lookingrelief: Protracted withdrawls ater quiting 25mg Zoloft Mid Sept. 2020

[lookingrelief]

I thought I was feeling well and did not need the zoloft any more after 25 years. I had taken myself off Kolonipin back in 2009 and thought I could do this. 

Did not have any major withdarwl symptons until Mid June 2021. Insomnia creeped up on me shortly after stopping cannibis use. Lost appitite, weight and now have major cortisol spikes all day, all night that keep me from sleeping. Trying lot of suppliments to alievate symptoms. Finally Surving Antidepressant website and see I have done everything wrong. Seeking help for insomnia/ cordisol spikes

[arbor]

Hello @lookingrelief

Welcome to SA.

 

Thank you for listing your medication signature.  This will help others review and respond to your concerns. 

First of all, congratulations on getting off klonopin, as well as cannabis on top of Zoloft. Like you, I went off psycho-drugs without knowing or having knowledgeable advice as to how to do it.  Finally I found SA, and I'm glad you have too.  Are you continuing to take Ambien?  It sounds from your reaction that you've stopped that as well.  Avoiding Ambien will help your nervous system begin to adapt and heal.

 

Unfortunately insomnia and cortisol spikes are typical and very difficult aspects of withdrawal.  Here are some links addressing these issues.  There are others as well.  I encourage you to browse the site further to read what people are sharing.  

Tips to help sleep: so many of us have that awful withdrawal ...

Early-morning waking - managing the morning cortisol spike ...

High Cortisol and SSRIs 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 3 that many of us find helpful are magnesium, omega-3, and melatonin. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you.   I find these all can help with insomnia and cortisol spikes.

 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Melatonin

 

Although recovery can be truly challenging, we know from the success stories of others that eventually the symptoms fade away.  We can't predict how long it will take.  Each of us is different. 

Patterns of Recovery

Recovery Success Stories

 

 

This is your Introduction site where you can ask questions and connect with other members.

Let us know how you're doing. 

Arbor

[lookingrelief]

Thank you for the reply and encouragment. No, I will not be taking any more of the Ambien. I felt horrible all day and I had an episode of not being able to stay still for a couple of hours. I got a little concerned but it finally passed.

The insomnia and Spikes are the worst part of this experience along with the unneeded weight loss. 

[arbor]

@lookingrelief

I'm glad for you, and really look forward to the time for you when you feel better. 💗

Arbor

[lookingrelief]

I am stating to think that I may need to get back on the medication as the symptoms are getting worse. The panic attacks are getting bad.

I can not find a Phyc dr. to see me before late sept.  I think if I were going to try to get back on medication to alievate my withdrawl symptoms , I need to be under the guidance of a dr. I am scared because of what I have been reading about reinstatment making things worse. That scares me.  I keep thinking the symptoms will go away becase it has been almost a year since my last pill.  I am just shocked that these symptoms took so long to develope. I am not sure how much I can endure.

 

[lookingrelief]

I have had 2 GP's and a assessment dr. all tell me that I should get back on the Zoloft at the dose I left off or even higher. It has been 10 - 11 months since I went off 25mg of Zoloft cold turkey. They all say the same thing, that I shouldn't be having these symptoms after my last dose was so long ago.  I am afraid to get back on the medication for fear that it will make things worse, but I am not sure how long I can deal with these symptoms of insomnia, and the cortisol spikes are very debilitating.  I don't know what to do. I cant even get a real phyc dr. to see me until Oct because of COVID.

I was given a prescription of Trazodone for the insomnia, but have been too scared to take it.

Any advise would be appreciated.

[Altostrata]

Hello, @lookingrelief

 

Please post your questions in your Intro topic. Only one Intro topic to a member.

 

How did you go off Zoloft in 2020? Did you have any withdrawal symptoms while you were reducing or afterward? What were these symptoms?

 

Have you taken any other drugs since the beginning of June? The withdrawal symptoms starting mid-June 2021 were from what drug change? Your signature says you quit cannabis in late June.

 

When did you start smoking(?) cannabis? How did you go off cannabis?

 

 

 

[lookingrelief]

I stopped the zoloft cold turkey back in sept 2020.  I felt fine except I had some crying spells in March which didn't bother me too much.

I was smoking a little cannibis every evening up until late june 2021. once I stopped that (cold turkey)  the protracted withdrawl started with the insomnia and loss of appitite. Now it is getting worse the insomnia and cordisol. 

I dont know if the cannibis triggered the withdrawl symptoms.  I would get back on the Zoloft if I knew It could allievate my symptoms. My whole goal was to be drug free, so i really dont want to get backon Zoloft, but I cant take these symptoms.  I have thought I might need to go to hospital a few times for the anxiety.  I am scared

[lookingrelief]

I was hoping I could get some advise on reinstatement schedule. I can not handle the insomnia that these protracted withdrawals are giving me.

It is interfering with my daily life. I am very scared to continue on with the withdrawals but am scared at reinstatement too.

Any insight or help would be appreciated.

 

I quit Zoloft 25 mg Sept 2020 cold turkey.  Protracted withdrawals started end of June 2021. major insomnia, loss of appetite and weight. Only sleep I was getting was using Benadryl but that has stopped working. 

Thnk you

[arbor]

Dear @lookingrelief,

I've merged this post with your introduction, so that your questions don't continue to get lost.  I really understand how scared you are.  There's no clear answer to how to proceed.  No research supports the doctors' recommendations.  Here, you have other members' testimonies of what has and hasn't worked for them individually both in reinstating drugs and coping with insomnia.  These drugs disturb the circadian clocks.  It can take an unbelievably long time to reset.  We have to avoid stress.  We have no choice when trying to heal.  I'm going to recommend that you do whatever you can to calm your system today so that you can assess your choice between continuing your recovery without drugs or instead trying a small reinstatement with the hope that it stabilizes you enough to hold, followed by tapering.  Both routes are difficult and taxing to our health.  This is what we're up against.  If I could move mountains, I would, to make it not so.  Words can hardly describe the torture of what we're going through.  We do heal, but it takes time.  Here are some links that might help your decisions:

 

Tips to help sleep: so many of us have that awful withdrawal ...

 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Ways to cope with daily anxiety

 

In the last link you can follow the discussion among members for ways of coping with not just the anxiety, but the intensity of the anxiety, or neuro-emotion, that comes up as a result of both taking and withdrawing from these drugs.  Keep in touch here with further questions.  For instance, after you have read the above and have completed Alto's questions, then the questions remaining, we can share with the other moderators.  In the long run it's valuable to set a course and stick to it rather than destabilizing our systems further with too much second-guessing.  This is hard to do.  Sadly, recovery no matter what, is hard.  I wish you weren't having to go through it--🙁

You're not alone,

Arbor

 

[Surviving82]

On 8/6/2021 at 5:56 PM, lookingrelief said:

I stopped the zoloft cold turkey back in sept 2020.  I felt fine except I had some crying spells in March which didn't bother me too much.

I was smoking a little cannibis every evening up until late june 2021. once I stopped that (cold turkey)  the protracted withdrawl started with the insomnia and loss of appitite. Now it is getting worse the insomnia and cordisol. 

I dont know if the cannibis triggered the withdrawl symptoms.  I would get back on the Zoloft if I knew It could allievate my symptoms. My whole goal was to be drug free, so i really dont want to get backon Zoloft, but I cant take these symptoms.  I have thought I might need to go to hospital a few times for the anxiety.  I am scared

@lookingrelief, I know several people who had pretty bad WD following stopping cannabis smoking. Insomnia is a MAJOR symptoms of cannabis WD. Have you considered that perhaps your symptoms are more due to cannabis WD that anything else? Did you try to smoke it again to see if maybe it helps?

[lookingrelief]

16 minutes ago, Surviving82 said:

@lookingrelief, I know several people who had pretty bad WD following stopping cannabis smoking. Insomnia is a MAJOR symptoms of cannabis WD. Have you considered that perhaps your symptoms are more due to cannabis WD that anything else? Did you try to smoke it again to see if maybe it helps?

 

[lookingrelief]

I was scared to start doing that again since I am 8 weeks sober from that. I thought it might make things wose for me as I would have to start all over again. From what I have read, It might not be a good idea to smoke cannibis as it is a depressant.

Believe me, If some one said it would help I would do it.

[Surviving82]

Just now, lookingrelief said:

I was scared to start doing that again since I am 8 weeks sober from that. I thought it might make things wose for me as I would have to start all over again. From what I have read, It might not be a good idea to smoke cannibis as it is a depressant.

Believe me, If some one said it would help I would do it.

@lookingrelief, sorry I did not mean that it was necessarily a good idea. I just wanted to note that the symptoms that you experience may be unrelated to zoloft. I am not an expert, but from what you describe to me it seems that you may be in cannabis WD. Insomnia and anxiety are the classic symptoms of it, and the timing seems very fitting. 

[lookingrelief]

@Surviving82 I had thought about the timing and when these symptopms started possibly being related to stopping Cannibis, but it seems that cannibis withdrawl would have subsided already after 8 weeks.  It could have triggered the SSRI withdrawl symptoms, there is no way to know forsure. The symptoms are identical.  I just know that the insomnia is having a major negative impact on my life and I am grasping at straws to figure out what to do to make things better.  

Like reinstating the SSRI, I am very scared that It will make matters worse, but was hoping for some guidance. 

[lookingrelief]

@arbor

I was given a perscription for Tradazon 25 mg and Ambien 5 mg for sleep. I tried 2.5 mg of Ambien and did not like the way it made me feel. I am scared to take the tradazon.

The insomnia is unbearable and I dont know if I should take the drugs for some sleep. I was using benadryl but that doenst work anymore.

What do you think about trying the Tradazone?

 

[arbor]

Dear @lookingrelief

Insomnia, in my opinion, is unbelievably difficult.  I'm at work now, so I will make this brief.  I would recommend insomnia over trazadone, a very difficult drug to withdraw from.  Even insomnia may be a form of reorganization happening in the body to rebalance our systems.  I really recommend staying away from all pharmaceutical chemicals.  Don't listen to all the hoop-la about the importance of sleep.  You will recover from this and regain your health if you give your system a chance.  When you're awake in the night, get up and move around, then return to bed.  It might be a good idea to take your supplements before bed, and though you may not sleep, lie quietly.  I use the tips from the link on sleep above.  The panic aspect of w/d will try to ambush your mind and make the insomnia even worse.  Allow yourself to remember that others have gone through this and recovered.

My very, very best to you, lookingrelief

 

[lookingrelief]

It's very hard with the anxiety from the adrenaline / cortisol spikes and the insomnia. I am functioning less and less everyday. I am grasping at straws trying to alleviate the symptoms.  I have a tele health app with a new phyc dr tomorrow. Sometimes I think I am destine to be on meds.  I am just under a year when I stupidly took myself off the Zoloft cold turkey.  Had the withdrawals started sooner I probably would have gotten back on quickly.  I am perplexed as to why it took 8 - 9 months to appear.  It makes me wonder if these symptoms are going to last a long while. I don't think I can take it, but I am scared of the possible adverse affects of getting back on. 

This is so hard.

[lookingrelief]

Is Lamictal used as something to help with the withdrawl symptoms?  

 

Not only am I having the nasty cortisol spikes/insomnia. Now the depression is starting to creep back in. I feel and sense the season starting to change. I am also starting to feel panic about all the dire news concering COVID. I cant even muster up the stamina to go to the grocery store.

I keep thinking that it was a mistake that I took myself off of Zoloft and that I need to be on some sort of medication. I am just scared that I did damage to myself in going cold turkey and since it has almost been a year that any reinstatment will cause more harm. 

I know every person is different and most dr.s dont know anything about withdrawl.  I just wish I had some idea of what to expect. I am grasping at straws to squash all these symptoms. If depression rolls in, I dont know how I will cope with that on top of the physical symptoms.

 I have a tele health appointment with a new pyc Dr. today. I have an appointment at a sleep clinic tomorrow for the insomnia. I feel like I keep barking up all the wrong trees for help.

this platform seems to be the only place where people know things about dealing with this.

Thanks for your insights

 

[lookingrelief]

I had the tele health meeting with what I thought was going to be a phyc. Dr.,  but was instead a nurse practioner.  She thinks that the withdrawl symptoms I am experiencing is from my stopping the cannibis and had nothing to do with the stopping of Zoploft 11 months ago. She thinks the "cortisol Spikes' are just an underlyng anxiety and of course I should get back on the zoloft because it work well for me before. She made my starting dose at 12.5 mg for 7 days and I am supposed to bump up to 25 mg for another 7 days and then go to 50mg.

I just find it hard to believe that what I am experiencing is from stopping Cannibis 54 days ago.  I am convinced it hads to do with stopping the SSRI. Of course I am pertified that if I were to start taking the SSRI that not only will I still have insomnia and the cortisol spikes, but I will get what ever side effects the zolfot has.  The nurse practioner thinks that i am being scared for no reason.

I have made an appointment with an internal medicine dr that is on Sept 1. and think after that I will have to make a determination on what to do. I cant live like this, but I dont want to get worse either.

 

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

[DataGuy]

Hi @lookingrelief,

 

The cannabis could have certainly contributed to things. I can't say I have personally seen withdrawal start 8-9 months after stopping, but a delayed withdrawal is certainly possible. I think the problem is that PAWS can last a long time and can set in subtly and slowly worsen before starting to improve. Very possible the cannabis triggered the withdrawal. Typically when doctors treat alcohol withdrawal, previous difficult withdrawals as well as extensive drug history is associated with a worse withdrawal in the future. It could be the same with these medications + pot. Both could be creating a vulnerability to withdrawal symptoms by causing injury to the system.

 

I would stay away from lamictal, it is neurotoxic, as are many commonly prescribed psychotropics, as you can see here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3938204/

 

"A growing body of evidence generated over the past decade reveals that several classes of drugs frequently used in pediatric and obstetric medicine, including general anesthetics (GAs) and anti-epileptics (AEDs), and drugs that are sometimes abused by pregnant women, including alcohol, PCP, ketamine, barbiturates and benzodiazepines, trigger widespread neuroapoptosis throughout the developing brain of several animal species [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11], including non-human primates [12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19]."

 

I think @arbor is right, it is best to look for non-drug solutions. If drugs were the cause of your current problems, they are likely not the solution. The only thing we generally recommend for withdrawal is to reinstate a small amount of the offending drug. Although the likelihood of this working is fairly low the further out you get from cessation, some people have still gotten relief reinstating a small amount (usually 1/10 or so of the last dose you were on). Whether you want to try this is up to you, but I would not initiate any new medications and expect them to help you. Here is the topic on reinstatement if you'd like more information.

[lookingrelief]

@DataGuy Thank you for your reply.

I am just having such a hard time with the insomnia and cortisol.  I am just trying to find a way to get my life back.  I have had 3 drs all tell me that I just need to get back on the zoloft.  I have resisted because of the information I have found on this site about reinstatment possibly not working at this stage and could possily make thing worse. I cant deal with anything worse.  I can barley function as it is now.

I believe that the cortisol surges are the cause of the insomnia, anxiety, loss of appitite and nervous stomache.  I wish there was somthing to get the cortisol in balance. I have been taking some amino acid suppliments as well as trying the Seriphos in hopes of "Reprogramming" the adrenal glands signaling of the cortisol release. I dont know if that or anything will work. I have had some on and off luck with lowering the cortisol with Lactium and Seriphos here and there.  Now I am investigating  taurine.  

I am scheduled to see an internal medicine dr this week in hope that she can help with my adrenals.  I am sure I am just grasping at straws and that there really isnt anything the drs can do.  I just need some relief for this tourture.  The morning Cortisol spikes are very scary. I am concerned  that it is doing real damage to my body. 

[DataGuy]

@lookingrelief, cortisol surges in the morning are a hallmark symptom of withdrawal. Almost everyone who has severe withdrawal has them. Likely the root cause of insomnia is the hyperarousal associated with withdrawal and not the cortisol surges. The body is extremely complex, and you are not going to fix it with supplements or drugs unless you have a very specific, well-studied problem (like type 1 diabetes, an infection treatable with antibiotics etc.).

 

I think the sooner you accept the problem is withdrawal, the better. We can make things much worse by trying to paper over withdrawal symptoms with drugs and supplements, some of which can be quite harmful in and of themselves. Your body has many natural healing mechanisms. It is best to do what you can to support it to heal yourself with good food, exercise, what sleep you can get and other traditionally healthy staples. There is definitely no quick fix to withdrawal syndromes, or we would have heard of it. Many people find this quite difficult to accept. 

 

[DataGuy]

Perhaps this clip from an evidence-based medicine doctor will help. Our biology is something that has evolved over millions of years and is tough to improve on. He uses ivermectin and a few other examples to show how hard it is to actually improve any given health condition with drugs. Most fail, but the ones that succeed generally need very large randomized controlled trials that are both expensive and complex to carry out to demonstrate that they help. Without these, the probability of a therapy having benefit is very low. The probability of doing more harm than good is much higher.

[lookingrelief]

@DataGuy Yes I have been having a difficult time accepting this withdrawl. I would have never gone cold turkey had I known. Now here I am and I know that as difficlut of a time I am having that this is my lot in life currently. It has impacted EVERYTHING and I am just trying to navigate thru this. I really just want to have my life back, but I see that it will probably not be the life I had which is hard for me to grasp.

Thank you for your response.

[thenextguy]

On 8/4/2021 at 12:15 PM, lookingrelief said:

I thought I was feeling well and did not need the zoloft any more after 25 years. I had taken myself off Kolonipin back in 2009 and thought I could do this. 

Did not have any major withdarwl symptons until Mid June 2021. Insomnia creeped up on me shortly after stopping cannibis use. Lost appitite, weight and now have major cortisol spikes all day, all night that keep me from sleeping. Trying lot of suppliments to alievate symptoms. Finally Surving Antidepressant website and see I have done everything wrong. Seeking help for insomnia/ cordisol spikes

 

Hey there, lookingrelief. Your story spoke to me as I also had successfully tapered off of benzos in the past. I knew antidepressants had withdrawals, but I never knew they could be so bad. Since I handled benzos, I figured I would be able to handle cymbalta. I also did everything wrong and I find myself struggling. Anyway, just wanted to say you're not alone. Best of luck to both of us.

[lookingrelief]

@thenextguy

Thank you for your message.  I went to see an internal medicine dr today. She prescribed me 2.5 mg of Lexapro to do a reinstatement try. I am really scared to take it, yet I am not sure how much longer I can suffer thru the withdrawl symptoms I have developed over the last 2 months.

I had 2 days this week where I didnt feel like I was crawling out of my skin.  I see that as a good sign. I am going to wait to see how I sleep. She also prescribed me 25mg Hydroxyzine for sleep.

I am really scared that taking another drug is going to go horribly wrong, yet I need to get my life back. so I am not sure what I am going to do yet.

[lookingrelief]

@arbor @DataGuy I saw an internal medicine dr yesterday. She suggested that I start back on Zoloft at 12.5 at first and bump up to 25 afyter a week.  I told her that maybe I should start at a lower dose. She said there wasnt anyway to get a lower dose so then she wrote me a perscription for Lexapro at 5 mg and told me to start at 2.5mg.

She gave me a perscription for Hydroxyzine 25mg for sleep.

What are your thoughts on trying to reinstate either one of these SSRI's and at the dose they are saying? 

I am at a loss on what to do. I really cant function in this withdrawl state. I feel like I am letting people down because I cant get myself together to do minor things in this state.

 

[Altostrata]

On 8/6/2021 at 2:56 PM, lookingrelief said:

I stopped the zoloft cold turkey back in sept 2020.  I felt fine except I had some crying spells in March which didn't bother me too much.

I was smoking a little cannibis every evening up until late june 2021. once I stopped that (cold turkey)  the protracted withdrawl started with the insomnia and loss of appitite. Now it is getting worse the insomnia and cordisol. 

I dont know if the cannibis triggered the withdrawl symptoms.  I would get back on the Zoloft if I knew It could allievate my symptoms. My whole goal was to be drug free, so i really dont want to get backon Zoloft, but I cant take these symptoms.  I have thought I might need to go to hospital a few times for the anxiety.  I am scared

 

Is this correct: You went off Zoloft 25mg cold turkey in mid-September 2020 and had no withdrawal symptoms at all afterward, except for crying spells in March. 

 

Did you have any problems sleeping after Zoloft cold turkey? When did you start smoking cannabis? Did you smoke it for sleep?

 

Have you had any antibiotics or alcoholic drinks since you went off Zoloft? If yes, when and what were your reactions to them?

 

If you did not have any withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia, for months after quitting Zoloft, it is unlikely you developed Zoloft withdrawal symptoms 9 months later after going off cannabis.

 

Have you tried reinstating a little cannabis, maybe a very small amount of an edible, where you can measure the dosage?  I question reinstating an SSRI for this and definitely not escitalopram at 2.5mg (equivalent to 5mg-10mg citalopram) or Zoloft at 12.5mg to increase to 25mg.

[lookingrelief]

Hi,

Yes, you are correct.  I did not have any withdrawl symptoms after I stopped taking the zoloft in Sept 2020.  I had a beer with a sandwhich early Dec. 2020, other wise no alcoholic beverages. I was smoking cannibis every night before I stopped taking the zoloft ( I was not using it for sleep) and continued up until Jan 2021 where I had a 6 week break from it due to a job in another state. I had a few nights of insomnia, but nothing bad.  I returned home in Feb. and started smoking cannibis again up until end of June. That is around the same time when the withdrawl symptons set in.  Major insomnia, loss of appitite, cortisol spikes , anxiety. I did notice that I was having some insomnia here and there end of may and early june.  I dont know why I stop smoking cannibis, I just did not want it anymore so I just stopped. I havent smoked any since, but I did have a 10 mg. 3% THC gummy 2 nights this week  for sleep.  First night I slept, 2nd night I was wide awake.

 

I was worried that the lexapro would not be right for me.  Why do you say that about the Zoloft.?  is the dosage too much or do you think I am not really having SSRI withdrawls and that I dont need to reinstate the zoloft at all?   I just cant believe all of this suffering of the same symptoms would be from stopping cannibis and for these symptons to last this long.  

Thank you for your input. I really appreciate it.

[lookingrelief]

7 hours ago, lookingrelief said:

Hi,

Yes, you are correct.  I did not have any withdrawl symptoms after I stopped taking the zoloft in Sept 2020.  I had a beer with a sandwhich early Dec. 2020, other wise no alcoholic beverages. I was smoking cannibis every night before I stopped taking the zoloft ( I was not using it for sleep) and continued up until Jan 2021 where I had a 6 week break from it due to a job in another state. I had a few nights of insomnia, but nothing bad.  I returned home in Feb. and started smoking cannibis again up until end of June. That is around the same time when the withdrawl symptons set in.  Major insomnia, loss of appitite, cortisol spikes , anxiety. I did notice that I was having some insomnia here and there end of may and early june.  I dont know why I stop smoking cannibis, I just did not want it anymore so I just stopped. I havent smoked any since, but I did have a 10 mg. 3% THC gummy 2 nights this week  for sleep.  First night I slept, 2nd night I was wide awake.

 

I was worried that the lexapro would not be right for me.  Why do you say that about the Zoloft.?  is the dosage too much or do you think I am not really having SSRI withdrawls and that I dont need to reinstate the zoloft at all?   I just cant believe all of this suffering of the same symptoms would be from stopping cannibis and for these symptons to last this long.  

Thank you for your input. I really appreciate it.

@Altostrata

[arbor]

Dear @lookingrelief, I'm really sorry you're having these terrible symptoms related to withdrawal.  I know a number of people who have struggled with cannabis w/d.  For a long time there have been few studies on what people are experiencing.  The people I know who have finally gotten through it, are healthy and report relief and happiness in moving on.  Here is a study that might be helpful:

 

The cannabis withdrawal syndrome: current insights - NCBI

I'm glad that you have Alto and Dataguy helping you with this.

In the meantime, I look forward to hearing how you're doing.

 

When the spikes hit, I've benefited from reading here again and again that they pass.  Eventually windows will open.  Hanging in there, you will make it, free--

💜Arbor

[lookingrelief]

@arbor   

Thank you for the link you provided concerning Cannabis withdrawl.  I am well passed 60 days from when I last smoked cannabis ( except for the 2 nights I had 10 mg delta 8 3% gummies, seeking help with sleep).

I am having a hard time accepting that these intense withdrawls for this long of a period are from stopping cannabis.  I wish I knew for sure that it was PAW from the zoloft vs stopping cannabis.  I am afraid if I try a little cannabis it will set me back ( Maybe the gummies set me back).

I am convinced that my symptoms could at the very least be a combination of the 2 drugs being removed.  I am at the point now that I think I might need to reinstate the zoloft to curb the withdrawl symptoms I am experiencing.   From what I understand from @Altostrata post, 12.5 was not a good reinstatment dose for zoloft.  12.5 was the smallest 1/2 of a tablet.

I know that staying the course is the ideal plan of action, but I am not sure how much longer I can deal with these symptoms. I can hardly leave my house. I have let alot of people down with my "Nonsense" and I am just looking for a way to get back where I was where I can function.   I am scared on all levels, frozen with not knowing what the best thing to do is. Do I reinstate zoloft when maybe I never had any withdrawl symptoms from it and could do more harm than good.  Do I smoke a little cannabis to see if It would take away these symptoms, possibly setting myself back to square one and starting this all over again. Its a delima not knowing what the right thing to do is other than suffering thru having dissappointed the people who depend on me to function. Thank you for the time you have spent with me.

[Altostrata]

20 hours ago, lookingrelief said:

I returned home in Feb. and started smoking cannibis again up until end of June. That is around the same time when the withdrawl symptons set in.

 

What else happened in June? Did you take another recreational drug?

 

As I said:

20 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Have you tried reinstating a little cannabis, maybe a very small amount of an edible, where you can measure the dosage?  I question reinstating an SSRI for this and definitely not escitalopram at 2.5mg (equivalent to 5mg-10mg citalopram) or Zoloft at 12.5mg to increase to 25mg.

 

You only can try one drug at a time, why not start with a measured amount of cannabis, since that's the drug you went off when these symptoms started?

[lookingrelief]

47 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

 

What else happened in June? Did you take another recreational drug?

 

As I said:

 

You only can try one drug at a time, why not start with a measured amount of cannabis, since that's the drug you went off when these symptoms started?

 

[lookingrelief]

@Altostrata  I did not use any other drugs or anything in June. The insomnia had started here and there before I stopped smoking cannabis. It  got more intense when i stopped. Then came loss of appetite and massive anxiety/ cortisol spikes and have continued for 2 months.

It seems you are thinking my symptoms are due to the cannabis and not the zoloft. Is it unusual to have delayed withdrawls that far out from stopping the medication?  I just figured that I had so much zoloft built up in my system it took that long for the major withdrawls to show up and still have them 2 months later.