Zoloft Withdrawal! Please help!

[jimmy 1965]

My doctor (psychiatrist) took me off ZOlOFT. I was on Zoloft for about 5 months at a max dosage of 100mg. When he decided to take me off he did the tapering down process in 25mg increments every five days so I thought that was a good tapering process. I even asked my family doctor and he said yeah that is a safe way to get off the med. I took my last 25mg dose this past Monday night. I never had issues when I was coming off the medicne but about three days ago I started having spells of feeling light headed. I have had bouts of flu type feelings and I feel very tired and worn out. Basically I feel like **** and I dont have the flu. My question is, How long does it take to get Zoloft out of your system? I know your never to stop taking SSRI meds abruptly but when you follow a good tapering schedule and you still deal with wwithdrawal symptoms that's enough to tick a person off. My doctor wants me to start Lexapro but he wants me to wait until Zoloft is completely washed from my system. How many days do I have to put up with this ****? Any answers or advise is much appreciated. You know the medical world tells us that you cant become dependant or addicted to these meds but I tend to dissagree the more I read about people having discontinuation syndrome after following doctors orders on a good weening off process.  

Take Care
Jimmy

[Praise the Lord]

I want to start by saying like you all I have been on "drugs" the doctors call it medication. For over 20 years. I have lived in a fog, raised four chldren, been married 25 years and remember the pain of NOT living but existing. Then I found Jesus. I strted to wean OFF Paxil and Klonopin with the doctors expertise. I started first with Paxil because is has thr shortest life of the two. The first 5 Mg not a problem. I have 5 to go. I have put this ALL in Jesus hands. I hand it all to him and rebuke Satan when he gives me symptoms. They go RIGHT away. Amen. I also drink a lot of WATER and WORK OUT> Nausea and dizziness can be helped with dramamine (ask your doctor) as these take those symptoms away. I have NOT had them. I read postings all day before  Istarted to wean off the meds. The stuff on some of these sites would SCARE anyone into NOT trying. So, I decided to join and say GIVE IT TO THE LORD!!! You need HIM NOT this stuff. You can do it BUT not without Jesus help. Please what do you have to lose??? The DRUGS!!! You will gain a realtionship for life. LIVING not EXISTING. Amen. Keep the FAITH.

Praise the Lord.
CSL

[amelia100]

i'm 19ys old and in a very competative college. i've been on 75mg of zoloft for about 2 months, and was on 50 before that for about 4. i fought so hard not to be put on this drug, regulating my diet, exercise, st johns wort, and therapy for months. finally it was evident that i needed meds or i was going to have to drop out of school. when i got on the drug i felt completely horrible. couldn't eat, couldn't sleep and couldn't think. but i was so depressed that the ammount of inconvenience from the drug was far less from the illiness. now i am feeling better but i think it was a mistake to go up to 75mg. 50 seemed to be good for me. but on 75 i feel so apathetic, unmotivated and emotionally dead. i'm not depressed but i'm not happy either. i just want to be on 50 for a little boost, not 75 for sedation. now i'm trying to get back down to 50 by splitting some 25mg tabs that i have left from when i first started. i plan to do this for about 2-3 weeks or when the 25mg tabs run out. it's been about 4days and i woke up this morning really early with the WORST headache i had ever experienced. it felt like there was a vice squeezing my whole head. luckily i am home for summer break but if i was alone at school i'm not sure what i would do. just took some tylenol so hopefully that helps. but how long do you think this will last? i feel really sick and am worried because i work everyday and i'm starting summer classes next week. ADVICE PLEASE! how long do you think this will last? do you think that i'm tapering off in a safe way? HELP!

[amalee]

I just turned 20 and have been on Zoloft (generic) for just barely a year now. My doctor started me out on 50 mg and now has me on 200mg.

When I was at 100 mg, I stopped taking it for about a week, not knowing about the short half-life. I got the electric zaps, crying, insomnia, and general feeling of craziness. I basically didn't go to class for a week (i'm in college).

I should have known better than to let my psych put me on an even HIGHER dose after that incident, but Zoloft did seem to help my depression. When I was having some depression "breakthroughs," as my psych calls it, I agreed to being put on more.

Now I am regretting it because I don't want to be on Zoloft my whole life...and I can already tell it's going to be hell trying to get off it. I decided to decrease the amount ASAP (meaning before my appt with the doc). I figured decreasing it by 50mg (to 150mg) would be fine. I was wrong, and have had a HORRIBLE headache for more than 24 hours now. Needless to say, I'm getting really panicked about getting off this now!!!

Another issue I'm having, that maybe someone could give me their opinion on, is that I am wondering why the doc ever put me on 200mg in the first place. At the time I didn't think it was strange, as i'm not that familiar with doses. However, after reading the posts on this site...I realize that 200mg seems to be a lot (max amount apparently). Seems strange to me...because I am not/have never been suicidal or harmful to myself. My main problems have been being too depressed to get out of bed/socialize sometimes...stuff like that.

If anyone has any comments/suggestions, let me know.

[Bethie1]

I am 40 years old and have been on Zoloft for over 8 years. I have made at least 3 attempts in the past to get off . But each time go back on because I am can not get passed the anger and rage I feel for no apparent reason. I have two young children who I love dearly and a great husband. I can not take this out on them. It's just not fair and I don't want to screw them up and them feel the need for anti-depressants later in life.
I am on  another attemp this time I hope to succeed. I am doing things a little different this time. I am really watching what I eat and drink taking fish oil Kava   Kava I tried 5HTP and wish i could have keeped on but I had bloating and terrible stomach problems and it made me feel very wired. Anyone else with these side effects from 5HTP? Anyways I am just a raw nerve crying angry and very irritable!! If the side effects only effected me then I would just have to try and deal but when I feel I'm effecting those I love so much it's hard to press on.
I will not give up I am tappering off very gradualy. I am a christain and I know I have God's help! I will keep each of you in my prayers! I really feel for you and know what you're going through.
Dose anyone ever fully return to "normal" after taking Zoloft? I havn't really hear a definate "I'm off and doing really good." If anyone has pls. post so I can have hope that i too can be a success story Too .  

[Daylelynn]

Also,  please let me know you can still feel normal again if you go back on the drug.  At least that much would make me feel better.  Thank you.

[bcemre3]

Take your time tapering off Zoloft and the symptoms are minimal.  I decreased 12.5 mg (cutting the 50mg in quarters) every 2 weeks.  It took 176 days to get from 150 mg to nothing -- but it was worth it not to have the awful side effects.  Try to taper slower and maybe you'll feel better.

Don't give up the ship and don't go back on the poison!