3 yrs after stopping Zoloft still having withdrawal symptoms every day

I feel sorry you are undergoing this! I wish I had an answer or advice to offer. I pray to God you will find a way through this.
You might try calling Mayo’s financial office to see if they can help you be admitted. I have high regard for Mayo.

zoloft is one of the most toxic antidepressants

Maybe consider seeing a more alternative doctor?

My adult daughter had a terrible reaction to Zoloft (including the internal vibrations and picking at her skin and eye lashes) and went off that recently to try Lexapro. I worry she doesn’t taper adequately, as she has tried many different drugs over the last 15 years. I know there are things like SSRI rebound and withdrawl side effects, but permanent damage from withdrawing too quickly? Is this purely anecdotal or are there studies that show this? Another thing for me to worry about 😞

Following multi surgeries and pain meds during a 3.5 + month stay after a botched surgery, not this hospital. Family and friends were not even talking to me or getting close to guard against infection due to the size of my stomach injury being open. So when a doctor from my GP pulled up a chair next to me and just said how are you doing? I broke out into tears, saying no one has asked me that, meaning people close to me. He paused and said you have depression. He was right too, I was falling apart slowly from this isolation. I was put on Cymbalta, and this worked fast. I stayed on it for many years, following PTS and or PTSS, post surgical stress. Years later dark thoughts led me to pay for TMS, a kind of shock therapy using magnetics. It's kind of the last resort thing. Was not approved for pain but depression, did help with both. Not covered by insurance and expensive.

@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?

@michelegray
Here is a link to Mayo Clinic’s information :
Check out this health information from the Mayo Clinic app. http://applnk.mayoclinic.org/HQ1HTOr

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.

I really do not know to be completely honest. I read that some believe there can be permanent damage, but I don't think there has been a definitive study because the long term effects haven't been measurable up to this point. There is a good website called the Inner Compass Initiative that has information on a tapering schedule. I found it too late for my situation. Best of luck to your daughter!

Thanks!! I'll definitely check these out.