Coming off Sertraline support thread

[Therealpink]

Hi, I’ve been on 100mg sertraline for approximately 2 years. I’ve been wonderfully well on it but I was also wonderfully well off it until I had a major crisis at the beginning of the pandemic. I was going to start tapering before Christmas but my family members who are a GP and consultant psychiatrist warned me off it due to how unwell I’d been and with it being winter etc. My own GP was encouraging but to be honest, I trust my family medics most as they really know me best etc.

However, I do think it’s time to at least bring down the dose to 50mg, even if I stay on that another year. So a week ago I started cutting my pills to get approx 75mg dose. This was what I’d agreed with my GP before Christmas.

Im totally fine so far but have noticed a bit of clenching of muscles and change in sleep patterns.

I don’t want my old anxiety that made me so unwell to get the better of me here so was wondering if there’s anyone else going though tapering currently that wants to laugh about the annoying withdrawal symptoms and support each other a bit?

My daughter has been on Sertraline for anxiety for about 6 years now. Each time she cuts back I can always spot the change. Last Christmas she had cut it back. She was literally screaming at me to a point where I asked her to leave my house (I was going through a very hard time and could not handle it). I reckon you are making a mistake to this atm. In the new year would always be preferable.

Hi @Thistlelass thanks for the reply. It was much earlier this year and I did very slowly reduce to 75mg and then 50mg. I had no withdrawal and have noticed zero change in my mood or anxiety. That was nearly 6ths ago. But I’m going to stay at 50mg till springtime as you suggest. And have a think about reducing again then.

Have you had a chance to address the original source of your anxiety and low mood?

I was given Stretaline 4 weeks ago but had to stop it because it was causing me to collapse. I'm, as you can imagine after such a short time, still suffering from anxiety and low mood but have been walking, relaxing and seeing a therapist to try and help me. I'm slowly making improvements although have a way to go in order to get better.

I'm just thinking that if your original worries are still around would it be useful to work on them whilst coming off?

I tend to find getting down to 50mg no problem, but it’s really difficult after that. Have resorted to chopping tablets but not very precise 🥹

If it's working for you and you were severely unwell, why on earth are you reducing it?

Frankly it's a tale as old as time. Psychiatric medication works, the person improves, and for some reason decides to come off it, then predictably relapses.