Withdrawal from Sertraline 19 months off

Treatment and medication
1

Hello Everyone

My name is Lee (female)  I was on Sertraline for 9 years.  On December 3, 2011 my GP and I decided I should taper from Sertraline.  It took me a year and a half to get off it completely.  Thing is, Sertraline here anyway, comes only in capsule form, 25, 50 and 150 mgs. I had to taper 25 mgs at a time, albeit stayed on that amount for a good 4 months, then dropped another 25 mgs for another four months, and so on. 

On May 17, 2013, I was off completely.  While tapering I had a multitude of side effects which were mostly physical.  Pain in legs, groin, sciatica, IBS. I thought I was doing very well, but the worst of it started when I was off completely.  Started with head pressure, face pain, lightheadedness, migraines, they were mild at first, but when about 9 months off things got worse...I got some reprieves we call Windows, and the Waves are when you are in badly with WDs....around 11 months off.....things got even worse....visual disturbances depersonalisation, and all the above just got worse with anxiety and depression. 

I had a few Windows which were great...but now I am in another wave since two months now and It is one of the worst I have had....but I know through experience that this will pass too.

I hope this is not discouraging to some.  It is a very long haul for some. I am off 19months and still suffering....but it will get better, it is called discontinuation syndrome.  There are many success stories but for some it takes a good 2 maybe 3 years before we actually feel all better again.

So if you are in the same position I am...dont give up...you will get better..I have taken nothing to try to fix it....because really, in my opinion one best not try to take anything else to try to fix it.  I worked in a Psychiatric Hospital and believe me what I saw was not pretty.  People coming in with Life trials, trials we all face, divorce, deaths, losing a job, etc. only to be given antidepressants and then the trouble starts.  I have seen it.

Dont give up, and if you are taking antidepressants and are trying to get off them, please do it very, very, very slowly, never cold turkey.  And if you are on it and not intending to get off it, I wish you well on them.  No one should try to convince you to go off it.  That is only your decision and your doctors decision.

thank you for listen

If happy little bluebirds fly

Beyond the Rainbow

So can.......you.......and.....I

2

Thanks so much, you have really helped me with this. I thought I had a physical illness too, the Mount of side effects I am having xxxxxxxxx

3

Hi Lee

Thank you for your post ... I am currently coming off sertraline and my doctor suggested a further decrease which I was wary of..I will take your advice and take things slower.

I am so sorry to hear of the time you have had...from posts like yours on here, I realise the enormity of taking these tablets;  the side effects, the withdrawal symptoms. ..long term issues also. ..I know I have made the right decision to come off.

Thank you again and blessings x

4

Please do take it very slowly and I mean very slowly.  say you are taking 150 mgs.....if you have tablets....you shave off only 5 mgs at a time and stay on that for a good 4 to 6 weeks, and then another 5mgs and follow that regime.  It may take two years, but boy it is worth it...and you will be much better off   trust me.....

Good luck....and be brave.  You can do it.  We will do it  together.

Grab your coat and take your hat

Leave your worries on the doorstep

Just direct your feet

to the sunny side of the street

Love, Lee

 

5

Good luck to you Lee. It takes so long to successfully get off these meds. Side effects can last well over a year maybe two. At least you are not having Tardive Dysconisia symptoms, which are so often permanent. It sounds like you are firmly committed to getting off them. That's SO great!

6

Oh Yes I will get through this, I will .  I  have come this far and not about to give up.

No no Tardive Dysconsia symptoms but boy I have right now this new wave since two months.. from my neck up. Migraines every day, lightheadedness, facial pain, neck pain, depersonalisation, visual disturbances and I have 20/20 vision.  I have all the blood tests imagined, and a CT Scan of my head....I am absolutely healthy, nothing wrong at all.  Still I am suffering so much.  I forgot to say that about 14 months off I developped severe anxiety, cried when I woke up in the morning and most of the day, but you know what...that is all gone now.  Again I forgot to mention that I do have profuse sweating at night, my sheets are soaking wet and me too lol....but that seems to be getting better.  So you see some symptoms leave and other come....

I hope you are doing well and if not hang in there it will all get better, just need to be strong.

If happy little bluebirds fly

Beyond the rainbow

So can.......you.....and......I 

love

Lee

7

Sure you're not in menopause?!? 

biggrin)))

8

No, lol, not yet am 43 years old....no no sign yet....I am asked that all the time when I say I have those horrible sweats....No these sweats are strictly WDs.....one of many side effects...

Love

Lee

Keep a song in your heart and I will too      promise

9

Thank you Lee xxx

10

Lee I was wondering how you were doing. You and Resigned2B were the ones that put my fears at ease about 6 months ago. I thought I was going crazy as my Dr. told me withdrawls don't continue for that length of time. I knew they did because I know my body. I am now one year off Sertraline. I still awake most mornings with nausea and body tremours. I have low blood sugar like never before. I'm a witch with a capital B until I eat. I can only have one cup of coffee or anxiety sets in, this applies to one glass of wine as well. This was not the case before sertraline. My vision remains blurry. I'm hoping this will improve, if not I will need glasses! I will NEVER let a Dr. perscribe psychiatric drugs again. This like so many on here has been a nightmare for me. I am 85% after a year, hopefully the other 15 will return within the next year. I keep busy, I go to the treadmill at the gym three times per week doing 45-50 minutes, this does help.

I wish you all well on this journey ~ we'll make it. Merry Christmas and May 2015 bring us all Good health.

11

I hope people reading these will realized that these meds are 1.) Still in the experimental stage and WE are the experiments. And 2.) They were never meant for long-term use regardless how much your doctor pushes them. 

For some issues, there is not another option. But for MANY there are better, less risky ways than to simply pop pills!

Merry Christmas to all and a GREAT New Year!

12

Well said! 

13

aww Maureen bless you.....Yes indeed it takes many months and even a couple of years before we are better again.....Dont worry your vision will get better, everything will in time.  Just dont give up and think that maybe something else medication wise will help you.  It wont....

I am having a very bad wave this couple of months, but I have had mild ones too.  They come and go and we just have to go for the ride with them.  It will all pass.....just you wait and see....

stay well, be brave, and stare fear right in the face and let it be afraid of you.

Love

Lee

Keep a song in your heart and I will too   xxx

 

14

Yes indeed they are still in the experimental stage and we are the experiments.  They were never meant for long term use so very true.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you

And you are always wished the precious things that mean the most to you.

Love

Lee xxx

 

15

Thanks Lee as I mentioned before, you and R.B saved me from so much anguish. You are my saviours I was worried sick as to what was wrong with me! This site has been a great source of support, finding others experience similar symtoms for forever!

16

You will be just fine...I am here for you as much as I can be....trust me you will get better.

Stay strong now    promise....and it is okay to cry because we only cry when we have been strong too long....then we pick ourselves up again....

Love

Lee

xxxx

17

Hi Maureen...do you think the tablets have affected your vision? I am convinced they have mine!

18

I just found this forum and I am shocked that other people have the same withdrawal symptoms I have. Actually I didn't realize I was having withdrawal symptoms till I started reading some of these posts!  I have been on sertraline for years and years. At one point taking 200 mg nightly, plus another antidepressant in the morning (can't recall the name). Plus ambien nightly for years and years. I am sick of all these meds so I started tapering myself off of them. Am off ambien for a couple weeks now, and thought I was slowly weaning myself off of 150 mg of sertraline down to nothing, but after reading these posts I think I may have done it too fast. I have been having horrible night sweats, have brain zaps, my balance is off and I am not sleeping well. I didn't realize all these problems were related to going off the sertraline! I am going to take 50 mg tonight to see if I can sleep. I have been buying different mattress, sheets, blankets, turning my heat way down, all to no avail. I had horrible nightmare the other night and woke up just shaking for a while. I thought maybe I had a temperature. I will be following these posts for a while as I taper off this drug more slowly. Thank you all for posting all of your side effects. Whew!

19

Please do not go of Sertraline to quickly.  You must wean very, very, slowly.  If you have the tablet form you can buy a pill cutter and remove 5 percent at a time and stay on this amount for a month or so and then slice off another 5 percent and stay on it for a month and so on.  It may take you a year or more....but well, well, worth it.....you have been on this too long to do it any other way. 

Some doctors will wean you off too quickly.  Dont do it....please.

Good luck to you.

Love

Lee

Keep a song in your heart and I will too....

 

20

Thank you for your response. Should I go back to 150 and start over on tapering down? I was tapering down from 150mg to none over a month or so period. Yes I have a pill cutter.