Lucaaa: Introducing myself :)

[Lucaaa]

Hello everyone  , i am Luca and i am from Austria, 24 years old. I was looking for a new forum since the other one i was on closed down and i have heard of this website before. 
 

Anyway i have a long history with sertraline (i think its called Zoloft in other countries). I first got medicated at 14 years old after my brother passed away and i was traumatized and suicidal so i got put on 75mg sertraline which helped at first but later on in my teens i realised how much it changed me and how emotionally numb i have become so when i was 17 years (2015) old i decided to quit the drug but tapered off way to fast (in about 3 months) and had really bad withdrawal symptoms, so the doctor told me this was my depression and trauma coming back, so i trusted the doctor and i was put on setraline back again but this time even higher with 150mg. 2018 was the first time i learned about how SSRI‘s changes people and behavior and how it makes you emotionally numb and so on, so i learned that the things i was experiencing alle these years was because of the sertraline and so i decided to quit again. 
 

This time it was Spring 2018 and i tapered off way to fast again about 25mg every 2 months so at Spring 2019 i crashed again and i was put on 75 mg setraline again (the doctor wanted me to take 100mg but i didn‘t want to go any higher anymore)

So it was Summer 2019 then and i was on 75mg and i was stable again, had no withdrawal symptoms but i started tapering off again in October 2019, this time i cut the tablets (which i now know was a bad idea because it was very inaccurate)  and reduced the dosis about 5mg every month so at March 2020 i was on 50 mg and that left my nervous system and brain in a very vulnerable state, i couldn‘t work out anymore, i had to work less, lost interest in most things and had many withdrawal symptoms but i decided to stay at 50mg. 
 

So from March 2020 till January 2022 i was on 50mg and my symptoms didn‘t really get better, i still couldn‘t work out which really hurt me because i loved sports and i also couldn‘t work much because my nervous system was very sensitive and i still had many other withdrawal symptoms. 
 

With January this year i decided to keep tapering off, i was long enough at 50mg and thought it was time to make the next step even though my nervous system and brain was in a bad shape. I tapered off 4mg from January till March and 3 mg from March till now so now i am on 43mg sertraline, the good thing is i can now get accurate dosis, because i have a pharmacy that makes them for me.
As expected the symptoms that were already there at 50mg are  worse so right now i am not working, and there isn‘t really much i can do since my nervous system is really vulnerable, i also have to be very careful with eating, every food that is rich in iron is too much for my nervous system and i feel terrible afterwards for a few hours. 

Anyway that‘s my story, i hope i listed the most important informations, english isn‘t my native language so my vocabulary is very simple, hope thats not a problem  

I also have a question: Would it be a good idea to change my dosis and take a bit more again, from 43 to 45mg for example? Just to relieve the symptoms a bit? Or would it be too much for my nervous system since i have been on  43mg for 2 months already? 
 

Thank you

 

kind regards, Luca 

 

 

[Onmyway]

Hi @Lucaaa, 

welcome to SA. I am so sorry you have been having severe withdrawal symptoms from sertraline. It seems to be one of those drugs that catches up with people around the 50mg mark. You did well to hold off at that point to let your body recover slowly. During that time did you have the windows and waves? What improvements did you see? 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

What is happening in your brain? - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

It might be a good idea to updose to 45 and see if that will relieve some of the symptoms. What symptoms are you having now? How are you managing them? 

 

Can you please write a drug signature following these instructions? 

How to List Drug History in Signature - Introductions and updates - Surviving Antidepressants

 

We recommend that you don't take any supplements other than magnesium and Omega-3 and if you take them, start small and one at a time to see how you react to them. We advise people to avoid supplements that may make them worse (vitamin D, Bs) and any psychoactive substances incl. alcohol, pot, coffee as they can set people back in their recovery. 

 

I am so sorry you have had a difficult time with these drugs and life in general. I hope things turn around soon and you start getting windows and feeling much better. 

OMW

 

 

[Lucaaa]

@Onmyway Thank you for the quick response and kind words!

  During the 2 years on 50mg my withdrawal symptoms were:

.) Lost interest for most things

.) Restlessnes in the brain, impatient

.) Felt weak, numb

.) Bad mood all the time, like i was pissed off all the time about something

.) Craving for snacks, reminded me of when i stopped smoking

.) Couldn´t work out,

 

Over time i had some days where it was better, but it mostly stayed the same, i got used to it and adapted. Now all of those symptoms got worse, what i expected to happen but there are also some new ones:

.) Body is very sensitive when i eat iron rich foods, it feels good but afterwards i feel dazed and stunned, there isn´t really much left i can eat that doesen´t trigger anything.

.) Sometimes really bad sleep and not a lot of sleep

.) obsessive thoughts

.) sometimes bad memory

.) can´t concentrate for a long time, can´t read books right now

.) Neuroemotions

 

 

I already take only omega 3 and magnesium, and melatonin before sleep. I tried vitamin b12 once and it hit hard, won´t try that again. Thanks for the advice!

 

I will try to stay on 43mg, see how it goes, right now it is  bearable, i try to distract myself most of the day, go for walks alot and do some housework, helps with the restlessnes

 

Thank you, i will do the signature now

[Onmyway]

Hi @Lucaaa, 

like me you seem to be extra sensitive to drops. It is OK. As long as you are not in a hurry to come off of the drugs due to adverse effects or wanting to have a baby etc. you can just go very slowly after stabilization. It really sucks but at least you will preserve some quality of life and in a couple of years you will get out of it. 

 

I wonder if your reaction to food is a histamine reaction rather than reaction to iron. I haven't heard of iron before but histamine seems to be more common and people find solutions to it. A lot of serotonin receptors are in the gut so it makes sense that we get lots of  gut symptoms - for me it was constant nausea for months, for others it is IBS like symptoms. 

Check this thread out - may be of some help? 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/3503-histamine-food-intolerance/#comment-39471

 

As long as the symptoms are bearable, I would stick with the current dose. It should settle in a month or so. And it may be worth staying on that dose for a good few months just to settle things even further. 

 

Here are a few more links to help with some symptoms. Lots of people find sleep troublesome during withdrawal, especially waking up too early with anxiety/panic. We think it's caused by the morning cortisol surge to which we are very sensitive. There are a few fixes for that - blackout curtains, white noise, possibly baby aspirin in the evening (that's my thing not something that SA recommends, based on an article I read which might possibly apply so take that with caution)

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/25270-tips-to-help-sleep-so-many-of-us-have-that-awful-withdrawal-insomnia/#comment-61

Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems - Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants

 

Hope you start feeling better soon. The fact that you had even small windows is encouraging. 

OMW

 

[Lucaaa]

@Onmyway Yes very sensitive.. sucks. I´m not in a hurry and i will go very slow, thank you. I will probably aim for 3-5mg less every year, depending on how fast i recover..

Just out of interest, i don´t want to have kids any time soon or ever but what problems can a baby have if the parents are on SSRI?

 

It definitely is iron, because it also occurs in foods that are very low in histamin but high in iron. I also looked up and haven´t found any other people with the same problem, maybe it has something to do with me having lower iron levels since 15. It´s very annoying because if i eat almost no iron for days then i am not able to sleep much and i am even more restless, then when i eat iron again it gives me a feeling of relief and calms my entire system, but at the same time i feel absent and stunned and feel like i am less there.

 

I will probably stay on that dose for at least 5 more months and see how much i recover 

 

Thank you very much for the infos, will look into the threads

 

Luca

[Onmyway]

11 hours ago, Lucaaa said:

@Onmyway Yes very sensitive.. sucks. I´m not in a hurry and i will go very slow, thank you. I will probably aim for 3-5mg less every year, depending on how fast i recover..

Just out of interest, i don´t want to have kids any time soon or ever but what problems can a baby have if the parents are on SSRI?

 

It definitely is iron, because it also occurs in foods that are very low in histamin but high in iron. I also looked up and haven´t found any other people with the same problem, maybe it has something to do with me having lower iron levels since 15. It´s very annoying because if i eat almost no iron for days then i am not able to sleep much and i am even more restless, then when i eat iron again it gives me a feeling of relief and calms my entire system, but at the same time i feel absent and stunned and feel like i am less there.

 

I will probably stay on that dose for at least 5 more months and see how much i recover 

 

Thank you very much for the infos, will look into the threads

 

Luca

Hi @Lucaaa, 

good decision on going slow. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say! 

Regarding babies - I think the studies show that SSRIs increase risks of birth defects and autism. The risk is not awful - 20-100% higher of a low risk already so in absolute terms not awful.  Most of the birth defects are heart related in my understanding. Haven't looked at the literature in a while but there are good population level studies from the Nordic countries. Surprisingly also for the dad being on the drug - they do the studies, show that SSRIs during pregnancy increase risks and then to show that it is not the SSRI's impact during pregnancy compare it to the cases where the male partner (and not the female) was taking SSRI and find the same result. They then conclude that it's not the SSRI's impact but some underlying condition. But the alternative explanation that also fits is that men and women's SSRI intake might both impact the baby (men after all provide the sperm). So good to be cautious but it's not too scary if you're already on them. 

OMW

[Lucaaa]

@Onmyway I see, crazy, thank you for explaining.

 

Luca

[Lucaaa]

Question about Dosage

 

Hello , I am currently taking 43mg Sertraline. I get the dose from the pharmacy, they make capsules for me but the problem is the weight of all the capsules are not the same. For example: Some weigh 470mg, some 480,485mg etc. I calculated that about 1/3 of the weight diffrence is the sertaline tablet weight (the rest is Lactosum powder and capsule weight). So now I only take the capsules with a maximum weight diffrence of 10mg, of which 1/3 is sertraline so about 1mg active substance so the capsules i take are between 42.5 - 43.5 mg Sertraline. I feel the diffrence everyday, when its less i feel more fatigued, if its more i feel more motivated and active even though it should be  just a 0.5-1mg diffrence. I dont like the feeling, because everyday feels diffrent depending on how much sertraline is in the capsule i take that day. 

 

My Question is: Is it bad for the brain and nervous system that i dont have the exact same dosage everyday? I tried many other tapering methods but they dont work for me, they stress my brain out a lot and i get dizzy and headaches

 

thank you,

 

Luca

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

[ChessieCat]

I suggest that you check to see whether your scales are working properly.  First thing would be are the batteries going flat.  You could try using 2 of something else that you know the weight of or that will weight the same amount.

 

@brassmonkey Do you have any thoughts on this member's problem?  Thank you.

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by ChessieCat

[brassmonkey]

I have seen that compounders can be less than precise when making up their capsules, but this is very slopy on their part. The first thing I would do is verify that your scales are working properly. New batteries, calibrate, work in a place where the table is quite solid, no drafts and the like. A good test would be; new 1euro coins will weigh 7.5g and they are very accurate.

 

If your scales are working well, then mixing and matching capsules by weight will help, but you will need a lot of capsules and there will be many left over.

 

It would also be possible to remove the powder from several capsules, mix it together and reweigh the desired amount and refill the capsules at a more specific dose.

[Lucaaa]

@ChessieCat

Hello, yes i have checked the scales, they both work properly, i have 2 scales. Thank you

[Lucaaa]

@brassmonkey

 

Hi, unfortunately i think they are a bit slopy, i also tried another pharmacy once but there it was even worse.. The scales work properly, i have 2 and they both seem to work fine. I will try what you suggest, mixing the powder and re weighing the desired amount.

 

Thank you

[Lucaaa]

Question about updosing

 

Hi everyone, I have a question about updosing: 
So i have been on 43mg Sertraline for a while now (about 10 months) and I am not considering lowering my dose anytime soon because there isn’t much I can do because of withdrawal symptoms and in the start of january I accidentally took about 0.5mg too much for 4-5 days which I only started to notice on the 4th day because many symptoms that i had were suddenly better (better digestion, could tolerate more food, overall the body was working a bit better) and also mentally the  updose was kicking in almost had a panic attack.
So anyway i went straight back to 43mg after those few days which was fine again but then decided to try updosing because my body was working much better when i accidentally took 0.5 mg too much. So fast forward I am now 1 about one month in on updosing my dose is now 43.3 mg so i increased just by 0.3 mg (I don’t plan on doing more) which did a lot in my system (less consticipation, can eat more, a bit more energy) but on the other hand anxiety started to kick in and everyday I worry about the updosing if it was the right decision, if i hurt my brain now even more, fear of kindling and everyday I think about going back on 43mg but then I think no it would be too much stress because my system is already hypersensitive and I would feel worse again so I don‘t know what do do, shall I stay on 43.3 now or shall I just forget this ever happend and go back on 43mg, I know this sounds ridiculous but this topic is in my head everyday and its driving me crazy because I cannot decide so maybe someone can give me some advice what i should do now… 

Sorry for the long text 

thank you 

 

Luca 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Shep
added title after merging from another thread

[Shep]

@Lucaaa Please note I merged your post from another thread in the tapering forum to your intro / update thread. Please continue posting here so all of your information is in one place.

 

On 2/8/2023 at 12:17 PM, Lucaaa said:

So anyway i went straight back to 43mg after those few days which was fine again but then decided to try updosing because my body was working much better when i accidentally took 0.5 mg too much. So fast forward I am now 1 about one month in on updosing my dose is now 43.3 mg so i increased just by 0.3 mg (I don’t plan on doing more) which did a lot in my system (less consticipation, can eat more, a bit more energy) but on the other hand anxiety started to kick in

 

With your appetite improving, are you eating or drinking anything that might be causing upticks in symptoms? Any caffeine, sugar, alcohol, etc. that can cause anxiety? With more energy, are you going to bed later than usual and not sleeping as well? 

 

If you do decide to reduce back, since you've been at this dose for a month, your system has likely started adjusting to the new dose, so you may only want to reduce part of the way, say, a 0.25 mg reduction instead of the full 1 mg. 

 

Please update your signature to reflect these changes. 

[Lucaaa]

10 hours ago, Shep said:

@Lucaaa Please note I merged your post from another thread in the tapering forum to your intro / update thread. Please continue posting here so all of your information is in one place.

Yes i will, thank you 

10 hours ago, Shep said:

With your appetite improving, are you eating or drinking anything that might be causing upticks in symptoms? Any caffeine, sugar, alcohol, etc. that can cause anxiety? With more energy, are you going to bed later than usual and not sleeping as well? 

 

If you do decide to reduce back, since you've been at this dose for a month, your system has likely started adjusting to the new dose, so you may only want to reduce part of the way, say, a 0.25 mg reduction instead of the full 1 mg. 
 

10 hours ago, Shep said:

 

Please update your signature to reflect these change

I noticed that more of my brain started to work again, i had more thoughts, had more energy to even think about things. I got anxiety when I felt my brain working more again and it got more and more activating which is why i went back to 43mg again. Sleep was ok, a bit better. Sometimes I had light dizziness and was a bit drowsy. 
 

I eventually decided to go back to 43mg a few days ago , it just was too activating and i hated that feeling. 
 

Thank you for your help,
 

Luca
 

 

[Shep]

Please let us know how you're feeling over the coming days as you adjust to the new dose. 

[Lucaaa]

On 2/14/2023 at 12:56 AM, Shep said:

Please let us know how you're feeling over the coming days as you adjust to the new dose. 

 

I think it will take a few weeks until I reach the level again i had before updosing, unfortunately today i hit too much medication again (about 0.3-0.5mg too much) and had intrusive suicidal thoughts while driving which was very scary and  feel numbed.

I really struggle making my doses accurate enough, making liquid out of my tablets never worked for me, had horrible experiences trying this. My nervous system is very sensitive so I take half my dose in tablet form and the other half as powder in a capsule, which is also not ideal because it hits so fast and makes me more nervous and hyper all day. Another problem I have making doses is the coating of the tablets I use, sometimes there are more flakes in a dose, sometimes less.  My scales are accurate, but I am forced to use another one right now because the one I normally use broke and this one is not so accurate, I already ordered 2x new scales, i hope they work better.

 

Is there anyway how I can replicate the "absorbtion rate" of the tablet with the powder part of my dose? So it just hits normally and not  as fast? Interestingly when I got my capsules made by a pharmacy (which I will not do again because it was to inaccurate) it was working fine, like i took a tablet, even though they crush the pills and mix them with lactose powder. I also tried putting lactose powder in the capsules and then shake them so it will mix with the tablet powder but it still hit very fast. I just really need a stable way of making doses that are accurate and release slower..

 

Thank you,

 

Luca

 

[Onmyway]

Hi @Lucaaa, 

one solution would be to take the powder dose multiple times a day - so if it hits very quickly - split it into 2-3 doses. It would be a pain but it would be a solution. 

 

I know that updosing feels better and you can choose to do that but you should be able to achieve that feeling with a longer hold as well since your body will be adapting to the new dose. The important thing is that you should try to stay at the same dose once you choose which one it is. I can totally understand the temptation to updose but remember that your brain is working hard to recalibrate every time you make a change so whatever dose you pick, try to stick with it. You will see improvements soon enough. 

Also, unless the symptoms are very bad, it helps to learn to accept them and not worry about small changes in them. Oh, my friend insomnia is back or ufff, my bowel is acting up again. Notice but don't worry unless the symptoms are disruptive. This journey is full of all kinds of unpleasant/weird/surprising changes that most often we can't do much about - once you stop giving them much importance they will naturally fade into the background more and more. I am speaking from experience here. The more you focus on symptoms the more important they become. 

OMW

Edited February 16, 2023 by Onmyway

[Lucaaa]

On 2/16/2023 at 7:43 PM, Onmyway said:

Hi @Lucaaa, 

one solution would be to take the powder dose multiple times a day - so if it hits very quickly - split it into 2-3 doses. It would be a pain but it would be a solution. 

 

I see, that would be a pain yes, I will stick to the method I use now, its not ideal but its bearable, thank you for the suggestion.

 

 

On 2/16/2023 at 7:43 PM, Onmyway said:

I know that updosing feels better and you can choose to do that but you should be able to achieve that feeling with a longer hold as well since your body will be adapting to the new dose. The important thing is that you should try to stay at the same dose once you choose which one it is. I can totally understand the temptation to updose but remember that your brain is working hard to recalibrate every time you make a change so whatever dose you pick, try to stick with it. You will see improvements soon enough. 

It felt good at the start but then it got more and more activating, so I am glad I went back on the dose I was before and will stay there for a long time, until now I don´t really feel like any improvements have happend, but time will tell.. I often wonder how and if my brain can ever be "normal" since I have been taking this drugs from a young age and my brain kinda "grew" with it.

 

 

On 2/16/2023 at 7:43 PM, Onmyway said:

Also, unless the symptoms are very bad, it helps to learn to accept them and not worry about small changes in them. Oh, my friend insomnia is back or ufff, my bowel is acting up again. Notice but don't worry unless the symptoms are disruptive. This journey is full of all kinds of unpleasant/weird/surprising changes that most often we can't do much about - once you stop giving them much importance they will naturally fade into the background more and more. I am speaking from experience here. The more you focus on symptoms the more important they become. 

OMW

That is true, the more I focus on the symptoms the more annoying they get, escpecially when I am bored and have nothing to do, which is a lot of time and as soon as I do something else where I am distracted they fade more into the backround. Thank you for the advice!

 

Luca

[Lucaaa]

Hello, I want to share some thoughts and need help with some questions..  I hate to admit it but in the last few days I had thoughts about updosing and eventually going back from 43 to 50 mg again.
For now it’s just a thought and I don’t think I would actually do it but I have to admit it’s very tempting to do it sometimes especially because I have such a long way still to go.. It was so stupid to reduce the dose from 50mg when I still had withdrawal symptoms and a very sensitive nervous system from coming down of 75 mg. But now I have been taking 43mg for almost a year and I wonder how my body would react if I went back up on 50mg, would it be a high risk to try it because of kindling and adverse reaction? Or doesn’t it matter that much since I am still in a high dosage range?
It’s really frustrating, been on the dose for a year now and I don’t feel like anything has changed, my body still in the same state so I thought why not go back up to 50 mg and wait a few years till I am stable again and then start reducing again, which I should have done in the first place.. 

 

 

Luca

[Shep]

On 2/12/2023 at 3:47 PM, Lucaaa said:

I noticed that more of my brain started to work again, i had more thoughts, had more energy to even think about things. I got anxiety when I felt my brain working more again and it got more and more activating which is why i went back to 43mg again. Sleep was ok, a bit better. Sometimes I had light dizziness and was a bit drowsy. 
 

I eventually decided to go back to 43mg a few days ago , it just was too activating and i hated that feeling. 
 

 

@Lucaaa This is what you wrote about reducing back to 43 mg after updosing to 43.3 mg. If just a 0.3 mg updose was too activating, I don't think that updosing is going to help. 

 

What symptoms are you having? 

[Onmyway]

Hi @Lucaaa, 

I am curious, what has prompted these thoughts? Has anything changed? 

 

While none of us really know what is going on in the brain the common wisdom here is that it is the brain's adjustment to a new status quo that is causing our symptoms - so we see symptoms while the brain is making changes to readjust to whatever new state we put it in. Usually it is tapering or cold turkey'ing that cause these adjustments but going up would not be that different. We suggest reinstatement immediately because then the brain hasn't had to make lots of changes. However, as time passes, the nervous system is now in a new state that again will need to be rebuilt to function properly. 

 

There are some people for whom reinstatement works a long time after but I am wondering if the it works as a placebo then. Of course as long as something works who cares if it is a placebo but the chance of updosing or reinstatement working this late is low and the chance that things will go bad due to kindling and hypersensitivity are negligible. 

 

Have you seen this thread. 

 

So while the choice is yours and you will bear the consequences of your decision, I would advise that you try to stabilize for as long as it takes and then restart your taper. What makes 50mg the magic number that will cure things? You have yo-yo'ed up and down a bit which likely makes it harder. 

OMW

[Lucaaa]

1 hour ago, Shep said:

 

@Lucaaa This is what you wrote about reducing back to 43 mg after updosing to 43.3 mg. If just a 0.3 mg updose was too activating, I don't think that updosing is going to help. 

 

What symptoms are you having? 

I know, it had good and bad sides and I know that if I would updose I would instantly regret it but sometimes I just wonder what if.. 

 

My whole body is just in a bad shape, my nervous system can‘t handle much, it’s exhausted very quick that’s why I don’t work anymore, also can’t eat much and have a bloated abdomen all the time along with constipation, but I know it’s not the food because anything I eat gets digested very slow, only thing left I am eating is fish, chicken and rice and a bit of fruit and potatoes. I also lost about 12 kg in the last 6 months. It’s just very frustrating but it is what it is..

 

[Lucaaa]

2 hours ago, Onmyway said:

Hi @Lucaaa, 

I am curious, what has prompted these thoughts? Has anything changed? 

 

While none of us really know what is going on in the brain the common wisdom here is that it is the brain's adjustment to a new status quo that is causing our symptoms - so we see symptoms while the brain is making changes to readjust to whatever new state we put it in. Usually it is tapering or cold turkey'ing that cause these adjustments but going up would not be that different. We suggest reinstatement immediately because then the brain hasn't had to make lots of changes. However, as time passes, the nervous system is now in a new state that again will need to be rebuilt to function properly. 

 

There are some people for whom reinstatement works a long time after but I am wondering if the it works as a placebo then. Of course as long as something works who cares if it is a placebo but the chance of updosing or reinstatement working this late is low and the chance that things will go bad due to kindling and hypersensitivity are negligible. 

 

Have you seen this thread. 

 

So while the choice is yours and you will bear the consequences of your decision, I would advise that you try to stabilize for as long as it takes and then restart your taper. What makes 50mg the magic number that will cure things? You have yo-yo'ed up and down a bit which likely makes it harder. 

OMW

Well I just thought about things and wondered if I even know what I am doing with all this and thought about the future, because if I follow through with this whole process will take another 10 years so that’s 10 years of being unable to live properly and I am 25 years old and it’s just frustrating being stuck like that but I don’t want to cry about it, people have been through worse. 
 

I have seen the thread, yes, thank you 

 

I won‘t updose again, I don’t want to risk it, maybe it would work but I know that I would regret it and hate it. 
 

The reason why 50mg is because that‘s one tablet, I wouldn’t have to spend so much time making my doses, it would always be the same dose, so no inaccuracies and it would‘nt hit so fast because it’s still in one piece, I think that’s why it’s the  „magic number“ for me

[Shep]

9 hours ago, Lucaaa said:

My whole body is just in a bad shape, my nervous system can‘t handle much, it’s exhausted very quick that’s why I don’t work anymore, also can’t eat much and have a bloated abdomen all the time along with constipation, but I know it’s not the food because anything I eat gets digested very slow, only thing left I am eating is fish, chicken and rice and a bit of fruit and potatoes. I also lost about 12 kg in the last 6 months. It’s just very frustrating but it is what it is..

 

You may want to start an elimination diet and look up foods that are recommended for people with IBS, such as low fodmap foods. For instance,  some of the fruits you're eating may be problematic if they're high in what's called fodmaps. You can google fodmap foods and find articles on that. 

 

Here is more information on handling food sensitivities due to withdrawal: 

Digestive problems: Nausea, Diarrhea, Bloating, GERD

Food sensitivities
 
Gluten Sensitivity Vs. Celiac Disease Vs. Gluten Intolerance...
 
Histamine food intolerance

 

Elimination or exclusion diets for reactions to food (food intolerance)

SCD/GAPS/Paleo Diets
 
Probiotics and gut health

[Lucaaa]

52 minutes ago, Shep said:

 

You may want to start an elimination diet and look up foods that are recommended for people with IBS, such as low fodmap foods. For instance,  some of the fruits you're eating may be problematic if they're high in what's called fodmaps. You can google fodmap foods and find articles on that. 

 

Here is more information on handling food sensitivities due to withdrawal: 

Digestive problems: Nausea, Diarrhea, Bloating, GERD

Food sensitivities
 
Gluten Sensitivity Vs. Celiac Disease Vs. Gluten Intolerance...
 
Histamine food intolerance

 

Elimination or exclusion diets for reactions to food (food intolerance)

SCD/GAPS/Paleo Diets
 
Probiotics and gut health

Thank you, there are some fruits which I suspected where causing trouble like apples.. will try without them now.

 

Luca

[Lucaaa]

Hello, lately I have been thinking about tapering and how much mg I would reduce my dose if I decide that I am ready to taper again. I have been on 43mg for a year now and still have withdrawal symptoms from coming down from 50mg, but I wonder how long do I  have to wait until I can taper again? I feel like it would take way more time until my nervous system can handle everything like it could on 50mg. And I dont want to be on these drugs forever.. I just feel stuck and unsatisfied which I know is normal but when I feel like this I just feel like life is passing by and I am still on this drug so I thought maybe it is time to do the next step? Or maybe this is just an excuse I am making so I can escape my current situation by tapering and then regret it? I really dont know

 

Also, another question that I thought about: Does the brain and nervous system recover faster and better once people hit 0 and the brain doesnt get saturated with the drug anymore? compared to holding on a certain dose for a long time? I know it doesent really make sense, because withdrawal symptoms are caused by the absence of the drug, but maybe the body and brain can heal better if it is free from the drugs?

 

My wtihdrawal symptoms are: overall very sensitive nervous system, concentration issues, eye floaters,  constipation, very sensitive digestion, overall fatigue. Sleep is good, maybe I even sleep too much, especially If I eat a lot of things that are high in Tryptophan and amino acids like chicken or fish

 

Thank you

 

Luca

[Onmyway]

Hi @Lucaaa

we would count your time holding from the latest change you made which is in February. So if I were you I'd hold for a couple of more months at least.  

 

The symptoms are not coming from the drug per se but from the adjustments your brain needs to make. In your case seems like your brain is extra sensitive right now so I'd let it regain equilibrium if possible.

 

Note that these changes are not necessarily linear. I.e. moving from 100 to 0 might be 10000 times times worse than moving from 99 to 98. Think of how different a small earthquake is to a building from a large earthquake.

 

So, holding seems  wiser for me in your case. In the meantime make sure not to disrupt your recovery with alcohol, other psycholoactive substances etc.

 

Omw

[mich37]

Hi. Luca. Did u ever expirience neuropathy?

And what do u do with fatigue?

[Lucaaa]

2 hours ago, Onmyway said:

Hi @Lucaaa

we would count your time holding from the latest change you made which is in February. So if I were you I'd hold for a couple of more months at least.  

 

The symptoms are not coming from the drug per se but from the adjustments your brain needs to make. In your case seems like your brain is extra sensitive right now so I'd let it regain equilibrium if possible.

 

Note that these changes are not necessarily linear. I.e. moving from 100 to 0 might be 10000 times times worse than moving from 99 to 98. Think of how different a small earthquake is to a building from a large earthquake.

 

So, holding seems  wiser for me in your case. In the meantime make sure not to disrupt your recovery with alcohol, other psycholoactive substances etc.

 

Omw

I see, I will probably wait until the end of the year before making another step, maybe even longer..

Thank you for explaining.

 

Luca

 

[Lucaaa]

1 hour ago, mich37 said:

Hi. Luca. Did u ever expirience neuropathy?

And what do u do with fatigue?

Hello, no I don´t think I have. I dont really do something about it, I try to rest if I can and try not to overwhelm myself

[mich37]

Thanks. Do u have anxiety too? 

[Lucaaa]

5 hours ago, mich37 said:

Thanks. Do u have anxiety too? 

No I don‘t but I think it would come if I get to a lower dose 

[Lucaaa]

Hello, it has been a few months since I last posted, I have a question regarding tapering...

 

So I read and have heard that you should not taper if you still have withdrawal symptoms, but what if they don´t get better? Like I want to keep tapering, but my nervous system is still weak.. I am on 43mg since 16 months so I did a long hold but if I hold this long every time and even longer it will take me 20 years to get off without withdrawal symptoms..

So I thought about reducing my dose again since I won´t be able to get  away without withdrawal symptoms, I do not want to be on this drug another 10 years.

 

The symptoms I still have since 16 months (last major dose reduction):

.) Lower abdominal bloating whenever I eat anything

.) Concentration issues

.) Fatigue

.) sensitive nervous system

.) Dont feel like doing anything, nothing excites me or feel like it is worth to put energy in

.) low libido

.) Generally feel low and people tell me I dont look healthy

.) Heart palpitation

 

Can any of those things also be adverse effects from the drug? Like beeing emotionally numb?

 

I really feel like I want to taper again but I know my symptoms will get worse not better but I still feel like I wanna do it, because like mentioned above, I don´t want to be on sertraline forever..

What do you think?

 

Also what I wanted to ask, if a mod reads this: can you change the title of my thread to just: Tapering Sertraline? would be much appreciated

 

Thank you!

 

Luca

 

[Onmyway]

Hi @Lucaaa, 

how do you feel about your symptoms - are they bearable? For some people it is not realistic to wait for everything to get better. And withdrawal normal does not mean no symptoms. From your description you symptoms do not seem very distressing. Have you eliminated other reasons for them - could the fatigue be due to low iron (could account for not looking healthy due to looking pale) or low thyroid, for example? Bloating can be from other stomach issues - you might have an H-Pylori infection, probiotics could potentially help or some digestive enzymes. What do you mean by sensitive nervous system? Sensitive to what? 

And you are right, the numbness could be from the drug and could account for the low libido as well. 

If I were you, I'd get a full physical exam to rule out other things first and you can then start lowering at a very low does - maybe go to 42 next and see if things are tolerable for 2 weeks. 

 

OMW

 

[Lucaaa]

Hi thank you for your reply,

 

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how do you feel about your symptoms - are they bearable?

 

The symptoms are bearable yes, the bloating is just really annoying, because it causes me to have lower back pain but it´s totally bearable.

 

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And withdrawal normal does not mean no symptoms.

Ok good to know!

 

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From your description you symptoms do not seem very distressing.

Yes, compared to what other people go through this is very mild.

 

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Have you eliminated other reasons for them - could the fatigue be due to low iron (could account for not looking healthy due to looking pale) or low thyroid, for example?

Low iron is definitely possible, but I also avoid foods that are high in iron, because they make me more fatigued... I have never checked my thyroid maybe I should do that.

 

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Bloating can be from other stomach issues - you might have an H-Pylori infection, probiotics could potentially help or some digestive enzymes.

I am 100% sure it is from withdrawal, because there are days where I had a little bit less medication like 0,5 mg less and the bloating was way more and on days where I accidentaly had more medication (0,3-0,5mg) the bloating was less. I think its because the CNS controls peristaltic movement in the intestinal tract.. I could try the digestive enzymes though

 

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What do you mean by sensitive nervous system? Sensitive to what? 

For example, sensitive to caffeine, alcohol (which I dont drink anymore but when I try it it hits way harder)

I also try very very little doses of B12 sometimes and it gives me heart palpitations and is a bit activating

And just generally I sense things much more intense than other people

 

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If I were you, I'd get a full physical exam to rule out other things first and you can then start lowering at a very low does - maybe go to 42 next and see if things are tolerable for 2 weeks.

Thank you I think I will do that!

 

Thank you for your help

 

Luca