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Thread: Withdrawal after 17 years on antidepressants

  1. #1
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    Withdrawal after 17 years on antidepressants

    Hello,

    I am so glad that a friend of mine pointed me to this website, everyone here is so supportive and encouraging.

    I have been on antidepressants for chronic fatigue syndrome for more than 17 years (of course, initially i was misdiagnosed with depression)... I had to try many antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs..) over the years.. the doctors would increase the dose every 2 months until we reach the max, then switch to another one... none of course made any significant difference, but I was told that I should stay on them for the rest of my life to help with my chronic illness... in the last 6 years, I started noticing that i was feeling emotionally numb, i was unable to cry, I started having limb jerks at night, and my fatigue, memory and concentration were getting worse. So I decided to stop taking antidepressants.

    Tapering: in the last 2-3 years before tapering, I was on zoloft 100mg. Went to 50mg for a month, then to 25 mg for another month, then I took 25mg every other day for a week, then I stopped on October 24, 2012.

    Symptoms: I knew nothing about withdrawal, so I was not keeping track of my symptoms, and any worsening in my fatigue or cognitive function or even my mood, I attributed to my CFS.

    However, in December (a month after stopping), more symptoms appeared: crying too much, uncontrollably and for no reason, irritability, anger, impatience...again, I did not know about withdrawal symptoms then. I thought that was a natural reaction, because the numbing effect of the meds was wearing off....

    In February, I started having bad anxiety. It started at 5 or 6 am, was very bad and completely overwhelming.. the anxiety would last until 2-3 pm.
    In march, the anxiety became worse and more frequent, so I decided to reinstate, after 5 months..


    Reinstatement:

    March 28: started on 25mg co-sertraline, took it for 2 days: started having new symptoms right after I took the first pill: insomnia, burning hot flashes in neck, chest, stomach, arms and legs, having problems breathing and breathing stops as I am falling asleep, nausea, dry mouth...etc... so I stopped that dose after 2 days.

    April 1: went down to 12.5mg for one day only. The symptoms persisted, concluded that dose was still too strong for me, decided to stop taking any more meds and wait until the effect of the high doses clear out of my body.

    April 9: started on 2.5mg co-sertraline
    April 17: increased to 5 mg - and this is where I am now.

    I have been on 5mg for more than 5 weeks now and it has been almost 2 months since reinstatement. I am finally starting to feel better than I have been since reinstatement. But not sure yet if I am better than before reinstatement. I am still having the anxiety that was the reason why I reinstated. Sometimes I think maybe it is milder now, sometimes I feel it is not better, it is just that I just got used to it, and now that I know that it is a withdrawal symptom, it does not scare me as much and I try to accept it, but it is still very hard to deal with...

    maybe I reinstated too late for it to work?... or maybe I should just be patient and wait a little bit more? I am afraid of increasing the dose again, because everytime the dose changes, my symptoms get worse... and I am afraid to go down, because it is like starting tapering again and I don't feel stable enough to do that?

    I would appreciate any opinions/comments you might have...

    Amani

  2. #2
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    Welcome Amani,

    I carefully read your story, I'm sorry all their suffering. I know people with CFS who took medications Psi, and abandoned, and today are much better. (so yes, it took a while ...)

    It appears that you feel good about 5mg. sertraline. I think it would be best to keep that dose of 5mg. for 1 or 2 months (or maybe longer), and stabilize.
    It is better not change your dose (up and down), that's what you can destabilize.

    Once you feel more or less fine (after 6 or 8 weeks), you can plan taper (5% of the current dose and see ...)
    (Just my opinion)

    Take care and hug
    Mar/2009 (diacepam+nortriptilina).Aprl-2010 (sulpiride+diacepam). May-2010:Tranxene 20 mg+SEROXAT 20mg
    TAPER BENZO:Apr-2011 20-10mg.; Sep-Nov -2011 taper 10 a 0mg. BENZO FREE 06/11/2011
    TAPER SEROXAT: jul-ago-11: de 20 a 10 mg; Dic-11/jan-10-5mg;Apr-sep-12 5-0mg . SEROXAT FREE: 15/09/2012
    Internal tremor, brain fog, memory, lack of concentration, anxiety. Problem original: Stress

  3. #3
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    Thank you PAROX2010 for your reply.. and it is good to hear that you know people with CFS who got better after they stopped taking antidepressants...

    I am still struggling at 5 mg but you are right, I would feel safer if I did not make any changes in the dose right now...

    hoping you are having a good day..
    have been on antidepressants for more than 17 years.
    Was on zoloft/sertraline 100mg for the last 2-3 years.
    Tapered over 2.5 months, ending october 24 2012.
    reinstating AD:
    march 28: started on 25mg sertraline, took it for 2 days
    april 1: 12.5mg - only for one day
    april 9: started on 2.5mg sertraline
    april 17: increased to 5 mg

  4. #4
    Founder Luc's Avatar
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    Welcome to IAWP, Amani! That is really great you shared your story with us.

    It looks like, despite the still present symptoms, those have gotten better after the reinstatement. Stabilising on the current dose sounds like a good idea. When you feel better somewhere down the road, you'll be able to start considering a very slow taper. But there's no rush with it.

    You may consider adding Vitamin C and Omega-3 (here's the Omega-3 thread, very helpful; http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info...hp?831-Omega-3

    Also, please have a look at more threads in Alternative Healing Methods subforum. It will offer you some more insight.

    Above all, stay patient - you will heal from it. :)
    Keep walking. Just keep walking.

  5. #5
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    Thank you Luc..

    yes, I am already taking omega3 and vitamin C but I will take a look at all the topics under that subforum...

    "stay patient - you will heal from it"... thank you, yes that is what i keep telling myself, and friends who are struggling with this too... it is hard to believe it sometimes, but we just have to keep saying it until it happens...
    have been on antidepressants for more than 17 years.
    Was on zoloft/sertraline 100mg for the last 2-3 years.
    Tapered over 2.5 months, ending october 24 2012.
    reinstating AD:
    march 28: started on 25mg sertraline, took it for 2 days
    april 1: 12.5mg - only for one day
    april 9: started on 2.5mg sertraline
    april 17: increased to 5 mg

  6. #6
    Senior Member biscotaki's Avatar
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    Awww ..my sweet Amani ..:) I am happy you are here, and feel comfortable ..:)
    Luc is right, we have got to stay patient, and keep walking ..even though it feels like carrying this heavy burden ..
    But by all accounts, we will heal ..We just have to believe that it will happen ..
    Have a peaceful night ..You and I are in good, caring hands here ..:)
    XX.
    Biscotaki

  7. #7
    Founder Sheila's Avatar
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    Welcome, amani!

    So, do you and bisco know each other?

    I would say the same thing Parox and Luc did – just stay at this low dose of the sertraline for awhile, stabilize somewhat, and then taper off.

    Also, I would consider *mega-dose* Omega-3 – both for neurological repair for the ADs and for the neuro aspects of CFS.

    You understandably tapered off the Zoloft too fast for someone who had been on ADs so long. And it would have been better to reinstate the Zoloft. No other med will address Zoloft w/d as well as Zoloft.

    But, you have a good plan in place now. And you will absolutely recover from the ADs, and I am interested in the nutrient approach (eg Omega, C) to CFS for you!

    How much Omega and C do you take?

    Welcome aboard!
    Meds free since June 2005.

    "An initiation into shamanic healing means a devaluation of all values, an overturning of the profane world, a peeling away of inveterate handed-down notions of the world, liberation from everything preconceived. For that reason, shamanism is closely connected with suffering. One must suffer the disintegration of one's own system of thought in order to perceive a new world in the higher space."
    -- Holger Kalweit

  8. #8
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    thank you Sheila..

    yes, Bisco is the friend who introduced me to this wonderful site :)

    about tapering: i did it much slower than what my psychiatrist recommended (his recommendation was to take 50 for a week then 25 for another week).. so i thought i was being extra safe the way i did it!!!!

    zoloft vs sertraline: my mistake, i was on the generic version for a long time before tapering.. i always use the 2 interchangeably - it was only in the last month when i learned that the 2 don't necessarily have the same effect...

    I am taking 2000mg omega 3 (well, after i read the omega3 thread, i learned that it is actually 2000mg fish oil not omega3) (EPA - 1000mg, DHA - 50mg), also after reading that thread, i will double my dose...

    vitamin C 250 but I try to eat vitamin C rich fruits and put lemon juice on almost everything (too much vitamin c, even when taken with food, gives me nausea)...

    thank you everyone for the reassurance - from what everyone is saying, it seems that even though it has been 2 months since reinstatement, there is still a chance for me to stabilize... i just have to wait and be patient....
    have been on antidepressants for more than 17 years.
    Was on zoloft/sertraline 100mg for the last 2-3 years.
    Tapered over 2.5 months, ending october 24 2012.
    reinstating AD:
    march 28: started on 25mg sertraline, took it for 2 days
    april 1: 12.5mg - only for one day
    april 9: started on 2.5mg sertraline
    april 17: increased to 5 mg

  9. #9
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    yes, I am here... and happy to be here :)

    thank you again Bisco for introducing me to this site...
    have been on antidepressants for more than 17 years.
    Was on zoloft/sertraline 100mg for the last 2-3 years.
    Tapered over 2.5 months, ending october 24 2012.
    reinstating AD:
    march 28: started on 25mg sertraline, took it for 2 days
    april 1: 12.5mg - only for one day
    april 9: started on 2.5mg sertraline
    april 17: increased to 5 mg

  10. #10
    Founder Sheila's Avatar
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    No, *my* mistake – I don’t know why I got it into my head that sertraline was something different than Zoloft! Did I think Zoloft is zolofterine??? :) Ha ha! Never mind what I said!

    You’ve done great at figuring out what was going on all along – that the ADs were causing problems in the first place, to taper more slowly, to reinstate. You really did an amazing job of figuring it all out.

    OK, you’re on 1050 mg EPA + DHA. That’s a nice starting dose, but you have neuro-repair to do, so that’s good you’re going up. Bisco knows all about Omega-3. :)

    Too bad you don’t tolerate Vit. C well, since it is so good for you. There are products for people whose stomach is sensitive to C. I haven’t researched them, but Ester-C is one of them. It could also be that the Omega-3 heals you more and then you can tolerate C better.

    You know, you made several changes in dose recently, and your system may be adjusting to that. Also, you may only be able to get partial stabilization with this reinstatement. You may still continue to have w/d symptoms. But, if it takes the edge off, that’s worth something. And the w/d symptoms will continue to lighten.
    Meds free since June 2005.

    "An initiation into shamanic healing means a devaluation of all values, an overturning of the profane world, a peeling away of inveterate handed-down notions of the world, liberation from everything preconceived. For that reason, shamanism is closely connected with suffering. One must suffer the disintegration of one's own system of thought in order to perceive a new world in the higher space."
    -- Holger Kalweit

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