HORROR WITHDRAW FROM ZOLOFT

[joey000245]

I WAS ON 25 MG OF ZOLOFT FOR FOURTEEN YEARS. I WAS EXPERIENCING A LOT OF STRESS WHEN I STARTED TAKING IT IN 1994 IT WAS AND STILL IS ADVERTISED AS BEING NON ADDITIVE.
I LOWERED THE DOSE TO 12.5 M.G. IN OCTOBER 2008 AND ON FEB.4,2008 I STOPPED TAKING IT. WITHIN A WEEK MY NOSE,THROAT AND CHEST ALL GOT VERY TIGHT AND HAD HEAVY MUCUS THAT I COULD NOT EXPEL AND I HAD DISCOMFORT BREATHING. I THEN BEGAN TO TWITCH,GET DIZZY, HAD HEADACHES,NAUSEA AND FELT HORRIBLE. DID SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND FOUND ALL THESE HORROR STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO GET OFF OF ZOLOT.I WENT BACK ON 25 M.G. OF ZOLOFT AND WITHIN TWO HOURS I HAD SOME RELIEF IN THE BREATHING PROBLEM. IN ABOUT A MONTH ALL THE SIDE EFFECTS WENT AWAY,EXCEPT THE BREATHING GOT WORSE AND CONTINUES. I WAS ADVISED BY MY INTERNEST TO TRY AND TAKE 25 MG OF ZOLOFT TWICE A DAY. THAT DID NOT HELP. I WAS THEN PRESCRIBED 0.5 OF KLONOPIN TWICE A DAY. THAT HELPED SOME. I AM NOW ON THE 25 MG OF ZOLOFT TWICE A DAY,THE 0.5 KLONOPIN TWICE A DAY,AN ASTHMA INHALER(FORADIL) TWICE A DAY AND PROVENTIL AS NEEDED. THIS ALL HELPS,BUT MY LIFE IS A LIVING NIGHTMARE. ONE DOCTOR WANTED TO INCREASE THE ZOLOFT TO 100 MG A DAY AND ANOTHER DR. WANTED ME TO TAKE 200 MG A DAY. I REFUSED. I AM ALREADY IN A STUPER FROM THE COMBINATION OF THE ZOLOFT AND THE KLONOPIN. THIS IS WRONG, THAT A COMPANY CAN SELL A DRUG THAT CAN CAUSE THIS AND NOT OFFER ANY HELP TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO INTERNISTS,THAT THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAT THEY CAN DO FOR ME. AS SOON AS I TRY AND REDUCE THE ZOLOFT THE CLOSURE IN MY NOSE,THROAT AND CHEST COMES RIGHT BACK. I HAVE HAD EVERY TEST POSSIBLE,CT OF NOSE AND THROAT,PET SCANS,BRONCKASCOPY,STOMACH SCOPING AND ON AND ON. I HAVE SEEN TWO PHYSCRISTS,THREE PULMUNARY DOCTORS, THREE EAR NOSE AND THROAT DOCTORS, I HAVE HAD ALLAGERY TESTS, I HAVE SEEN FOUR INTERNISTS AND NO ONE CAN HELP ME OR HAS EVER HEARD OF ZOLOFT CAUSING THIS. I CONTACTED PFIZER,THEY WERE OF NO HELP, I E MAILED THE FDA AND HAD NO RESPONSE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE CLEVELAND CLINIC IN WESTON FL. THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I HAVE BEEN TO SHANDS TEACHING HOSPITAL IN GAINSEVILLE,FL. THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP. I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE HAS EVER BEEN ANY RESEARCH ON SOMEONE TAKING ZOLOFT FOR 14 YEARS AND IT HAS DONE SOMETHING TO MY BODY AND WILL NOT GET BETTER. IT HAS BEEN TEN MONTHS NOW. CAN YOU OFFER ME ANY HELP?

[Bob_D]

Hi Joey,
I'm sorry you are going through this. I'm afraid I have nothing very positive to offer.

According to your story, you have spoken with thirteen doctors and had every available diagnostic test.. What more could anyone on this board say that would add anything to that or that you would consider meaningful?

I'm no head shrinker, and I am just pulling this out of my empty Lexapro vial, but, purely from what you have told us, it sounds to me like your problem could be a somatoform disorder.

[birdie0907]

If you repost without all capitals it is much easier for the reader to focus on your interesting story. Block capitals slow the eyes a lot.
There are a lot of informed readers on this board, so I bet someone can come up with something that relates to your situation.