Djsisjsheks: Tapering sertraline

[Djsisjsheks]

Guys, my goal is to reduce 15% of last dose for sertraline every two weeks, has anyone done this before? I know this is not the best plan but is it a terrible plan?

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.

 

Can you please give us specific information in your signature about your recent tapering, especially for the past 12 months?  Only give us drug names, dosages, and dates, as best you can remember, in a list format.  Read the link below for instructions.  

 

How to List Your Drug History in Your Signature

 

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

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

19 hours ago, Djsisjsheks said:

my goal is to reduce 15% of last dose for sertraline every two weeks, has anyone done this before? I know this is not the best plan but is it a terrible plan?

This would probably be too fast.  This site uses a harm reduction approach.  Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we generally taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the reduction becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Some even have to taper more slowly: 5% monthly decreases, or microtapering.  As we get lower in the dose, it becomes even more important to taper very slowly, because at the lower doses, these drugs have a disproportionately higher effect on our nervous systems.  

 

Tips for Tapering Sertraline

 

It is also very important to listen to our bodies as we are tapering.  Are you having any withdrawal symptoms at this time?  If so, you want to wait until those symptoms settle down, and be stable for a couple of weeks before doing another reduction.