1 year off sertraline - still experiencing withdrawals.

[Rachel]

Hi lovely people,

M&M hope you're doing ok today- have you had a better day at all or is the chemo still keeping you in bed? When does this round of treatment end for you? To answer your question my friend has been off the sertraline for 3 weeks now and seems great so far. No zaps, dizziness, panic attacks, weird physical symptoms - just a bit cranky which you'd probably expect from coming off a antidepressant. She'd been on antidepressants once before - I wonder if you need to have taken them a few times in order to experience WD? having said that there are loads of people who've taken them just once and are suffering. Who knows...
As for me, i've got my backside into gear and i'm taking fish oil and Vitamin C, lowish doses at the moment but i decided i should do my best to aid this healing if i can and I've tolerated both ok. I've got the magnesium Joy recomended but haven't been brave enough to take that yet.
Still experiencing pains in my shoulders and back and hips and lots of tingling/pins and needles type feelings.
Coming up to 14 months off the sertraline now... Wonder if these physical issues will ever go away- they still freak me out and disgust me really. I hate the sensations- they are so wrong. Keep thinking why am i still suffering all these months laterwhen i took the drug for only 6 months really....I am lucky at the moment as my mood seems pretty stable.
Anyway, healing vibes to you all x

[m&m]

Wondering if #3 is the magic number, b/c we both experienced hell at starting back on the SSRI the third time. Even though we didn't take them for long periods of time.

Hope your friend never goes back on, seems like the chances of an adverse reaction grow each time.

Glad to hear you are starting the fish oil and vitamin C support and that your mood is stable. That makes me very happy for you.

About the body pains, is there anyway you can schedule a massage periodically? They really help me.

[Sheila]

Hiya Rachel!

You sound like you’re doing pretty good considering. The physical symptoms *will* go away. I know what you mean about them feeling “wrong.”

As m&m says, starting and stopping these monster drugs really ups the ante. But, still, you’re healing nicely.