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

[Andrea78]

Hi Crafty, if you're still here, I tapered and quit Zoloft in March/April and had lots of problems, although not as severe as yours it sounds like...mostly depression, nausea, and rage. It gradually got better over about a month after I completely stopped the medication (which i did early because the withdrawals were just so unpleasant I wanted to get them all over with at once).
  A few weeks ago I started having really acute symptoms of what I believe is depression, so I'm going to go back and maybe start some new medication, probably Wellbutrin. I was just so angry and upset about how hard Zoloft was to get off of, and how nobody tells you about these things, and doctors say "I'm sure that's not what's causing x and y"...anyway, hang in there and good luck.

[hollyloxx]

I WAS ON ZOLOFT FOR 3YEARS AND THEN TAPERED OFF LIEK THE DR SAID.
LET ME TELL YOU THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST AWFUL THINGS EVER.
I HAVE NEVER DOEN HARD DRUGS, (SMOKED POT A COUPLE OF TIMES) BUT I FELT LIKE A JUNKY COMING OFF SOMETHING!!!!

I HAD SHAKES, THESE LITTLE FEELINGS LIKE MY BRAIN WAS BEING ZAPPED ALMOST. TWITCHES KIND OF. THIS HAPPENED SPORATICALLY  THORUGH OUT THE DAY.
I WAS NAUSEAUS, FELT HOT THEN COLD.
I EVEN FELT THE BRAIN ZAPS WHEN I WAS TRYING TO SLEEP. I COULD NEEVR GET REST FROM IT!! THIS LASTED FOR ME AT LEST 2-3 WEEKS AFTER BEIGN TAPERED OFF THE ZOLOFT.

GOOD LUCK BE CAREFUL

[tambi66]

Wow, glad to know I am not the only one feeling crappy!  Sorry, don't like you all to suffer like I am though.

Ugh, the dizziness, slight nausiness, fatigue, ect.  Although my insomnia has gotten better.

I ran out of zoloft and don't have insurance any more, so I had no choice but to stop taking it.  I was taking 50 mg. every day and quit cold turkey, no tapering off.

I am crying a lot more, I become more easily irritated, and constantly clenching my teeth!

Will it ever get better? or am I screwed for life?

[PUSH 2006]

DOES ZOLOFT MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT...

[CraftyCrazy]

Hi .. I'm still here, somewhat.  It has been complete, torturous hell for me coming off of the Zoloft.  The brain zapping and all symptoms associated with it have become almost debilitating.  I saw my psychiatrist last week who is putting me back on Zoloft with BusPar.  I haven't started it yet because I thought the withdrawals were subsiding but was shockingly made aware of the fact that they are still there yesterday.  Today (Thanksgiving) is so bad I'm locked up in my apartment with no desire to celebrate.

I just wanted to ride the syptoms out making the suffering worth it at least to stay off of meds.  No such luck.  The mental stuff is back full force, I'm crying at everything, yelling at everyone and confrontational to the point where someone is going to kick my *** for sure.  The physical pain in my head is bad enough to the point where I'm rocking my head back and forth into the wall.  My anxiety is through the roof and I can't get a grip.  I just feel so defeated.

The psych. wanted to try Abilify but said while it's supposed to not have a weight gain effect, one of his patients could not stop eating on it.  Not my first choice as I'm overweight and was hoping to have my system free of all meds to kick up my weight loss efforts.

Zoloft is supposed to be one of those meds to not cause weight gain and I'm not blaming it for mine but just think it's stalling my metabolism and/or thwarting my weight loss efforts.  No matter how much I exercise, what type, etc. I couldn't make a dent.  The eye doctor asked me, "well do you want to be fat and sane or thin and crazy?"  How do you answer an assinine question like that?  At 5'3" and small framed, I was once a comfortable 120 lbs.  Now I'm not.  Thyroid and everything else checks out fine.  It's just all a vicious spin of turning to food to comfort the depression, being depressed from gaining weight, wasting money on programs like Weight Watchers, Atkins, private nutrionists and not getting any results, going home and starting over comforting with food.  It's not even an overeating thing either, I can stop and limit myself.  Maybe it's my age and metabolism changing (I'm 39) but then again I see women in their 40's and 50's at the gym in great shape.  

I know I'm not alone here and take comfort in reading other's stories here.  No, not comfort in the way that misery loves company.  I pray for each and every one of us here to carry on the best we can in this battle.

Please don't think I feel sorry for myself.  I don't, it doesn't make sense to.  Again I just feel defeated having to go back on meds but then again, what choice do we have?

[Pixie44]

I was taking zoloft for 10 years and decided it wasnt working for me anymore.   In the past when I didnt take the meds for a couple days I would get a splitting headache and need to take it asap.   I have now been off of it for a week and taking Wellbutrin.   My doctor said I would be fine switching meds and said that the zoloft would be out oft he body when the wellbutrin started to kick in.. which i just read that zoloft has the shortest half life and is out of your body in a couple days.   Anway   my head feels really weird  i assume this is withdrawl.. although i thought it would be alot worse.. I was just wondering how long this will last???  and if the meds will all get out of my body?? if anyone knows anything about this let me know!  ij sut want to feel normal again.  Thanks