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RaeOfSunshine: sertraline fast taper


RaeOfSunshine

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Post moved from GreenIvy's Intro and created RaeOfSunshine's Intro

 

Hello, first time posting here. I read this whole thread and appreciate all of the sharing around tapering off sertraline and raising a family. As you all know it's an incredibly demanding and important job and it's so good to hear from other parents grappling with this. 

 

I just found this site not too long ago and after poking around I'm realizing I did an extremely fast taper off 75 mg sertraline to zero (over 4 months). I am 5 days or so into 0 mg and I feel...pretty awful. 

 

I have a lifelong sensitive temperament, history of trauma, and on sertraline since 2018 (see my signature) for depression, panic disorder and OCD. I've been working hard the last 4 years to build in other supports like therapy, exercise, eating well, social connections, creative endeavours. I also have a lovely 8 month old son. I stayed on sertraline throughout my pregnancy at the recommendation of my dr. Baby seems fine so far. Took me a long to convince my Dr. to support a taper. She basically said "go down by one pill per week (25 mg/week)" until 0 and you should be fine. 🤪

 

I have not been fine, which should come as no surprise to all of you! Some of my symptoms have included: 

 

-Extreme sensitivity to light and sound 

-Overwhelming sadness 

-Extreme irritability 

-Rage 

-"Creepy crawly" feelings especially during nursing 

-Headache 

-Nausea 

-Lack of appetite 

-Emotional flatness

-Hysterical laughing (lol) 

 

I am now at 0 mg and quite honestly feel quite emotionally numb inside, which is the exact opposite of what I was going for. I wanted to taper so I could be more emotionally engaged with my life and with my baby, and because I've felt stable and well for over a year. I feel sadder and more emotionally dead than I ever have. 

 

I also developed some sort of tic disorder while on sertraline, but wasn't diagnosed with tourette's syndrome. (I saw a neuropsychiatrist) Do other people experience tics with sertraline? Motor tics mostly. 

 

Thanks for reading/listening here. I think the advice would be probably to reinstate, with a much slower taper however I'm wondering about the technicalities of this. Seems like -10% dose per month is recommended? I live in Canada and have never been offered liquid sertraline. I have only ever been offered it in 25 mg capsules. Should I go back to my 75 mg and start all over again? 

 

I should say going on the drug I felt so awful at first I had to break open the capsules, make two piles of the powder and somehow ingest 12.5 mg to feel even remotely ok. 

 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added topic info before creating Intro topic

2018: sertraline 50 mg 

2020: sertraline 75 mg 

2021: failed attempted taper over 3 week period, sertraline 

September 1 - 10, 2022: alternating days 75/50 mg sertraline 

September 10 - September 30, 2022: 50 mg sertraline 

October 1 - 15, 2022: alternating day 50/25 mg sertraline 

October 15 - October 31st, 2022: 25 mg sertraline 

November 2022: two one-off 0 mg sertraline on weekends 

November 19, 2022: 0 mg sertraline 

November 24 - present: 25 mg sertraline 

Supplements: lion's mane tincture, daily multivitamin and iron supplement. Considering re-starting daily magnesium. 

 

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In reference to my previous post, I am going to take time to dive into the resources already shared here. My kid woke up and I realize I didn't delve in as deeply as I should - I will see if my questions are already answered here. Appreciate all that you do! 

2018: sertraline 50 mg 

2020: sertraline 75 mg 

2021: failed attempted taper over 3 week period, sertraline 

September 1 - 10, 2022: alternating days 75/50 mg sertraline 

September 10 - September 30, 2022: 50 mg sertraline 

October 1 - 15, 2022: alternating day 50/25 mg sertraline 

October 15 - October 31st, 2022: 25 mg sertraline 

November 2022: two one-off 0 mg sertraline on weekends 

November 19, 2022: 0 mg sertraline 

November 24 - present: 25 mg sertraline 

Supplements: lion's mane tincture, daily multivitamin and iron supplement. Considering re-starting daily magnesium. 

 

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One question I still have is if I should go back up to 75mg or stick to 25 mg while I figure out how to taper logistically.

2018: sertraline 50 mg 

2020: sertraline 75 mg 

2021: failed attempted taper over 3 week period, sertraline 

September 1 - 10, 2022: alternating days 75/50 mg sertraline 

September 10 - September 30, 2022: 50 mg sertraline 

October 1 - 15, 2022: alternating day 50/25 mg sertraline 

October 15 - October 31st, 2022: 25 mg sertraline 

November 2022: two one-off 0 mg sertraline on weekends 

November 19, 2022: 0 mg sertraline 

November 24 - present: 25 mg sertraline 

Supplements: lion's mane tincture, daily multivitamin and iron supplement. Considering re-starting daily magnesium. 

 

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I have re-instated at 25 mg/day, in the evening. It's day three of that and I'm starting to feel more like my usual sertraline self. Yesterday I had some mild mania symptoms, laughing, loud, erratic and a bit out of control feeling. Today I'm feeling much more stable. I made an appointment with my dr. to discuss my withdrawal symptoms, and I want to rule out anything else underlying that may be happening. 

 

I've taken magnesium in the past which has helped, so I'm going to start with that again. I also take a multivitamin and an iron supplement for anemia (will put in signature). 

2018: sertraline 50 mg 

2020: sertraline 75 mg 

2021: failed attempted taper over 3 week period, sertraline 

September 1 - 10, 2022: alternating days 75/50 mg sertraline 

September 10 - September 30, 2022: 50 mg sertraline 

October 1 - 15, 2022: alternating day 50/25 mg sertraline 

October 15 - October 31st, 2022: 25 mg sertraline 

November 2022: two one-off 0 mg sertraline on weekends 

November 19, 2022: 0 mg sertraline 

November 24 - present: 25 mg sertraline 

Supplements: lion's mane tincture, daily multivitamin and iron supplement. Considering re-starting daily magnesium. 

 

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  • Moderator

Hi @RaeOfSunshine

welcome to SA. Thank you for completing your signature. 

 

We would usually suggest a much smaller dose of sertraline reinstatement - maybe 2mg and if that is not sufficient to alleviate the symptoms go up slowly. Sometimes people's nervous systems are sensitized from going on/off/skipping doses and so larger introductions can cause adverse effects. If you are feeling ok on the current dose - it takes about 4 days for the effect to stabilize - you can stay on this and come down slowly after a while. In the meantime, it may be helpful to hold (not lower your dosage) for two months instead of one or until your symptoms have abated. 

 

From our experience with doctors we expect little understanding of withdrawal but you can still try. Here is a link to the experience of our members. https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/20161-how-to-talk-to-a-doctor-about-tapering-and-withdrawal-what-to-expect/

 

You may bring them this from the UK psychiatric body https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/23454-print-out-leaflet-guidance-on-stopping-antidepressants-by-royal-college/ as withdrawal is more accepted there than in the US. We also have links to articles that talk about withdrawal here: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forum/16-from-journals-and-scientific-sources/ if you need more ammunition. [It's a pity that we have to provide our doctors with the scientific sources.]

 

I am posting a few threads that might be able to answer your questions - one is specific to sertraline and will help you get the right doses and the other one is about tapering questions in general. 

 

 

Welcome again to our lovely community and hope you are feeling better. 

OMW

"Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig 

 

I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. 

 

In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. 

 

Aug  2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg,  xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn 

Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used)

Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up)

September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0

Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd

March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week

Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering)

citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg,  7/27/19 -1.5 mg,  8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg

 

Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate

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