I was taking my mums tablets for about a year, but then suddenly stopped them as they were becoming a source of my anxiety. Are these symptoms of withdrawal or something else?
- Brain zaps/electric shock
- Vivid dreams and nightmares that start as soon as I close my eyes. When I wake up and close them again, they start again.
- Some weird form of sleep paralysis where it feels like I've been shaken.
- Extreme tiredness/lethargy
- Alternating between tearfulness and numbness.
And know i shouldn't have taken my mums meds but I just need help and my doctors refused to help me.
Haven't been on that one but brain zaps, oh yeah as well as the mood swings. You need to wean yourself off of those meds. You gotta figure your brain has been receiving chemicals at full dose and then you shut them off. It is a shock to your system. I stopped Cymbalta and fell apart and my daughters have both had symptoms of the brain zaps sometimes even while on meds. You can google the medicine and ask how to wean off. Google is a great site and you can usually also go to the drug manufacturer site and get that info. Good luck!
Hi
I've been on sertraline for many many years. Most recently tried to come off them at Easter this year. The brain zaps were unbearable. So difficult to explain this feeling to anyone who hasn't experienced it.
Anyway, conclusion was that I shouldn't have tried to just stop the mess-needed to VERY gradually wean off them.
Started 100mg again (had been on maximum 200mg) and hey presto-brain zaps disappeared.
So I would defo just try to reduce rather than stop cold turkey.
I haven't experienced the dreams or the sleep paralysis but the tearfulness/numbness and the lethargy is a daily thing for me.
Your doctor can not refuse to help you. Where do you live?
Surely there is an alternative doctor who you can consult with?
I know you shouldn't have taken your mum's meds but that defo should not render you 'blacklisted' from medical advice and treatment? Report that GP.
Keep your chin up, you'll get there x
I live in England. Seems they're really reluctant to help me. Yet someone who doesn't even suffer from anxiety on a daily basis got all the help that would really help me! So frustrating!
There is but they always say the same
Thing. It's like they think I'm making it up or something. Which is ridiculous because you couldn't make this up!
Thank you so much!
Thank you! I've done a bit of research but there doesn't seem to be much about nightmares with sertraline withdrawal. Thank you for answering!
Well just as no two people may have the same side affects when taking, I doubt that we may all have the same ones getting off. Usually you can get all the affects mentioned by the manufacturer online from their website. I have always heard that they have to list ANY side affect mentioned by a user even if it isn't a real common one. I know I have had really weird dreams when a dr. prescribed me Abilify. 1 dr. have me a low dose and I was fine and then this other ignorant guy have me a big dose and I took one and had awful dreams and they told me to stop it immediately. I think you will have better luck weaning yourself off if possible or go to a dr. and let them know what is going on and they can help you get off.
But if I tell them I've been taking my mums meds won't I get into trouble? Thank you so much for your help!
I thought about that. I know they won't be happy but you need help. If you have a good dr. they should maybe scold you but not turn their back on you. It would be different if you were after something like a narcotic but with this you were trying to feel better mentally just like people do with drugs or alcohol but you sort of self medicated. We are ALL guilty of this in one form or another if there is a med there and we feel bad enough. I have been on these meds long enough to know that sometimes they have to wean you off while starting one med at the same time to avoid bad affects so talk to your dr. I think you will be glad you did and if one dr. doesn't have compassion go to another! I am currently on the search for a good GP who has some sense and knows what they are talking about. They all charge enough they should be REALLY good for what they do. Let me know what you do and how it goes!