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Sephiroth: Suffering from withdrawal of sertraline


Sephiroth

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Here's my story.

 

I went to the doctor 2yrs ago because of chronic muscle soreness and fatigue. I was diagnosed anxiety and started to take antidepressants. I’ve tried several of them and ended up with sertraline which seems to be “milder”. I have been on it with doze of 25mg every day for 1.5yrs until I stopped it this July.

 

In this April I began to have severe back soreness here and there every time when I was trying to lie down sleep or sit at the desk working. Also I had tremor all over the body like my muscles were getting weaker. My GP suspected it might be caused by sertraline and then asked me to stop it cold turkey. I did not follow that exactly but continued to take 12.5mg per day for another 2-3 wks based on common sense (which turns out to be still too fast obviously, as I came to realize later). Starting then the nightmare began.

 

I have developed brain zap, nausea, akathisia, blur eyesight, severe lightheadness and other symptoms. Now my whole body is so,so much tight that I look like an old man with Parkinson. I can barely stretch my back. And, what’s the most unbearable, the tightness in my shoulders and neck makes me feel very difficult to breath, like somebody is strangling me. I can’t sit still for literally 5mins because of that.

 

I’m so glad to find this place and see people helping each other. Wish I can find some hope here to get me keep going.

 

Any comment or advice would be appreciated.  

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Sephiroth: Suffering from withdrawal of sertraline
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Sephiroth and welcome aboard,

 

This page now acts as your Introduction topic,  it's your introduction to the group. It also acts as a journal, so we can all follow and respond to your progress. Members may respond to your topic and give you support and encouragement.  Questions specific to your situation generally should go here as well.

 

It does sound like you have been hit with W/D(withdrawal).  Did the symptoms worsen right after you decreased your dose by half?

Dr Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

 

Interesting that muscle soreness and fatigue, was diagnosed as anxiety.  Did your GP do a pretty thorough work-up, looking for other causes prior to this diagnosis?  Have you adopted any other modalities of treatment for the soreness and fatigue to date? 

 

If you could summarize your medication/drug history for us by doing a signature:  Please put your withdrawal history in your signature

This is the portion that you can see under other members topics(except when using a phone device to view).  Symptoms can be reported right here on your introduction page.  The signature makes it easier for us to know your history at a glance.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage*

We advocate for a harm reduction method of getting off these medications.

 

 No doubt that your nervous system is struggling a bit now to get back some more stability.   It can take some time. When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug. When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.   


What is withdrawal syndrome

One theory of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome

Brain remodeling 

 

There is most definitely hope Sephiroth.

All for now,

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

 

 

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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Hi mmt! Thanks for the reply and info!

 

It all started in June 2016. All of the sudden I began to fell extreme fatigue and soreness in my calves and upper arms. I went to my GP and he referred me to a neurologist, who told me it’s caused by “mood” after some kind of questionnaire and simple muscle tests. Then started my 1.5yr sertraline history.

 

The whole year of 2017 seemed to be peaceful, except for some suspected muscle weakness. My muscles starts to shake when I force them, even my facial muscles.

 

Things were getting ugly in early spring this year, as I descripted above. Now it’s even not unbearable with extreme tightness and stiffness all over my body, especially around the neck and shoulders. I can barely live through the day, not to mention sitting there working. And, no doubt I NEED to work.

 

So, my thought is, if the situation won’t be getting better no matter to what extend within the coming one week or two, I will probably go back to sertraline, starting with lower dosage, and try to tamper off again with much slower schedule when it’s stabilized. I will review this with my GP this week.

 

Anybody, any suggestions other than that? Much appreciated!

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  • Moderator Emeritus
17 hours ago, Sephiroth said:

So, my thought is, if the situation won’t be getting better no matter to what extend within the coming one week or two, I will probably go back to sertraline, starting with lower dosage, and try to tamper off again with much slower schedule when it’s stabilized. I will review this with my GP this week.

 

Hi SR,

Work on the signature.  That part is really helpful so we can know your history of medications/drugs and dates at a glance.

I'm going to give you another area to look at now too.

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

Generally speaking, most doctors will often just put you back on a higher dosage than is necessary.  And sometimes it may be too much.  It's much easier to start, if reinstating, with a very small amount and then go up if needed........than to work down from higher dosages, if you are overly sensitized to them now.  And then......the subsequent wait for symptoms that may result from a too high reinstatement, would take time to settle down as well.

So ....... my best suggest for now, would be to make sure you have some sertraline available.

Tips for tapering off Zoloft(sertraline)

This ^ should also help

 

L, P, H, and growth,

mmt

 

Edited by manymoretodays
took out a for now

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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