Sertraline Withdrawal or Problems restarting

Treatment and medication
1

Hi, Sorry for the essay i am about to write...just wondering if anyone else has experienced similar or can offer advise.

Prescribed sertraline a few years ago for low mood. Stayed at 50mg the whole time (about a year) but had problems with sleep and weight gain so decided to withdraw.

Was advised to take 1 less per week over a period and eventually came off completely. Few weeks later I got (what I now know) were the heavy head and brain zaps.

Stupidly (as I now know) I would just take one tablet to resolve these symptoms until they appeared again. Eventually seemed to no longer get the brain zaps.

Probably 1-2 months since last tablet I begin to get the heavy head and concentration problems. Took 1 50g tablet and within hours was completely wiped out and exhausted. Next morning took another tablet and by the time I got to work was suffering with shakes, chills, high anxiety, feeling like head didn't belong to me. Racing mind, headaches. Came home from work to rest.

The next day the anxiety was so severe and all consuming. Couldn't relax, shaking, constant wind, knotted stomach, unable to calm my mind. Random thoughts popping into mind. Not yet able to return to work. Concentration and short term memory awful.

Went to A&E where doctor suggested a virus as he was doubtful that withdrawal could take so long to appear like this or that just taking two tablets could have effected me so quickly.

Given GP appointment next day and doctor prescribed diazepam for a week and to come back after that.

Prior to taking sert. for the first time I had minor anxiety but never experienced anything even close to this.

Is it possible that just re-taking the two tablets could have caused this? Or perhaps its just some late developing withdrawal.

Or could it be a relapse of illness with some new anxiety and taking the 2 sertraline was just a coincidence?

So confused and worried and feel like the docs don't seem overly interested but my nervous system and brain fog/disassociation is in overdrive and I am finding it so hard to cope and can barely sleep.

2

Hi Okapi,

Gosh I remember feeling like this once, I really wish I could take away your pain , it's awful I know, but it will pass I promise you.

I'm no dr , but I've been on sertraline for 14 months now, and have been trying to reduce over the last 3 months.

Now my personal theory is you are having a bit of both (withdrawal and the start up affects) and dr's are wrong you CAN have side affects just from one dose! The flu type symptoms sound like the withdrawals, I recently cut down to 25mg from a bit less than 50mg, I felt like I had the flu for a few days and was very low and tearful !!

The anxiety you are having sounds like the start up of sertraline, I was the same in fact it drove me to feeling suicidal.

I think now you need to keep taking them until you get well again. Then after few months , if you want to stop, you must do it very very slowly. The general advise on her is to reduce you're dose by 10% each month, or even longer depends how you feel.

Try and stick with it now, and use the diazepam to help at worst times, for me was mornings.

Keep chatting on here for support.

Big hugs to you xx

3

Thank you for the reply and support.

The diazepam doesnt seem to do a great deal...what dose were you taking?

I have a weeks prescription until I see the GP again so I will continue to take it.

I got scared after (what I assumed) was the reaction to restarting the sertraline so today took a quarter dose 12.5g in the hope that it might quell some of the WD without me taking such a bit hit of anxiety.

4

I used to take between 3mg and 4 mg, 3mg would keep the anxiety away, and the 4mg would put me to sleep, but I wouldn't always stay a sleep.

If I were you I would get. Ack on a 50mg dose and keep on it till I was ok again.

Then maybe summer time start trying to reduce it again slowly Hun. Xx

5

I'm so relieved to read your post, this is happening to me at the moment - I switched from Sert to Venlafaxine 3 weeks ago and felt ok at the time but I'm now struggling with very low mood, brain zaps, confusion and short term memory issues - my stomach feels full of wind and I'm getting pain in my lower gut, thick, heavy head - I have an appointment with my gp on Tuesday.   I came off Sert, no because it didn't work, it did, beautifully, but it caused 'intimacy issues' and that made me feel sad after many happy years in that department.

I'm not sure now what to do - whether to go back to Sert with its happy me but side effects, stick with Ven and hope the withdrawals go away or try something altogether different.

This maybe isn't of much help to you but I'm thankful for your sharing, it makes me feel much less alone on a day where all I really feel like doing is sitting with my head in my hands and having a good cry!

Sending much love your way and hope your doctor can give you some answers soon.

x

6

Thank you for your comment and I couldn't agree more. While very sorry to hear you are also struggling it certainly helps to have contact with others going through the same thing.

It is so difficult to know if the side effects are worth it...when you have no idea if, or when they may subside. Hopefully you have a very sympathetic Dr who can talk through all your options with you and with luck perhaps you see reduction in side effects soon.

I am not too confident in my Dr but it would have been a 3 week wait until I could have seen a different one at the surgery.

Take care of yourself and good luck with your appointment

7

hi, i am also trying to wean myself of 50mg of sertraline this past couple of months im now down to 25mg every day but this past week ive been feeling low mood little bit of anxiety tired and like im about to get the flu...i really want to know how long this will last and has anyone gone through this and came out the other side feeling themselves again x

8

Omg , we need to keep in touch, I'm on 25mg too now, and the flu thing lasts a week. It did for me anyway. I also got testy and quite low too. Just hang in there xx

9

thank you lattifa for getting back to me as horriable as it is to go through its good to know im not alone with this..are you starting to feel better or are you still feeling some of the horrid withdrawals ? xx

10

I have been given 5g diazepam but it doesn't seem to make a big difference. Should it kick in almost straight away or take a few hours?

I have brought my sert up to 25 mg and feel I will stick with that until I see my Dr next week. Felt like I'd turned a corner yesterday but not great again today.

P.s do you take your sert at night or in the day?

11

Thank you Okapi - I feel we need to keep in touch over this issue - how are you doing today?

I'm low as can be today and I'm not sure what to do, clearly the venlafaxine isn't helping.  The sertraline worked wonders for my mood it was just the side effect that was the problem - perhaps I have to make the choice to live with it as an issue and hopefully it may resolve over time or when the dose is lowered again when the days lengthen and I start to feel better again.   The venlafaxine is giving me horrible head zaps when I get to within an hour of needing the next dose and today I feel like my mood is in my boots - all I want to do is sit and cry, sorry, feeling very sorry for myself today - got my SAD light next to me in the hope that will help too.

Sending healing thoughts your way, I really pray things will work out well for you very soon, and you get some help from your doctors.

Look after yourself.

12

I actually went to work today for the first time in a week. Very anxious but I made it through and it give me less time to dwell on things even though I was only operating at about 10% capacity.

It sounds like you are having a horrid day and never apologize for how you are feeling. It is incredibly hard to cope sometimes.

Try and get to see your Dr...I know they often will say to stick with it for a while but sometimes the side effects are just not worth it.

Take care and keep telling yourself you are talking the steps necessary to try and get better or at least be stable and productive. You will beat these current terrible feelings

13

Hay, to be honest with you, I'm ok now, I get a bit anxious in the morning, but nothing major, I feel a bit NUMBER at certain parts of the day, and think to my self what is wrong with me, but again nothing major, as soon as I'm busy and around people , I'm comfortable and fine .

I'm going to stick at 25mg for a long while now I think. What about you?

14

I meant numb not number sorry

15

Really lovely to know that you're starting to feel better, this journey is so complex isn't it.

16

Thank you so much for your lovely reply.  I'm seeing the doctor later today, how ironic that this morning I feel so much better, the sun is shining, I got a good night's sleep and the world feels a better place to be . . . bad days can be so awful can't they but it was a real help just knowing that I'm not alone, thank you so much 

17

hi lattifa me too im not feeling as bad im trying to stay positive and tell myself that the withdrawals will soon pass which gives me hope ..im def stay on the 25mg for a long while as i dont want to come off them too fast i think a little bit at a time but we will get there :-)

18

I hope we do, I shal have you in my prayers. I honestly don't know how we will reduce the 25mg? As it's sooo small, but I guess we can think about that when we get to that point lol.

19

Hi Susan,

Thank you, it certainly is complex!

I am very interested to find out how Ad actually work in making people better. I've researched so much, but it doesn't seem to make sense. I know that it stops the receptors in our brains form re absorbing these things, can't remember what they call it Lol. But once you stop taking the AD then what?? If anyone knows more please let me know or send me a link, I'm just intrigued 🤔🤔🤔

20

Thank you i hope to keep intouch to see how you get on but for now i think we should stay on 25mg until we have been feeling good for a good while then when we are ready we can reduce it again..