Dizzy: Trying to Taper Zoloft

[KarenB]

That's very true, you'd never stop.  The 10% guide is useful for reducing in gentle amounts.  When you get to lower doses it becomes important to really notice how each drop affects you, and to modify drops/holds accordingly.  Your body will let you know (in no uncertain terms!) when you can think about jumping off to zero.  It's different for each person. 

 

We have a discussion about it here:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/11051-when-to-end-the-taper-and-jump-to-zero/

 

Hope that helps some,

Karen

[dizzy]

Thanks Karen. Yes that was helpful.

 

I've updated my tentative schedule (even though I know from reading here it will change depending on reactions):

• 45 mg (May 31)
• 40 mg (Jun 21)
• 36 mg (Jul 12)
• 32 mg (Aug 5)
• 29 mg (Aug 26)
• 26 mg (Sep 16)
• 23 mg (Oct 7)
• 20.5 mg (Oct 28)
• 18 mg (Nov 18)
• 16 mg (Dec 9)
• 14 mg (Dec 30)
• 12.4 mg (Jan 20/17)
• 10.7 mg (Feb 10)
• 9.3 mg (Mar 3)
• 7.9 mg (Mar 31)
• 6.7 mg (Apr 21)
• 5.6 mg (May 12)
• 4.6 mg (Jun 3)
• 3.7 mg (Jun 24)
• 2.9 mg (Jul 15)
• 2.1 mg (Aug 5)
• 1.4 mg (Aug 26)
• 0.8 mg (Sep 16)
• 0.0 mg (Oct. 7)

[CaptainJackSparrow]

Dizzy,

 

I'm right there with you, man. I just made the leap from 75mg of zoloft to 50mg of zoloft the past 2-3 weeks. It actually wasn't as bad as I expected, however... I also went down to 50mg before but it was way too fast and it left me feeling very agitated for too long. I am happy to finally feel myself adjusting to the "50mg" of Zoloft dose. I think i will try to hold off as long as possible so I could really get my brain attuned to it. 

 

I actually did something very similar to you which is I went down from 100 to 75 and then quickly to 50 after a couple of weeks and carrying this energy of determined motivation started alternating also to 25/50.. After much struggling I had to swallow my PRIDE and go back up to 75mg, spent some time on 75mg then went down to 50 where I am now comfortably. For me it is about finding an intuitive sense of how my body is adjusting and the factual memory sort of, but mostly intuition. I have no idea how I will tackle going from 50 to 0 yet. 

[dizzy]

Capt Jack, very slowly I'm thinking. I'm not convinced that everything is ok at 50 mg (almost one month now).

 

The days are pretty good but in the evening I sometimes get anxious and even a bit depressed, the latter of which I'd never experienced prior to going on zoloft. Not sure why the evenings are worse for me. If it was the short half-life, you think it would be worse in the morning prior to taking my next dose.

 

Key is patience and taking the long road I'm learning.

 

Best of luck to you Jack and please stay in touch. It is great having support from others here.

 

Thanks!

[dizzy]

It's been a while. Two months in now at 50 mg Zoloft and for the last few weeks, everything is not bad during the day but before bedtime getting a mix of anxiety and sadness for no obvious reason.

 

Last week have had some insomnia for the first time ever.

 

Any thoughts on trying 3-6 mg of melatonin? Does melatonin cause nightmares because I'm trying to avoid this. Had extreme nightmares with higher doses of zoloft which, for the most part, has gone away.

 

Thanks!

[mammaP]

Hi Dizzy, sometimes it can take a while to stabilise after a drop and insomnia can be a symptom. It's the first one to pop up for me after a drop. 

Many here find melatonin helpful but Alto recommends starting with a very low dose, more is not always better. 

 

Here is the topic on melatonin and how to establish a sleep cycle with it, written by Alto. 

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/189-melatonin-for-sleep/

[dizzy]

Thanks mammaP, that was very helpful!

[apace41]

MammaP beat me to it, Dizzy.  3-6mg of melatonin can be a very large amount to a sensitive CNS.  One of the problems with melatonin is that it can go paradoxical on you very quickly so you need to be cautious.

 

I would start at something like 1mg to test the water.

 

Good luck with it.

 

Andy

[scallywag]

dizzy -- I found a 1 mg melatonin supplement made by Natural Factors (a Canadian supplement company) in a health food store. I started taking ¼ tablet ( 0.25 mg or 250 mcg) daily a few hours before bed (usually around sunset).  It kicked in for me on the 2nd day.

 

Link to Natural Factors product listing so you know what the bottle looks like: Melatonin 1mg

[dizzy]

Thanks all!!! So much appreciated.

 

 

I found a place near by that sells the Natural Factors 1 mg dose and will start with 0.25 as suggested.

[dizzy]

Nighttime anxiety is pretty bad and insomnia a new reality. I can get to sleep but not until 2-3 AM and sleep in until noon.

 

So I don't want to drop zoloft anymore until symptoms settle.

 

Doc wants to start clonazepam at 0.5 mg increasing 0.25 mg/wk until symptoms settle and then to try an alternate SSRI. Once symptoms have settled then to very slowly taper off the clonazepam.

 

I feel conflicted as SSRIs to date haven't helped and have struggled to get off zoloft but symptoms are tough to manage.

 

Any advice? Should I try the clonazepam as a bridge while I get onto a therapeutic  dose of another SSRI???

 

Thanks for any advice.

[KarenB]

Once SSRIs have stopped working for a person, there's not much point trying another one.  You now have a Central Nervous System which has been destabilised, and will only worsen with further changes.  It took me a few drug changes before I worked this out, so now I'm in a much worse position than I needed to be in. 

 

Adding clonazepam will also complicate things further - and leave you with yet another drug to taper. 

 

With careful management and self-care you have a chance to keep things simpler and the healing process more straightforward.  Sleep problems are horrible to deal with, but so many of us have them, and they do eventually improve once your CNS settles down.  Anxiety can also be managed with self-care tools - have a read through here and see what might suit you:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1112-non-drug-techniques-to-cope-with-emotional-symptoms/ 

 

Did you end up trying the melatonin earlier? 

[dizzy]

Thanks Karen. That's kind of what my gut was telling me.

 

No, haven't tried the melatonin. I think I'm dealing with "new medicine" anxiety even though it's just a supplement and I know SSRIs and clonazepam are much worse.

 

I was looking at your list of supplements. Is there a page here that talks about different supplements for tapering/anxiety?

[KarenB]

I've just googled surviving antidepressants anxiety and got this:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/5213-fear-terror-panic-and-anxiety/  About 4-5 posts down the first page is a really good post by GiaK with a lot info about learning to cope with anxiety, and different ways of viewing anxiety. 

 

I don't think there is a particular thread linking supplements and anxiety, but you can scroll through this:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/606-important-topics-about-tests-supplements-treatments-diet/?hl=supplements#entry126729, looking at the different supplements and seeing what is useful for anxiety.  I know that magnesium is. 

[dizzy]

Thanks Karen.

 

Any thoughts on this article on magnesium vs melatonin supplements?

 

http://www.hollywoodhomestead.com/magnesium-over-melatonin-to-induce-sleep/ 

[dizzy]

Or these articles warning combining zoloft with melatonin?

 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/444220-is-it-safe-to-take-melatonin-with-ssris/

 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/531315-a-small-dosage-of-melatonin-taken-with-zoloft/

[scallywag]

Dizzy, if you use melatonin, we recommend it for short-term use to re-establish a sleep cycle. I used 0.250 mg once per day at around 8 pm for 5-7 days to move my sleepiness onset back before midnight. I've done this "reset" twice since April.

[dizzy]

Thanks scallywag. That's helpful.

 

I've found 1 mg tablets so I guess I'd just try a quarter of a tablet to start.

[ang]

Vitamin B is known to cause difficulties for those in w/d.

 

Fish oil would be a great thing to take, as would vitamin e and Magnesium.

Wow, I didnt know that, and it makes sense, I took vitamin B for two weeks, about 2 weeks ago, and yes, I felt worse, will not reinstate that one! Havent read this whole thread yet,

but for me, zoloft was the lesser of all the evil drugs. Unless you are planning on pregnancy, dont do that on zoloft.

 

I personally would not switch, hope you have stabilized on the 50mg, stick there, for few months, then taper the 10%.

 

And also, I totally agree with above comments. The first time on ADs, was relatively easy to get off. Second time, harder, makes no difference if it is a different or same drug.

So previously getting off an AD, in no way means that will be an easier drug for you to get off next time.

Welcome!