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

[CatD]

feeling a bit better today from the withdrawal symptoms. I went to see my naturopathic doctor and she gave me a homopathic remedy and it seems to be working, I feel more like myself again. I'm going to have to learn how to deal with the depression, anxiety and anger without drugs, and with alternative medicine and with therapy.. I don't care what the docs say I don't trust these anti-depressants anymore and especially with being pregnant I can't risk how it could potentially affect my baby. I wish everyone the best of luck and hope that they get through this.

[jmb2151]

I am currently tapering off Zoloft for the third time in 10 years. I had never researched withdrawal symptoms before, and it is horrible to read some of the personal stories posted here. I feel compelled to post myself for people who come across this board while thinking of quitting the drug but get scared away by the painful anecdotes here.

First, the effects of going off Zoloft vary, and for some people, aren't even that severe. I dismiss the people who say they wish they could bring a class-action lawsuit against Pfizer. I truly think Zoloft has had a big hand in restoring my life several times. (My first major depressive episode, 10 years ago, ended with a suicide attempt.)

That said, I have had one negative experience coming off of it. The first two times I went off, I had absolutely no issues (see now, isn't that comforting?). About two years ago, I went off again, but not for very long. I was suffering panic attacks, and even though I could recognize those for what they were, having your heart feel like it's going to beat out of your chest is freakin' scary. I also recognized that maybe I was having withdrawal this time around because I was going through a major life change: I had just moved from the West Coast to New York City to begin a graduate program.

Again, maybe I am just lucky, but I've never gained weight while on the drug. Just the opposite, in fact. I definitely see the diminishing effects on my libido, though, which is a bummer, but also a side effect I've accepted as par for the course.

And just to drive the point home that we all react differently to these drugs, I hate Wellbutrin. Hate it! People talk of it here as a wonderful alternative to the "evil" Zoloft, but I found it unbearable. For the few months I took it, I was sweaty, anxious, couldn't keep my feet still, had heart palpitations, and my depression got worse. So.

If you're reading this and thinking of going off it, you should give it a try. It might not be that bad. If you go into something with negativity, it probably will be a negative experience (self-fulfilling prophecy, anyone?). You can always go back on if it sucks. Excercise, of course, helps tremendously, but so does keeping an open mind.

Cheers, and good luck to everyone here!

[Momof2Foxes]

Hello, I am at work and experiencing side effects strong enough to get me to search online for what the heck it is.  I found this forum and feel much better to see others experiencing these brain zaps and fogginess and vision problems and headaches, etc.  I have been taking Zoloft for maybe 5 months now, and previously on Lexapro for 3 months. My memory is terrible since starting these drugs. Lexapro took away so much of my memory that I couldn't remember what day it was...all day long!  It was scary and embarrassing and my doctor just didn't believe that it was worse than everyone elses normal forgetfullness.  So now on Zoloft at least I did feel like I wasn't so upset or depressed (I have 2 baby girls, 3yr and 11mo) or angry at my defenseless kids.  Last week I accidentally stopped my medication due to forgetting to take it.  Once I realized that I hadn't taken it in 3 days and haven't killed myself or someone else I decided to purposely not take it last night. Well today the side effects are pretty harsh.  My muscles really hurt, my eyes burn, headaches, and really bad fogginess/dizziness.  I am hoping it doesn't get worse and I can just deal with it until it goes away.  Since I am not angry or paranoid or depressed like the last time I tried to taper off of Zoloft it seems like a good idea to just keep going through the pain in case I can come out the other end drug free without flipping out entirely or losing friends in the process.  It is quite painful and like many others my doctor is not so supportive of believing the intensity of the side effects so I am not even telling her about it.  What's the point?  If I do spend money to go in and talk to her she will just smile and nod and I'll get nothing out of it.  

This chat room helps.  THANKS.

[sweetone1]

started zoloft 4 2007 been on 6 weeks, severe anxiety hyperventilating tapered dpwn from 50 to 25 for 2 weeks now off 2nd day after stopping extreme achiness headache hyperventilating again week tired how long will these symptoms last i only was on it 6 weeks

[toni2723]

Hello all!
I was on Zoloft for about 6 weeks for situational depression.  Well situations are changing and I hated the sexual side effects so I decided that I was coming off Zoloft.  It is day three and I do feel flu like.  It is strange because it seems that my symptoms come when it is time for my Zoloft.  I was only on 50 mgs a day, and not even very long.  I am really hoping that I don't have all of the symptoms you all describe!  
Best of luck to all of you!!

[CatD]

Hi, I only took Zoloft for 2 weeks and now went off of it and I feel horrible, and I was on such a low dosage. I am pregnant so my doctor started me on 10 mg (compound made) I was on this for 5 days, and felt better with my depression and anxiety, then I went up to 20 mg (compound made) and I stayed on this for only 2 days, I felt like a bus had hit me! I couldn't get out of bed and at the sametime I couldn't sleep. I'm pregnant and I have to be able to sleep and be able to take care of myself somewhat for the sake of this unborn child. I went down to 10 mg again for about 3 days and then went off of the 10 mg, just 2 days ago. I feel worse now than I did before I started this medication. I do have problems with depression, anxitey and irratibility for many years, but the way I feel right now is worse then my regular mood problems... I feel like I am out of my body, not in control of my thoughts, I feel no emotions at all, I feel so incredibly tired and weak and have horrible dizzy spills. I can't believe I feel this way from being on a very small dosage of Zoloft for only 2 weeks! I am very sensitive to medication, I have been on other anti-depressants over the years, and I also went through a horrible withdrawal with Effexor but I was on that for 1 year and at a regular dose... I don't understand why I have such horrible withdrawal from Zoloft from only being on it for 2 weeks and such a low dose... I am worried about my baby inside of me, how she is feeling. Will this withdrawal symptoms go away? I'm hoping being on such a low dose for only 2 weeks that it will go away, but how long does it take? I am so glad I didn't continue longer with this drug. Please if anyone can help me with my questions, I am very worried not just about me but the baby inside of me... please post me back. thank you so much.