Changes to T since coming off Sertraline?

[LyraLilly]

Hello everyone

you have been so helpful with previous advice, so i thought i would ask again

with the support of my GP, I have decided to stop taking Sertraline as i think it has contributed to my Tinnitus, I have been reducing over several months and now have stopped approx 2 weeks ago. I am now getting a strange version of tinnitus. I still have my claxon pulsing sound, though it is much reduced, but I now have a random whoosh like two beats that make a loud woosh woosh noise, and i feel as if i have been hit up the side of the head, it almost feels like my ears have been covered, and the pressure lifts for a moment, then bang it has come back. Hard to describe but feels strange and panics me a bit. Like someone is banging something, and i feel startled. It does reduce with the help of habituation sounds or watching tv.

Now I am assuming that this is part of the sertraline withdrawal, and although I have reduced from 50 mg to 25 mg per day, then 25mg every other day and then to zero , its possible the body is still acclimatising and I need to be patient? Does anyone else have experience of coming off sertraline and if so how long before you felt your kind of 'normal' and did your tinnitus fade?

thanks, as always for any advice.

cheers

LL

[Chumpiechops]

I am also interested in any replies as I’m on 50 mg of S until February, as my GP said they like people to be on it for 4 months from when you are used to it. I also take a very low dose of Amytriptolene to help with sleep. Let me know how it goes 🙂

[Karlos99]

I was on 200mg of sertraline for over 20 years. Even though I tapered off the withdrawals we’re horrific. From stopping completely my withdrawals lasted about seven months. Dizziness, head shocks, blurred vision and beats in my head. Didn’t think they’d ever go. Also my tinnitus became chronic a few months after stopping sertraline. I don’t know if it was sertraline related as I also had problems with my neck. It’s hard to know what is actually causing the issues.

Hopefully you will have an easier time with your withdrawals. Mine were amplified because of my high dose and length of time I was on it. Best of luck.

[LyraLilly in reply to Karlos99]

thanks Karlos99

Sorry to hear it was so awful for you coming off., I hope you are managing okay now. I do also have neck pain, but I assumed i just damaged it by sleeping on it funny, How odd, that neck pain could be a side effect, though mine only hurts when i turn my head, rather than being a permanent pain. Head shocks probably sum up the sound in my head, not painful, just pulsing and loud. I am lucky that for at least another week I am signed off work, let's hope by the time I go back this feeling is on its way to leaving, but I am resigning myself to it taking longer.

take care and thanks for your kind thoughts

LL

[Karlos99 in reply to LyraLilly]

you’re welcome. Compassion is the least we can offer each other. With my neck pain I think that’s what is causing part of my tinnitus. When I manipulate my neck in certain positions my tinnitus gets louder. Also opening my jaw changes it. I think it’s related to nerve damage which starts in the neck.

Good luck going forward and I hope your symptoms ease up x

[LyraLilly]

Hiya, I have been off the Sertaline since November , initially I had "head zaps" a sort of zapping buzzing in the head, but that went after 2weeks. The tinnitus is still there but a bit diminished. I was on Sertaline for about 2years and with advice from docs I came of slowly over several months, I was on the lowest dose too so that helped

I am sleeping by better since stopping and as I said the tinnitus is getting better, though that is probably habituation. Its Been worth trying though to try and adapt to living with tinnitus

Thanks for checking in

Cheers

LL