Quitting Zoloft

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?

Do you find any way ?

Pfizer and the medical community have not come up with an explanation.
Since my entry was made, I have had genetic testing. The testing proves, my body is a rapid metabolizer of the drug Zoloft. I have also learned that Zoloft depletes magnesium from the body. Zoloft distrupts the flow of sodium. Both are needed in sufficent quantities and in a steady rate to help function properly.
What I believe is happening, is that being a rapid metabolizer of Zoloft, my body depletes the magnesium more quickly and distrupts the sodium more quickly. Thus causing increasingly severe heart palpitations. Theses severe heart palpitations cause more anxiety, which causes more palpitations. I have increased my intake of magesium l-theorate and sodium beyond what the doctors believe I should be consuming.
From my research, both the magesium and the sodium are needed for muscles and the nervous system. Again, the medical community will not confirm or deny what I have found out.
Additionally, I have found that the heart palpitation medication, Propranolol, deleted by B vitamins. That caused a constant pin prick feeling. Thanks to a friend who is a natural healing practioner, I found, Nerve Renew, a product manufactured specifically to help with this issue. Within a week of starting Nerve Renew, my problems with the pin prick feeling started to be relieved. Within 2 weeks, the problem was alleviated.
With the help of natural healing practioner, I have started drinking ginger root tea to help support my heart.
Plus I am doing acupressure at home and recieve acupuncture treatments every other week.
I am feeling considerable better.
On August 12th, 2023, I plan on starting another taper. I will make a post about the results.
Please reach out to me. I have more information.

I had horrible heart palpitations after stopping my Zoloft. Drs did testing and could see nothing is wrong. I would just be sitting on the couch and would feel like my heart was going to explode. It would get up to the 130s and cause me even worse anxiety, I had to go back on. If you have more information please let me know.

For me, I can taper only 0.4mg at a time. In case you are wondering how I can taper that small amount, my Zoloft is in a liquid form. Since August 2023, my dosage has gone from 5.2mg down to 3.2 mg. I notice a change in my heart rate and breathing during each taper. Nothing severe. I can manage them easily. The change lasts about 14 days. Then I wait another 14 days or so, then start another taper. I look at it this day, a taper will distrupt the distruption. The heart and body are not going to be happy. The smaller the taper, the less distruption, the easier on the heart and body.
Other things I take into consideration...my heart palpitation medication Propranolol. Once I start a taper, that medication will work to keep the heart at a normal rhythm. That adjustment will not happen overnight. For me, takes about 14 days. Next is something most people do not even think about, atmospheric pressure, the barometer reading. Yes, I am serious! The atmospheric pressure places pressure on the body. (Most people do not notice this, unless the pressure is extemely high or low.) That pressure has an effect on our heart rate and our breathing. (Please start making notes about the barometer pressure and how you are feeling.)
Here is my prespective....the heart is trying to beat at its own pace. The Zoloft, changes that pace. Any heart palpitation medication will also try to regulate that pace. Then the atmospheric pressure will also try to regulate that pace. Eventually, the heart figures it out. Then we start taking away the Zoloft.
The body is not happy. By tapering slowly, I am limiting the severity of the taper.
Something else I found out , again the medical professionals will not agree or deny my claim. Medications go everywhere in the body. Not just to where the drug is intended. Zoloft has a half life of approximately 24 hours. That means the 3.2mg dose I take today, 1.6mg of the medication will still be in my system 24 hours later at my next dose. According to medical professionals, drugs need 5 of these half lifes to leave your system. What I have discovered, is that does not account for the Zoloft that is stored in all the other cells in the body. Particularily fat cells. Over time, the Zoloft stored in the other cells, works out of the cells, thus continuing the taper for a period of time. Also making the taper move severe.
I have lost 29 pounds. My tapers no longer continue on for 30 days.
Please talk to your doctor about switching to a liquid Zoloft. Please also talk with your pharmacist. (My pharmacist is a very helpful!) If you do make the switch, please give your body time to adjust. Then ask the pharmicst to show you how to taper the smallest about possible. (For reference, my tapers are 0.4mg.)
If you have not already, please have the genetic testing completed. For me, having the proof that my genetic makeup is a major cause of my problems, gives me evidence that the problem is not all in my head. Additionally I found out in the genetic testing report, that I am sensitive to 70 other drugs. My medical professionals and I will be able to make better choices of medications for me in the future.
Hope this helps!
Please keep us informed of your progress.
Please reach out to me with additional questions.

Excellent advice about all . Wish you the best. Had the genetic testing and the rx suggested did not work. Mine was to show what rx best suited.
Wondering what type of genetic testing you had that showed “ not in your head”and what rx most sensitive to. Why did it suggest Zolof? Yet getting off of it?
Thank you!