Can I please please assure you - you might be reading horror stories all over the internet. But please remember the people who did have a good experience with it and didn’t have withdrawals aren’t leaving comments. They don’t have the need to turn to the net for help so you don’t hear from them. You only see the bad experiences which might be a smaller group than you realise.
Just want to make sure that’s acutely aware in your brain!
Thanks for the reply, to be honest I haven't been reading horror stories as much as having bad experiences. I've tried several times to wean off and have not yet been permanently successful. I guess you could say I get a bit closer each time. I've been on it for so long, I think that in itself is what makes it so difficult, unless I simply can't function without it. But I made it to 23 without it so I simply can't accept that.
All these comments confirming that 25 -> 0 is the most difficult step is reassuring 👍
Yep I was absolutely fine coming down until 25-0, until I started shaving the pill down instead of taking 0. Even if it’s psychological, it helped to think I was taking 7, 6, etc.
A word of advice would be to always talk to your doctor and wean off this drug with their guidance. Everyone is different and react differently to the drug so experiences can most definitely vary person to person…
My experience has been easy so far. My dr had me drop from 200mg/day to 50mg/day about 3 months ago. I was nervous because it seemed like a big jump, but I felt almost no different. She said if I felt worse I could alternate 100mg one day and 50mg the next but I never felt the need.
I’m now down to 25mg/day and can’t wait to get off for good! This medication helped me a lot during a very dark period in my life but things have changed for the better (as they tend to do 😉) and I’ve been so ready to get off!
Good luck OP, and remember to listen to your body and don’t be afraid to call your doctor if you have questions or are stuggling as you taper off.
Thanks for your comment, I have been following Dr's instructions and details aside, I'm having the most trouble going from 25mg -> 0. Been taking it over 20 years with 100 being my greatest dose.
Like you this medication has helped me immensely but it's time to move on and get some emotions back
Oh wow, it’s been almost 2 years on the medication for me and I didn’t expect to be on it this long, honestly! that is a long time so i’m sure it’s your body just getting used to functioning without the drug. I wish you the best of luck OP, I know you’ll get there!
And of course! :) happy to share my experience! I too have been going through the tapering process so i have been finding it helpful to see how others are doing going through it!
I was on it for like probably 7 years total but off and on. Latest stint was 3 years on 50 mg but I tried to go off about a year ago and it was really tough. 50 -> 25 was bad and 25 to 0 was worse. Weeks of feeling fucked up. And I had quit my job recently (bad time to go off meds) so I got depressed pretty quick and spooked and went back on to 50 after about 4 months. Gonna try again to go off soon now that I have more stability. I think I’d try to do the weening much more slowly this next time. Is it possible to get a 25 mg pill that you could break in half to do 12.5 mg for a while before 0?
Hey thanks for the reply. I also wonder about breaking in half. I'm assuming that it comes in a tablet in different countries or areas. Another user commented about purchasing a pill splitter. Where I am, it's a capsule, so opening it leaves you with a pile of powder, and as far as I know the pharmacy does not give out empty shells. If they knew I wanted to alter my prescription I'm quite certain they wouldn't sell it to me. I've decided to go with 25mg every other day and see how the zaps end up, then maybe every 3rd day etc. Yet I suspect that in the end no matter what the dose, switching to 0 will still be difficult
Hi, I did end up getting off completely for a little while, I had been taking Wellbutrin to assist with brain zaps and it really helped up until 25mg-0. That last step is the hardest. Basically it was like having lived last 20 years using a crutch after a knee injury, I hadn't developed the necessary muscles and was limping along alright until I had to react quickly and blew out the knee again. So I ended up back on it, however at least on a lower dose than previously, and paired with wellbutrin which helps with the sexual dysfunction.
My takeaway from the experience is that I wish I had paired the drug with therapy when I had started taking it, but was too young, stupid and poor to do so.
I think it’s possible to be predisposed to anxiety or depression, and sometimes we forget that we felt uncomfortable before starting medication. There’s no shame in being on medication ❤️
No shame to being on medication, but medication only treats symptoms and all doctors are taking guesses based on symptoms and maybe (if youre a small minority) actual tests. And with side effects. Medication is a tool for the tool box, but anxiety and depression are absolutely able to be impacted by life style and therapeutic practices.
For me, I needed medication to get my baseline and symptoms under control enough to even start addressing root problems with therapy and life style. "Pills don't teach skills" is accurate and speaks to treating symptoms doesnt build out the tool box further. Nothing wrong with being on pills for the rest of ones life- but especially for anxiety and depression, other tools should definitely be built out. OP sounds like they never had explored these tools in parallel.
This is how I feel. I needed the zoloft to actually build the toolbox. I'm weaning off now as I've been on it (37.5 mg) for two years and steady for the past year and a half. Did you stay off meds with the changes? I did therapy, developed ACT and CBT skills, yoga every morning, I know how to meditate now, Journaling, also got a much better low key job. So I think I'm good - I just keep seeing stories of people getting off then hitting horrifying anxiety and having to get back on so your comment sounds promising.
Tears in my eyes reading this. Zoloft has caused DE for the past 10+ years I’ve been on it. Life is getting better and I have to get off this stuff or at least lower my dose. Thank you for sharing
Went off zoloft last summer. As someone else stated, you should talk to your health care provider before. I had been on it for three years.
I went from 100mg in July to 0mg in October, dropped the doses as I felt ready in 25mg increments. The first one was easiest for me, the last one down to 0 the hardest. I had brain zaps, brain fog, dizziness, anxiety and a slew of other symptoms, mainly concentrated to the first week of cutting.
My biggest withdrawal symptom was weight loss, went from like 85kg to now at 67kg, and that weight loss in itself has messed up my hormones a bit, so I wouldn't necessarily attribute that to cutting zoloft. The weight was roughly the same amount I put on while on zoloft so I'm grateful i was able to lose it again.
I don't regret going off zoloft, even if my anxiety is back and some days are harder to manage. I feel like I have access to my full range of emotions again which was my main reason to quit. Haven't relapsed yet even if I have days where I'm tempted to start again just to 'quiet the mind'. But I do think the pros outweighs the cons in regards to staying off them.
I so appreciate your response here, I am 5 days at 0mg after titrating 50mg down to 25mg. These symptoms are bizarre, I’ve been taking Benadryl to help with the anxiety and it does help the zaps a bit too, but even working out isn’t helping. I am choosing to get off Zoloft because I have gained SO much weight over the last few months, even while actively dieting, and think it has to be the meds. I have actually loved my experience with the medication overall - I originally started it after suffering horrendous post partum anxiety - it makes me so much more chill of a person. And I did not have weight gain problems initially, it was after about a year on the meds, but am now like 30 lbs heavier than I’d like to be, and nearly 20 lbs heavier than when I started. Also I have NO sex drive, to the point it’s causing a strain on my marriage. But anyway your story had been very helpful and validating for me, so thank you and here’s hoping the zaps end soon!
I hope the symptoms calm down for you soon!
Your story sounds a lot like mine - I loved it too while on them, but I felt like the weight gain and the numbness in my emotional range wasn't really worth the benefits. What's the point feeling less anxious if the price to pay is that I feel not at home in my own body?
The weight did go away for me, it's taken roughly six months or so but it's back at where I started, within normal BMI range again. The sex drive will return. Just stick with it, remember that the side effects are temporary and can't cause any permanent damage in any way. You'll get through it!
Hi!! I know this is a very old post but in the same position as you. I have loved Zoloft but it has caused stubborn weight gain. I’m wondering if once you got off the meds if you were able to loose the weight??
I know this was posted a year ago but I’m wondering how you’re doing now? I also had to go on Zoloft for post partum anxiety, and I’ve gained 50lbs!!!!
I know you posted this 48 days ago, I am here 48 days later also seeking suggestions 😅
Issue with insurance, haven’t been able to get my meds for about 3 weeks. I feel like I’m through the worst of it (extreme irritability, mood swings, dizziness, brain fog), but there are still points here and there throughout the day I am feeling totally unhinged
That's so interesting to read your story. I'm 3 days into reducing my dose from 100mg to 75mg. No symptoms so far. The main reason for me was to lose weight too. Exactly the same as you currently 85kg and started at 65kg. It's scary how much weight I've gained in just a year. It's a shame because sertraline had been a miracle for me in terms of mental health. I've made some major changes in my life regarding work hours and work goals which has significantly eased my stress. Plus I started with PPD and struggled with lack of sleep. My daughter is 5 and sleeping much better now. Plus we have a spare room for me to retreat to if I'm struggling to sleep. So it seemed like a good time to reduce now. I'm going at it super slowly and keeping a close monitor on how I'm feeling. Even if it takes me a year to get off sertraline completely.
Letting it take time is crucial, I am overall a pretty impatient person so I get frustrated if I don't see benefits immediately when I make changes. But trust the process and trust your own body to be able to adapt to the changes in your chemistry as you cut the dose.
The vanity was honestly a motivator for me to continue pressing on in reducing. When I started to notice the weight loss I was able to cope with the withdrawal symptoms, because even if I felt awful those days with intense brain zaps and dizziness whenever I moved my head too quickly, I started feeling like my body was my own again. Started to recognize myself when I looked in the mirror. It wasn't a "oh look I'm pretty now", but a "oh, there's the person I remember".
The weight loss was in an overall healthy amount of time, about six months for 15-ish kg, but I've had some disturbances in my period and other hormonal stuff my doctor attribute to the weight loss. It's starting to normalize now again, thankfully.
Thanks for the info and I hope you continue to feel better. How long did it take for you to start losing weight? Did you have to stop it altogether or did you notice some weight loss as you reduced your dose?
I started noticing it myself maybe in September? So a couple of months in. Clothes starting to not fit any longer. That's when I weighed myself the first time and had lost 5 kg, so I assume it started pretty early into cutting the dose. And then it was continously until i hit where I am now, which seems to be where my body wants to be when I'm eating normal and not really working out other than taking walks with my dog :)
Thanks for your comment, I'd been following Dr's instructions but I'm having a great deal of difficulty going from 25 -> 0. How long did the zaps etc affect you? Last year I tried to stick it out but after a month gave up and started up @50mg. I'm currently again at 25 and just finished a 5 day stretch at 0 but zaps etc got to the point of affecting my job so popped a 25. Thinking maybe taking one every 3 days or so, don't really want to open them up and go 12.5 etc
They mellowed down a bit in frequency after 2-3 weeks, but I got them occasionally up to a couple of months which was highly annoying. They are by far the worst symptom I think, but they do go away eventually. The step from 25 to 0 was worst for me too so I really understand your struggle.
Great share, thanks. I'm coming off due to weight gain. And massive improvements in mental health from neurofeedback & starting TRT.
Your weight situation is exactly mine. Thanks for the insight.
No worries! I hope you have a decent experience going off them. The memory of the withdrawals are what kept me off them when my anxiety spike in periods.
It was very gradual, but steady. It started when I had cut from 100mg to 25mg, and over 1,5 years after going to 0mg I was down 20kg, about 40 pounds. So about 1kg/2 pounds a month, give or take.
It was definitely relates to my appetite, I ate so much more on Zoloft than I do usually, so when I lost the increased appetite I went back to my "normal" weight.
From when I had completely stopped, so at 0 mg, it was gradual over a year - year and a half. So it wasn't a quick thing, but I sure feel a lot better body wise now.
Was on 25m for about a year, I know that's very low but it worked for me, this time last year things just didn't seem worth sticking around for. And this year they do. And nothing's changed except my Dr and I are hoping my time on sertraline has trained my brain to not soak up so much serotonin. Same job, same financial situation, same being single. More exercise, because that was a really nice effect of Zoloft, I was able to go outside and start walking on the regular. I cut my pills in half for the last month and it's been about 2 weeks without anything. So far, mostly good, had a feeling the other day about a week ago like "is this all there is?" which is usually the beginning of a descent, but the thoughts didn't continue, they just evened out and for a little while in the past couple days I've even been happy and not just okay. Was more tired than usual, dreams were still bizarre and yet fun, ate too much this week but I'm in that stage of women's life where hormones are ebbing and that causes all kinds of weirdness. So far so good, seeing my Dr in June and I'm keeping a close eye on my thoughts, if they get low again and I can't come out of it, I'll go back on it.
I am on going on day 4 of no Zoloft. No worse anxiety but I feel like my nervous system is a mess right now. Headaches, dizzy, wired but tired. I was on 4 months.. Weaned off for a month … withdrawals are quite nasty but the med sucked sooooo…
It didn’t work and honestly made me worse. I am super sensitive to meds and should have known better. I was patient but after 16 weeks I threw in the towel
I went semi cold turkey (not on purpose) Honestly it sucked for a few days but then I started feeling more energized and motivated. Like I wasn’t just content sitting around anymore. As long as I managed the symptoms and didn’t quit taking a sliver of a pill that I had left I actually felt better.
Better, when I got as low as I could I actually switched to lexapro which was a way better fit for me and the side effects are next to none compared to what I put up with w Zoloft
I weaned from 200 to 150 to 100 to 50 to 0. I spent 6 weeks at each reduced dose and had no symptoms until I got to 0.
I am on day 6 of no sertraline. I got up this morning feeling awful (past couple of days I've just been lightheaded and cranky at times). Right now I'm extremely nauseated, dizzy, shivering on and off, headache. Earlier I ugly cried for an hour for no reason.
Really hoping this part is over soon
I am on day 2 of zero med and I can relate. I lit up a candle for the aroma but it make me cry 😅
I put on a nice thick socks to keep me warm, I cried...
I cannot wait to get over the symptoms.
Last night, I woke up and it was harder to fall back to sleep.
how are you doing now? i’m experiencing the same symptoms and i feel awful. could really use some advice or just hear how you’re doing to see if it gets better without having to get back on :(
I was only on them for 6 weeks as I thought it was making me worse, I started on 50mg , went down to 25mg for two weeks and doctor said just to stop cause it was a low dosage
Tried going cold turkey about 2 years ago and i felt some pretty intense withdrawals (brain zaps mostly). I’ve felt like I’ve been ready to come off for a while but never really knew how to. Currently on 50 mg and am going to take half a pill (25 mg) a day for a month and then either half a pill every other day for another month or off entirely depending on how it makes me feel. Haven’t had any symptoms so far after going to 25 mg (been about 2 weeks).
Admittedly, i like being on zoloft. I’m not a total zombie and i feel that being on it has allowed me to make better, more reasonable decisions without letting my emotions get in the way. But i feel that it’s time to see if my depression (the primary reason i was on zoloft to begin with) is manageable without it because im in a much better place now compared to when i started 4 years ago. If it doesn’t work out I’ll go back on it which I don’t see being a bad thing. Hope it works out for you!
Hey, just wondering if you have an update to share on this? I’m in the same boat, on 50mg and have been for a few years, don’t feel terrible on it but think I’m ready to come off. Bit scared reading all of the horror stories!
I weaned down from 75 to 25, stepping down every couple of weeks, with no issues, then I started taking 25 every other day and got brain zaps and intrusive thoughts so I’m sticking to daily 25 for a little bit longer.
My experience has been so far a rollercoaster of emotions like I would cry and be so angry snd distressed out of nowhere. My boyfriend supported me through it but I could be unbearable at times just crying at the end of the day and getting frustrated over tiny things which is ultra out of character for me. The problem is my doctor was like the only reason you want to go off your medication now is because its doing its job and the moment you go off it you’ll be right back in my office wanting to go on it again. So huge help. Just find a doctor who will listen and support you, and listen to your body. Don’t rush it at all that’s where I went wrong.
Mm some weeks I’d say, I suppose it depends on how quickly you stop too, symptoms are probably worse the faster it’s done. Painkillers helped then it just stopped
I have been on sertraline for 6 months before deciding it really isn't the meds for me so I have been tapering off the past 3 wks with my doctors advice. I was on 150mg as my highest dose and have been dropping 25mg every 3 to 4 days. The side effects have been pretty tolerable. Only dizzy here and there and upset tummy. 25mg now for the past 6 days and I have had random body zaps but not very often. Like 3 times in the 6 days.
Tried to stop twice now over the last 4 yrs,
A couple months go by, then i end up going through a rough time (a close friend i grew up with passed away in january) which triggered my anxiety disorder again.
I’m currently back on them now, going into the 4th week.
I started them again a week before my friend’s funeral, that week wasn’t to bad, I managed to go to the funeral. I stupidly stopped them the next day!… fast forward 4 weeks later, I had no choice but to go back on them, & the side effects were horrid, they’ve started to ease now, but I would say I’m still 50% away to being my normal self.
Never stop Zoloft abruptly!! (My biggest advice) I think if i continued to take them the month before i would have been ok.
I think for this reason I’m suffering this time round!. My sleep is still terrible, 3/4hrs of broken sleep per night.
Yes, I’m on 50mg. My doc told me to up to 100mg last week, but I’m just being cautious for now, can’t be dealing with anymore side effects. Still feel edgy.
I was on 100 mg for over a year. I didn’t notice that big of a difference so when I was in a bad car accident and in the hospital, I simply stopped taking it cold Turkey. I didn’t notice any withdrawal symptoms.
I was on it from May 2011 and talked to my doctor April 2018 about stopping. He advised that I start taking half a pill immediately. I don’t know how long it took, I want to say maybe 3 Months?
I would sometimes feel those little brain zaps from time to time. But they eventually went away. A few times I experienced visual hallucinations. I remember once I thought I saw my cat but it wasn’t her. She was in another room sleeping. Only experienced that a few times.
Hey, what was your method of tapering? My doctor recommended dropping by 50 mg every 2 weeks, up to 50>25 obviously then that's it. That method worked up to the last step, and then failed badly, similar to you.
This was last year, around august, and I ended up going back on a dose of 50 until about March, then went to 25 for about a month, and have been 'off' 25 about 2½ weeks or whenever I started this thread. I had another 25 after 5 days, then another after maybe 6 or 7 more.
I'm still getting light zaps and loads of dark thoughts but it's much better than before.
I found some success going back on it at a low dose and tapering again. The best metaphor I can come up with right now would be (driving car) slowing to a stop smoothly but the last couple of feet where the load comes to a sudden stop unless you feather the brakes. The curve is just so delicate at the end, same as 25>0. Some people here have discussed pill cutters, if your prescription is a tablet you could try going 12.5 for a few weeks or even half that.
I also found that some bad habits can make it worse, as innocent as going to bed too late all the way to even mild alcohol/drug use. The brain is so sensitive in this transition.
Edit: I've never had a period but would imagine that it's definitely a factor here
Sorry for the rambling nature of the reply, getting ready for work and no time to edit properly. Good luck to you
Interested to hear, as well. Recently tried going from 50 to 25 to none and had a massive panic attack a few days after being without any at all. Thinking I titrated way too quickly
I've weaned off sertraline three or four times (I believe?) without withdrawal symptoms. I want to say I went down by about 25mg every 2 weeks and then every other day before stopping. It's not timed release, so I just bought a pill cutter and split the 100mg pills.
The longest I made it without a relapse was 11 months. Then, I hit rock bottom which for me is crying all the time and not wanting to get out of bed. I was never happy on sertraline, but I suppose it's not a happy pill, anyway.
I keep going off because of the weight gain and unfortunately, the most recent time I weaned off was the first time I was unable to lose all the weight I gained. It was a different generic than I was used to, so I don't know if it affected my metabolism differently or what, but it's annoying. Maybe an age thing?
Anyway, this is just my experience. Not medical advice. I wish you all the best. :)
I tapered over a month, starting at 100 then 50 then 25, then 0. I did this after each of my kids was born (had postpartum both times).
I did NOT consult my doctor the second time around. I was lucky I only felt brain zaps and tiredness. Would not recommend doing it on your own lol. It does feel good to have feelings again, though.
I was on Zoloft for a year (worked up from 25-100 in 25mg increments). Stopping it was relatively easy. My dr cut my from 100mg to 50mg and then to 25mg and then to 0. This took Approx 5 months? It was horrible when I stopped and took no medication - I had the worst anxiety ever it’s like it came back in full swing. I am on Pristiq now because Zoloft did not work for me - it made me super numb and emotionless.
I know your post is old but how is Pristiq working out for you. I’m trying to get off Zoloft and was started on Pristiq 25mg. Having a lot of withdrawals and just feeling crappy overall.
Omg switching to Pristiq was the best thing I couldve ever done for myself!!! Zoloft made me feel out of body. With Pristiq 50mg I feel back to my complete self! These withdrawals will subside in about a month or so - remember the Zoloft is leaving ur body and ur putting in the Pristiq which is a new drug so ur body will feel a little off. This subsided for me very quickly
Thank you so much for responding. I’m suppose to start Pristiq 50mg tonight. I’m just ready to feel semi normal and not so physically and mentally sick. I’m really hoping that Pristiq works well for me. Thankfully I have klonopin to take if needed.
Let me know how you start to feel! I hope it works out in ur favor! I’ve been on a steady dose of 50mg of Pristiq for a little over a year now and I haven’t ever felt better!!! I hope u get back to ur normal self as well!! It’s awful feeling how ur feeling!
I've been on Zoloft for 9 months now, probably 6 months on 100mg, and on other SSRIs in the past. As I had similar side effects with Zoloft than with the others I just finished weaning of but started Wellbutrin at the same time so it's hard to tell if the side effects are from the weaning or the new medication. From the comments here I guess what I'm experiencing mostly are what you guys are referring to as brain zaps. Some weird spasms but since they kinda felt like the buzz you get from cocaine or speed I assumed it was from the Bupropion since it's a stimulant.
I had quit Celexa cold turkey in the past (out of country vacation and forgot it at home) and the main side effect was migraine.
Hey mate, i was 2 years on Zoloft 50mg. I went 50 => 25mg before three weeks, without trouble….But im now 7 days without zoloft and today i feel dazed, tired, headcache, weird…
But its litle bit better because 2 - 3 days ago i have it really strong brain zaps (like somebody inside my brain giving me elektroshocks), fog and vivid nightmares.. I realize its not good idea drink coffeine.. like caffe, energy drinks, coca cola… so im now one week clear and i hope the strongest windraw symptoms are gone..i will see.. good luck to you !
I’ve been on 100 mg of sertraline for maybe 10 years. I honestly am not sure when I started, I was probably around 13. I never had an issue with it until my doctor recommended I ween off. It went great at first and I realized how much Zoloft has messed with my life. I was so much more emotional and had a better experience overall when it came to sex. However my anxiety was so horrible that I gave up and went back on 100mg. Ever since, I’ve been trying and failing and trying an failing to ween off again. Every time I get to 0mg, I have to give up. I was off of it for about 2 weeks once and the symptoms never got any better, so I went back on it. My schedule was weening off 25 mg every 2 weeks, which is very slow. But even then I still faced problems at 0 mg. I would appreciate some advice on this :(
Sooo... Currently doing it and I was doing pretty good. Have been on 200mg for about seven years so a long time. Went down to 150mg for two months, then down to 125mg for a month then went to 100mg. Everytime I reduced I got the same symptoms basically. Tiredness, crankynesss, nauseous day three a little down, diarrhoea, extremely vivid dreams, to the point that one night I bit my cat in my sleep 🤦🤦🤦😭😭😭she forgave me thank god.
Most of the withdrawal symptoms stopped after a week but the vivid dreams took about a month each time to settle down. (I'm not joking about how intense the dreams are, I usually have quite memorable dreams but these are another level)
Mentally I have noticed my intrusive thoughts are a little more spicy but otherwise no lingering effects.
However... After coming down to 100mg after a few days my ADHD kicked in and was like I'm fed up of having a week of shit every month, why don't we just come off cold turkey 🤦🤦🤦🤦so of course I did. I'm on day six now and I don't recommend it if you have any sort of job or obligations.
Please note I wasn't on it for depression, was on it mostly for OCD and for pmdd. So I wasn't worried about whether I was unsafe mentally doing it, and had told lots of people in my life about it so they knew to keep an eye on me.
From day three to now being cold turkey I have had really bad flu symptoms. Starting with sore throat and then fatigue and then body aches. Today I'm really tired of it, it feels like constant flu, I'm exhausted and very snotty. It honestly feels like the flu but I know it's not cause I didn't go anywhere and it literally started when I went cold turkey.
Mentally so far not so bad, about the same as coming down slowly but again I wasn't on them for general depression. A bit more anxious and needing more time alone but I suspect that's just my autism being more apparent.
So yeah don't do what I did lol, don't let the ADHD win, come off slowly and good luck!
Can update anyone that's interested how it goes from here.
Am mainly coming off cause I realised I have autism and ADHD this year and want to see how much of my anxiety was because of masking and not living in a world designed for me! (Am 37f)
UPDATE
Currently in the second week and symptoms have shifted to mental, well kind of. Joint pain went day seven about but then the dizziness kicked in and now I am brain foggy and god the rage. Like I will drop kick you if you touch me without my permission. I had to punch the bed for five minutes the other night I was just so angry. Also incredible clumsy. Just poured water straight onto my lap instead of the cup I was holding 🤷
UPDATE 2
Dizziness last two weeks. Was so bad I couldn't drive. I don't know if I had brain zaps, probably not cause I wouldn't call them that. More like closing my eyes and moving them made noise somehow. was weird. The dizziness was really quite bad it's also the most common side effect so bear that in mind! And maybe if you have a job that requires heavy machinery operation... Well plan for it 🤣
The rage only lasted a week though which was nice! The dizziness tapered off quite quickly at the end and then I had a week of uncontrollable weeping.
Sometimes before getting a period I get really emotional but this was next level, listen to a moving song, weeping, see an Instagram post about a dog, weeping. Honestly so much weeping I'm surprised I still had tears left. Then I got a period which I wasn't expecting. Then a week later I got another one!
So week four was crying and then week five was menstruating. I obviously attributed the crying to hormones at the time and reckoned it was just that and not the withdrawal but then when I got another period and now in week six seem to be brewing another period and not at all as emotional as before the first I reckon it was the withdrawal affecting my hormonal system and really amping mental side effecrs of that up.
It is noted that withdrawal can give you irregular cycles but of course women, so they're not gonna tell u up front. Am sure the sertraline affects your hormones to some degree so I reckon it's a withdrawal symptoms that has a slight delay, like the dizziness, but hormones usually take a bit longer for you to notice change cause of my how they work.
Also the end if week two and into three and four I think I had quite bad temperature regulation. I would swing between hot and cold, wasn't that nice.
Now it's been three months.....
Overall I've noticed mentally that my brain is a bit harder to ignore, my emotions seem more volatile and things are more intense. So far it's mostly the bad stuff thats more intense and have been missing the real high of joys but that could be cause I'm not exercising very much.
I reckon it will take my body time to grow back the normal amount of seretonin receptors as I think the numbers reduce when you're on SSRIs long term cause there is more seretonin floating around in u. I'm not a scientist so don't quote me on that!
I do feel tho that it is harder to mask without the antidepressants, but I am trying to actively unmask after 37yrs undiagnosed so that's probably helpful.
Overall I just feel more volatile. Not sure if I can cope with it yet and some body dysmorphia I had as a kid came back with full force. I have ocd and the SSRIs were treating that so it's not surprising really. My ocd overall is more noticeable but not often overwhelming. I think I'll give it a few more months and see if I can cope without them 🤷.
Raw dogging life is hard. But I'm old enough now that I want to see if I can embrace the hard stuff enough and not avoid it. Also I think the world should accommodate me rather than it always being me changing for the world. 🤷.
Physically nothing changes, didn't lose or gain any weight, appetite back to being the same as it was when on them.
And no I didn't let my doc know. Honestly at this point in my life I'm so over doctors and both my parents are also doctors so I didn't bother. Also if I went off and then decided to go back on I couldn't be bothered to go through the whole process with them. I live in a country where it's a faff to see your doctor and then be referred and it would take an age and I'm old and probably know more about my conditions or brain than they do.
This is not advice though, I would say consult your doctor!
I’ve been off now for about a couple of weeks and I feel so horrible mentally that I’m really debating going back on. No spicy thoughts, thankfully - I’m just HULK SMASH angry over every single thing. I have such a short temper and I’m miserable and scatterbrained. I’d really like to stay off it, but maybe coming off right before a double set of holidays wasn’t the best choice.
Hey, so far about the same as my last update. Maybe the joy is creeping back in a bit more. Suspect my body is slowly getting back to pre ssri receptors or whatever.
No other changes, just learning to live with and understand my brain now rather than trying to fight it. Trying it be as kind to myself as I can be x
For anyone that is reading this please look into SERT occupancy. I can’t explain the science, but it means that every time you half a dose your serotonin decreases by about 10%. So going from 100mg - 50mg reduces your own serotonin by about 10% (you do adjust to this). Equally 50mg to 25mg reduces serotonin by about 10%. But also 25mg to 12.5mg 10%.
So going from 100mg to 50mg reduces your own serotonin by 10%. But going from say 25mg to 0mg reduces serotonin by about 60%.
Basically it means it is easy ish to go from say 100mg to 25mg but very difficult to go from 25mg to 0.
You should be doing something like -
25mg - 2 months
12.5mg - 2 months
6mg - 2 months
3mg - 2 months
1.5mg - 2 months
0.7mg - 2 months
How you measure your doses I’ve no idea! I’m just about to start.
I’ve tried to come off before. Been on zero then after about 2 weeks dread hit me like - horrible. It is probably going to take me a year to wean off from 25mg. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1wWCBPSj7ZA
I took 200mg and increased every week, now I’m looking to decrease by 50mg every week because I feel very blank and need to get some activity in my brain again
I've relapsed into depression 5 weeks ago on 200 mg sertraline, so started lowering the drug , feel freezing cold non stop n have goosebumps on my skin non stop , feel awful , but duno if it's withdrawal or depression. Symptoms , did 2 weeks on each lower dose , now 2 days on 50 but non stop chills n had nausea all day
I stopped taking it when I realized I was not consistency taking it like I had been 3 years ago or whatever because it stopped being "cool" and quit for like 4 months. Then increased my dose to double for 3-6 months. Seems to have no impact on me whatsoever when I'm taking it, or suddenly stop. Ymmv of course. I am on Trintellix now after I told my psych the Zoloft did literally nothing. Don't do what I did. I am not a doctor. Etc
Stopping antidepressants results in a high number of relapse of symptoms such as panic and anxiety resulting in patients going back on or never fully stopping them. I'm pretty sure that's what the OP is referring to so maybe do some research before dismissing factual data.
Hi, I know this thread is a year old but how did you go? I'll spare my story but have been on it for 13 years and want to stop. It's hard to find info for people who have been taking it very long term.
So I ended up starting a taper in February, I'm currently on 30mg. I'm getting concerned that I'm having a relapse in depression (I started taking it for severe anxiety all those years ago but now anxiety isn't my issue now, but depression is 🙃)
I made a post a week ago on here and didn't get any replies regarding my worries, but you can read it here: https://www.reddit.com/r/zoloft/s/etzGTpy5qJ
Curious to know if you have been on it this whole time out of habit (like me) or have you been on it to treat something ongoing? I find it so messed up that I was put on it as a teenager and then left to my own devices to deal with it.
I am in the process off being weened off Sertraline (100mg) after being on it for roughly four years, I’m 21 and my Dr has firstly advised me to take 75mg for three weeks and to go back for a checkup and if all good I’ll then be advised to take a lower dosage for a further 3 weeks until I reach the lowest dosage. All I’m going to say is it’s not a rush, it’s a process and you need to look after yourself while coming off a medication like Sertraline. If you are experiencing high levels of withdrawal symptoms and you feel like you cannot cope you need to see your Dr or another Dr if you can’t, to get it checked. Just remember you are never alone;
Hope this helps. 💙🩵
I've been on 50mg for 7 weeks. I feel worse than ever. I was on fluoxetine before. I'm going to cut my pills in half and begin the transition to zero and then back to fluoxetine again, I guess?
I see my Dr in 4 weeks so by then 4 weeks on 25mg. Not every drug works for everyone but it has been bad.
I [26F] have been on varying doses of Zoloft for the past 10 years. Tried going off a few times in college but ultimately ended up back at a 100mg dose which is where I’ve been for the past 4 years. I never wanted to be on SSRIs forever but life kept being difficult. Now I have my own place, steady job, removed myself from the church, and live in a walkable community.
I met with a medical professional to layout a tapering plan where step one was halving my dose from 100 to 50. I’m now on day 4 and I feel physically fine but I get these thoughts of doubt or regret that no one will like me if I’m “off my meds”. I think that’s part of the withdrawal paranoia so I’m not giving up hope yet. I’m keeping a journal (per drs request) and I noticed eating helps. If I skip a meal I end up in a state of bed rot for a few hours followed by guilt of wasting a day.
Can anyone else relate or provide some encouragement?
Hi thanks for your reply. Have you ever had any exposure to Cognitive Behavior Therapy? It's not for everyone but I've heard it can really help long-term with the creeping negative thoughts, especially if you're earlier in life such as yourself. I also got into mindfulness/meditation a little bit and found that helped with general anxiety/reactiveness. Good on you with the journal, great tool.
Even if you can manage on a lower dose that's great. 50mg is sweet spot for me and I've finally (almost) stopped being critical and accepted it. The most important thing I learned in therapy was compassion and forgiveness for myself but it took a long time. Maybe that's not an issue for you but if it is, it's entirely possible.
Hope it works out for you!
I’ve been weening off for a couple of months and am officially done. The slowww process of weening was fine, but I just have a lot of emotions that feel very raw right now. My dr told me to expect this. I’m also a little bit more irritable than usual. It’s going to take time to fully adjust but my experience hasn’t been awful… just be ready for emotions! And find ways to destress.
Can someone please tell me what a brain zap is.... current weaning stage is 25mg from 50 for about 2 weeks so far.. should I stay here for another 4 weeks? Current withdrawal symptoms are extreme sensitivity anf over analysing others behaviour towards me, nausea, dizziness, bouts of lethargy and manic happiness. Lots of head noise and moments where I clench my jaw very tight without realising.... feeling the emotional range returning and unsure if I missed it or not. I would definitely like to have a sex life again tho but am I just over 35 and expecting too much? Like was it the meds or am I just going into my late thirties.... anyway great thread thanks for everyone sharing their experiences.
I weaned from 50mg to 25mg due to low sex drive. A brain zap feels like a shiver in your brain and trickles through your body. It lasts a second and then goes away. Also, it feels like an out of body experience for that one second. You will know when you feel it.
Due to insurance reasons, I'm trying to wean off from 25mg to zero. I'm thinking of cutting them in half as a test.
Can I please please assure you - you might be reading horror stories all over the internet. But please remember the people who did have a good experience with it and didn’t have withdrawals aren’t leaving comments. They don’t have the need to turn to the net for help so you don’t hear from them. You only see the bad experiences which might be a smaller group than you realise. Just want to make sure that’s acutely aware in your brain!
Thanks for the reply, to be honest I haven't been reading horror stories as much as having bad experiences. I've tried several times to wean off and have not yet been permanently successful. I guess you could say I get a bit closer each time. I've been on it for so long, I think that in itself is what makes it so difficult, unless I simply can't function without it. But I made it to 23 without it so I simply can't accept that. All these comments confirming that 25 -> 0 is the most difficult step is reassuring 👍
Yep I was absolutely fine coming down until 25-0, until I started shaving the pill down instead of taking 0. Even if it’s psychological, it helped to think I was taking 7, 6, etc.
A word of advice would be to always talk to your doctor and wean off this drug with their guidance. Everyone is different and react differently to the drug so experiences can most definitely vary person to person… My experience has been easy so far. My dr had me drop from 200mg/day to 50mg/day about 3 months ago. I was nervous because it seemed like a big jump, but I felt almost no different. She said if I felt worse I could alternate 100mg one day and 50mg the next but I never felt the need. I’m now down to 25mg/day and can’t wait to get off for good! This medication helped me a lot during a very dark period in my life but things have changed for the better (as they tend to do 😉) and I’ve been so ready to get off! Good luck OP, and remember to listen to your body and don’t be afraid to call your doctor if you have questions or are stuggling as you taper off.
Thanks for your comment, I have been following Dr's instructions and details aside, I'm having the most trouble going from 25mg -> 0. Been taking it over 20 years with 100 being my greatest dose. Like you this medication has helped me immensely but it's time to move on and get some emotions back
Oh wow, it’s been almost 2 years on the medication for me and I didn’t expect to be on it this long, honestly! that is a long time so i’m sure it’s your body just getting used to functioning without the drug. I wish you the best of luck OP, I know you’ll get there! And of course! :) happy to share my experience! I too have been going through the tapering process so i have been finding it helpful to see how others are doing going through it!
Following your story, I’ve been on it for almost 20 years as well 🥺💕
I was on it for like probably 7 years total but off and on. Latest stint was 3 years on 50 mg but I tried to go off about a year ago and it was really tough. 50 -> 25 was bad and 25 to 0 was worse. Weeks of feeling fucked up. And I had quit my job recently (bad time to go off meds) so I got depressed pretty quick and spooked and went back on to 50 after about 4 months. Gonna try again to go off soon now that I have more stability. I think I’d try to do the weening much more slowly this next time. Is it possible to get a 25 mg pill that you could break in half to do 12.5 mg for a while before 0?
Hey thanks for the reply. I also wonder about breaking in half. I'm assuming that it comes in a tablet in different countries or areas. Another user commented about purchasing a pill splitter. Where I am, it's a capsule, so opening it leaves you with a pile of powder, and as far as I know the pharmacy does not give out empty shells. If they knew I wanted to alter my prescription I'm quite certain they wouldn't sell it to me. I've decided to go with 25mg every other day and see how the zaps end up, then maybe every 3rd day etc. Yet I suspect that in the end no matter what the dose, switching to 0 will still be difficult
You can buy capsules online. There are different sizes. Eyeballing is ok, but you're better off getting a drug scale.
Hello! I wanted to ask if you completely finished weaning off and how it went.
Hi, I did end up getting off completely for a little while, I had been taking Wellbutrin to assist with brain zaps and it really helped up until 25mg-0. That last step is the hardest. Basically it was like having lived last 20 years using a crutch after a knee injury, I hadn't developed the necessary muscles and was limping along alright until I had to react quickly and blew out the knee again. So I ended up back on it, however at least on a lower dose than previously, and paired with wellbutrin which helps with the sexual dysfunction. My takeaway from the experience is that I wish I had paired the drug with therapy when I had started taking it, but was too young, stupid and poor to do so.
Pills don’t teach skills
I think it’s possible to be predisposed to anxiety or depression, and sometimes we forget that we felt uncomfortable before starting medication. There’s no shame in being on medication ❤️
No shame to being on medication, but medication only treats symptoms and all doctors are taking guesses based on symptoms and maybe (if youre a small minority) actual tests. And with side effects. Medication is a tool for the tool box, but anxiety and depression are absolutely able to be impacted by life style and therapeutic practices. For me, I needed medication to get my baseline and symptoms under control enough to even start addressing root problems with therapy and life style. "Pills don't teach skills" is accurate and speaks to treating symptoms doesnt build out the tool box further. Nothing wrong with being on pills for the rest of ones life- but especially for anxiety and depression, other tools should definitely be built out. OP sounds like they never had explored these tools in parallel.
This is how I feel. I needed the zoloft to actually build the toolbox. I'm weaning off now as I've been on it (37.5 mg) for two years and steady for the past year and a half. Did you stay off meds with the changes? I did therapy, developed ACT and CBT skills, yoga every morning, I know how to meditate now, Journaling, also got a much better low key job. So I think I'm good - I just keep seeing stories of people getting off then hitting horrifying anxiety and having to get back on so your comment sounds promising.
Hey I wanted to ask how you are doing so far? I am thinking about getting off of zoloft and welbutrin.
You still off it?
Updateee??
Tears in my eyes reading this. Zoloft has caused DE for the past 10+ years I’ve been on it. Life is getting better and I have to get off this stuff or at least lower my dose. Thank you for sharing
I’ve been on Zoloft for 2 years and I thought that was too long. I want to wean off
Sorry for dumb question but what is DE?
Went off zoloft last summer. As someone else stated, you should talk to your health care provider before. I had been on it for three years. I went from 100mg in July to 0mg in October, dropped the doses as I felt ready in 25mg increments. The first one was easiest for me, the last one down to 0 the hardest. I had brain zaps, brain fog, dizziness, anxiety and a slew of other symptoms, mainly concentrated to the first week of cutting. My biggest withdrawal symptom was weight loss, went from like 85kg to now at 67kg, and that weight loss in itself has messed up my hormones a bit, so I wouldn't necessarily attribute that to cutting zoloft. The weight was roughly the same amount I put on while on zoloft so I'm grateful i was able to lose it again. I don't regret going off zoloft, even if my anxiety is back and some days are harder to manage. I feel like I have access to my full range of emotions again which was my main reason to quit. Haven't relapsed yet even if I have days where I'm tempted to start again just to 'quiet the mind'. But I do think the pros outweighs the cons in regards to staying off them.
I so appreciate your response here, I am 5 days at 0mg after titrating 50mg down to 25mg. These symptoms are bizarre, I’ve been taking Benadryl to help with the anxiety and it does help the zaps a bit too, but even working out isn’t helping. I am choosing to get off Zoloft because I have gained SO much weight over the last few months, even while actively dieting, and think it has to be the meds. I have actually loved my experience with the medication overall - I originally started it after suffering horrendous post partum anxiety - it makes me so much more chill of a person. And I did not have weight gain problems initially, it was after about a year on the meds, but am now like 30 lbs heavier than I’d like to be, and nearly 20 lbs heavier than when I started. Also I have NO sex drive, to the point it’s causing a strain on my marriage. But anyway your story had been very helpful and validating for me, so thank you and here’s hoping the zaps end soon!
I hope the symptoms calm down for you soon! Your story sounds a lot like mine - I loved it too while on them, but I felt like the weight gain and the numbness in my emotional range wasn't really worth the benefits. What's the point feeling less anxious if the price to pay is that I feel not at home in my own body? The weight did go away for me, it's taken roughly six months or so but it's back at where I started, within normal BMI range again. The sex drive will return. Just stick with it, remember that the side effects are temporary and can't cause any permanent damage in any way. You'll get through it!
Hi!! I know this is a very old post but in the same position as you. I have loved Zoloft but it has caused stubborn weight gain. I’m wondering if once you got off the meds if you were able to loose the weight??
I know this was posted a year ago but I’m wondering how you’re doing now? I also had to go on Zoloft for post partum anxiety, and I’ve gained 50lbs!!!!
I know you posted this 48 days ago, I am here 48 days later also seeking suggestions 😅 Issue with insurance, haven’t been able to get my meds for about 3 weeks. I feel like I’m through the worst of it (extreme irritability, mood swings, dizziness, brain fog), but there are still points here and there throughout the day I am feeling totally unhinged
That's so interesting to read your story. I'm 3 days into reducing my dose from 100mg to 75mg. No symptoms so far. The main reason for me was to lose weight too. Exactly the same as you currently 85kg and started at 65kg. It's scary how much weight I've gained in just a year. It's a shame because sertraline had been a miracle for me in terms of mental health. I've made some major changes in my life regarding work hours and work goals which has significantly eased my stress. Plus I started with PPD and struggled with lack of sleep. My daughter is 5 and sleeping much better now. Plus we have a spare room for me to retreat to if I'm struggling to sleep. So it seemed like a good time to reduce now. I'm going at it super slowly and keeping a close monitor on how I'm feeling. Even if it takes me a year to get off sertraline completely.
Letting it take time is crucial, I am overall a pretty impatient person so I get frustrated if I don't see benefits immediately when I make changes. But trust the process and trust your own body to be able to adapt to the changes in your chemistry as you cut the dose. The vanity was honestly a motivator for me to continue pressing on in reducing. When I started to notice the weight loss I was able to cope with the withdrawal symptoms, because even if I felt awful those days with intense brain zaps and dizziness whenever I moved my head too quickly, I started feeling like my body was my own again. Started to recognize myself when I looked in the mirror. It wasn't a "oh look I'm pretty now", but a "oh, there's the person I remember". The weight loss was in an overall healthy amount of time, about six months for 15-ish kg, but I've had some disturbances in my period and other hormonal stuff my doctor attribute to the weight loss. It's starting to normalize now again, thankfully.
Thanks for the info and I hope you continue to feel better. How long did it take for you to start losing weight? Did you have to stop it altogether or did you notice some weight loss as you reduced your dose?
I started noticing it myself maybe in September? So a couple of months in. Clothes starting to not fit any longer. That's when I weighed myself the first time and had lost 5 kg, so I assume it started pretty early into cutting the dose. And then it was continously until i hit where I am now, which seems to be where my body wants to be when I'm eating normal and not really working out other than taking walks with my dog :)
That's great :)
Thanks for your comment, I'd been following Dr's instructions but I'm having a great deal of difficulty going from 25 -> 0. How long did the zaps etc affect you? Last year I tried to stick it out but after a month gave up and started up @50mg. I'm currently again at 25 and just finished a 5 day stretch at 0 but zaps etc got to the point of affecting my job so popped a 25. Thinking maybe taking one every 3 days or so, don't really want to open them up and go 12.5 etc
They mellowed down a bit in frequency after 2-3 weeks, but I got them occasionally up to a couple of months which was highly annoying. They are by far the worst symptom I think, but they do go away eventually. The step from 25 to 0 was worst for me too so I really understand your struggle.
Great share, thanks. I'm coming off due to weight gain. And massive improvements in mental health from neurofeedback & starting TRT. Your weight situation is exactly mine. Thanks for the insight.
No worries! I hope you have a decent experience going off them. The memory of the withdrawals are what kept me off them when my anxiety spike in periods.
Understood. And thanks! Once I get down, then I think I'll cruise at 25mg until summer, at least. Then mg by mg.
how long did it take for the weight loss to occur?
It was very gradual, but steady. It started when I had cut from 100mg to 25mg, and over 1,5 years after going to 0mg I was down 20kg, about 40 pounds. So about 1kg/2 pounds a month, give or take. It was definitely relates to my appetite, I ate so much more on Zoloft than I do usually, so when I lost the increased appetite I went back to my "normal" weight.
thank you for your reply! hoping for similar results
How long did it take to lose it?
From when I had completely stopped, so at 0 mg, it was gradual over a year - year and a half. So it wasn't a quick thing, but I sure feel a lot better body wise now.
As long as I lose it it’s fine
Was on 25m for about a year, I know that's very low but it worked for me, this time last year things just didn't seem worth sticking around for. And this year they do. And nothing's changed except my Dr and I are hoping my time on sertraline has trained my brain to not soak up so much serotonin. Same job, same financial situation, same being single. More exercise, because that was a really nice effect of Zoloft, I was able to go outside and start walking on the regular. I cut my pills in half for the last month and it's been about 2 weeks without anything. So far, mostly good, had a feeling the other day about a week ago like "is this all there is?" which is usually the beginning of a descent, but the thoughts didn't continue, they just evened out and for a little while in the past couple days I've even been happy and not just okay. Was more tired than usual, dreams were still bizarre and yet fun, ate too much this week but I'm in that stage of women's life where hormones are ebbing and that causes all kinds of weirdness. So far so good, seeing my Dr in June and I'm keeping a close eye on my thoughts, if they get low again and I can't come out of it, I'll go back on it.
Ugh you’ve exactly describe how the descent often begins
I am on going on day 4 of no Zoloft. No worse anxiety but I feel like my nervous system is a mess right now. Headaches, dizzy, wired but tired. I was on 4 months.. Weaned off for a month … withdrawals are quite nasty but the med sucked sooooo…
Why did you decide to come off?
It didn’t work and honestly made me worse. I am super sensitive to meds and should have known better. I was patient but after 16 weeks I threw in the towel
Hey did you manage to stay off completely? If so how long did withdrawals last?
Switched to another med stayed on that for about a year and have been off of that one for like 10 weeks now.
How do you stop the headaches and dizzyness. I have been trying to wean off for months but no matter what I get this hangover type feeling
I went semi cold turkey (not on purpose) Honestly it sucked for a few days but then I started feeling more energized and motivated. Like I wasn’t just content sitting around anymore. As long as I managed the symptoms and didn’t quit taking a sliver of a pill that I had left I actually felt better.
How are you now? This is how I feel.
Better, when I got as low as I could I actually switched to lexapro which was a way better fit for me and the side effects are next to none compared to what I put up with w Zoloft
I weaned from 200 to 150 to 100 to 50 to 0. I spent 6 weeks at each reduced dose and had no symptoms until I got to 0. I am on day 6 of no sertraline. I got up this morning feeling awful (past couple of days I've just been lightheaded and cranky at times). Right now I'm extremely nauseated, dizzy, shivering on and off, headache. Earlier I ugly cried for an hour for no reason. Really hoping this part is over soon
You are about on my same timeline with the exact same symptoms as me 😫😫 hope it gets better for us
Yeah 0mg is the hardest part for me as well.
I am in the exact same place right now, I can’t tell you how nice it was to read someone else experiencing similar symptoms. We got this!
I am on day 2 of zero med and I can relate. I lit up a candle for the aroma but it make me cry 😅 I put on a nice thick socks to keep me warm, I cried... I cannot wait to get over the symptoms. Last night, I woke up and it was harder to fall back to sleep.
how are you doing now? i’m experiencing the same symptoms and i feel awful. could really use some advice or just hear how you’re doing to see if it gets better without having to get back on :(
I know you posted this some weeks ago, but I’m struggling and would love to know how you’re doing now?
I was only on them for 6 weeks as I thought it was making me worse, I started on 50mg , went down to 25mg for two weeks and doctor said just to stop cause it was a low dosage
8th day off them and feel horrible
I ended up feeling better after a couple of weeks, but those weeks were awful.
Tried going cold turkey about 2 years ago and i felt some pretty intense withdrawals (brain zaps mostly). I’ve felt like I’ve been ready to come off for a while but never really knew how to. Currently on 50 mg and am going to take half a pill (25 mg) a day for a month and then either half a pill every other day for another month or off entirely depending on how it makes me feel. Haven’t had any symptoms so far after going to 25 mg (been about 2 weeks). Admittedly, i like being on zoloft. I’m not a total zombie and i feel that being on it has allowed me to make better, more reasonable decisions without letting my emotions get in the way. But i feel that it’s time to see if my depression (the primary reason i was on zoloft to begin with) is manageable without it because im in a much better place now compared to when i started 4 years ago. If it doesn’t work out I’ll go back on it which I don’t see being a bad thing. Hope it works out for you!
Hey, just wondering if you have an update to share on this? I’m in the same boat, on 50mg and have been for a few years, don’t feel terrible on it but think I’m ready to come off. Bit scared reading all of the horror stories!
I weaned down from 75 to 25, stepping down every couple of weeks, with no issues, then I started taking 25 every other day and got brain zaps and intrusive thoughts so I’m sticking to daily 25 for a little bit longer.
I did it in a month (from 50mg to nothing) and I don’t think I experienced any withdrawals
My experience has been so far a rollercoaster of emotions like I would cry and be so angry snd distressed out of nowhere. My boyfriend supported me through it but I could be unbearable at times just crying at the end of the day and getting frustrated over tiny things which is ultra out of character for me. The problem is my doctor was like the only reason you want to go off your medication now is because its doing its job and the moment you go off it you’ll be right back in my office wanting to go on it again. So huge help. Just find a doctor who will listen and support you, and listen to your body. Don’t rush it at all that’s where I went wrong.
This is exactly me right now!
Lots of brain zaps for a while and nausea other than that fine x
How long did it ladt
Mm some weeks I’d say, I suppose it depends on how quickly you stop too, symptoms are probably worse the faster it’s done. Painkillers helped then it just stopped
I have been on sertraline for 6 months before deciding it really isn't the meds for me so I have been tapering off the past 3 wks with my doctors advice. I was on 150mg as my highest dose and have been dropping 25mg every 3 to 4 days. The side effects have been pretty tolerable. Only dizzy here and there and upset tummy. 25mg now for the past 6 days and I have had random body zaps but not very often. Like 3 times in the 6 days.
Tried to stop twice now over the last 4 yrs, A couple months go by, then i end up going through a rough time (a close friend i grew up with passed away in january) which triggered my anxiety disorder again. I’m currently back on them now, going into the 4th week.
Did you find coming back on them that the initial side effects were the same or worse? I just restarted a week ago.
I started them again a week before my friend’s funeral, that week wasn’t to bad, I managed to go to the funeral. I stupidly stopped them the next day!… fast forward 4 weeks later, I had no choice but to go back on them, & the side effects were horrid, they’ve started to ease now, but I would say I’m still 50% away to being my normal self. Never stop Zoloft abruptly!! (My biggest advice) I think if i continued to take them the month before i would have been ok. I think for this reason I’m suffering this time round!. My sleep is still terrible, 3/4hrs of broken sleep per night.
So sorry to hear about your friend. That’s rough in and of itself. Do you mind me asking your dosage?
Yes, I’m on 50mg. My doc told me to up to 100mg last week, but I’m just being cautious for now, can’t be dealing with anymore side effects. Still feel edgy.
Has your sleep improved?
Not really, it’s up & down!.
I was on 100 mg for over a year. I didn’t notice that big of a difference so when I was in a bad car accident and in the hospital, I simply stopped taking it cold Turkey. I didn’t notice any withdrawal symptoms.
I was on it from May 2011 and talked to my doctor April 2018 about stopping. He advised that I start taking half a pill immediately. I don’t know how long it took, I want to say maybe 3 Months? I would sometimes feel those little brain zaps from time to time. But they eventually went away. A few times I experienced visual hallucinations. I remember once I thought I saw my cat but it wasn’t her. She was in another room sleeping. Only experienced that a few times.
Thanks, it's good to hear that it goes away.
I was on 50 mg. Almost 4 years off Zoloft but considering going back on. Big decision to make.
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Hey, what was your method of tapering? My doctor recommended dropping by 50 mg every 2 weeks, up to 50>25 obviously then that's it. That method worked up to the last step, and then failed badly, similar to you. This was last year, around august, and I ended up going back on a dose of 50 until about March, then went to 25 for about a month, and have been 'off' 25 about 2½ weeks or whenever I started this thread. I had another 25 after 5 days, then another after maybe 6 or 7 more. I'm still getting light zaps and loads of dark thoughts but it's much better than before. I found some success going back on it at a low dose and tapering again. The best metaphor I can come up with right now would be (driving car) slowing to a stop smoothly but the last couple of feet where the load comes to a sudden stop unless you feather the brakes. The curve is just so delicate at the end, same as 25>0. Some people here have discussed pill cutters, if your prescription is a tablet you could try going 12.5 for a few weeks or even half that. I also found that some bad habits can make it worse, as innocent as going to bed too late all the way to even mild alcohol/drug use. The brain is so sensitive in this transition. Edit: I've never had a period but would imagine that it's definitely a factor here Sorry for the rambling nature of the reply, getting ready for work and no time to edit properly. Good luck to you
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Interested to hear, as well. Recently tried going from 50 to 25 to none and had a massive panic attack a few days after being without any at all. Thinking I titrated way too quickly
Sorry to hear. How quicy did you taper?
I've weaned off sertraline three or four times (I believe?) without withdrawal symptoms. I want to say I went down by about 25mg every 2 weeks and then every other day before stopping. It's not timed release, so I just bought a pill cutter and split the 100mg pills. The longest I made it without a relapse was 11 months. Then, I hit rock bottom which for me is crying all the time and not wanting to get out of bed. I was never happy on sertraline, but I suppose it's not a happy pill, anyway. I keep going off because of the weight gain and unfortunately, the most recent time I weaned off was the first time I was unable to lose all the weight I gained. It was a different generic than I was used to, so I don't know if it affected my metabolism differently or what, but it's annoying. Maybe an age thing? Anyway, this is just my experience. Not medical advice. I wish you all the best. :)
So now are you free on meds?
What do you mean?
I tapered over a month, starting at 100 then 50 then 25, then 0. I did this after each of my kids was born (had postpartum both times). I did NOT consult my doctor the second time around. I was lucky I only felt brain zaps and tiredness. Would not recommend doing it on your own lol. It does feel good to have feelings again, though.
I was on Zoloft for a year (worked up from 25-100 in 25mg increments). Stopping it was relatively easy. My dr cut my from 100mg to 50mg and then to 25mg and then to 0. This took Approx 5 months? It was horrible when I stopped and took no medication - I had the worst anxiety ever it’s like it came back in full swing. I am on Pristiq now because Zoloft did not work for me - it made me super numb and emotionless.
I know your post is old but how is Pristiq working out for you. I’m trying to get off Zoloft and was started on Pristiq 25mg. Having a lot of withdrawals and just feeling crappy overall.
Omg switching to Pristiq was the best thing I couldve ever done for myself!!! Zoloft made me feel out of body. With Pristiq 50mg I feel back to my complete self! These withdrawals will subside in about a month or so - remember the Zoloft is leaving ur body and ur putting in the Pristiq which is a new drug so ur body will feel a little off. This subsided for me very quickly
Thank you so much for responding. I’m suppose to start Pristiq 50mg tonight. I’m just ready to feel semi normal and not so physically and mentally sick. I’m really hoping that Pristiq works well for me. Thankfully I have klonopin to take if needed.
Let me know how you start to feel! I hope it works out in ur favor! I’ve been on a steady dose of 50mg of Pristiq for a little over a year now and I haven’t ever felt better!!! I hope u get back to ur normal self as well!! It’s awful feeling how ur feeling!
Did you take anything to help with start up effects? Any increased anxiety?
Hey did pristiq end up working out for u?
I had to go back down to 25mg, I was having a lot of side effects and decreasing has been no joke
I’m a medical marijuana user so that definitely helped me. I also was working out a lot to relieve access stress & anxiety
I've been on Zoloft for 9 months now, probably 6 months on 100mg, and on other SSRIs in the past. As I had similar side effects with Zoloft than with the others I just finished weaning of but started Wellbutrin at the same time so it's hard to tell if the side effects are from the weaning or the new medication. From the comments here I guess what I'm experiencing mostly are what you guys are referring to as brain zaps. Some weird spasms but since they kinda felt like the buzz you get from cocaine or speed I assumed it was from the Bupropion since it's a stimulant. I had quit Celexa cold turkey in the past (out of country vacation and forgot it at home) and the main side effect was migraine.
Hey mate, i was 2 years on Zoloft 50mg. I went 50 => 25mg before three weeks, without trouble….But im now 7 days without zoloft and today i feel dazed, tired, headcache, weird… But its litle bit better because 2 - 3 days ago i have it really strong brain zaps (like somebody inside my brain giving me elektroshocks), fog and vivid nightmares.. I realize its not good idea drink coffeine.. like caffe, energy drinks, coca cola… so im now one week clear and i hope the strongest windraw symptoms are gone..i will see.. good luck to you !
Thanks for the reply, hope it continues to get better for you
How did it go
How you feeling now?
My Dr said I could use prozac to wean off zoloft and then stop prozac 😆
How about some heroin to quit fentanyl...
I’ve been on 100 mg of sertraline for maybe 10 years. I honestly am not sure when I started, I was probably around 13. I never had an issue with it until my doctor recommended I ween off. It went great at first and I realized how much Zoloft has messed with my life. I was so much more emotional and had a better experience overall when it came to sex. However my anxiety was so horrible that I gave up and went back on 100mg. Ever since, I’ve been trying and failing and trying an failing to ween off again. Every time I get to 0mg, I have to give up. I was off of it for about 2 weeks once and the symptoms never got any better, so I went back on it. My schedule was weening off 25 mg every 2 weeks, which is very slow. But even then I still faced problems at 0 mg. I would appreciate some advice on this :(
My experience was very similar. I feel like I’m stuck on this for life
Sooo... Currently doing it and I was doing pretty good. Have been on 200mg for about seven years so a long time. Went down to 150mg for two months, then down to 125mg for a month then went to 100mg. Everytime I reduced I got the same symptoms basically. Tiredness, crankynesss, nauseous day three a little down, diarrhoea, extremely vivid dreams, to the point that one night I bit my cat in my sleep 🤦🤦🤦😭😭😭she forgave me thank god. Most of the withdrawal symptoms stopped after a week but the vivid dreams took about a month each time to settle down. (I'm not joking about how intense the dreams are, I usually have quite memorable dreams but these are another level) Mentally I have noticed my intrusive thoughts are a little more spicy but otherwise no lingering effects. However... After coming down to 100mg after a few days my ADHD kicked in and was like I'm fed up of having a week of shit every month, why don't we just come off cold turkey 🤦🤦🤦🤦so of course I did. I'm on day six now and I don't recommend it if you have any sort of job or obligations. Please note I wasn't on it for depression, was on it mostly for OCD and for pmdd. So I wasn't worried about whether I was unsafe mentally doing it, and had told lots of people in my life about it so they knew to keep an eye on me. From day three to now being cold turkey I have had really bad flu symptoms. Starting with sore throat and then fatigue and then body aches. Today I'm really tired of it, it feels like constant flu, I'm exhausted and very snotty. It honestly feels like the flu but I know it's not cause I didn't go anywhere and it literally started when I went cold turkey. Mentally so far not so bad, about the same as coming down slowly but again I wasn't on them for general depression. A bit more anxious and needing more time alone but I suspect that's just my autism being more apparent. So yeah don't do what I did lol, don't let the ADHD win, come off slowly and good luck! Can update anyone that's interested how it goes from here. Am mainly coming off cause I realised I have autism and ADHD this year and want to see how much of my anxiety was because of masking and not living in a world designed for me! (Am 37f) UPDATE Currently in the second week and symptoms have shifted to mental, well kind of. Joint pain went day seven about but then the dizziness kicked in and now I am brain foggy and god the rage. Like I will drop kick you if you touch me without my permission. I had to punch the bed for five minutes the other night I was just so angry. Also incredible clumsy. Just poured water straight onto my lap instead of the cup I was holding 🤷 UPDATE 2 Dizziness last two weeks. Was so bad I couldn't drive. I don't know if I had brain zaps, probably not cause I wouldn't call them that. More like closing my eyes and moving them made noise somehow. was weird. The dizziness was really quite bad it's also the most common side effect so bear that in mind! And maybe if you have a job that requires heavy machinery operation... Well plan for it 🤣 The rage only lasted a week though which was nice! The dizziness tapered off quite quickly at the end and then I had a week of uncontrollable weeping. Sometimes before getting a period I get really emotional but this was next level, listen to a moving song, weeping, see an Instagram post about a dog, weeping. Honestly so much weeping I'm surprised I still had tears left. Then I got a period which I wasn't expecting. Then a week later I got another one! So week four was crying and then week five was menstruating. I obviously attributed the crying to hormones at the time and reckoned it was just that and not the withdrawal but then when I got another period and now in week six seem to be brewing another period and not at all as emotional as before the first I reckon it was the withdrawal affecting my hormonal system and really amping mental side effecrs of that up. It is noted that withdrawal can give you irregular cycles but of course women, so they're not gonna tell u up front. Am sure the sertraline affects your hormones to some degree so I reckon it's a withdrawal symptoms that has a slight delay, like the dizziness, but hormones usually take a bit longer for you to notice change cause of my how they work. Also the end if week two and into three and four I think I had quite bad temperature regulation. I would swing between hot and cold, wasn't that nice. Now it's been three months..... Overall I've noticed mentally that my brain is a bit harder to ignore, my emotions seem more volatile and things are more intense. So far it's mostly the bad stuff thats more intense and have been missing the real high of joys but that could be cause I'm not exercising very much. I reckon it will take my body time to grow back the normal amount of seretonin receptors as I think the numbers reduce when you're on SSRIs long term cause there is more seretonin floating around in u. I'm not a scientist so don't quote me on that! I do feel tho that it is harder to mask without the antidepressants, but I am trying to actively unmask after 37yrs undiagnosed so that's probably helpful. Overall I just feel more volatile. Not sure if I can cope with it yet and some body dysmorphia I had as a kid came back with full force. I have ocd and the SSRIs were treating that so it's not surprising really. My ocd overall is more noticeable but not often overwhelming. I think I'll give it a few more months and see if I can cope without them 🤷. Raw dogging life is hard. But I'm old enough now that I want to see if I can embrace the hard stuff enough and not avoid it. Also I think the world should accommodate me rather than it always being me changing for the world. 🤷. Physically nothing changes, didn't lose or gain any weight, appetite back to being the same as it was when on them.
And no I didn't let my doc know. Honestly at this point in my life I'm so over doctors and both my parents are also doctors so I didn't bother. Also if I went off and then decided to go back on I couldn't be bothered to go through the whole process with them. I live in a country where it's a faff to see your doctor and then be referred and it would take an age and I'm old and probably know more about my conditions or brain than they do. This is not advice though, I would say consult your doctor!
I’ve been off now for about a couple of weeks and I feel so horrible mentally that I’m really debating going back on. No spicy thoughts, thankfully - I’m just HULK SMASH angry over every single thing. I have such a short temper and I’m miserable and scatterbrained. I’d really like to stay off it, but maybe coming off right before a double set of holidays wasn’t the best choice.
Omg I literally came off it two weeks before my holiday 🤣I'm currently in rage phase too 🥳🥳
I’m hoping it passes soon! For both of us!
The rage is real.
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How are you now? I think for me the rage was at least a week long 😱
How are you now?
Hey sorry ill put another update!
How are you doing now? Any updates?
Hey, so far about the same as my last update. Maybe the joy is creeping back in a bit more. Suspect my body is slowly getting back to pre ssri receptors or whatever. No other changes, just learning to live with and understand my brain now rather than trying to fight it. Trying it be as kind to myself as I can be x
For anyone that is reading this please look into SERT occupancy. I can’t explain the science, but it means that every time you half a dose your serotonin decreases by about 10%. So going from 100mg - 50mg reduces your own serotonin by about 10% (you do adjust to this). Equally 50mg to 25mg reduces serotonin by about 10%. But also 25mg to 12.5mg 10%. So going from 100mg to 50mg reduces your own serotonin by 10%. But going from say 25mg to 0mg reduces serotonin by about 60%. Basically it means it is easy ish to go from say 100mg to 25mg but very difficult to go from 25mg to 0. You should be doing something like - 25mg - 2 months 12.5mg - 2 months 6mg - 2 months 3mg - 2 months 1.5mg - 2 months 0.7mg - 2 months How you measure your doses I’ve no idea! I’m just about to start. I’ve tried to come off before. Been on zero then after about 2 weeks dread hit me like - horrible. It is probably going to take me a year to wean off from 25mg. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1wWCBPSj7ZA
I took 200mg and increased every week, now I’m looking to decrease by 50mg every week because I feel very blank and need to get some activity in my brain again
I've relapsed into depression 5 weeks ago on 200 mg sertraline, so started lowering the drug , feel freezing cold non stop n have goosebumps on my skin non stop , feel awful , but duno if it's withdrawal or depression. Symptoms , did 2 weeks on each lower dose , now 2 days on 50 but non stop chills n had nausea all day
I stopped taking it when I realized I was not consistency taking it like I had been 3 years ago or whatever because it stopped being "cool" and quit for like 4 months. Then increased my dose to double for 3-6 months. Seems to have no impact on me whatsoever when I'm taking it, or suddenly stop. Ymmv of course. I am on Trintellix now after I told my psych the Zoloft did literally nothing. Don't do what I did. I am not a doctor. Etc
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Lol yeah but I keep feeling like it's similar. I'm not stealing or selling my kids but the withdrawal makes me go back despite not wanting to
Stopping antidepressants results in a high number of relapse of symptoms such as panic and anxiety resulting in patients going back on or never fully stopping them. I'm pretty sure that's what the OP is referring to so maybe do some research before dismissing factual data.
Hi, I know this thread is a year old but how did you go? I'll spare my story but have been on it for 13 years and want to stop. It's hard to find info for people who have been taking it very long term.
okay this comment is also now a year old but how are you now? were you able to stop? I’ve been on it for 12 years
So I ended up starting a taper in February, I'm currently on 30mg. I'm getting concerned that I'm having a relapse in depression (I started taking it for severe anxiety all those years ago but now anxiety isn't my issue now, but depression is 🙃) I made a post a week ago on here and didn't get any replies regarding my worries, but you can read it here: https://www.reddit.com/r/zoloft/s/etzGTpy5qJ Curious to know if you have been on it this whole time out of habit (like me) or have you been on it to treat something ongoing? I find it so messed up that I was put on it as a teenager and then left to my own devices to deal with it.
I am in the process off being weened off Sertraline (100mg) after being on it for roughly four years, I’m 21 and my Dr has firstly advised me to take 75mg for three weeks and to go back for a checkup and if all good I’ll then be advised to take a lower dosage for a further 3 weeks until I reach the lowest dosage. All I’m going to say is it’s not a rush, it’s a process and you need to look after yourself while coming off a medication like Sertraline. If you are experiencing high levels of withdrawal symptoms and you feel like you cannot cope you need to see your Dr or another Dr if you can’t, to get it checked. Just remember you are never alone; Hope this helps. 💙🩵
I've been on 50mg for 7 weeks. I feel worse than ever. I was on fluoxetine before. I'm going to cut my pills in half and begin the transition to zero and then back to fluoxetine again, I guess? I see my Dr in 4 weeks so by then 4 weeks on 25mg. Not every drug works for everyone but it has been bad.
I [26F] have been on varying doses of Zoloft for the past 10 years. Tried going off a few times in college but ultimately ended up back at a 100mg dose which is where I’ve been for the past 4 years. I never wanted to be on SSRIs forever but life kept being difficult. Now I have my own place, steady job, removed myself from the church, and live in a walkable community. I met with a medical professional to layout a tapering plan where step one was halving my dose from 100 to 50. I’m now on day 4 and I feel physically fine but I get these thoughts of doubt or regret that no one will like me if I’m “off my meds”. I think that’s part of the withdrawal paranoia so I’m not giving up hope yet. I’m keeping a journal (per drs request) and I noticed eating helps. If I skip a meal I end up in a state of bed rot for a few hours followed by guilt of wasting a day. Can anyone else relate or provide some encouragement?
Hi thanks for your reply. Have you ever had any exposure to Cognitive Behavior Therapy? It's not for everyone but I've heard it can really help long-term with the creeping negative thoughts, especially if you're earlier in life such as yourself. I also got into mindfulness/meditation a little bit and found that helped with general anxiety/reactiveness. Good on you with the journal, great tool. Even if you can manage on a lower dose that's great. 50mg is sweet spot for me and I've finally (almost) stopped being critical and accepted it. The most important thing I learned in therapy was compassion and forgiveness for myself but it took a long time. Maybe that's not an issue for you but if it is, it's entirely possible. Hope it works out for you!
I’ve been weening off for a couple of months and am officially done. The slowww process of weening was fine, but I just have a lot of emotions that feel very raw right now. My dr told me to expect this. I’m also a little bit more irritable than usual. It’s going to take time to fully adjust but my experience hasn’t been awful… just be ready for emotions! And find ways to destress.
Can someone please tell me what a brain zap is.... current weaning stage is 25mg from 50 for about 2 weeks so far.. should I stay here for another 4 weeks? Current withdrawal symptoms are extreme sensitivity anf over analysing others behaviour towards me, nausea, dizziness, bouts of lethargy and manic happiness. Lots of head noise and moments where I clench my jaw very tight without realising.... feeling the emotional range returning and unsure if I missed it or not. I would definitely like to have a sex life again tho but am I just over 35 and expecting too much? Like was it the meds or am I just going into my late thirties.... anyway great thread thanks for everyone sharing their experiences.
I weaned from 50mg to 25mg due to low sex drive. A brain zap feels like a shiver in your brain and trickles through your body. It lasts a second and then goes away. Also, it feels like an out of body experience for that one second. You will know when you feel it. Due to insurance reasons, I'm trying to wean off from 25mg to zero. I'm thinking of cutting them in half as a test.