Coming off of Zoloft

[Cdev]

I have been taking Zoloft for 3 months. I wanted to try Life without it so I quit cold turkey. The first week was great but for the last few weeks I have been having horrible twitching, muscle spasms, numbness, headaches, and hullicinations. i contacted my doctor last monday, she didnt call back, then i called her on friday and then again she didnt call back. She FINALLy called me back yesterday (tuesday) I told her everything i was going though and she said there was no way this could be withdrawl from Zoloft and all the syptoms i was experiencing could not be from Zoloft, HELLO!!! If you  go on the official Zoloft website it will list all the side effects that i described to her. She spoke to me on speaker phone which i thought was very rude and i asked her if she got the messages that i called her and she said yes but didnt have the time to call me back. on the prescription notes that you get with your prescriptions they say to contact your doctor immediately if you have any side effects and after TWO weeks she calls me back. her staff is extremely rude. to make a long story short she is no longer my doctor. Does anyone know how long Zoloft can stay in the system? when i explained these symptoms to her she acted like they were not syptoms of Zoloft and Zoloft only stays in your system for 2 days and that i needed to get a checkup before she would even want to see me again. but i told her no thanks, well then, why did i start having these side effects before and after taking Zoloft.  Any suggestions, comments, etc would be extremely helpful.

[kcdem]

The zoloft official site says to come off slowly, it does not any detail. get another doctor for sure. i hope that you feel better.


kcdem

[spade22]

It is very DANGEROUS to quit any SSRI cold-turkey - it should be tapered off of slowly.  It is no wonder you are experiencing withdrawal effects and/or rebound anxiety and these can sometimes last weeks or even months after cessation of the medication  (it will take just over a week for Zoloft to be out of your system after your last pill).

I suggest you seek a 2nd opinion.  Your current doctor sounds incompetent.

[cj29]

I have come off Zoloft in the past and, in my experience, if you quit cold turkey you can get a viarity of withdrawal symptoms.  I came off too fast the first time and had a few problems and talked with my doc to make it slower.  Once I did taper slower, it really helped alleviate much of what I was experiencing.  As with any SSRI, you can definatley feel more on edge while you are withdrawing.  Typically, SSRI's are given for at least 6 months to a year to avoid 'rebound.'  Is there a reason you wanted to get off of them after 3 months?

[Cdev]

Yes, she is a psychiatrist. i really didnt have hullicinations until after i came off the medicine. i was also on  klonipin. i am just concerned because its already has been over 3 weeks since i havent taken zoloft or klonopin. i am SO disappointed in my psychiatrist i cannot believe the lack of attention she gave me. i shouldnt have to go to an ER, she is a doctor and should help me. i still cant believe it. i have been trying to cope the best i can. i am sorry to hear about your withdrawl. i will keep you updated.

[kcdem]

did you have the hallucinations only after quitting cold turkey or while on the med? Is your Dr an MD or a psychiatrist? you need to see a psychiatrist if you are only seeing an MD. the psychiatrist can be  clueless also, i would recommend a younger one. i just went thru a terrible klonopin withdrawal so i can relate. if you contact a dr and tell them it is an emergency they will usually get you in whithin hrs that day. psychiatrist can have a long wait but if you tell them you are hallucinating they should get you in. the quickest way to get to one is to go to the ER, b ut i would not do that unless you are really bad off. best of luck to you, and please let us know how you are doing.


kcdem