Quitting Zoloft. Advice or insights?

I'm just trying to find answers too🤔.All the fancy, function abilities these do, I cant get to far past Wonder In My World.
a Why not make Answers SO EASY TO find?? 🤗 I spent several years Myself on Zoloft. Last dosage 150. I never was impressed with any of them yet, but I agree Reassurance, Faith n Pray To Get Thru The Day, At least at OK.. It decreased my anxiety , but increased Feeling the Anger Bubble rise and yip Uncomfortable too. So which bubble feels best? Anger to me best If it remained controllable But then I didnt know clearly How HORRID Anxiety CAN GET TILL OTHER NO CLUE FACTORS TICKED ME OFF TO STOP MEDS so sick of needing wanting musting to feel right Than treated, talked about, down.
l.. I grading us YOUR DOCs CHOOSE & LEGAL BUT STILL UR HOOKED on drugs on tv sets. Annoying as ? Isnt it? I say with butterfly's tearing me up inside. . Good Luck to you I hope we both find settled peace. .

Hello @9ar and @serenityrose and welcome to Mayo Connect!

We have had many people share about withdrawal from antidepressant medications. These medications can be very helpful but it is understandable to be concerned about the long term side-effects. Whenever we take medication, we do run a risk of withdrawal symptoms. Quality of life is an important consideration as well. If an anti-depressant provides a better quality of life for you and in your relationships, that is important to weigh when you make such a decision.

Whenever you plan to taper off of such drugs you should do so with the guidance of your doctor or your pharmacist. Pharmacists know a lot about drugs and can be quite helpful.

While all drugs have side-effects and we don't always know what those will be so it is very important to weigh the benefits against the possible problems down the road. Many have taken anti-depressants over the years. The good thing about these drugs is that they are not addictive, like other meds such as benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, etc.) Sometimes it can be helpful to change the type of anti-depressant every few years, which I have personally done.

However, all of this should be done with the help of a medical professional.

@9ar I have found Many people on our Mayo Connect have problems getting off of drugs. I have been on Zoloft and many others and can't remember having any problems in getting off them, that I can remember. Maybe my dose wasn't so high or something. I'm on Lexapro, Lamictal, which is a mood elervator, but also used for seizures, and Klonopin. Still get depressed at times, but I come out of it. I have done the best on Lexapro and believe me I have been on all of them. I was put on Rexalti and felt wonderful, but then my lips started to quiver and I had to stop it, it's a side effect and I didn't want to go around with a quivering lip all the time and then it becomes permanent. Have anyone else been on it. It made me feel great, but darn side effect. Take care all of you who are suffering from getting off medicine.

According to Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zoloft, 4% of people taking Zoloft experience severe heart palpitations. Tapering the traditional way makes the palpitations worse. I have gone from 25mg down to 7% in 3 tapers. All 3 were complete and total misery. I have been researching medical jounrals, talked with Pfizer, the FDA, pharmacists and more. I have been unable to locate any information on the problem. My PCP admits that I am the first patient she has encountered with this issue. She is struggling on how to help me best taper without putting me through complete and totaly misery 7 more times. Anybody have any experience with this problem?

In August 2021, I had vinally figured out, I can taper 0.4mg of Zoloft without being in complete misery. September 2021, one of my brothers passed away and I decided to pause the taperin for a few months. In November 2021, a dear friend unexpectedly passed away and my husband got laid off and became depressed. I was happy that I was not tapering with all of this. I hav dealt with the grief head on and doing much better with the passings. My husband should be returning to work in the next couple of weeks. Once he does, I will resume tapering. Any suggestions?

I have recently started taking sertraline 25MG and it is just not helping. I'm dizzy and nauseous etc and etc. I have reached out to the Dr. that prescribed it and he is....well, busy....too busy to respond to my message asking for his guidance. I want to stop taking this med asap but am very concerned about what that will do. I've only been taking it for a few weeks and to taper off of it would mean either cutting these tiny pills in 1/2 or just going cold turkey. Can anyone give me some advice here..??

Hello, name is Blaine and I have been taking 150 mg for a number of years and there have been times when I stopped for whatever reason and I have not had any negative reaction! Also, what helps me with my depression, loneliness, frustration or what have you, is find a quote, statement or some type of positive note that when you first see it, say it and repeat it, you just feel good and relieved inside, for example the one that works best for me, is "Everything is going to be okay"! Saying that to myself seems to help get me through those difficult times! Good luck! @btsum68

Thanks for the info and the positive vibes...!! I made it through last night and things seemed to be ok....I'm just, perhaps, overly cautious and straight up worried about the meds and what they will do when I have to detox off of them...I had to take myself off klonopin and..let's just say it wasn't pleasant....I will take your advice and find a good quote to remind myself that I can do this. I would so like to find ANYTHING else to help with the anxiety....CBD oil(s), maybe. You have experience with any of them..? There are so many out there and they are not cheap.....Anyway, thanks again...!!

Hello and thanks for the reply! No problem about being to cautious or worried, if we didn't watch out for ourselves, nobody would! Say, have you ever read that pamphlet that goes along with the meds? I finally did and found out that some of my meds. were causing some of my symptoms, so I stopped or replaced them and told my doctor why and that was okay! The CBD oil is ok, but finding the right one for you might be a little costly, maybe not? Have you tried or thought about trying the Medical Marijuana, that one can work well, if you find the right one! Sorry I'm not much help and it is tough in this day and age just to get out of bed to make it through another day! Hang in there and if you ever want to talk or vent, feel free to contact me!

I agree 100% with your thought about us taking care of ourselves..well, ourselves, and not depending as much as I thought I/we could on the medical community to actually help. I still like to think they do care but.....laughs...we do need to look out for #1. I have read the novellas that come with the meds and....I actually pointed out to the latest Dr. (the one who prescribed the zoloft) my concerns while we were still in the office and....I don't want to sound too much like debbie downer here.... he seemed to listen but still wrote the script for that anyway....I have learned to make forward motion and to his credit..that Dr...when I did reach out to him (after the zoloft experiment went sideways) did agree that I should stop taking it and that we could discuss the issue when I see him again. That visit is coming up here at the end of this month....Which brings me back to the cbd oil and...I wasn't even going to mention that (Medical Marijuana) because I live in a state that still thinks that particular plant is....well, not a medical (or recreational) option AT ALL. When I bring it up to every single Dr. here in this state their auto response is that it is illegal and the conversation stops. They just will not even talk about the potential benefits that amazing plant can offer. I'll freely admit back in the day I used that plant for recreation and now that I live in a body that just can't seem to cope with the day to day of this post accident life. I firmly believe that it could help me......Question is....How/who ..in a medical sense..can I find to talk about using that plant?? Is that something I can discuss here on this site without real fear of being found out...? That sound super paranoid but..laughs welcome to life in my world. I'd even be willing to move to the state below me (where it IS a medical option..and a recreational one, as well) but that would mean finding a Dr. there that would be willing to take me on as a patient..while I am still here in this state. The research I have done leads me to believe that I'd have to establish residency there (which will take at least a year) before I even become eligible for the Medical Marijuana program. Without a known Dr. there..that is a risk I am just not willing to take. I'm not over the moon about being where I am, now, but moving to another state only to find out I can't get on a Medical Marijuana program there.....just not enough strength left in me for another pointless move. If that makes any sense? I plan on bringing both the cbd oil and Medical Marijuana up to this new Dr. the next visit but I have to be careful. Once I get THAT label..I'm sure I'll never even be able to discuss that plant..much less use it....legally...I appreciate any/all the help you can give me...laughs even if it is just to read my frustrated messages....I certainly appreciate as well the strength it takes to just get out of bed every day and I sincerely thank you for offering support. There has to be a forum or whatever it may be called here on this site to find out what my options are as far as finding a valid source for cbd oil and one to help me find a Dr. in a state close to me that will at least see me and listen to my hopes for what Medical Marijuana can give me?? Alright enough for now....Thanks again for responding and..just so it's said....you take care of you...!!