Thanks a million to all of you who took time to post about your experiences after abruptly quitting Zoloft. It's beyond comforting to know I'm not alone.
I've been taking it for 8 months for anxiety, and it's helped me immensely. However, I'm tired of being tired all the time so I decided to quit cold turkey 5 days ago - what a MISTAKE!
The first couple of days went well other than having a slight headache. On day 3 the dizziness, nausea, heart flutters and freaky dreams began. On day 4 I went on a 35 mile road trip w/ the fam and got very car sick because my head was already spinning before we even pulled out of the driveway. Day 5 (today) was a range of tears, instantaneous laughter, irritability, severe dizziness & nausea, and feeling like I was rapidly spiraling out of control. I took a pill about 6 hours ago and no longer feel like I'm gonna lose my mind. I think I would've wound up in the psych ward within a day or two had I not gone back on the meds, and I've never been there before.
My new plan is to get leveled out again, then wean myself off very, very, very gradually.
The weed actually did help me when I first stopped.
I stopped Zoloft 6 days ago. I was feeling numb as most have commented and actually felt like it wasn't helping me as much as it did at first. I had a crying attack while I was on the meds...perhaps stress related due to my job. I have been on it for about 4 months at 100mg. It did kill my libido, but then I took Viagra and at least I could function though the joy was gone. I also could not have an orgasim at all...gets kinda boring for both of us lol. So, now 6 days later I do feel like my sex drive has returned to normal. I have a sort of pressure in my frontal lobe of my brain. I am super tired, falling asleep over and over during the day. I am dreaming vividly everytime I fall asleep.
So, I am reading these symptoms last about 2 weeks? I hope so. I quit drinking and smoking last year. I just bought a book about Retraining my Brain to overcome stress using the plasticity concept that you can actually change your thought patterns to deal with stress more positively. Its worth a try at $12.99. If I find I can't cope, the Zoloft is always there, or maybe something else...
I did take ONE big toke of weed last week at a concert and I felt some relief of pressure in my brain and my eyes felt very relaxed. It did make me paranoid for a little while but then I relaxed...wow, it must have been very potent weed. I am not opposed to trying it again in the right situation (no driving etc...)
I also find there is no ONE way to live. Who is to say I am not normal for me? I do want to deal with this to be more content. I want more energy too -- this sleepyness is maddening!
Good luck to everyone.
I was taking 50mg of Zoloft everyday for about a year for anxiety and depression, then I got pregnant and weaned myself off within a month. After about a month I got all of my anxiety and depression back in full force all at once and I seriously wanted to just die pregnant and all! It was horrible! I decided to go back on the medication once I was out of my first trimester and it helped a lot. After having the baby this past December I had to increase my dosage to 100mg because of post pardum depression. I noticed I wasnt depressed at all but I didnt want to do anything at all. I was totally numb. I didnt care about anything, I wasnt happy or sad, all I wanted to do was go home and sit there. I didnt want to ever do my hair or make-up or even dress up. I would avoid seeing friends because I just didnt feel like going anywhere or having anyone come over. I did notice I was becoming very angry over everything. I was lashing out at my boyfriend and anyone that had something to say that I didnt agree with which wasnt like me. While on vacation the very beginning of August I forgot to take my zoloft for about 6 days so I then decided to stop cold turkey and it has now been over a month and I couldnt be happier! I feel like myself again. I actually want to go out and do things again. I go shopping and go out and hang out with friends again. I do feel a little dizzy at times but its nothing I cant handle.
I had been on Zoloft 200 mg for almost 4 years and about 2 months ago i quit cold turkey. I didnt feel anything anymore I was like a blank page. Once the meds started to get out of my system I felt a live again. I realized that ever since i had started taking the meds I had become a robotic maid at my house or something. I now feel like I am married to someone I dont even know much less like. I now have my personality back and i actually have feelings about things. If you have never taken that mess it is my advice to you to never start. It is some bad stuff!!!!
I am so glad to have found this forum. I went from being of the mindset that I should never try anti-depressants to being prescribed to Wellbutrin, Zoloft and Effexor. I quit the Wellbutrin a while back and currently working on getting off Zoloft and Effexor. I remember the first week I took Zoloft was hell and this first few days of not taking it are worse. Zoloft did not help me at all and I've been gaining weight that has been impossible to lose even with exercising 4 times a week. I think I may ween myself off the Zoloft because I am so dizzy and cannot concentrate on my work, but I can't wait to get off of it an go back to my normal self.
Wow I am so happy I have found this form! So much good information from everyone. I started to take Zoloft my Jr. year of high school (2009). I am not really sure why the doctor had me start taking the medication, I have A.D.H.D and my Mom did tell the doctor how I was constantly misbehaving and becoming a irritable part of the family. I am not sure if I was depressed or just acting like a teenager? I took the medication and it seemed to level me out. I ignored how I felt the first few months while starting this medication because I knew it took time to get used to any medication. My problem was not being sure if I just accepted the way I felt on the medication and just went with the flow of life, with out questioning how it made me really feel.
I also noticed that I would sleep a lot like 12 hours if you let me. I had a hard time waking myself up and most of the day felt tired. I played sports such as track and notice that it would take me the longest time for my body to warm up (cardio). I also noticed a 10 pound weight gain.
When I did not take the medication, for example forgetting to take it or if forgot to get a refill, I might have been fine for a day. The second day of not taking Zoloft was miserable I felt like I had the flu experiencing Headache, fever, dizziness. My head would feel like it was pumped full of air and at the same time like someone taped a water melon to my head making it feel heavy.
The last couple of years I got used to taking Zoloft but I began feeling someone angry at times. My family would yell and me and of course that would set me off and I could yell at the top of my lungs and some times push things off the table. I lost it when I was angry.
I am now off Zoloft! In July 3, 2012 I decided while on vacation to Florida I wanted to be off my medication because I had been having dizzy spells and also got sick on the plane due to a stomach flu (not motion sickness) I blamed the stomach flu and dizziness on the Zoloft (even though I had been on it for 4 years) and since I was on vacation I wanted to make sure I was going to have a good time. I took an Excedrin Migraine every day and managed to not feel the symptoms through the vacation which was amazing and some what of a victory!!
First Week off Zoloft:I came back from vacation feeling amazing. I felt alive, optimistic, chipper. I felt more clear than I had in a very long time. I felt like I had a rebirth in life.
The second week off Zoloft I did start feeling the symptoms but they were minor compared to what I had felt in the past.
Five weeks off Zoloft: Summer of 2012 I decided to fit online schooling into summer. I was doing great had a B+ in English and was struggling with Online Psychology. While my younger sister was moving off to college, which was hard for me and then their was me working my butt off on school during most of the summer, I started to crack.. I messed up on on assignment before the final research paper which made my grade go down to a 'C' which is like a 'F' in college. I also had to try and pass my Psychology test while working on the final paper. I ended up starting to have Anxiety attacks 3 days before finals. Before I finished I had stopped eating very much food, would be at my computer all day and would cry in fear of trying to leave my work. After finals my anxiety attack would still not go away.
I ended up having to go to the emergency room. Days later I was crying constantly, I would go on very long walks with my dog, if anyone was going some place I had to go with them. I was trying to keep going, moving. As soon as I sat down I would start to cry and felt distraught. At this point I only ate about 700 calories a day because my stomach felt cramped up. My heart would race and I didn't know what to do with my self. I ended up asking my Mom to take me to the Emergency room because I could no longer stand myself. They gave me Lorazepam which made me feel calm and worked amazingly. It has taken me #13 weeks to recover from the anxiety attack and I am now dealing with depression.
The doctors told me in the ER that it takes 4 weeks for Zoloft to with drawl from your system and can cause Anxiety attacks.
My advice is to never quit cold turkey because you may end of having an anxiety attack. I would suggest trying to be weaned off of Zoloft or find another medication. I had to take a different medication because of the anxiety attacks caused by being off Zoloft.
I'm only 19 and I've been on zoloft for 4 years... 200 mg.
I recently decided I wanted to try to stop taking it again so
I reduced it to 50 mg for about 2 weeks and now that I quit
I'm having these jolt-like headaches that last for a few seconds
but they happen about 15 times a day. Don't know if this is normal
or not and it feels very strange. But it's a lot better from when I've
tried coming off in the past when I would start having worse symptoms
of depression.
I quit taking Zoloft about 5 days ago. I had some gastrointestinal discomfort, but attributed that to all of the holiday eating. But last night, I had the most bizarre, vivid (x-rated) dream...it has been bothering me thinking about it all day. And a second bizarre dream as well. I think I should wean myself off. Feeling light headed off and on today. Thanks for the posts!
I quit when I was 19 after having been on zoloft and klonipin for 5 years. It took a lot of time just cutting down month by month, before I could completely cut off. I was able to deal with cutting off because my life was less stressful, than it had been in the previous years. I really feel that a less stressful enviroment is essential to getting off Zoloft. Its not easy but if you get back on a smaller dose or whatever helps you feel more comfortable, if your really feeling like blowing your brains please go to a hospital, for your family or friends. I get your not comfortable taking the meds but if you were stable on them, then at the very least get back on a small dose and stabilize yourself. Then plan on quitting safely. Get your head straight so you can plan straight. If you live a stressful life it could take longer, because you have to learn to cope so you can then slowly get off and still cope. Don't torture yourself about it. For whatever reason you got on this drug and now it has left a physical change in your brain. You have a real physical problem that you should deal with in a practical way.