Aaron7 Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 Hi I need some advice please. i have been taking 25mg of Zoloft for 2 months it was prescribed to me by a doctor to help with my DPDR, I have depersonalisation disorder. However, when I was on Zoloft I felt very numb and apathetic and it lowered my dopamine. So I decided to come off the drug but instead of slowly tapering I went cold turkey. I then started to experience horrible withdrawal symptoms such as: brain zaps, dizziness/vertigo, fatigue, brain fog and emotional blunting. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft but the withdrawal symptoms were getting worse so on the 7th of May I decided to start taking a small dose of 12.5mg of Zoloft to see if this helps with my withdrawal symptoms. All of my withdrawal symptoms seem to have gotten better expect from the emotional blunting and brain fog these are still very bad and are causing me a lot of anxiety. Could somebody please give me some advice on how to taper off Zoloft safely so I can avoid having withdrawal symptoms. Summary: I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to go back on Zoloft due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I have been taking 12.5mg of Zoloft since 7th of May. I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Administrator Emonda Posted May 10 Administrator Share Posted May 10 Welcome @Aaron7 21 hours ago, Aaron7 said: So I decided to come off the drug but instead of slowly tapering I went cold turkey. This would highly likely lead to the WD symptoms as you have described below: 21 hours ago, Aaron7 said: brain zaps, dizziness/vertigo, fatigue, brain fog Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) I'm glad to read you are feeling improvement after reinstating 50% of your dose after ten days at 0mg. I'd hold where you are for an extended period until you feel stable...think in terms of months. Then, when you are ready: Why taper by 10% of my dosage? The reductions should get smaller and smaller each month, for example: 10mg, 9mg, 8.1mg, 7.3mg etc. Importantly, if you develop unpleasant side effects from tapering, halt the taper, give yourself time to settle, and once stable, taper more slowly and by smaller amounts moving forward. 21 hours ago, Aaron7 said: emotional blunting and brain fog these are still very bad and are causing me a lot of anxiety. Time and patience. Things will improve for sure. A few helpful links: Windows and waves pattern of stabilization Emotional Spirals Non-drug coping strategies We don't suggest many supplements, but two that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. Add one at a time and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. Magnesium Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) Avoid alcohol. Don't change the manufacturer of your AD. This is your own Introduction topic. Each member has only ONE Introduction topic. Your own Introduction topic is the best place to ask questions and the place to journal your progress. This keeps your history in one place and means you do not have to repeat your story. Once again, welcome to S.A. Emonda Please don't send me PMs. 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. Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, End year 1: 4.5mg, End year 2: 2.38mg, Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 17 hours ago, Emonda said: Welcome @Aaron7 This would highly likely lead to the WD symptoms as you have described below: Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) I'm glad to read you are feeling improvement after reinstating 50% of your dose after ten days at 0mg. I'd hold where you are for an extended period until you feel stable...think in terms of months. Then, when you are ready: Why taper by 10% of my dosage? The reductions should get smaller and smaller each month, for example: 10mg, 9mg, 8.1mg, 7.3mg etc. Importantly, if you develop unpleasant side effects from tapering, halt the taper, give yourself time to settle, and once stable, taper more slowly and by smaller amounts moving forward. Time and patience. Things will improve for sure. A few helpful links: Windows and waves pattern of stabilization Emotional Spirals Non-drug coping strategies We don't suggest many supplements, but two that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. Add one at a time and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. Magnesium Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) Avoid alcohol. Don't change the manufacturer of your AD. This is your own Introduction topic. Each member has only ONE Introduction topic. Your own Introduction topic is the best place to ask questions and the place to journal your progress. This keeps your history in one place and means you do not have to repeat your story. Once again, welcome to S.A. Emonda Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Administrator Emonda Posted May 12 Administrator Share Posted May 12 My pleasure, @Aaron7 Please don't send me PMs. 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. Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, End year 1: 4.5mg, End year 2: 2.38mg, Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted June 17 Author Share Posted June 17 Hi i need some more help and advice please. Here is the situation I am in. I went cold turkey from Zoloft on the 26th of April after being on it for 2 months at a low dose of 25mg. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of may I reinstated a small dose of 12.5mg of Zoloft to see if it would help my withdrawal symptoms but because I am impatient and couldn’t notice any improvement I stopped taking it on 13th of May as I thought it wasn’t working. It’s been 5 weeks since I quit Zoloft and my main problem is I have completely lost all my dopamine and I have lost all my emotions. This is making me extremely anxious because I’m not sure if it’s related to withdrawal or if I have PSSD. I really don’t want to have to go back on Zoloft as it makes me feel horrible. I still have some dizziness and vertigo especially when I am walking and moving around so I think I am still experiencing withdrawal but it’s not too bad and I can handle it. The main problem is I have no dopamine and lost all my emotions. How can I fix this? Please help, thanks. I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted June 17 Author Share Posted June 17 On 5/12/2024 at 11:09 AM, Emonda said: My pleasure, @Aaron7 Hi i need some more help and advice please. Here is the situation I am in. I went cold turkey from Zoloft on the 26th of April after being on it for 2 months at a low dose of 25mg. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of may I reinstated a small dose of 12.5mg of Zoloft to see if it would help my withdrawal symptoms but because I am impatient and couldn’t notice any improvement I stopped taking it on 13th of May as I thought it wasn’t working. It’s been 5 weeks since I quit Zoloft and my main problem is I have completely lost all my dopamine and I have lost all my emotions. This is making me extremely anxious because I’m not sure if it’s related to withdrawal or if I have PSSD. I really don’t want to have to go back on Zoloft as it makes me feel horrible. I still have some dizziness and vertigo especially when I am walking and moving around so I think I am still experiencing withdrawal but it’s not too bad and I can handle it. The main problem is I have no dopamine and lost all my emotions. How can I fix this? Please help, thanks. I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Administrator Emonda Posted June 18 Administrator Share Posted June 18 17 hours ago, Aaron7 said: on the 7th of may I reinstated a small dose of 12.5mg of Zoloft to see if it would help my withdrawal symptoms but because I am impatient and couldn’t notice any improvement I stopped taking it on 13th of May as I thought it wasn’t working. It takes longer than ~6 days to notice an improvement following reinstatement. Perhaps one month or longer. 17 hours ago, Aaron7 said: It’s been 5 weeks since I quit Zoloft 17 hours ago, Aaron7 said: I still have some dizziness and vertigo especially when I am walking and moving around so I think I am still experiencing withdrawal but it’s not too bad and I can handle it. I do know that WD symptoms can get very unpleasant, and last quite a while. I'd go back to my first post and look at the WD symptoms checklist...and the other links I provided. 17 hours ago, Aaron7 said: I really don’t want to have to go back on Zoloft as it makes me feel horrible. The choice is absolutely yours. Going on and off and on again is not ideal. Also, the further out from a CT you are, the lower the amount reinstated given the increased risks of kindling....please go back and read that link again. 17 hours ago, Aaron7 said: The main problem is I have no dopamine and lost all my emotions. How can I fix this? Please help, thanks. When you stop ADs CT, time and patience are the cure. That relates to lost emotions, too. Please don't send me PMs. 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. Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, End year 1: 4.5mg, End year 2: 2.38mg, Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted June 18 Author Share Posted June 18 24 minutes ago, Emonda said: It takes longer than ~6 days to notice an improvement following reinstatement. Perhaps one month or longer. I do know that WD symptoms can get very unpleasant, and last quite a while. I'd go back to my first post and look at the WD symptoms checklist...and the other links I provided. The choice is absolutely yours. Going on and off and on again is not ideal. Also, the further out from a CT you are, the lower the amount reinstated given the increased risks of kindling....please go back and read that link again. When you stop ADs CT, time and patience are the cure. That relates to lost emotions, too. Thank you very much for your reply. i just have one more question, sorry. It has been 5 weeks since I quit Zoloft, do you think reinstating will still work? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Administrator Emonda Posted June 19 Administrator Share Posted June 19 I've read that reinstating within the first 3 months is best. Beyond that, it becomes less predictable. The further out from a CT you are, the lower the amount reinstated. It's best to start low and see how you go. Can you please update your signature to reflect the end date of your reinstatement. It would be worth reading these two links: About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms Kindling Please don't send me PMs. 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. Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, End year 1: 4.5mg, End year 2: 2.38mg, Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 20 Author Share Posted July 20 I was just wondering what you guys think about reinstatement. I am 10 weeks off sertraline. I'm thinking of maybe reinstating a small dose of sertraline to see if it helps with the emotional numbness and anhedonia. I feel like majority of my withdrawal symptoms have improved except for the numbness and anhedonia. So I’m just unsure of whether or not to reinstate or wait it out. My main concern is if i decide to wait it out it could take years for the emotional numbness and anhedonia to get better and because I waited so long I probably won’t be able to reinstate later on down the line as i risk the potential of getting kindling. So do I take the risk of reinstating to see if it helps with the emotional numbness and anhedonia? Or do I take the risk to wait and see if the emotional numbness and anhedonia improves on its own? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
didiyana Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 Greetings, dear @Аарон7! I'm so sorry you had to deal with sertraline withdrawal. I understand you, and just like you I am on this journey. Oh, by the way, I’ve now had almost 4 months without sertraline!) Around July 25th it will be 4 months that I’ve been free from it. I also understand your concerns about recovery medications. But it's really good to think before making this decision. There are many people who, with connection, treat themselves very worse. It must be a calculated risk. What matters is, do you think you are tolerant most of the time? I see you are noticing some symptoms of improvement. My recommendations, which I didn’t do for the first 1.5 months, but now they really help me stay afloat: 1. Write down how you feel (and the strength of your symptoms as a percentage) every day, or even better, at some intervals throughout the day. 2. Keep a graph of your symptoms and calculate the average percentage per day. (For me, up to 30% mild symptoms, up to 70% moderate, and up to 100% severe). 3. When you feel bad, be sure to see that you feel good from time to time (this is important!) Also, do you have windows and waves? And by the way, I also noticed that the symptoms change a little, then new ones appear and then disappear. It's all a recovery process. I had 2 severe waves of depression in June, when this had not been observed before, and paresthesias still appeared and disappeared. So be prepared and watch out. I started feeling better after about 2.5 months, and every month it gets better and better. At the very beginning it is difficult to notice progress, but wait and it will definitely come! Oh, and I also noticed that you, like me, have not been on this medicine for long, so I think everything will be fine for you. I was only on Zoloft for a month before it sent me into hell. Also in my topic you can find useful tips from other participants that helped me A LOT. Be healthy! 2019-2020 fluoxetine due to anxiety disorder (1 capsule per day), withdrawal without WD. 2021- 1 month of Atarax in a daily dosage of 25 mg + symptomatically for a year 1/4 of 25 mg (approximately once a month). 2023 - severe stress, Atarax symptomatically 1/2 of 25 mg (approximately once a month / once a week). Velaxine (min. dosage 1 day) pronounced side effect in the form of an uncontrolled panic attack, withdrawal. February 2024 - Zoloft (+ Atarax 1.5 months in a dosage of 1/2 25 mg to 50 mg at a time almost every day) with a gradual increase once a week to 75 mg, constant headache, tremor, anxiety, poor eyesight. Then reduce the dose for 3 weeks to 0 mg. April 2024 - On the 10th day after complete abstinence, derealization, depression, panic attacks, headache, blurred vision, fog in the head, delirium. April 2024 - about once every three days, Atarax 25 mg, slightly relieved the symptoms, then I did not understand what was wrong with me. May 2024 - fluoxetine 1 capsule for 5 days and phenazepam 0.5 mg for 5 days. Cancel. Symptoms appear and disappear during the day for two weeks. But then I realized that this was the beginning of one of the waves. At the end of May, Atarax again a couple of times. I started keeping a diary and realized that all the symptoms went away after taking Atarax for 2 days, so I decided to stop. Again, severe symptoms in the form of severe derealization, loss of appetite, depression for 5 days. June 2024 - is the first independent window with absolutely no symptoms (without Atarax), about 5-8 days. July 2024 - symptoms do not exceed 30-40%, a very stable month MY SYMPTOMS: derealization +; flies in the eyes + ; depression +/- ; headache +/-; nausea +/- ; loss of appetite +/- ; insomnia; weakness in the hands; panic attacks; paresthesia; anxiety; blurred vision; pictures before going to bed; morning cortisol awakenings NOW: August 10 - Fast windows and waves from August 1 Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 20 Author Share Posted July 20 8 hours ago, didiyana said: Greetings, dear @Аарон7! I'm so sorry you had to deal with sertraline withdrawal. I understand you, and just like you I am on this journey. Oh, by the way, I’ve now had almost 4 months without sertraline!) Around July 25th it will be 4 months that I’ve been free from it. I also understand your concerns about recovery medications. But it's really good to think before making this decision. There are many people who, with connection, treat themselves very worse. It must be a calculated risk. What matters is, do you think you are tolerant most of the time? I see you are noticing some symptoms of improvement. My recommendations, which I didn’t do for the first 1.5 months, but now they really help me stay afloat: 1. Write down how you feel (and the strength of your symptoms as a percentage) every day, or even better, at some intervals throughout the day. 2. Keep a graph of your symptoms and calculate the average percentage per day. (For me, up to 30% mild symptoms, up to 70% moderate, and up to 100% severe). 3. When you feel bad, be sure to see that you feel good from time to time (this is important!) Also, do you have windows and waves? And by the way, I also noticed that the symptoms change a little, then new ones appear and then disappear. It's all a recovery process. I had 2 severe waves of depression in June, when this had not been observed before, and paresthesias still appeared and disappeared. So be prepared and watch out. I started feeling better after about 2.5 months, and every month it gets better and better. At the very beginning it is difficult to notice progress, but wait and it will definitely come! Oh, and I also noticed that you, like me, have not been on this medicine for long, so I think everything will be fine for you. I was only on Zoloft for a month before it sent me into hell. Also in my topic you can find useful tips from other participants that helped me A LOT. Be healthy! Thank you for the response. Unfortunately at the moment I do not have any windows or waves. The emotional numbness and anhedonia just stays the same and never changes. I can’t even feel my fight or flight response, everything has been turned off and numbed. I literally cannot feel anything. I think it’s all related to low dopamine. Also if you don’t mind me asking please what did you mean by (do you think you are tolerant most of the time?) Are you asking am I able to tolerate the numbness and anhedonia? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Farm24 Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 5 hours ago, Aaron7 said: Thank you for the response. Unfortunately at the moment I do not have any windows or waves. The emotional numbness and anhedonia just stays the same and never changes. I can’t even feel my fight or flight response, everything has been turned off and numbed. I literally cannot feel anything. I think it’s all related to low dopamine. Also if you don’t mind me asking please what did you mean by (do you think you are tolerant most of the time?) Are you asking am I able to tolerate the numbness and anhedonia? It's not dopamine related. It is cns related. I have this too and am just now getting some windows. I'm 9 months off the med that cased it. 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 Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 4 hours ago, Farm24 said: It's not dopamine related. It is cns related. I have this too and am just now getting some windows. I'm 9 months off the med that cased it. That’s great that you are having some windows, I hope you continue to improve. I had the emotional numbness and anhedonia when I was on Zoloft. I originally took it for anxiety and when I was taking it I noticed it totally numbed my anxiety and adrenaline I couldn’t feel anything at all. I thought to myself wow this is really good for anxiety but the problem is it numbed every emotion so that’s why I decided to get off it. I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Administrator Emonda Posted July 21 Administrator Share Posted July 21 Sorry for my slow reply, Aaron7. I try to stay off the computer on Sunday in my time zone. It's a day of rest for my family and I. 22 hours ago, Aaron7 said: I feel like majority of my withdrawal symptoms have improved Sounds positive. 22 hours ago, Aaron7 said: So I’m just unsure of whether or not to reinstate or wait it out. The further out you are, the less predictable it becomes. 22 hours ago, Aaron7 said: So do I take the risk of reinstating to see if it helps with the emotional numbness and anhedonia? Or do I take the risk to wait and see if the emotional numbness and anhedonia improves on its own? It's not a question I can answer at this stage. When people do reinstate 10 weeks out, it's best to test the waters with a very, very small amount. 49 minutes ago, Aaron7 said: I had the emotional numbness and anhedonia when I was on Zoloft. If you had this with Zoloft, I'm not sure reintroducing it will be the solution. Time and patience are required on this journey. Best wishes. Please don't send me PMs. 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. Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, End year 1: 4.5mg, End year 2: 2.38mg, Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg Link to comment
Kat66 Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 6 hours ago, Farm24 said: It's not dopamine related. It is cns related. Are you able to expand on this please? I’ve always been under the impression low dopamine caused anhedonia as dopamine is responsible for the reward response. No dopamine =no feeling of pleasure/joy. When you say CNS do you mean the anhedonia we experience in WD is specifically tied in with the CNS being compromised? History of depression and anxiety. Symptoms of PTSD. 1998-1999 Venlafaxine 2006-2007 Prozac.2013-15 Sertraline 50mg. 2015 cross-tapered to citalopram 20mg. 2015-2021 Citalopram 20mg (brief increase to 30mg for 2/3 months in 2019). 01/2021 Dropped from 20mg to 10mg, back up to 20mg til June. 25/6/21 stopped CT. Started 50mg 5htp after a week without citalopram in the hope this would balance out my serotonin levels. After 3 days increased to 100mg 5htp. 11/7/21 Stopped 5htp with the intention of reinstating citalopram at 1mg. 16/7/21 Reinstated cit at 1mg. 2/8/21 Increased dose to 2mg. 28/11/21 10% reduction to 1.8mg. 8/12/21 2mg 6/1/22 1.8mg 10/2/22 1.6mg 13/5/22 1.5mg 4/6/22 1.55mg 4/7/22 1.4mg 4/8/22 1.25mg 1/11/22 1.1mg 3/3/23 1mg 18/4/23 0.9mg 2/6/23 0.8mg 4/10/23 0.7mg 11/11/23 jumped off @0.7mg started on 5htp 200mg -400mg, L-Theanine, and L-tyrosine 200mg. 25/11/23 came off 5-htp, l-tyrosine and l-Theanine. 24/12/23 went on 7.5mg mirtazapine. 27/12/23 stopped mirtazapine & reinstated citalopram @.35mg. 1/1/24 increased to 0.5mg. July 14, 2024 0.49mg. July 16 0.47mg. July 21 0.5mg. PTSD diagnosis October 2023. 11/11/23 started EMDR therapy for PTSD. Multiple attempts to taper off citalopram. Vegan/vegetarian, otherwise healthy lifestyle. Other medications; combined HRT. Other supplements; magnesium glycinate, vegan omega3. Completely OFF caffeine (since July 21). Finding it difficult to completely give up alcohol but starting from 14th July 24 will be trying my utmost to abstain. Main symptoms; crushing depression, anhedonia/emotional anesthesia, irritability, rage, anxiety/fear, intrusive thoughts, cognitive fog, inability to focus, restlessness and some insomnia Link to comment
Farm24 Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 3 hours ago, Kat66 said: Are you able to expand on this please? I’ve always been under the impression low dopamine caused anhedonia as dopamine is responsible for the reward response. No dopamine =no feeling of pleasure/joy. When you say CNS do you mean the anhedonia we experience in WD is specifically tied in with the CNS being compromised? People suffer the same issues from some antibiotics, benzos (www.benzobuddies.org), nausea meds. The issue is these meds interfere with the nerves that make you feel physical pleasure or other physical feelings. You can still think, this makes me happy....you just cannot feel it at all. 1 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 Link to comment
Farm24 Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 Since the meds caused the physical numbing of emotions, going on would probably just make it worse. 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 Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 5 hours ago, Emonda said: Sorry for my slow reply, Aaron7. I try to stay off the computer on Sunday in my time zone. It's a day of rest for my family and I. Sounds positive. The further out you are, the less predictable it becomes. It's not a question I can answer at this stage. When people do reinstate 10 weeks out, it's best to test the waters with a very, very small amount. If you had this with Zoloft, I'm not sure reintroducing it will be the solution. Time and patience are required on this journey. Best wishes. Thanks for the response and I appreciate the advice. I have decided not to reinstate as it’s probably most likely going to make me feel worse. So I guess I will have to be patient and give it time. 1 I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 51 minutes ago, Farm24 said: People suffer the same issues from some antibiotics, benzos (www.benzobuddies.org), nausea meds. The issue is these meds interfere with the nerves that make you feel physical pleasure or other physical feelings. You can still think, this makes me happy....you just cannot feel it at all. How do we recover from this? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 51 minutes ago, Farm24 said: Since the meds caused the physical numbing of emotions, going on would probably just make it worse. Thanks for the response. Yeah I agree which is why I have decided not to reinstate. I just hope I recover man. I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Farm24 Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 2 hours ago, Aaron7 said: How do we recover from this? Anything I have tri3d has made things worse. So I recommend doing nothing to help it 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 Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 26 Author Share Posted July 26 I have developed new symptoms. i have burning and achey eyes and I also have eye floaters. Are these common withdrawal symptoms? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Administrator Emonda Posted July 26 Administrator Share Posted July 26 I'd keep this WD symptom checklist on hand - I refer to it often. Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) I've read others mention eye floaters and pain behind the eye/headaches. Please don't send me PMs. 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. Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, End year 1: 4.5mg, End year 2: 2.38mg, Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg Link to comment
Dahlia50 Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 @Aaron7 I have achey sore eyes. Have had eye floaters. 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. Link to comment
didiyana Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Hello, @Aaron7! Yes, I meant how tolerable it is for you to tolerate the symptoms of withdrawal. Oh, I also have eye floats, frequent headache and eye pain sometimes, but it's not that much. Symptoms can appear and disappear. I have been withdrawal for 4 months, for 3 months I had a severe depression, although I have never had such a terrible force. And then it passed. There were paresthesia, insomnia, something like hallucinations before going to bed, a condition close to psychosis (end of June), it seemed to me that all the people of my acquaintances were on the street, it was scary, but I passed, now I feel better for 20 days, but it used to be difficult to notice it. 2019-2020 fluoxetine due to anxiety disorder (1 capsule per day), withdrawal without WD. 2021- 1 month of Atarax in a daily dosage of 25 mg + symptomatically for a year 1/4 of 25 mg (approximately once a month). 2023 - severe stress, Atarax symptomatically 1/2 of 25 mg (approximately once a month / once a week). Velaxine (min. dosage 1 day) pronounced side effect in the form of an uncontrolled panic attack, withdrawal. February 2024 - Zoloft (+ Atarax 1.5 months in a dosage of 1/2 25 mg to 50 mg at a time almost every day) with a gradual increase once a week to 75 mg, constant headache, tremor, anxiety, poor eyesight. Then reduce the dose for 3 weeks to 0 mg. April 2024 - On the 10th day after complete abstinence, derealization, depression, panic attacks, headache, blurred vision, fog in the head, delirium. April 2024 - about once every three days, Atarax 25 mg, slightly relieved the symptoms, then I did not understand what was wrong with me. May 2024 - fluoxetine 1 capsule for 5 days and phenazepam 0.5 mg for 5 days. Cancel. Symptoms appear and disappear during the day for two weeks. But then I realized that this was the beginning of one of the waves. At the end of May, Atarax again a couple of times. I started keeping a diary and realized that all the symptoms went away after taking Atarax for 2 days, so I decided to stop. Again, severe symptoms in the form of severe derealization, loss of appetite, depression for 5 days. June 2024 - is the first independent window with absolutely no symptoms (without Atarax), about 5-8 days. July 2024 - symptoms do not exceed 30-40%, a very stable month MY SYMPTOMS: derealization +; flies in the eyes + ; depression +/- ; headache +/-; nausea +/- ; loss of appetite +/- ; insomnia; weakness in the hands; panic attacks; paresthesia; anxiety; blurred vision; pictures before going to bed; morning cortisol awakenings NOW: August 10 - Fast windows and waves from August 1 Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 26 Author Share Posted July 26 2 hours ago, Dahlia50 said: @Aaron7 I have achey sore eyes. Have had eye floaters. Is there any supplement that we can take that might help? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 26 Author Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, didiyana said: Hello, @Aaron7! Yes, I meant how tolerable it is for you to tolerate the symptoms of withdrawal. Oh, I also have eye floats, frequent headache and eye pain sometimes, but it's not that much. Symptoms can appear and disappear. I have been withdrawal for 4 months, for 3 months I had a severe depression, although I have never had such a terrible force. And then it passed. There were paresthesia, insomnia, something like hallucinations before going to bed, a condition close to psychosis (end of June), it seemed to me that all the people of my acquaintances were on the street, it was scary, but I passed, now I feel better for 20 days, but it used to be difficult to notice it. For most of the time yes I think I can tolerate my withdrawal symptoms. However, sometimes I experience very intense anger and rage which i guess is maybe my emotions coming back. i also experience headaches quite frequently. I also have burning and prickling sensations all over my body which i guess is parathesia. I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Dahlia50 Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 5 hours ago, Aaron7 said: s there any supplement that we can take that might help? @Aaron7 I don't take any supplement except for fish oil/omega 3. I have booked an eye exam to check pressure, nerve and vision as I have been taking Zoloft for so many years. Maybe nothing is visible, but I want to check anyway. 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. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 27 Author Share Posted July 27 I apologise if I’m being a nuisance but has anybody got any supplements or vitamins they can recommend for dizziness and vertigo. I feel like if I can get rid of my dizziness and vertigo I will be able to function a lot better. At the moment sometimes it’s difficult to walk because of the dizziness. I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 27 Author Share Posted July 27 16 hours ago, Dahlia50 said: @Aaron7 I don't take any supplement except for fish oil/omega 3. I have booked an eye exam to check pressure, nerve and vision as I have been taking Zoloft for so many years. Maybe nothing is visible, but I want to check anyway. Ok kool and good luck with the eye exam I hope everything is fine. I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 28 Author Share Posted July 28 Some days my symptoms feel more intense than other days. For example, sometimes I feel energetic and positive then sometimes I feel hopeless and apathetic. is this a window and wave? is this all part of withdrawal? symptoms constantly changing in severity? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 30 Author Share Posted July 30 Just looking for some reassurance. i feel like my physical symptoms are improving such as the dizziness and vertigo. I also had muscle stiffness and weakness which seems to have gotten better. However the biggest problem I have is my cognitive symptoms don’t seem to be improving. I feel extremely apathetic with no motivation at all. I feel like I have no serotonin or dopamine. I am just walking around feeling dead and lifeless. It’s difficult to function and complete tasks. I feel brain dead. Is this still part of withdrawal and will it improve? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Administrator Emonda Posted July 30 Administrator Share Posted July 30 On 7/27/2024 at 8:27 PM, Aaron7 said: has anybody got any supplements or vitamins they can recommend for dizziness and vertigo. I'm not aware of any, Aaron. On 7/28/2024 at 9:11 PM, Aaron7 said: Some days my symptoms feel more intense than other days. This sounds like windows and waves to me...part of the process. 4 hours ago, Aaron7 said: feel like my physical symptoms are improving such as the dizziness and vertigo. I also had muscle stiffness and weakness which seems to have gotten better. You've got to celebrate any improvement. This is positive. 4 hours ago, Aaron7 said: However the biggest problem I have is my cognitive symptoms don’t seem to be improving. Time and patience are required. 4 hours ago, Aaron7 said: Is this still part of withdrawal and will it improve? I'm 2.5 years into this process. Mostly I'm ok. I have symptoms, but they are manageable. Things are much better than they were. That said, the past 48 hours have been unpleasant...you've just got to accept it and keep crawling forward. You will improve with time, too. Hope this helps. Please don't send me PMs. 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. Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, End year 1: 4.5mg, End year 2: 2.38mg, Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted July 30 Author Share Posted July 30 4 hours ago, Emonda said: I'm not aware of any, Aaron. This sounds like windows and waves to me...part of the process. You've got to celebrate any improvement. This is positive. Time and patience are required. I'm 2.5 years into this process. Mostly I'm ok. I have symptoms, but they are manageable. Things are much better than they were. That said, the past 48 hours have been unpleasant...you've just got to accept it and keep crawling forward. You will improve with time, too. Hope this helps. Thanks man I appreciate the advice and support. 1 I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Aaron7 Posted August 11 Author Share Posted August 11 I apologise for keep coming back and complaining but my anhedonia is just getting worse and worse. its not tolerable anymore. I’m really thinking of reinstating a tiny amount of Zoloft to see if it will help with my anhedonia. When I was on Zoloft I had emotional numbness but it didn’t really bother me. However, as soon as I stopped cold turkey I developed severe anhedonia and it got worse the further I got into my withdrawal. So I'm thinking maybe my anhedonia is related to withdrawal and reinstating could help. Should I try reinstating 1-2mg and see if it helps? I started taking 25mg of zoloft on the 27th February. I then went cold turkey on the 26th of April. I went 10 days of not taking any Zoloft and then on the 7th of May I decided to reinstate due to severe withdrawal symptoms. I took 12.5mg for about a week and then I stopped taking it on the 13th of May. My last dose of Zoloft was on the 13th of May. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now