Of all the reviews I've read, most people seem to have experienced intense withdrawal symptoms almost immediately after ceasing or tapering. I stopped using sertraline rather stupidly back in July via the cold turkey method and truth be told, I felt great. Zero side effects. Very slowly, I noticed a gradual increase in anxiety and nausea become aggressive. September, October, November, December, month on month the withdrawal has become atrocious. Flu symptoms, irate, quick temperature fluctuation, horrendous nausea. Whereas most medical sites stipulate that withdrawal symptoms will likely subside after 2-3 months, I'm going on month 6 and finding zero relief. Anyone else experienced gradual increase in withdrawal? Not a chance another of those pills will pass my lips. 3 years was more than enough!
HI Ian,
Yes, I was a victim of protracted withdrawal after going off Effexor rather quickly, post 12 years of use. I also was not hit with WD symptoms up front, but gradually I started having the brain fog and severe sweats that are hallmarks. Problem was, I blamed those on menopause! It wasn't until 5 months out and beyond that I got hit with the most severe anxiety, depression and insomnia the likes of which I had never in my life experienced!! I didn't realize it was withdrawal and neither did the five plus healthcare providers I saw and told I had gone off it that summer! It went on for 10 months before I ended up reinstating. I am now doing a very slow taper, and it will likely take me a couple of years to get off Effexor and Remeron, which I was put on before the Effexor reinstatement - didn't work.
And you are right that the docs and literature don't acknowledge protracted withdrawal and call it relapse. But how does that explain the folks who went on these drugs for pain, not emotional issues? They also get anxiety and depression in withdrawal!
So sorry you have landed in this situation. You might want to join the surviving antidepressents forum (do a search) and tell your story. There's a huge amount of info on that site and the mods are all very experienced and helpful.
Go to the 10% taper method link in this thread; it will take you to SA
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/depression-resources-298570
Yup withdrawal at 12 months, but it seems to be more anxiety and depression and a fear of changing anything like diet, exercise, too much stimulation and forget supplements....I always used supplements in the past...at Christmas I had acid reflux and took antacids and bingo depression set in....strange....this sertraline ruined the last twelve months of my life
Yup, the physical stuff seems to hit earlier and the emotional many months out. I've read of many accounts of people developing sensitivities towards caffiene, sugar, supplements (B12 and 6 can become activating), alcohol, certain foods, etc. all causing a worsening of symptoms.
They don't tell you about this part when they hand out the pills :-( If people knew before taking them, I bet many would never have started!
I tapered off them a couple years ago and had awful symptoms arrive 3 months after and they got so bad that I had to double my sertraline dose to get ride of them. This time I tapered off again and have symptoms but I am going to stick it out this time....I will not go back on those awful pills.
Thanks Betsy. Yeah I've heard the surviving antidepressants site is very useful. I was taking them to treat my OCD, the pure 'O' kind. Depression wasn't the big factor but that seemed to gradually enter the fray. Sertraline did make a vast improvement in my life for a period of time but the nonsense that came with it just got too much. Erratic behaviour, increased aggression and agitation then borderline suicidal and at that point just stopped completely.
Allison has your withdrawal been continuous or increased over the last 12 months? I've noticed it month on month get worse.
Was that during the taper before stopping? Aw, should have slowed down at that point!
Though at five months out a small reinstatement is iffy, it might be worth a try to see if you get symptom relief if. But I'm talking a TINY amount. Though it may not seem like it, your nervous system has done some healing, trying to return to balance without the drug. So, taking a "therapeutic" (ie. 40 mg) dose at this point would be way too much! You might try 5 mg.
Oddly, protracted withdrawal can be more severe and last longer by going off too quickly, though people think the faster they get off the faster withdrawal will be over. Just not true.
Anyway, if you join SA they can help you figure out your best move. My biggest worry about forging ahead is that sometimes people get stuck in a withdrawal wave that is very severe and months long, and suicidal ideation comes on because of the relentlessness. People are very at risk at these times, and sadly we have seen people give up. It is a true tragedy what coming off these drugs does to people, and the psychiatric community won't acknowledge it. At the same time, it is disgusting that people feel they have to stay on these drugs forever because coming off is seemingly impossible. At least with the micro-tapering method, it is possible to come off and have a softer landing.
I wish you peace and healing!
There was no taper at all and I'm at fault for that. My behaviour was getting that bit concerning and I just went cold turkey, not remotely contemplating what was around the corner. I could do with some form of relief however I'd prefer to avoid the whole rigmarole of going in again and even more side effects. Being involved in fitness, I was more curious about natural supplements, likes of tryptophan, St John's Wort, inositol, natural serotonin boosters. I've heard reasonable reviews about these supplements in relation to depression but nothing based on OCD treatment. Would just rather not go back down the road of depending on these pills unless my work/personal life begins to take a hit. Thanks again for your feedback
I tried the 5-htp, tryptophan and Sam-E route after coming off Effexor, but none of it could hold up to withdrawal! I think Sam-E might have made things worse ultimately because I've read that it can CAUSE anxiety!
I do think those supplements can help some people with depression as an alternative to meds, but only 1/3 or so of depressions are caused by low serotonin, or shall we say that 1/3 of people with depression were found to have low serotonin...they just don't know what causes depression as yet.
Ultimately, I think CBT type exercises that break circuits of dysfunctional thinking patterns and rewire healthier thought processes is the way to go!
I have been medicine sertraline free for 12 months and still having withdrawal....I was only on 25 mg. I was getting used to the anxiety but confusion and sleeping and not able to get back to eating properly....I lost 15 pounds because apparently all that serotonin comes from your stomach and if your stomach has bad flora.....depression sets in....so it is about balancing
I read that longer taper or shorter taper doesn't change the outcome.....one guy tapered quickly and had no symptoms and people taper slowly does change any outcomes...
Yup, it's a bit discouraging to read things like that. I think what really needs to happen is to slow the taper way down once you get below the minimum effective dose, especially when you've been on the meds years, not months. The problem with going ahead with a fast taper hoping you'll be a lucky one is that once the wheels come off the bus it is a lot harder to get them back on ;-) So the idea with the slow taper is that if problems are encountered with a small cut then you can back up to the previous dose and then do an even slower taper from there.
I've seen some ultra-sensitive types who have had to slow it way down to 1-2% and still have troubles DURING their tapers, let alone coming off. It just goes to show how much damage these drugs do to us. I'm resigned to the fact that I will have to do it soooo slowly it will take a couple of years, maybe more, but I will NOT resign myself to being on the drugs the rest of my life,
the only other alternative :-(
I do think there will still be post taper withdrawal with even a slow taper but that the idea is that it won't be as bad as it could have been.
And those that say they didn't have any trouble coming off..I'm dubious. I've seen several of those on this forum, but guess what? They ended up back on the drug. Why? They "relapsed." Well, I'm willing to bet they had the delayed withdrawal and just didn't recognize it as such.
Many people have an initial month or two where they actually feel great, before withdrawal sets in. I've read this described actually as a manic phase, which is in fact a withdrawal symptom in its own right. Just happens that it isn't unpleasant :-)
Not sure anymore.....I wish I could turn back time......these drugs are horrible and dr.s don't recognize these withdrawals are from the meds......strange everyone of us should band together to get these meds banned....I read so much that I am becoming desensitized from all this stuff....but I won't go back....apparently those last two horrible symptoms which is anxiety and depression are the last to leave.....people have reported this.....so fingers crossed
I have been off medicine for the last three years and has been a wave of good and bad.....I can finally see straight and no more constant dizziness and eating always needs to stay simple.....and lifestyle simple....and just over Christmas I got depressed....crying everyday......but I can at least think straight.....someone said about 14 to 16 month they reported symptom free....please let this be true
Sorry should have said off medicine sertraline for the past 12 months
I wish I had known when I was hit by the anxiety and depression, as maybe it would have made a difference and I would have pushed on Instead, I thought I was just incapable of life without the drugs and ended up back on them, rather angry about that!
I'm glad you have the awareness, Allison! It is so powerful to know what is happening and to find ways to distract yourself and nurture yourself through the worst of it. There are the few cases where people just stayed caught in the waves, but I think most of them had been polydrugged or switched around between drugs and their nervous systems became incredibly sensitized, "confused." Even still, healing happens! Have you found Monica's story at Beyond Meds? She is about the worst case and has still come so far and has the right attitude. Also, Baylissa Fredericks of Beyond Meds. She wrote an excellent self-help book for withdrawal called Road to Recovery.
I have seen lives lost at the hands of withdrawal, couldn't take it anymore, so I feel very passionate about helping others recognize this problem!
And yes, the more you research, the more overwhelming it becomes!
Allison did you find nausea a sustained side effect? It's getting so aggressive. The odd bit is I can't physically throw up.