Topic Title: Zoloft Withdraws....or SJW?
| |  "Zoloft Withdraws....or SJW?"
, Mon 7 Nov 21:03
Okay, I have been taking zoloft for 3 or 4 yrs just a week or so ago I stopped taking zoloft and started taking SJW...I now have horrible headaches, I feel dizzy all the time, Lips go numb, when I move my eyes I feel light headed. And for some reason I cry at the drop of a hat, I either cry or curse with anger. This is not me I realize but I dont know if it is withdrawals or the SJW. If anyone has ever experienced ZOLOFT WITHDRAWALS please let me know of your experiences.
I am going out of my mind I think...yesterday I went in Bath and Body works accidently dropped something from their self and immediately began crying like a baby and running out of the store!! Then today I was just irritated at everything people, drivers, kids, husband I just fly off the handle over stupid things.
I dont want to take the zoloft anylonger I am finally happy with myself and life. But these withdrawals are killing me if that is what they are...I began taking the SJW the same day I stopped taking the Zoloft so Im not certain which is causing these emotional breakdowns.
But I need help coping, please share your thoughts with me I cant find anyone who understands what I am going thru...
Posts: 0 | | Registered: Mon 7 Nov 2005 20:47 |
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| | "Re(1):Zoloft Withdraws....or SJW?" , Mon 7 Nov 23:02
I am so sorry you are feeling so bad.
I have been on various ADs (including Zoloft) for long periods of time. Did you stop "suddenly" without slowly tapering off your dose? If you did, then that could very well be the factor contributing to your symptoms. 3-4 years is a long time...and your body does get used to the drug. Zoloft isn't addicting...but you do need to taper it off. For example (and I did this with several SSRIs ..including prozac and lexapro as well) I was on Zoloft 75mg at the time. I went to 50mg for 2 weeks, then 25 mg for 2 weeks, then 25mg every other day for a week, then stopped. If you did stop suddenly you might need to start taking a lower dose of zoloft again and taper it slowly.
You might very well feel more confortable and better if you do. Let us know how things go.
cheers
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Mon 7 Nov 2005 22:31 |
| | | "Re(2):Zoloft Withdraws....or SJW?" , Thu 10 Nov 23:11
I had been taking 100mg once daily for the past 4 years and yes I quit cold one day and the next I started taking SJW hoping to replace zoloft. I was afraid to take both at once...and of course now I realize I should have tapered off slowly but I was confused whether my rollercoaster ride my mind is experiencing is withdrawals or the SJW. Its hard to believe after 2 weeks of no zoloft I am still withdrawing but I am...I stopped taking the SJW and I still have a numb brain and lips, nausea, vomiting, nightmares, violent mood swings etc....
I want to thank you for responding its so encouraging just knowing someone is listening to me.
I just hope it all ends soons my body cant take much more I just want to feel normal again and it seems so far away..
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Mon 7 Nov 2005 20:47 |
| | | "You might consider adding Zoloft - small dose" , Thu 17 Nov 16:42
Hi,
I hope the rollercoaster ride subsides soon. That's no fun.
First of all...I am not a doctor. :-)
However, that said, if you are feeling so horrible, then taking a small amount of Zoloft for a little while might help. Are you under a doctor's care now??
No reputable doctor would ever suggest stopping 100mg of Zoloft cold turkey, unless you were having a severe reaction to the Zoloft itself.
Furthermore, although the medical community is carefull about mixing SJW with SSRIs (due to the threat of serotonin syndrome) it is not common, and arguably tapering OFF Zoloft slowly at the same time that you start SJW and taper the SJW UPWARDS makes much more sense in terms of managing your depression.
Some doctors actually combine small amounts of SSRIs with SWJ - although this isn't common. The impact on your body of stopping anything cold turkey can be pretty miserable.
Can you take 25mg of Zoloft per day for a week and hopefully more gracefully manage your stoppage of the drug??
I am adding this as a suggestion since I would never have stopped any of the SSRIs I took cold turkey.
Hopefully you have a doctor to talk to. It is hard to know when you stop an AD if it is withdrawals or a returning of depression.
100mg of Zoloft per day (although not really high...some people take up to 200mg max) is a higher than average dose, and nobody should ever stop a drug like that cold turkey.
Cheers,
Hope you feel better soon,
Mark
Posts: 5 | | Registered: Mon 7 Nov 2005 22:31 |
| | | "Re(1):You might consider adding Zoloft - smal" , Thu 17 Nov 22:43
Hello and thanks for your advice and suggestions, which I have carfully considered. I do realize the cold turkey was a BAD DECISION on my part but I shake at the thought of starting only to stop the zoloft again. The only thing that has gotten me thru these past weeks is believing my pain is working towards something positive like being meds free. I just need reassurance that my recent pain is normal and will end with the withdrawals, but as you mentioned I now worry if my symptoms are
withdrawals or depression setting in.
The nausea and dizziness seem to be subsiding but my body still has aches and pains in shoulders and lower back I never had like this, I am also sleeping irreguarly going on 2 hrs sleep most days.
I appreciate your advice, is this something you have personally experienced? I just hope my feelings are the norm of withdrawals any advice regarding how long it may take would be greatly appreciated...
Thanks Again, for all your concering words,
Posts: 2 | | Registered: Mon 7 Nov 2005 20:47 |
| | | "Re(2):You might consider adding Zoloft - smal" , Sat 19 Nov 00:03
You are more than welcome for the advice.
I fully understand the determination to stick it out and stay "med free". I am trying this now in fact, after having some success with standard ADs. I am trying SJW again.
There is alot out there about withdrawals from Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors...so here are a few things that are the main points in my view - given your situation. In all likelihood (if you are having withdrawals) they will subside. My suggestion to take a smaller dose for week or so is based on the reality that this could truly help. It would not make you crave Zoloft again - these drugs are not this way and there is no evidence anywhere that points to them being addictive (in terms of craving more of them...their action is too delayed and half life is long)
A few points:
If you did try a dose of 25mg and felt better, this would likely indicate that you are experiencing withdrawals, because one dose of 25mg is not going to do anything in terms of controlling depression. These drugs don't work that way...that fast...and 25mg is a very low dose.
QUESTION:
Why do you shake at the thought of starting only to stop??? Remember, the whole point of tapering is to allow your body time to adjust. When I was in Africa some aid organizations gave typical "western" high fat high protein rations to locals....who were used to rice and veggies...they got sick and threw up. Point is this - your body is put into a state of shock of you make drastic changes in things like an SSRI - which impacts your brain and therefore your entire body in some fundamental ways.
I suppose it is a toss up for you..in my "non professional" opinion :-)
You have stopped taking the drug..and things might get better soon. I am simply pointing out that things might be MUCH better if you taper it like any medical professional would advise you to do. The drug is not fully out of your system at this point anyway. If I were in your position, I would do this:
1) Try one dose a day of 25mg of Zoloft for 1-2 days
2) If you feel any better....stick with 25 mg for a week (REMEMBER: this is not making you dependent on the drug..you are tapering "off" it...and since you didn't do it before you are trying it now)
3) IF you don't feel any better...then forget it...probably not withdrawals and just the general transition you are going through...and move on.
Sorry this is longwinded, but I wouldn't harp on it if I didn't realize how much shock you can put your body in by just stopping 100mg cold turkey.
If you were only on 50 or 25mg I would feel differently, although even then the proper medical procedure is to taper it off.
People react differently to stopping these drugs. I would hate to think you are suffering only because you stopped suddenly.
I ran out of Wellbutrin at one point for a week...and didn't take one dose. It hit me really hard and I felt like I had been hit by a train...as soon as I had another dose I felt better.
It isn't an addictive craving....I didn't even realize how much it hit me that I suddenly was without it, and made the association when I took it again and felt much more normal again. When I officially stopped it, I tapered it just like the SSRIs.
Good Luck
Posts: 6 | | Registered: Mon 7 Nov 2005 22:31 |
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