zoloft withdrawal hell

[loie51]

The whole Zoloft thing is  so difficult for me to handle, i had been take 150 mg for 2 years. weaned myself off.  Have not taken any for almost two weeks, how long is this withdrawal  going to last? i don't feel in control of my own mind and I have so many symptoms. It's difficult to say  the least. I do not want to cave in and go back on it. As I will just be in the same situation at another time. Please help me, i am afraid I will lose friends or even my job, im just so angry and depressed  and can't control it,

[4Maddie44]

I am sorry you have had to deal with a difficult time in  your life.  I do hope all is resolved.  We certainly have to cope with a lot in our lives don't we?

I remember my mother saying to me, "you never stop worrying about your children however old they are" and it is true in my case.  I have 2 children in their 40s and never stop worrying about them.  My daughter has two failed marriages, and my son has just married for the 2nd time.  I went to pieces when his first marriage broke up.  I myself am divorced.  

When I was on Zoloft I collected my prescription for six months, but did not take any tablets.  I went to see my doctor, with my daughter about my depression, and took out six months worth of anti-depressant.  They could not believe what I had done, and asked why.  Do you know, I didn't have an answer.  I mean why on earth did I do that?  I just don't understand myself.  Depression does funny things!!

I do hope things are improving for you.  I hope you don't mind me sharing my stories with you.  

I hope you find your "new self" soon.  Good luck.  Hope you don't feel the way you do now forever, none of us do.  I manage as best I can.  Depression started in my 40s and I am in my 70s now.  No chance that I will ever improve, but I carry on as best I can.

Lovely to see other people improve and get back to their old lives.

Take care, and let us know how you get on with doctor and counsellor.

[loie51]

I just wanted to say thank you to you folks who have given me your advice.  I especially appreciate hearing from people who have had similar experiences,
I am not  at all ashamed of being on the medication and have even touted  the usefulness of anti-depressants. The zoloft really did pick me up and pull me out of some bad times.
I have just come so far in working on some of the other issues in my life, I guess I just wanted to make one final, big ,head strong leap into my new self....But I still think I need a little more back-up, so to speak.
I really do not feel good emotionally and this wide range of emotional change is not something I can deal with too easily.  Nor can the others around me. So back to the zoloft, have up and coming appointments with doctor and counselor within the next month so I will see where that takes me.  And no, I do not want to feel like this forever......

[nursegirl6572]

Unfortunately, you should have listened to to your therapist, or tapered with the help of your doctor. Most people that go through these kinds of symptoms when coming off a med (to this extreme) is because they tapered too fast, or jumped down dose increments in too big of steps.  There's a good reaon we don't have "MD" after our names.

You also could be experiencing rebound depression and anxiety, on top of a "discontinuation syndrome",  which is common.  That will usually subside as your body redjusts to not having the medication on board.

This may take some time until you're feeling better.  You need to start telling your doc what is going on.  They are there to help you.  It may seem like it's not a big deal to figure out a taper, but as you found out...it can be a big deal if not done correctly.  Tell you doc exactly how you tapered, and how you're feeling.  You're not obligated to take his advice, but at least give him the opportunity to give it.

All too often, people decide, for whatever reason, to come off these meds, and while I don't fault ANYONE for wanting to give it a go without medication, there are a lot of things to consider while making that decision.  One, obviously these kinds of symptoms (discontinuation syndrome) are a possibility.  Two...the rebound depression and anxiety...each person has to decide what they are comortable with in regards to that.  Lastly, another example of something to consider is the fact that often times, if a person d/c's a med and decides to restart it.....it can be MUCH harder to adjust to these kinds of meds subsequent times.  Start up side effects can be MUCH more severe.   There are some theories as to why that happens, and it doesn't happen to everyone, but a good bit of people report this.  This would have been something to think about if you were making the decision to stop the Zoloft based on the assumption that you could always restart it again if you ran into problems.

I'm hoping you are feeling better soon.  Please talk with your doctor.  It's important that the/she knows what's going on when it comes to the meds he/she is prescribing us.

Please let us know how you're feeling.  It will take time, you will not feel like this forever.

[4Maddie44]

Oh yes I do understand that you want to do without anti-depressants.  Over the 20 years I have had depression I have done the same.  The longest I went without medication was one year, and I thought I was doing so well.  BUT unfortunately the depression did come back, and it was very bad.

I had an anti-depressant early one, on e of the old type, that made me angry and violent.  Scared the hell out of me because I am usually a placid person, never angry.  I knew it was the medication that was doing that, and I didn't discuss with a doctor, just threw them away, then went to doctor!!

I understand fully that you want to go without anti-depressants, and I applaud you for that.  See how you go.  Of course you would like to exist without medication.  I know I do, but I am lucky that I do not get side effects with the one I am on.  Also I have had depression for too long now to stop.  My body needs it.

Good on you for trying.  I do hope it works out for you.  I should think by now the withdrawal is at an end.  You will know yourself whether it is depression or not.  I understand you, and I wish you luck.

Take care and keep us posted as to how you are doing.  We do like to know how people get on.

Big hug.

[WishfulSpirit]

Why did you stop the zoloft? Are you under the care of a physician trained in these type of medications? There's no shame in needing medication: if you were diabetic, you wouldn't feel bad about taking insulin, would you?

[loie51]

Very good questions, and i would like to address them.
I wanted to stop taking Zoloft as I was feeling it was something I no longer needed. I am at a different point in my life now  then when I started it. When I started, it was to be temporary.
The only reaction I feel from it is that it makes me super tired but night time dosage helped somewhat with that.
And yes, it had helped me through out the past two years.
Perhaps I do need to be on the medication or perhaps I am feeling  bad withdrawal symptoms, who knows? I wish I did.
This is where the problem lies, is my body telling me I can't be without anti-depressants or is it telling me that my brain does not know how to do it's job correctly as a chemical has been doing it for the last two years?
Either way, I have given a good deal of thought as to going  back on the meds.
I mentioned friends and my job earlier because my behavior has been so erratic as of late.
I have had episodes of pretty strong anger which is unlike me. This occurs while trying to do my job, making it difficult to function.
Doesn't this seem more like withdrawal than merely just depression?
And then I cry for no apparent reason.That's the depression talking there.
It's difficult as I have been lashing out at a very good friend, one of whom I have never even had an argument with.I just want to be left alone, totally alone and this is not me.
Up and down and back and forth I go...
And no, I have not talked with my doctor..I did however discuss this with my therapist while i was weaning off, she thought it was a strong move but also told me to not go any lower on the dosage yet.
Yes, I went against her advice. I just want to be able to exist happily on my own, without chemicals...Does anybody understand that?

[4Maddie44]

Hello, I am sorry you are finding withdrawal from Zoloft so hard.  I was lucky, and when I stopped it to start another anti-depressant, I had no withdrawal symptoms.  

Why do you want to stop taking it?  Are you having a bad reaction to it?  Has it not helped you for the 2 years you have been taking it?  Are the symptoms you are experiencing side effects of the drug, or withdrawal?  

It may be that you cannot do without  anti-depressants.  Sounds like your body is telling you that.  Don't you agree?  

Why will you lose friends and a job?  If you are depressed still, you need to take anti-depressants.  Have you discussed this with your doctor?