Lovedby2: Sertraline Taper Newbie

[Lovedby2]

Hello! I am Lovedby2. I have been on Sertraline for about 7 - 8 years. I have tried to taper off 4 times and have not been able to. I read about tapering off years ago by diluting in OJ and reducing an ounce at a time after a month or two. I started with 10 oz of OJ and would drink all but one oz for several weeks, probably more like a month or two the last time I tried. When I felt like I had adjusted, no depressive thoughts or brain zaps I would reduce again, repeating until I had gotten to empty. It took at least a year. Every time I got to about the last oz or two I would start feeling really depressed again. I stayed at that 1 oz dose for weeks, but I was never able to go all the way.

 

I am not sure if the meds are causing my loss of memory, brain fog, etc., but I would like to try to get off to see. I still struggle with depression, but I also have Fibromyalgia so who knows.

 

Btw, I am on 50 mg. I am here to get advice about successfully get off the meds and to hear from others about their lives after antidepressants. Thank you.

Edited June 25, 2016 by scallywag
highlight doses and timeline; add white space

[scallywag]

Lovedby2 -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants
 
I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums enlightening and helpful for your taper.  I'm glad that you found us before starting to taper sertraline.
 
Is sertraline the only drug you're taking?
 
It will help us help you if you create a signature that shows your current drug(s) and dose(s). Please list all drugs in your signature, including non-psych drugs, and supplements if you take them.

Please put your withdrawal history in signature

To plan for your taper, please read:

Introduction to antidepressant withdrawal syndrome

3KIS: Keep it slow. Keep it simple. Keep it stable.

Why taper by 10% of my current dosage instead of start dosage?

Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline)
 

 

This topic -- your introduction thread -- is where you can record symptoms and progress, ask questions, and chat with members of the SA community.

 

You may way want to follow this topic so that you get notifications when someone posts in your thread.  Click the gray "Follow this topic" button. A dialog box appears:  select one of the notify options, then click follow this topic in the dialog box.

 

That's all from me for now. Have look at those links, come back and ask questions.

[SquirrellyGirl]

Hello Lovedby2, 

 

It sounds like you were doing a linear taper, reducing by the same amount each interval.  I'm happy to hear that you waited a good long interval before cutting again.  However, your cuts got relatively larger as you went.  We advocate the 10% taper based on the previous month's dosage, so that each cut gets smaller and smaller.  This may be why when you got to the last part it was so hard, that you were ending up doing perhaps a 50% cut at the low end of the dosage scale where small cuts lead to big changes in receptor occupancy.  See the article in this link:  Why taper?

 

Welcome to SA!  You will succeed this time!

 

SG

[wareagle82]

Hi LVBY2,

Look around here for the stories on supplements and alternative therapies too.  It may be that you need a little help to get over the final barrier.  I am using Acupuncture as well as magnesium supplementation.  Many good contributors here--and the moderators will definitely help. 

 

Prayers for you to be free from SSRI's.  You will succeed this time. 

 

Steve