Tapering off of Sertraline

[bbanxiety]

Hi guys,

Me and my doctor have decided to attempt coming off of Sertraline. I don't think it was necessarily working, I felt a tiny bit content but other than that my depressive symptoms and anxiety didn't seem to be alleviated.

She advised I taper from 100mg to 50mg for a week and then come off of them completely. I'm currently just over the 48 hour mark since I come off of them.

I just had a question about how you guys felt coming off of them. The first day wasn't too bad, felt pretty much the same. Today I felt pretty much the same but this afternoon I've noticed I've become a bit twitchy and as if there's little jolts running through my body. I guess my body is becoming use to coming off of the Sertraline. I do feel anxious, but I think it's because the twitchiness is contributing to some health anxiety which I'm struggling with at the moment. I have such an irrational fear of seizures, it's my primary health concern, especially now as I'm tapering off of Sertraline.

Has anyone experienced this?

[lillyofthevalley37]

50% of people with have problems withdrawing from antidepressants and 50% of them will have them quite seriously

My bet is your symptoms are from withdrawal from sertraline and nothing to do with seizures

[Pearwig]

I have had bad experiences of trying to taper off Sertraline, in a much more gradual way than you are doing. Has your doctor discussed with you the possible side effects of coming off it completely? Now I am content with the possibility of taking it for the rest of my life, hopefully eventually down to 50mg every other day. At the moment I am taking 150 mg per day as I am facing the anxieties of my responsibilities involved with my stepdaughter's wedding from our house a fortnight tomorrow!

[bbanxiety in reply to Pearwig]

The doctor made me aware that I may feel a bit rubbish when I come off of them, and that I should check in with her if I start to feel suicidal and all that.

Having looked up the physical symptoms, I'm not too worried. The jolts were a bit worrying but it's kinda the same feeling as being anxious but without the anxiety, so the twitchy jolts I'm definitely accustomed to now.

I think she's only weaned me down to 50mg for a week and then to come off of them completely because my dosage was only increased to 100mg from 50mg for about five weeks.

[Sarahjbr]

I was on 175mg when I decided to take myself off it. I’d been taking it for 3yrs. It really helped me for the first 2yrs. I decided to stop taking it as I just felt emotionally numb, I couldn’t even cry!

Personally I had no withdrawal symptoms at all, I think I was just very lucky.

BUT I would advise anyone thinking of stopping to definitely see your doctor first for advice, like I said, I was lucky.

Good luck sweetheart xxx

[bbanxiety in reply to Sarahjbr]

Thank you for your reply.

I understand the numb feeling, even when I laughed out loud it still felt joyless, very weird!

Well I'm on day four and a half now. Still quite twitchy but it appears to be easing. Definitely feeling a lot less numb, it's actually quite a strange sensation to have feelings back.

Onwards and upwards!