JenDubya: Getting off Zoloft after short use

[JenDubya]

Hello everyone,

 

looking for advice on getting off Zoloft. I took 25mg for about a week in the beginning Of August and stopped due to feeling sick from it. 
 

Ended up with some bad panic attacks and nightmares in September and started sertraline again in October at 25mg. Did that for over two weeks and was told by psychiatrist to up it to 50mg. Took that dose a few times and decided it’s not for me due to

unpleasant side effects. 
 

Doctor said i can cold turkey it because I was on it for less than three weeks (17 days), but I was concerned and found this forum. I haven’t taken it for a day and a half and have found my emotions and sexuality returning, but I’m guessing I need to taper. Very concerned that any continued use could result in permanent sexual changes and other issues because I’m so sensitive to medications. 
 

my psychiatrist said to stop immediately because I had hand and foot numbness, sexual side effects, and emotional blunting that started with the increased dose. Not sure if that’s considered an adverse reaction enough to stop immediately. I was able to cry when I stopped taking it, which I actually felt relieved about since I haven’t felt emotions. But I wondered if that’s a withdrawal symptom. 
 

also, I’m genetically a rapid drug metabolizer. They leave my system more quickly than other people supposedly. 
 

ive also taken mirtazapine for sleep (7mg) twice during this time. Made me sleep like 10 hours. 
 

I took Ativan for occasional anxiety before this and started the Zoloft to stop use of that. I didn’t have many pills so I didn’t use it super regularly. I did use it regularly for just over a week (1mg) which is why I decided to try the Zoloft again. 

Any advice would be great! My psychiatrist recommended stopping all

meds to focus on CBT and intensive therapy because I had adverse reaction symptoms. Now not sure what is withdrawal and what is adverse reaction. 
 

thank you!

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @JenDubya

 

Some people have significant adverse reactions to antidepressants within a few doses. They aren't on the drugs long enough to be at risk for withdrawal, yet when they stop the drugs, they have symptoms that are just like withdrawal symptoms, which resolve very gradually over months, as withdrawal syndrome does -- but over a shorter span than full-blown withdrawal syndrome.

 

It sounds like you are one of those people -- you simply do not get along well with serotonergics. You can find other cases by looking for the tag "immediate adr".

 

On 10/20/2021 at 11:12 PM, JenDubya said:

I haven’t taken it for a day and a half and have found my emotions and sexuality returning, but I’m guessing I need to taper. Very concerned that any continued use could result in permanent sexual changes and other issues because I’m so sensitive to medications. 

 

This is a good sign. No, you don't need to taper. 

 

Your fears are not baseless. If I were you, I would never take another antidepressant again in my life. It's likely your nervous system has been further sensitized by this mishap. I would avoid other prescribed psychotropics (watch out for benzos) and, until you fully recover, caffeine, alcohol, and antibiotics (if you can).

 

Many people find these to be helpful:

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

You might try a low dose of one at a time to see what it does for you.

 

Yes, non-drug treatments are in your cards. Your psychiatrist has been unusually responsive and given good advice in this regard.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[JenDubya]

Thank you @Altostrata  I think you are correct. I’m glad my senses were right. I did take benzodiazepines (Ativan) but only took it regularly for one week. Otherwise occasional use. My symptoms that got me on meds were the pacing, restless, can’t sit down feeling. I walked 13 miles in a day once. K think it was vaccine triggered or triggered by my brief benzo use. I am only taking magnesium and fish oil. I have only had one alcoholic drink. Good to know on coffee. I have one cup a day usually. 
 

definitdly worry about delayed withdrawal from bnzps as I’ve heard it can happen quickly. My providers would not give me very many of those however. I briefly tried Atarax (two doses) and it triggered anxiety and panic in me. I typically react opposite to meds of any kind. Even Sudafed makes me manic. 

[Altostrata]

3 minutes ago, JenDubya said:

My symptoms that got me on meds were the pacing, restless, can’t sit down feeling.

 

This sounds like a possible paradoxical reaction or interdose withdrawal from the benzos. They are terrible drugs.

 

Please do let us know how you're doing. 

[JenDubya]

Yes they are. Doctors told me I was just anxious and it couldn’t be the benzos after such a short time and small dose. But I think this is untrue. 
 

now I’m concerned ill have delayed withdrawal from them since I didn’t titrate ( based on doctor advice). Just not sure what to do. Not sure what is what from Any of the drugs. 

[Altostrata]

You probably do not have withdrawal from any of the drugs. See

 

Adverse reactions to an antidepressant within a few doses -- how long for recovery?

[JenDubya]

Thanks @Altostrata I started getting the panic and anxiety back this weekend after doing well for a few days. People are telling me I should’ve tapered snd am having some level of withdrawal. I have no idea. Back to having insomnia too which had gone away. Just worried that I keep doing all the wrong things. Seem to be hearing that truly reversing the sexual side effects is best done with another drug. What are your thoughts on that? I’d felt great the couple times I took mirtazapine to sleep. Tiny dose of 7mg. 

[JenDubya]

Thanks @Altostrata I feel like I am having withdrawal on some level. Doctors told me to stop cold turkey and I did for a few days but the panic, anxiety, and insomnia returned.  I know you said it was unlikely That I am having wothdrawl but now I don’t know.
 

I started crying again too which I normally don’t do. Starting to feel nauseated too and slight headache. been patching all night which is how I acted before medication.
 

I know the drugs are bad, but on them I was calmly sitting down and I’d been sleeping so well. Almost ten hours a night. Now I suddenly can’t sleep. 
 

got off because of side effects. Asked doctor for taper advice but he said I didn’t need to. I think that advice was wrong. Maybe I metabolize too fast. 
 

note: I got anxious and took Zoloft at a lower dose today (my planned taper method). No clue of it hurt or helped. 
 

Any thoughts on what to do? 

[Altostrata]

I cannot verify that you will be able to reverse the sexual side effects with another drug. That's something doctors believe but we haven't seen it work reliably here.

 

If sleep is a problem, you might want to try 2mg mirtazapine. I suggest this because you've shown high sensitivity to drugs and a lower dose is less likely to trigger this than a higher dose. Some people find mirtazapine has a beneficial effect on sexual sensation. Please let us know how you're doing.