Withdrawals

[brittd89]

I am trying to come off my anxiety meds. Just tired of the side effects they cause. Tapered off Zoloft which I had only been on 4 weeks. Had been on another medication for 15 years. I know everyone is different, but does anyone know a timeline of side effects for getting off meds? I have many symptoms and its been a little over a week since I totally stopped. Very nauseous and of course the brain zaps and dizziness. I expected the brain zaps and dizzy but didn’t expect nauseous or heart palpitations. Are those things normal and how long does it typically take for the symptoms start to get better? I also have health anxiety, so of course my anxiety tells me I have something else wrong with me.

[Agora1]

Hi brittd89, good for you in working towards weaning off your medication.Keeping a positive attitude towards your goal is ever so important.

With each zap or dizziness etc, know that you are going in the right direction.

Each person takes a different time schedule. Slow and safe with your doctor's

guidance is important. It will happen in it's own time.

Our brains are phenomenal works of art. Once they are off meds, they relearn

to manufacture the chemicals needed on their own.

What can help is using your mind for positive reinforcement. Meditation and

Breathing through any side effects can help the weaning process go easier.

I wish you well, the best is yet to be xx

[brittd89 in reply to Agora1]

Thanks so much for your kind words. I am doing talk therapy as well, trying to gain coping skills. It just feels like a few days are forever long. A week has gone by and it feels like a month, when you don't want time to fly it does and when you want it to go on, it slows down.

[Agora1 in reply to brittd89]

Isn't that always the way brittd time goes slow when working towardsour goal. Remember that once you reach it, as I did, life is amazing and

worth every step it took to get there xx

[Dixie9326]

So your side effects from being on the meds is worse that the feelings you had for deciding to go on meds?? How do you know that your symptoms are from coming off the meds or just your anxiety coming back at full force? I truly do not understand!!!🤷🏼‍♀️

[brittd89]

Oh yes, much worse. Also the thoughts of what those meds were doing to my body over so many years as well. The feelings are different than my “traditional” anxiety, more worry than anxiety. I didn’t like the idea of taking a pill for one problem and it having effects and potentially causing other problems.