Zoloft Withdrawal Symptoms

I have been looking around the web for this topic, so I registered here today...I am having the same withdrawl symptoms with zoloft as I did with lexapro.  many people complain of "zaps"  or "whooshs" as I call them, like the brain is 2 seconds behind your body.  eye movement gives you this weird electrical brain zap.  really hard to explain, but very much a pain in the ass.  I have gone cold turkey on both medications multiple times and for some reason I end up back on the meds.  I still have months supply of lexapro and zoloft but won't take it.  lexapro took me 17 days until the head zaps quit, I'm at 3 weeks with zoloft and it still continues...also, weird dreams, insomnia (4hrs of weird dream sleep) constantly waking up, sweats then chills.  everyone suggests weening off with a dr.'s supervision, cutting your doses down until you reach 25mg, then off.  I go cold turkey because I think I'm tough like that, or stupid.  It doesn't help that I am an alcoholic and I just quit drinking too, so I am a withdrawling hot mess.  but I have done this many times before as well, so I know what to expect.  it could take me a month to get "normal".  I really hate anxiety meds, having to rely on them to avoid anxiety attacks.  I also get 3 day headaches and ocular migranes, my eyes blur up like I am looking through goggles filled with water, that lasts for a half hour.  I also recently went A-Fib and went on heart meds.  I am 34 yrs old and a former athlete...go figure.  either go cold turkey and deal with it, or tell your doctor you want to ween off...I would rather smoke a joint and get 8hrs of sleep, but society accepts drinking not marijuana.  I turn into the incredible hulk when I mix drinking with lexapro or zoloft, except I turn red not green...so I quit all of it, except the heart meds...good luck

Hey Schaads,

 

I've got my Dr. close for the supervision of my discontinuation of the Zoloft. He's weining me off slowly - from a long term dosage of 300mg (maybe two or three years) I've been on 150 for the last year or so. We've dropped it to 100mg's and he wants me to stay there for a minimum of one month before dropping it another 25mg's - and continue this pattern until I'm done. I once inavertantly ran out of the medication and went 5 days without it. The depression that I realized from that incedent was horrible! I really did suffer, and became definately convinced that the SSRI had a profound effect on my chemistry. It scared me, I was panic stricken, depressed on a scale that was off the charts, sleepless, brain zapped, and desparate. Even though I am one a maintence dose of Klonopin - it was of no help. I needed the Zoloft and will never again stop cold turkey. It seems you too are suffering the side effects, although not all th same as mine, and I commend you for alowing yourself to go through this. I'm sorry my friend - sorry for you and my heart goes out to you. We both know the sensitive nature of this malady.

 

Some background information on me: around three years ago I lost a girlfriend and then my job as a manager of a business I hated. I stopped working out after being a body builder for most of my life. I was 48 at the time, and bench pressing 365 max, working out with 315 (3 large plates) and pumping 6-8 times for 3 or 4 sets - just to warm up. So, as you can imagine, I was a big guy at 208lbs of lean muscle mass. No steriods - Arganine, Glutamine,  Aminos and plenty of protien (200mgs per day via shake) and good food.

 

I have to go - be back later

Steve

steve,
I'm in the middle of switching doctors right now, I do need an appt. asap.  I can only sleep for about 3-4hrs, have had a headache for 4 days, and getting zapped as we speak, it's 3:30am eastern, the witching hour as I call it.  my wife just started a new job and I play Mr. mom for 8 hrs a day with all of these symptoms.  I'll tell the doc about the zoloft, but at 3 weeks off of it now, I do not want it...I have back and joint pain too, 2 buldging disks in the lower back...blah blah blah, I feel 62.  I am worried though, see, I recently quit drinking and am dealing with those symptoms, I recently got my 2nd DUI about a mile from the house and can expect to do some jail time.  you can imagine the anxiety.  last time I was in jail I brought my lexapro w/ me and the deputies threw my meds out.  I withdrawled off of it in jail.  so I don't know what to do, probably better to deal with it at home, but no guarantees I won't have anxiety attacks in jail, or worse, go A-Fib again in there, they don't care.  i know, cry me a river...the alcohol got me here...I'll be calling the new doctor today.
                                                                   -schaads

GS,

Good news and bad news. I've been doing some serious research about getting off zoloft since I'm about to begin the process. Been on for five years. At 150mg for one year then down to 100mg. I wasn't experiencing highs, but I wasn't experiencing lows either. Anyways, bad new with draw last for around 3 months. This intails, zaps of dizziness, vertigo, nausea, head aches, emotional serges or rollercoaster moments. Then after three months the smoke clears and it's like non of that happens. Some people say Benedryl and Advil cold and sinus help. Doctors have been known to perscripe anti nausea for ear infections b/c fluid in the ears is common for some reason. Do not take the anit-nausea, will only make symtoms worse. I found some really helpful message boards when I googled 'getting off zoloft'. Most people tappered off with the doctors support. I'm down to 50mg. Will be going down to 25mg for a week b4 I start the everyother day for a week, three days for a week, then two days to nothing. Good luck all. It's not an easy road and you should have a good support system and copping exercises in place b4 you begin this process. From all I've read it's not going to the best next three months.:-P  Every accomplishment begins with faith.

I know I am late, but FYI -Claritin D helps tremendously with the "brain zaps" and the "swooshes". It has to be Claritin "D", and not just regular Claritin. I found that out years ago when someone else told me about it in a medical forum. I have used it to ween off of Zoloft and Effexor. It was a lifesaver.xd

I have been on zoloft 200mg for 3 months and my doctor stopped it abruptly and added neurontin and seroquel 200mg in its place. However over the past couple days I've been nauseated and have actually thrown up. I've had cold sweats shakes bad anxiety and have found myself at time completely disoriented from my surroundinggs. That's not the wroste part. The worst part is the insomnia I can sleep I lay in bed and my eyes are restless and I feel like I need a cigarette feeling. You know that feeling of something is missing. And I can't sleep. Even worse is I take 300mg of neurotin. 200mg seroquel not extended release and 10mg ambient for sleep. And I still cannot go to sleep when I take my ssroquel I throw up on occasion. And I'm big polar so I've been on a manic high during all this time. I can sleep but I don't feel terrible I just simply with drawling it reminds me of a withdraw I had off of benzos when I took xenax. What I can't tell you is sinceits so soon your body is at a heightened sense of these feelings. But believe me in time they will go away 1-2 weeks but you won't be out of the woods yet. Then you will start a period which is called post acute with drawl syndrome. That last a maximum of 60 days but keep your head up and keep focused. I'm in it with you and as a recovering drug addict I can relate. Stay strong and you can get through it

Gosh, I appreciate each of you for sharing your experience. I kept forgetting to take the sertraline (Zoloft). Finally, I just went cold turkey. It has been really strange - with peculiar sensations in my head. Very hard to describe - like pressure from a brain bubble. I'm very 'fluid' emotionally. Labile? Lot's of challenging things happening in my life at the moment, yet I felt a profound need to get off the drug. Like it was a bigger problem than my life circumstances. Well, I'm sorry for your suffering and surely grateful for your sharing.

Dude I'm pulling my self off cold turkey and my lower back is a f*****g mess. Is this related?

watcha all medically depressed!!!!!.

Just took my elf off of Zoloft about 4 days ago. Was only taking 1/2 of the smallest dose. Going through withdrawals. feeling like I'm gonna jump out of my skin. Anxious, restless. cant keep still. Having a major crisis with my marriage. Want my head to be clear and to feel all the pain so maybe we can work this out. I am so incredible sad!!!gonna stick it out though and go through the withdrawals. gotta be strong!

I took zoloft for postpartum depression following my first baby and my second baby.  I was taking 50mg for about 9 months when I tried going cold turkey the first time to get off the medication because I  had no idea how powerful if was.  That was a big mistake and I had huge withdrawal symptoms including dizziness, headache, fatigue, bouts of uncontrollable crying.  I went back on the medication and side effects disappeared.  Then I very slowly tapered myself off at my own pace, lowering about 1/2 a pill every 3 weeks to a month or so, until I was off completely.  This way I did not have any terrible withdrawal, just minor headaches, dysphoria, mild anxiety, but not unmanageable.  I am in the process of tapering myself off the medication again, and feel ok.  

 

 

I've been on 100 mg of Zoloft for almost six years. I have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), so something short-acting like Xanax wasn't an option for me, since I'm constantly in a state of anxiety (and knew I'd quickly become addicted to the Xanax given that I'd have to take it around the clock). 30 years ago, I think they used to call people with GAD worry-warts...consistently feeling like something bad is going to happen, that you're going to mess up...impending doom. It took a good six weeks before the Zoloft finally kicked in and almost 6 whole months until I actually felt normal. I do suffer from the very occasional panic attack (maybe once a year), but overall, the Zoloft has kept me even. I can focus on my job (which is pretty stressful) and maintain normal relationships with my loved ones. This was all much harder to do before I started on Zoloft.

Well, because of my own laziness, I let my prescription expire, and I dragged my feet calling my doctor to refill my script. Those 5 days without Zoloft were hell, and I swear to you all that what I was feeling was not psychosomatic. I have a stash of Xanax, which I usually only take if I feel a panic attack coming on, but I had to take 2-4 a day to compensate for the lack of Zoloft. The Xanax kept me from jumping out of my skin and going insane, but didn't prevent the frightening "brain zaps" that some of you have also described. The sensation is hard to describe, but it felt like non-painful electrical shocks in my brain. Very distracting, and for someone who has a mild case of hypochondria to boot, I was incredibly scared that something devastating was happening to my health. At one point, I wondered if they were mini-seizures, but after reading about other people's similar symptoms, I'm pretty sure they were benign. I also experienced some sort of vertigo...when I would turn my head abruptly, it seemed to take a second or two for my eyes and brain to catch up. I fortunately didn't experience the nausea, night sweats, or insomnia. I think because I took 2 Xanax at bedtime, I was able to relax enough to fall asleep. 

I just picked up my Zoloft a few hours ago and took my first pill in 5 days. Fingers crossed that it starts to work pretty fast. Good luck to everyone, and I think it's such a blessing to have these forums. It's a comfort to know that others have shared the same situations.

Zoloft is short acting antidepresant that causes severe withdrawal symptomsnot only when you take it off but even when you lower it's dose: you may feel very tired, sleepy, lifeless; you may have nausea, vomiting, discoordination, dizziness, flue like symptoms. Just be patient, in a few days you will feel better.

I've tapered down and on a lower does for about two weeks now. Has anyone experienced bad gastrointestinal issues while tapering off? I've had pretty severe diarrhea and stomach issues, including some spasms in my stomach area and basically needing to go to the bathroom within 20 minutes after eating. Wasn't sure if this was somewhat normal or something else...