Off Tapering Zoloft Posts

Off Tapering Zoloft Facts

Off Tapering Zoloft Facts in Questions

I have been tapering off zoloft for 5 days now. PLEASE HELP!? I have been on zoloft for 71/2 years since i was 13. Im now 20. I cut the dosage from 100 to 75 mgs. I have been on 75 mgs for 5 days now. for the first 2 days I felt great, but now i am feeling very unstimulated, and a depressed. How long will this last? will my mind go back to normal since I have been on it for so long? Since I started as a child does my brain think that it needs zoloft to feel happy or content? Should I wait it out and see? I have sworn never to take another phsyciatric drug again, they make me too numb, and tourture me inside, as well a having multiple side effects. for the first 3 days I felt almost eurphoric, but now Im a little depressed, and its hard to find words. I have talked 2 Family docs, and 2 phyciatrist, the phyciatrist want to put me on other medications, and the General doctors dont know much about zoloft, and withdrawling. I am nearly certain that I will feel better after getting off zoloft.

Tulipa replied: "You should not be changing your dosage without talking to your doctor. Please call your doctor before you do that. It might not be a good idea. I take Zoloft too, but I wouldn't dream of taking myself off of it without my Doctors approval."

linkinpark_kid0211 replied: "I would guess that your body is just adjusting to the lower dose of Zoloft. It's normal for your body to experience certain symptoms (such as fatigue, headaches, trouble sleeping, etc.) as you are decreasing a dose of any medicine. It's just that your body is used to a consistent flow of 100mg of Zoloft each day for the past few years. I recommend giving it a few more days, see if your body will eventually adapt to the change. Worst case scenario is that your current symptoms don't change, and that's when you should contact your doctor and from there you can discuss whether or not you should increase back to 100mg or go through with something else. Try to relax for now, don't get yourself worked up just yet. Like I said, give it a couple more days, see how things go. Best of luck to you!"

mono replied: "Talk to your doctor, psychiatrist etc. If they aren't any good then get another one. Everyone's reactions to different drugs vary, both in terms of side effects and benefits, depending on your problem(s) and your body. So everything is an experiment, and you just have to wait and see. I tried anafranil, luvan, zoloft and other drugs over a year (of very horrible side effects and no benefits) until getting a third opinion that put me on a high dose prozac and that finally helped my OCD and depression. Don't give up, keep trying. Depression is horrible, especially for someone who's lived a good proportion of their life with it, and I wish you all the best. I reckon' depression only happens to good , compassionate and kind people who care, and that puts you in good company."

Tapering off of Zoloft? About 11 days ago I started taking 50 mg per day (1 25 mg. dose every 12 hours) of Zoloft. I immediately felt better due to therapy, and now that the Zoloft as started kicking in, I feel worse and do not like the side effects. How should I taper off of the 50 mg. per day? Thanks!

hamilton_stage replied: "Ask your doctor!"

Carrie replied: "I used to be on Zoloft as well. I had the same side effects as you did, but I stayed on the medication and they eventually the side effects went away. But if they are too bad to handle, call your pharmacist and they will be able to tell you how to properly wean yourself off of them. Usually they cut your milligrams in half for a week, then you drop down to taking them every other day for another week, then you go off of them. At least that's what they did with me"

Tonia replied: "First you should know that you will have side effects until your body gets used to the meds...it can take from one week to almost 6 weeks...you should really try staying on the med and waiting out the 6 weeks. If the side effects were life threatning I would suggest you stop...but really you should talk to your doctor before stopping any antidepressant. I took Zoloft for about 7 months...it helps so much...after I got over the side effects. I was happy (in a sense)....people told me that I was a joy to be around...I actually had energy to do things...like take a shower and make it to the gym. Please...if you are going to stop the meds...please see your doc first."

really need advice on tapering off zoloft? I have been on 150 mg. for 4 years. I recently started reducing my dosage due to being tired all of the time and feeling like crap all of the time. Well, I went down to 100 and after about 2 days of that I can't sleep. I start to fall asleep and as soon as i do I jump awake and scream. it is so strange. It will happen 5-6 times until I take some more klonopin and it helps me to sleep. I feel like I am falling or something. My heart is racing and my chest started to hurt from doing it so many times. I am going to call the dr. tomorrow, but has anyone experienced anyting like this? It only happens at night. What is this and is it normal. I am scared...advice please

Veronica replied: "that has happened to me, but on and off zoloft.."

Echo0 replied: "Zoloft is an SSRI antidepressant and there is a condition called SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome that may be why you're having these problems. You may have decreased the dose too rapidly. See the reference below for information on SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome. The known withdrawal side effects of Zoloft do include some of the things you're reporting. Did you consult your doctor before reducing the Zoloft dosage? Changing your medications without a doctor's supervision can be dangerous. By all means contact the doctor right away. Marcia Purse About.com Guide to Bipolar Disorder"

pJ replied: "I too am going through zoloft withdrawals right now. I am coming off a lower dose (50mg). This is my first week and I am having problems sleeping and my skin is very itchy all over. I too am having a few heart palpitations. So... my big advice is to 1) stay in contact w/ your doctor so he understands the withdrawal systems you are having so your Doctor can help you through this 2) Hang in there! It will get better as the zoloft leaves your system It will take time. Drinks lots of water and try to get some exercise. I wish you all the best! Good Luck! You are not alone! :)"

jcj099 replied: "i am on 300 mg of zoloft. i recently decided to slowly cut down my dosage, as i was constantly zombie like. my doctor and psych didn't know. i reduced it slowly over time, and i still felt like crap. so here i am back on 300 mg a day. as i drift off to sleep i too jump up or kick my feet as i feel i am falling. my gf tells me i scare the hell out of her. she tells me i talk crap too falling off to sleep. like asking for paper and a pen and that. i now take a valium before bed in hopes that it will help me fall asleep more peacefully."

Best way to taper off Zoloft? I've only been on the 50mg tab for 40 days now but am worried about withdrawal. I was prescribed the medicine after having a scary symptom in a private region that caused me great anxiety. Luckily I had an ultrasound and was 100% back to my normal self before the Zoloft even really had a chance to work. My GP says I would have withdrawal symptoms if I slowly tapered off this early into changing my brain chemestry? Is that really true? I don't need this medicine and honestly wish I wouldn't have ever taken it. Hopefully someone knows the best way to taper off so that I avoid major withdrawal symptoms. Thanks

Old enough to know replied: "This advice should come from a doctor"

olivia w replied: "that could be valid but since you have been on it a reasonable amount of time i see no harm in slowly tapering the dose. it may take more then a month to do so safely but if you do it a certain number of miligrams at a time under dr supervision i see no reason why you cant if you feel no reason for it. if its not doing anything for you and especially if you feel side effects. as for your anxiety problem before you attempt this you should make sure your getting proper professional help to monitor the anxiety problem and they can determine how best to handle the zoloft you are taking and if you may need another type of medicine or just one to take only when needed. good luck."

OrientalCat replied: "The Best way to taper off is to ask your Doctor ! It must be done Very Slowly, and over a period of time. Personally, I do not believe that GPs should be prescribing meds such as Zoloft, etc, as they need to be monitored closely by a Psychiatrist. Be careful, and - Take good care."

embroidery fan replied: "Not to go against what a GP said, but I've heard psychiatrists (specialists in the field) say that antidepressants can be tapered off at any time if they are not helping adequately, or are causing bad side effects. I don't know who prescribed your Zoloft. If it was the GP, I'd suggest asking for a referral to a specialist, a psychiatrist, if you can get one. Another option is to go to the ER, where they will get you a followup appt. with a psychiatrist if it's needed ...That's not the first choice, of course. It makes no sense that a properly-done tapering off of a psychoactive drug would hurt you, at any time. Ask a specialist in mental health medicine for advice, even if it means going somewhere like to your county's mental health clinic, or something. Good luck!"

Sara C. B replied: "First of all, why do you say you don't need the medication? Is it strictly your opinion,?. If you are concerned I would go to another Dr. for a reval. Tell him what the problem is and ask him to answer any questions you might have. My daughter went off of the same drug because she thought she was cured and didn't need it.----Wrong. The Dr. told me that almost all patients went off the drug when they thought they were better. They wern't and ended up back on it. It keeps you level."

Angie H replied: "Contact a pharmacist if you can't get your doctor to help you. He/she should be able to tell you the best way to slowly taper off. Find another doctor that you can relate to. Good luck!"

Elisabeta Disupremo replied: "If you were prescribed this Medication by a GP and not a Psychiatrist and are under no legal order to take a substance that alters brain chemistry in a way most professionals have little understanding of as a lay person I say follow your gut. Most of the information Primary caregivers follow is from the Pharmaceutical industry whose interest is not in curing folks with mental illnesses but treating them ad infinitum for profit. That said if you experience any withdrawal, say a terrible anxiety attack maybe your brain is benefiting from this chemical. There are so many chemicals in our environment these days most humans probably have some imbalance whether they realize it or not. There are too many natural remedies for mild anxiety to list here but chamomile tea to my knowledge has never caused a human to kill themselves and I have heard of Zoloft making a person morbidly depressed. But to be fair my aunt has taken 25 mg of Zoloft for years due to hormonal depression and is served well by it, so long as it is not generic. Not all generics work as well as the name brand. Sorry I have no cut and dry answer, educate yourself, Western Medicine makes money whether it cures you or not, buyer beware."

?Guess? replied: "Wow that really sucks that it even got prescribed to you. That is not what an anti-depressant like zoloft is supposed to treat. 1 mg of Ativan as needed would have been more useful in your case. Your Doctor is right. You have to be weened off of Zoloft.(especially long term users) If you just quit, it could cause Dysmithia. The Zoloft does change the chemicals in your brain, but not permanently. Producing dopamine in some areas in the brain and decreasing production in other areas. It also changes your serotonin levels and can make your neuron receptors more active. Chances are that if you have been taking it for 40 days and just stopped taking it, you wouldn't have any withdrawl symptoms and if you do, they would be minor, however you never know how your body will react and you could get dysmithis(but since it wasn't being used to treat depression or bi-polar, it is possible that you won't get dysmithia. The only other problem that there could be after quiting your medication is: If you are predisposed to a mood disorder, such as bi-polar, by taking the Zoloft and then quiting it so quickly, could bring on a bi-polar episode, such as hypo-mania or depression. The best thing to do, is to ask your Doctor to prescribe smaller and smaller doses of the Zoloft, changing each week to the smaller dosage, until it is safe to quit. The best thing to do when dealing with anti-depressants is to talk to a physchiatrist. Working with and prescribing these kinds of medications is their job. GP's don't always have the knowledge and understanding to prescribe these drugs and some that do, over prescribe them. Good luck!"

messerjana replied: "Do whatever your doctor prescribes. Explain to him or her how you're feeling and what your goals and questions are. Do not change your medication unless a physician tells you to."

blondecougaress replied: "Your doctor is definately right. I cant make a statement about why you were prescribed this in the first place, but you DEFINATELY want to taper off slowly. Don't take this lightly. Antidepressants help a lot of people and even save lives, but it is not like like taking advil. Withdrawl symptoms can include dizzyness, agitaion, headaches, nasuea, confusion, trembling, head zaps.. etc. Your doc will guide you about the best way. he/she knows your situation best. Follow doc's orders."

how fast can I wean off Zoloft due to side effects? having bad side effects from Zoloft and want to start natural remedies such as St Johns Wort and SAMe. What is the best way to taper off the medication. Thanks.

Joe924 replied: "I know this isn't much of an answer if any, I'm really sorry. But I'm wondering the same thing..I'm going through the same problems. I'm curious to see what your responses say."

CAT replied: "sorry but natural arent potent enough.. I tried Sam-e + b vtamins, stabilium ..u name it... they dont work ...maybe mild anxiety...but not severe... i took ativan rx it works .better...much more stable"

merlina replied: "There isn't a simple answer to this - it really depends on your body chemistry, how long you've been on it and how much it's still affecting your body. Try cutting down slowly. Instead of taking a whole pill tomorrow try half a pill (followed by a whole pill the next day) Do you feel OK? then try half a pill the next day. Still OK? try half a pill every day. Then try some quarter pills etc etc About a fortnight, I would say, is about the minimum (knowing lots of people who have come off it) Some people take more like a couple of months - and got pretty nasty side effects if they tried to do it more quickly One person I knew stopped taking it when they went on holiday just because she had forgotten her pills and had no effects at all! (but I wouldn't recommend that) As ever, you really ought to discuss your plans with your medical practitioner A note of caution, if the holistic therapies you mention don't work for you, many medical practitioners won't restart SSRIs until there has been a gap of a week or two Therefore I'd only think about what you're planning if you're only suffering from relatively mild depression or think you've recovered"

Has anyone ever tapered off of Zoloft and had withdrawal reactions? If so, how long were you on the Zoloft, how fast did you taper, and what were the reactions?

malibutan replied: "I know this is not the right way to do it, but I just stopped taking it completely one day. I had no reactions at all. I was scared at first but then I decided the pros of continually taking it did not outweigh the cons. So what did I have to lose?"

tweetymay26 replied: "I was on for one year, I tapered off from daily doses the first week to every other day, the second week, it was a every third day, then the following week every fourth day, etc. until I went completely without, my side effects were mood fluctuating, anxious a little, sleeplessness, and I felt jolts throughout my body at first, it was kind of weird, but all side effects subsided after a couple of months, it was hard at first."

Vanessa replied: "I was on Zoloft for about 6 months and decided that I wanted to stop taking it. I was going through a rough time in my life and I needed a little help getting through it. My doctor told me that I couldn't just stop taking it, that I had to taper off of it. It took me about a month but every week I would cut my dose in half and then in half again.....and so on. The only effect I noticed was that I was pretty crabby/irritable for about a week after I was totally done taking it. Hope that helps."

Should I start taking Zoloft again and taper off? I have not taken it for 4 days.? I have been taking Zoloft for about 6 months now. I am consulting with my psychologist and I am going to stop the medicine. My question is: I haven't taken it for 4 days now, should I start taking it again and taper off of it or just wait out the withdrawal symptoms, which started yesterday?

Amy replied: "You should really consult your physician on this one. What is the dosage you were taking? Now that you have been off of it for 4 days, you don't want to put yourself back up to the dosage you were on, that's a definite NO. But, depending on your dosage, you might want to take the lowest dosage for about 1 week to lesson your withdrawal symptoms. Why are you not taking it any more? Just make sure you keep that commitment to consult your psychologist!!"

Anna P replied: "You absolutely MUST work with your doctor--withdrawal varies by person and can be very serious. I would go back on the zoloft immediately while you wait to see the doctor. You need to taper off very slowly! Please do this."