☼ 302zoloft

[302zoloft]

I spent seven weeks reducing from 50 mg sertraline to 25mg and then at 25mg I suffered a lot with depression after three hours since I had taken the pill till about three pm. As the sertraline is most potent after three hours this sounded like a chemical depression to me, also I started on the medication three years ago for panic attacks, not depression.

 

I have now been off the medication for eight days. Some days I am okay, although I haven't been to work for three weeks now. But some days like today I cry intermittently, I have awful dizziness and brain zaps. Does anything help????? I am taking omega three fish oils, b complex vitamins with time release, prochlorperazine for the nausea and vitamins. I sleep most nights and not during the day, I try to eat healthily when I can manage to swallow food (this is a new thing for me, not being able to swallow as I wretch) and keeping as active as I can bearing in mind my fiancée is at work.

 

The gp has been no help; suggesting I just go back on it (I came off due to the side effects and wanting to start a family in the future), I have an appointment with a psych on Monday and I also have counselling and Accupuncture weekly. I am trying all I can to get through this but I am still struggling and I find it hard to trust the medical advice as they don't seem to understand.

 

Any advice would be warmly welcomed, although I know medically you can't. Just tips, personal experience, etc. I feel so hopeless and desperate.

Edited January 28, 2015 by cymbaltawithdrawal5600
added line breaks for readability

[302zoloft]

Hi, I am in the middle of what I think is SSRI Withdrawal. I started on 50mg of Sertraline/Zoloft about three years ago for panic attacks and anxiety. In that time I have done CBT courses, counselling and therapy to address issues and try and re-program my thinking. due to the side effects of zoloft, I spoke to my doctor (where I lived previously) about tapering - he suggested one tablet every other day, which I did for two weeks before having brain zaps, so he suggested reducing to 25mg but taking it every day as I explained the fluctuations in the "one-on, one-off" didn't agree with me. as my boyfriend and I had just bought a house, I said I would stay on the 25mg for a few months, until we had moved, settled in etc and I had spoken to the new doctor, as I would be in a different area. 

that was all about 8/9 weeks ago. 

 

I went through the stresses of the house purchase (solicitors, fees, surveys, moving etc) without too much issue and actually felt really good. Then a few weeks ago (W/C 5th Jan) I was back at work and came down with bronchitis so was bed bound for a few days - then out of no where I started to feel really low and was crying a lot (not like me). I had to take the following week off (W/C 12th Jan) as from about 10am to 3pm I was crying uncontrollably and feeling so low... As I take the sertraline at 7am (ish) and I have read that after three hours sertraline is at its peak and this is roughly when the crying would start and it ended in the afternoon, so it sounded to me like this was a chemical issue...

 

I went to the new GP and asked them about the withdrawal effects and was laughed at because 200mg is the highest dose, therefore 25mg was nothing and I should just stop. I protested and said I was obviously sensitive to the medication and asked about the liquid sertraline so I could taper off more slowly - this was laughed at too and dismissed...I was given Lorazepam and sent on my way.

 

The following week I went back to see another doctor at the same surgery and fortunately he was more understanding and thought I was a medical student because of all the information I was spouting about half lives etc. I explained to him the above and also that i hadn't taken my pill that day and so far so good... he agreed it sounded like it was the medication and suggested I take one 25mg every other day! ARGHHHH. I took it the following day and once again was in bed all day feeling horrendous - so I stopped. that was eight days ago. 

 

I am taking Omega fish oils, B vitamin complex, eating healthily (when I can as nauseous most of the day and start retching when I try and swallow food). Mornings are pretty bad to be honest - anxiety and feeling out of it. I know it doesn't help being at home on my own and I did try to go back to work this week after five days of no sertraline, but it didn't go well and I didn't even last half a day. I have been having weekly acupuncture sessions, as well as over the phone counselling and I have an appointment with a psych next week. 

 

I am struggling though! I try to keep busy doing things around the house, taking walks etc, but its a struggle. I also feel like the medical professionals I am seeing are of little help and don't seem to take this seriously. I have read a lot about taking one 20mg dose of fluoxetine/Prozac but my psych just told me on the phone that wasn't a good idea unless I was going to take it for a few weeks and be effectively back on SSRI's... He said he would recommend Diazepam to help with the side effects but feels they should be done in three weeks or I need to go back on.

 

I want to stay off the medication because I am tired of being constantly tired, I am tired of putting on weight no matter how much I work out - I have nearly doubled in size, I felt better for the first four weeks of reducing and as I am now engaged I am thinking we will have a family one day and I would like this out of my system well before we get to that point, so its not a mad dash to get off it etc. I feel like I have done a lot of work to control anxiety etc and I don't think that I should have been on the medication for as long as I have been - but due to moving home twice I think I got lost in the system as doctors don't read through your notes generally and what do they care if I stay on them indefinitely?

 

I want to feel like someone is on my side and not just support wise as I have my fiancee and family and friends, but someone medical who I can rely on and wont keep pushing me to just take the medication again because I dont think thats a solution. I understand that if the panic attacks return and I cannot manage them and it affects me day to day, then I will probably need to return to an SSRI but I don't think I am there yet. I am not being stubborn and refusing medical treatment, I just want them to understand that I was put on this a long time ago and I don't think I need to be on it anymore and due to the aforementioned issues it would be good to come off them.

 

I am at a point now where I don't think that re-instating would be helpful and I am desperate to feel more like myself again - happy, bubbly, confident etc which is why I have been reading a lot about the 20mg one off dose of Fluoxetine, despite what the psych says about one dose not doing anything... I am doing all that I can (I think) to try and get through this, but I am struggling.

 

Does anyone have any positive personal stories or suggestions on how to get through this, because right now I am Zo-Lost (My real name is Zoe). My poor fiancee has been amazing and as supportive as he can, but I think he is getting tired just as I am of not having the girl he fell in love with around anymore. Its so up and down - I have a couple of okay days and then BANG one or two low days. The dizziness is the worst its been today to the point when I had to lie down as I couldn't move without banging in to things.

 

All advice and what-not appreciated!!

Edited January 28, 2015 by cymbaltawithdrawal5600
added line breaks for readability

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

3z,

 

I moved your first post into the thread you started for yourself in our introductions forum, welcome to the site!

 

Unfortunately, you doctor has given you some erroneous information: any dose of zoloft has an effect on a person. When he suggested you alternate doses to come off the drug, you probably at that point started to suffer from 'withdrawal syndrome' and taking a steady dose for a long period of time might have enabled you to stabilize. But then you stopped the medication and are now feeling the effects of coming off it too rapidly.

 

It may help to reinstate a small amount of zoloft and stabilize on that and then taper off it very slowly. Switching to another medication (even a 'one off' dose of prozac) is not recommended at all and may in fact make you feel worse as you are now exhibiting signs of destabilization.

 

I am afraid that continuing to stay off the medication will leave you feeling much worse. You will recover eventually but it will take a very long time. If you are wanting to do that then see all of the topics in our Symptoms and Self Care forum for non drug techniques to deal with symptoms. Read especially the pinned topics at the top of the forum.

 

And thank you for filling out your signature. Please continue to post questions and updates in your topic here and others will visit and add their comments too.

 

These 2 topics have a lot of important information:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-stop-withdrawal-

symptoms/

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-recovery/

[302zoloft]

Thank you for replying! I am starting to feel like I need to go back on to the Sertraline, but I dont know how much? I have 50mg tablets and I can only cut them in half which limits me to the amount I can take.

Do you know how long it might take for me to feel myself again if I start taking Sertraline again? I really dont know what to do as I want to come off these ultimately but it is so risky. Especially when trying to hold down a job and a relationship. I just want to be myself again as the last three weeks have been hell. Thank you in advance for replying.

[302zoloft]

sorry - me again. is there any merit in taking fluoxetine and tapering off that eventually? Just while the sertraline hasnt been in my system for over a week now so I thought maybe I could move to Fluoxetine?

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

No and in fact switching to prozac might make you feel a whole lot worse. Just because there may be 'no sertraline left in your system' means nothing at this point, your body has remodeled itself around the drug you took on a daily basis for almost 5 years. That is the drug it is used to and prozac and zoloft are nothing alike. If you are determined to start prozac anyway then that is your decision. Your doctor really does not have a clue about how to help you feel better at this point. Your best bet is to reinstate a small amount of the drug you were on (perhaps 10 mg might do the trick) and then taper slowly off that only after you feel stable. That could take weeks or months, there is no way for us to predict how long.

 

Is your zoloft in tablet or capsule form and did you read the topic on how to taper off zoloft?

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1441-tips-for-tapering-off-zoloft-sertraline/?hl=zoloft

 

It comes in a liquid which you can dilute as you taper or you can make your own by diluting your meds with water:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

Please read the whole topic and get familiar with the process of diluting, measuring, etc. and be sure to ask questions here in your topic if you are unsure.

 

Did you read the other links I gave you? They are crucial in understanding what is happening to you.

[302zoloft]

Thanks - yes I have read all of those over the last three weeks. I just don't understand how i was doing fine on 25mg for nearly two months - not like I had changed it and then BAM, straight after being ill I suddenly had that awful depression etc which I associated with withdrawal. 

I am so scared of making the wrong decision - go back on a low dose, stay off, wait till the psych next week, try st johns wort etc etc. And I know there are no definitive answers or someone to say do this and it will be okay - I think that's what I am struggling with; the realization that no body really knows or understands it.

 

I asked for the liquid form (I have a tablet currently) but the GP said he would only prescribe that to people with issues swallowing pills and as I had been taking the pills for over three years I obviously didnt have a problem.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

But you halved  your dose and your body finally registered the reduction in the dose some time later when your body was stressed with an illness OR just because enough time had passed. An increase in any 'emotional' symptoms (such as a 'depression') often is the first sign your body may be starting to feel ill as it tries to cope with a reduction in the dose of a drug it has come to depend on for a long time.

 

Any physician can prescribe liquid zoloft, it does not have to be your gp or a psychiatrist. You can try printing out the information on wd syndrome and the wisdom of a slow taper and take them to your doc but be aware that he may just pooh pooh your information and not believe it since it 'came from the internet'.

 

In the meantime, if you have a kindle you can start reading 'Anatomy of an Epidemic' by Whitaker which will give you some background on the enormity of this problem.

 

You are well within the time frame for restarting the drug and doing a slow taper. I did not get this information until I had been off the drugs for 5 months and by then it might have made me very ill were I to restart them. I found this site because I started feeling very weird and through reading I found out why. I felt better after a while till the end of my first year off the drugs and then protracted withdrawal hit and I was destabilized for most of a year. I am just now starting to come out of it. Going cold turkey off these meds is definitely not recommended.

 

You could also try 5 mg if you want and this might be enough to stop the uncomfortable symptoms, the weepiness and 'depression' but it will take some time to truly feel 'yourself' again.

[302zoloft]

thank you very much for your help. I will try and reintroduce a small amount of sertraline tomorrow and hope that helps until I get to the psych next week. I definitely think I need to find a supportive GP who will prescribe me the liquid form so I can taper off gradually. There is only one permanent GP at the new surgery where we have moved to - the rest are all locums and so its hard to get help as you wont be able to see them regularly.

 

I will also look at Anatomy of an Epidemic. 

 

I don't know why no one has started a clinic to help people coming off, or pay to research it - I would pay good money (well I am with the private psych and the acupuncture) to speak to someone who has more information and can help get through this. 

 

thanks again for your time and advice.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

 

I don't know why no one has started a clinic to help people coming off, or pay to research it - I would pay good money (well I am with the private psych and the acupuncture) to speak to someone who has more information and can help get through this.

 

Welcome to our world. There's no money in something that no doctor believes can happen but a tremendous amount of money to be made in prescribing these drugs. The pharmaceutical companies have made sure of this.

[302zoloft]

There is a lot of money though - if someone did the research, or if every person who has/is suffering with withdrawal put in say £10, I bet there would be more than enough to start researching the effects, the best way to get off and remedies to deal with the withdrawal. If I wont he lottery, thats what I would do. Its so irresponsible that the pharmaceutical companies can make this drug but not research it right the way through. 

Or if I was president or something I would say that the doctors had to take these meds at least once to see what its actually like!! Dishing them out like nothing and saying that 25mg is nothing etc - its ridiculous. 

I dont know if it works the same way here in the UK as the USA - not sure the doctors make anything out of prescribing the drugs. In fact part of the reason they wont prescribe me the liquid is because they have a budget and as we have the NHS everything revolves around that budget... the liquid is more expensive than the pills, hence his reluctance to help me out.

[Flowers]

Hi!

 

Just been reading your thread and can really sympathise with you. So sorry that you are going through this bad time.

 

A similar thing happened to me last year when a Dr told me to come off a different but similar  drug to yours too fast. Thankfully I found this site and have had some good advice and support. CW and the rest of the moderators really know their stuff and have helped me so much.

 

I was in the same spot as you. Being offered valium by the Dr and not knowing whether to take that or more of the drug I was trying to get off!  Everyone here steered me in the right direction to make my decision.

 

I live in Spain but am British and my GP in Britain when I lived there could write out a private prescription if he thought I needed something not available on the NHS. You take it to the chemist and pay in full. I don't know if that is still the case as I have been here over 10 years but might be worth asking.

 

I wish you well and if I can be of any help please let me know.

 

Flowers xxx

[302zoloft]

Hi flowers, thank you for your reply.

 

I'm so weary of making a wrong decision. Did you come off your ad or still tapering?

 

I have seen lots of information about taking one 20mg dose of fluoxetine and also people talking about Benadryl. I'm scared to take the sertraline again because of how the quarter dose made me feel last week or reinstating the 50 mg dose which I know worked for over three years.

Mental health being messed around really is a sh*t feeling. I hope the psychiatrist next week is good.

[Flowers]

Hi again!

 

I am fairly new to all this too as my real problems started late last year. I don't know much about the fluoxetine or benadryl I am afraid. I think CW gives pretty good advice that trying anything different right now may not help you.

 

What I have experienced with withdrawal is that no day is the same. Some days can be awful the next much better. I think this is the pattern so it may be that you feeling bad when you took your pill last week was just a coincidence. Food for thought.

 

I hadn't come off my AD altogether and my withdrawal symptoms started about 6 weeks into the reduction. My symptoms were so debilitating and severe I couldn't walk or do anything for myself. I learned from here that my central nervous system was probably in crisis trying to cope without the dose of drug it had been used to for years. Although it's only natural to want the quickest way to get well and the drugs being offered were tempting, I really didn't want to give my system anything else to upset it even further.

 

I decided to take the advice given here, keep it simple  and started to updose. Once I had made that decision ( which wasn't easy with my brain in such a state) I felt a lot better.  It has been a few weeks since then. It has been tough but  on the whole I am slowly improving. I am just trying to stabilise and feel well and then I will consider a very slow taper off.

 

Of course whatever you decide is personal, it has to be right for you.

 

Keep us posted as to how you are doing and if I can help anyway.

 

Flowers xxx

[Rhiannon]

Sounds like you're getting some solid advice. I'd recommend a reinstatement at a low dose, then just hold with that until you are feeling pretty stable, then taper slowly off the last bit of the med.

 

Since you were taking 25 mg until a week or so ago, if you can't get the liquid or work with a scale, you might go back to the 25 mg and stay there until you get a chance to get the rest of the taper organized.

 

It's not unusual for people to be in a sort of fragile/stable state in withdrawal, where they're doing okay until a life stressor comes along, and then it really knocks them for a loop, way more than you would expect. That's pretty common and not surprising. 

 

As far as that last 25 mg not mattering, your doctor is ignorant. Literally ignorant, not stupid, just completely uninformed. It turns out that the most changes in receptor occupancy take place in those lower, small doses.  See this:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6036-why-taper-paper-demonstrates-importance-of-gradual-change-in-plasma-concentration/

 

You can print that out and take it to him, although he may not care.

[302zoloft]

I was hesitant to start the sertraline again because of how I had been feeling the past two weeks and having not taken any for over a week, so I took 20mg fluoxetine. Today has been much better and I feel more like myself. My appetite has improved.

I think when I see the psych on Monday I will ask to go on to medication again and retry tapering down next year. I can't afford to be anything but myself at the moment; had three weeks off work, want to enjoy our new house and my engagement and have a holiday coming up in June. I think I need to better prepare for the taper; find a supportive doctor, get liquid form, go to the gym, maybe do some meditation courses etc. I just want to be armed next time as I dnot want to feel like this again. Slight step back but for the best I think. And won't not come off in the future, but enoughs enough right now and I need to be back on track. Thanks for all your help. Will let you know how I get on with my appointments next week if you like.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Please add to your signature that you started on prozac instead of zoloft so we don't get confused. You won't be starting a zoloft taper then.

[302zoloft]

I haven't, I just had one 20mg dose as it was said to help withdrawal. Will update after next week when I know what's happening.

[nz11]

 I hope the psychiatrist next week is good.

I am not holding my breath.

 

302 you have been given the best advice in the world, believe me, and my heart just sank when i read you have now taken 20 mg prozac.

 

My feeling is if you have to be 'back on track' and have to take something stay with the drug you were on. At the moment you could well be heading down the medicated train wreck track.

 

This may not cover the zoloft wdl and you could end up in a couple of months in brain chaos and back on the zoloft anyway and in a mess.

 

And you have a job and an engagement as well ...oh my !

 

Personally i would be putting marriage plans on hold until you are well clear of these drugs.

Not to be fair on you but to be fair to your spouse to be. Am i out of place to such a thing ...perhaps i am. I am sorry.

 

302 Decide where you are going for instructions and that is the first decision you need to make.

 

Personally you will not be informed or helped by seeing a psych 'no good thing will come from it'

They will not acknowledge ssri wdl.

You are currently in the middle of a sky dive, two expert instructors who have done this and taught people for years are giving you instructions they are saying do abc and you have turned and said thanks but i think i am  going to do xyz because i think thats a good idea and also i now want to put your advice on hold  until i hear from some dogdey skydive instructors on the ground who have never done skydiving and are reading from a fraudulent instruction manual.

[302zoloft]

I joined this site for support; not for instruction or to be chastised when I didn't follow said instruction.

As far as my engagement; if you read that properly you would see we aren't getting married anytime soon I just said I wanted to enjoy my engagement.

Pretty disappointed with the above message. Will deactivate as has done more harm than good.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

We are sorry to hear you feel this way. You are not likely to get any support from your doctor on how to taper safely off these drugs because they won't even admit that the drugs's discontinuation causes any kind of withdrawal syndrome. The drug companies have diligently worked to keep this information hidden. If his suggestion is to have you take a 20mg prozac and everything will be fine, we are here to tell you that that is not likely to work. Any good feeling you got from that is because your system needs something in the way of an antidepressant in order to stave off 'withdrawal syndrome'. Continuing to stay off the drug your body has modeled itself around is only closing the window in which reinstatement is likely to work. You do risk becoming very ill the longer you are off the drug. It may happen sooner or up to a year after you have been off the drug.

 

If you are serious about deactivating your account all you have to do is stop logging onto the site. Instructions are here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/246-how-to-use-this-site-questions-and-answers/page-3?p=63344#entry63344

[302zoloft]

My doctor does recognise ssri withdrawal (one of the three) and so does the psych; I asked before I made the appointment with him

 

Prozac has a longer half life and therefore the withdrawal from that should be minimal as and when I taper off. As I said before, I want to settle on the Prozac and now put off the withdrawal until next year or the year after as this has been the worst three weeks of my life.

 

I appreciate advice etc but I don't see why if I dong take that advice I get chastised?

 

Don't forget that I live in England, not America so it is slightly different.

[Addax]

Just in case you haven't already stumbled upon it here's a link to the prozac bridging thread:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1463-the-prozac-switch-or-bridging-with-prozac/

 

I hope you'll stick around SA and keep us updated on your progress.

 

I know people are leery of the idea of switching meds when experiencing withdrawal symptoms because there's no real way to predict the effect it will have. I've only ever really been on Prozac/Fluoxetine so I have no experience to share. I have been told that it's better to reinstate the last medication you were taking because if it worked for you in the past it may work again. But as you can see in the above link I provided, people do switch over to prozac. There's risk involved in doing either and the road to stabilization may be a little rocky. Once you decide what you want to do the key is to remain on a stable dose for sometime of whichever drug you choose.

[302zoloft]

Thank you addax for those links. I have read a lot about crossing over and tapering slowly off Prozac. I am holding on until I see the new psych on Monday to see what he thinks. I know that I have been suffering with withdrawal and I know that sertraline has a short half life and I have read a lot about this and feel that personally for me changing would be better, then a slow taper off Prozac.

Everyone is different and I can only relate to how I felt over the last few weeks and how my body has been and this is my decision. I do appreciate constructive comments but I don't want to be made to feel bad about this. It's hard enough as it is.

I am also changing gp surgeries as I don't have the right support from this one and as we recently moved I wasn't aware of their shortage of doctors. So I found a new surgery with more doctors and will hopefully be able to be guided better by one of them long term.

Thank you again addax. Will update on Monday after the psych appointment.

[nz11]

Sorry you feel this way 302. Look no-one is chastising you, i am simply pointing out that the road ahead is not an easy one if you choose to go this way.

 

"Prozac has a longer half life (A) and therefore the ('B') withdrawal from that should be minimal as and when I taper off. "

A is true but it does not infer B. More often than not the wdl is simply delayed.

 

302  did your doctor advise you of the side effects of prozac did he tell you of the sexual damage it can cause (check out page 14 of the 27 page PIL for prozac....hey did you know that psychologist researchers did a study on memory and they found when a person is given a long list of things to remember they will usually remember the first couple and the last couple on the list and very little inbetween ...funny how Lilly put the sexual damage info bang smack in the middle of the 27 page PIL ...its on page 13 and  a half exactly) or its addictiveness. You doctor did give you the PIL for prozac ...didnt he? Why is Lilly putting this side effect in there ...because they are running out of money from being sued and want to stop settling out of court with people who are now suing them because Lilly are destroying more sex lives than the local vet...thats why!

 

Did he explain to you the fraudulent way it was commercialized ...see my intro topic post #35

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7571-nz11-climbs-onboard/

 

think it is all made up well here is virapen admitting it.

http://expandedconsciousness.com/2015/01/21/former-big-pharma-exec-35-yrs-blows-whistle-corruption/

 

Why would you want to sit around on this drug for a year or two the addiction will be deepening by the day.

 

You plan was to get off drugs right ? thats why you tapered off the sertraline..right ? But you have now gone straight back onto drugs ...

Its far better to ri and taper off the drug you were on, you have a zoloft/sertraline addiction a zoloft altered brain. 

 

Look at the end of the day its your decision ....but shouldn't we be making decisions from a fully informed position, i feel you may not be as informed as you possibly could be at this stage.

 

These are not medicines they are very dangerous chemicals.

I am not sure that trying to remove the pain of breaking a cocaine addiction by using  heroin is a great way to do it.   What do you think?

302 i hope you dont deactivate your account and i hope you stick around and keep us updated. Hey why not prove me wrong. ..that would be something worth sticking around for eh.

I wish you well .

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

This person has had some experience with trying the 'bridge', I am going to try to look for more but it may take a huge amount of time. I am in the process of seeing if I can update the information in that topic with some examples of people who have tried it.

[302zoloft]

So what, I got back on to 50mg sertraline? Then taper down 10% every six weeks? Even though I have been off it over a week and now have Prozac in my system?

[nz11]

Hi 302

i thought a mod might have been in by now but as not i will table some cards as you may be on standby for traffic directions.

 

First of all the taking of prozac for one day only  imo is nothing in the big scheme of things ...i mean its not like you have been taking it for a month or two or even a week ...so don't stress over that. Just dont take it again.

 

Secondly being off sertraline only a week is not long the ri door is still revolving...it would be a different story if you had been off for say 2 months  and so you can still go back on very easily. imo .Now where to go back to thats the question.

You took sertraline for 3 years and tapered over 7 weeks ..thats a very fast taper for 3 years use. The 10% taper per month is rec here and i think you already know about it.

 

Rhi above has suggested to go back to 25mg. 

This is where i have to step back and let you or the mods decide the reentry point.

 

Good luck.

[Fresh]

Hi 302 , welcome.    

You may find that a smaller dose of sertraline does the trick , i.e. halts the process of increasing withdrawal symptoms.  Obviously , it's better for your future taper if you can stabilize at a lower dose.   You could perhaps try half  25mg.   After a few days you'll have a sense of improving or not.  Then you can decide if 50mg is appropriate.

Don't worry about taking the Prozac - it's done now.   Everyone is different and this is a tricky time for you , so try to make as few changes as possible. Your system is fragile , but I'm glad the Prozac made you feel better for a while. 

Best wishes ,   Fresh

[R187]

Hi Zoe, your sertraline story sounds similar to mine. I was on sert for the final time for only 6 months - 50 mg. I got stomach pains 3 months in and cut in half to 25mg for 3 months then stopped. WD hit me approx. 6 weeks later. I found this site after around 3 months of stopping. I didn't reinstate but was very ill for a long time(am doing much better now though still do have symptoms)Looking back now, I possibly would have gone back on say 12.5 mg sert and tried to stabilise on that but hindsight is a wonderful thing. I was a different person 3 years ago and had no idea what this drugs were capable of doing. Anyway! I'm in the uk too and my experience with the NHS and tapering was similar to yours. I was unable to get sert liquid but they did offer a switch to Prozac which I refused to do. Take care x x x x

[302zoloft]

Thanks all for your replies. I hit rock bottom today and actually have had to come home to my parents. I called the psych I am seeing on Monday and he said not to take any sertraline (I took 25mh today as was so desperate but then felt like I was losing my mind) and no oxazepam which a gp recommended. I have Valium to cover me until Monday when I meet the psych so will see what he says; he arranged that kindly so my mum could go pick it up from the hospital. I have also purchased various books on the kindle and am reading them. I really feel for anyone going through this and never knew how bad this could get. I'm desperate to be back to myself as i am a shadow of the confident, happy person I have been. Just have to hold on for a couple of days until I see this guy. He has been more than helpful so far; always taking my calls, despite having not seen him yet. I really was at my wits end this morning and very fearful of the spiral taking place. I have been keeping a diary and am trying to keep my head above water but it is hard. My poor fiancee is finding it hard too as there is nothing he can do (another reason to come to my parents; so he can have a break). I am so angry at the dismissive doctors and being told what I have been so far. I still have hope that this will be okay but I realise it's not going to be an overnight fix. Please keep me in your prayers or send good vibes.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Oh dear, this is definitely not what we would have wanted to hear. But the best thing is that you are safe and in the care of people who love you and that should relieve some of the stress.

 

When you see the doc on Monday, please keep in mind our advice and let us know what he says, ok? Sometimes the docs think throwing a bunch of meds at the problem will work and we have seen that backfire time and time again.

 

I did not get hit with withdrawal syndrome until after I had been a year off meds. Thank goodness I had been reading here the whole time so I knew what was happening and how to cope. It will take a while for this to turn around but it will eventually if you are mindful of what we have cautioned. The pinned topics at the head of the Symptoms and Self Care forum have a lot of good information you will find very helpful about what is happening to you.

 

We are definitely all pulling for you, rest assured.

[nz11]

yep thanks for the update 302

i was going to post that we hadnt heard from you and i was getting worried. I held off as you said you would update us on Monday.

 

As CW said it is good you are in a safe place at the moment.

[Fresh]

Sorry to hear 302.   Good that you're in a safe place. It may get worse before it gets better , but this isn't forever and you WILL recover. 

Watch out for feeling worse after adding Valium - there's a thing called a Paradoxical Reaction and it can bring on rage etc  and leave you feeling even more unsettled than you do now.

Like nz said above , the doctor will give you his best advise/opinion , but you're getting a more knowledgeable perspective here from others who have been through this , and gotten out the other side.

xxx    Fresh

[Karma]

Hi 302

 

I know you are in a bad place and I am sorry to hear of your suffering.  I hope the appointment on Monday goes well.  We will be here to support you.

 

I just want to give you a little hope.  When I found SA I was suffering irrational fears, anxiety and insomnia ... and probably a few other symptoms I just can't recall.  The advise I received here allowed me to find my balance and begin to stabilize.  Now a few years later I am continuing to work a demanding full-time job.  I have a happy, full life.  I can appreciate the beauty around me and I am joyful more times than I'm not.

 

Full disclosure, I am still working my way off of my drug cocktail, but the important part is the "happy, full life ... appreciate the beauty around me ... joyful more times than I'm not."

 

Hang in there, you can feel better.

 

Love and light,

Karma

 

[Babs]

Sorry things have gotten so bad for you ... but have to say this is often what happens with a cold turkey or too fast taper.  I hope your doctor will put you back on Zoloft to you can stabilize and do a proper taper.  Since it has been such a short time I think you could go back to your original dose, or at least half of that.  I've seen very few people have success with the Prozac bridge.  Some who claim they did actually ended up back on drugs a short time down the road so it's questionable whether or not it really was a success.  Please don't take offense if some of the advice here has felt like a scolding ... often things don't translate well over the internet and we truly do all have your best interests at heart.