  From all I've read since joining SA, I've learned that progress and rate of healing is unique to everyone and that these waves can happen for months, even years sometimes, after reaching 0.  Yes, very saddening.  Please know you are not alone, you are healing, this is not the real you, and this is temporary.  Prayed for you this morning.

I am not a doctor. My comments are based on my personal experience with ADs and tapering. Consult your doctor about your own medical decisions.

1985-2010 (est.) - various ADs including Wellbutrin, Elavil, Prozac, Zoloft.  dosages unk.

1991-1992 - stopped AD while to conceive and during pregnancy.  Resumed 1993 (?).

2005 (est.) - tried to stop, severe symptoms.  Resumed meds.

2010 (est) - started Celexa (dose unk)

2016 (est) - started Effexor, working up to 112.5 mg/day.  Stayed at this dose for many years.

2023 - Feb. began linear tapering off Effexor. Switched to hyperbolic tapering in April 2023.  By July 12, 2024 at 1.36 mg / day.

July 13, 2024 - up-dosed to 1.44 mg / day to address severe withdrawal symptoms.  Felt somewhat better by next day; symptoms continue to improve.

Other meds:  75 mcg/day Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism

Supplements:  Vitamin D3 (5,000 IU), Boron, Magnesium Threonate (3 per day of 2000 mg with 145 mg Mg), Vitamin E (every other day), Lugol's iodine (4 drops/day); Omega 3's (currently 1 capsule Krill oil in morning, 2 capsules DHA-1000 Fish oil, one in afternoon and one in evening); Adrenal "cocktail" once or twice per day (– ¾ ts cream of tarter plus ¼ tsp Celtic salt dissolved in water.  Taken with Vitamin C.)

My Intro Topic:  Jane318: Tapering off Effexor - Struggling at the End

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed.  Jeremiah 17:14a.

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