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← Return to 3 yrs after stopping Zoloft still having withdrawal symptoms every day
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3 yrs after stopping Zoloft still having withdrawal symptoms every day
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Jan 29, 2023 | Replies (21)Comment receiving replies
@michelegray - 6 months is a long time to taper- did you decrease monthly? How much and how often did you take at the end?
I also decided to taper off Zoloft- I didn’t feel it worked anymore. I did it over 2 months, no side effects.
It could be a coincidence that your new symptoms developed at the time they did.
With moderate hearing loss you are more likely to develop tinnitus- this has happened to me.
I would not increase your Zoloft dose. I also don’t think that you have damaged your brain.
If I were you, I would look for a neurologist that is dedicated to inner ear illnesses. I don’t know where you could find one- most likely at the major medical institutions- Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, NIH.
Have the specialists ruled out Ménière’s disease?
Replies to "@michelegray - 6 months is a long time to taper- did you decrease monthly? How much..."
I went off Zoloft completely 3 years ago. I tapered very slowly because each time I'd decrease too much, I'd get brain zaps. I thought I was in the clear when I stopped after 6 months but then developed my symptoms about 2 weeks later. I've read since then it is sometimes recommended to taper over a couple of years, especially for someone like me who had been on them for so long. Overall, I could deal with tinnitus. It's the vibrations throughout my body and the wooziness in my head that I'm having trouble dealing with. I didn't know there were neurologists who specialize in inner ear. I'll look into that. It has been verified i dont have Menieres. Thanks for taking the time to respond!
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According to the folks at Surviving Antidepressants website, six months is NOT a long time to taper. They recommend much longer. Not all people have issues with coming off antidepressants, I suspect you are one of those people. I tapered off Lexapro over a one year period and had none of the side effects of withdrawal that I previously had trying to taper off more quickly. I decreased by 10% every three weeks.
There is a new book out by Brook Siem, May Cause Side Effects, a memoir about her withdrawal from antidepressants that is recommended by the folks at Surviving Antidepressants.