To ask about coming off of Sertraline

[Pinkbutton85]

I'm currently on 200mg of Sertraline. I either don't think they're working or they're working TOO well because I am just numb. Emotionally numb.

I have recently adopted a much healthier lifestyle. (Healthy, clean eating and daily exercise). And I do feel a lot better for it mentally.

I'd like to come off the sertraline but would like to ask the best way to go about this. I did speak to my GP about it who told me I will be on them my whole life and to just accept it.

Reduce by 50mg every other day for a couple of weeks or... how did you do it? Thanks!

Only taper under your GPs supervision. I don't want to scare you or sound like I'm exaggerating but when I came off them I had horrendous side effects. Not 'oh I feel a bit fluey I'll just crack on' as in 'i would throw myself out the window to make this stop'.

I'm sure most people don't get that but I did so it's possible!

Could you switch GPs? Alternatively your pharmacist might be able to give advice.
I did come off them but can't for the life of me remember how I reduced (not helpful info I know) but I do remember getting very odd brain zaps when I was withdrawing. What felt like mild electric shocks in my brain. They weren't painful, but if you get them it's normal!

Also a 50mg reduction sounds way to much. When I did a benzo taper (admittedly different drug family) I was taken down 10mg every fortnight.

@Thisnamechanger - Oh jesus, that sounds horrific!! :(

You will need to taper more slowly than that. Reduce by 50mg every 2 weeks. Be prepared to feel bad when you stop even if you're on 25mg by then

I take 2 100mg tablets a day. So thought about just cutting one in half. But I agree it is a lot..

It’s fine to reduce dosage but only under the guidance of your GP. If you get it wrong you could end up feeling pretty horrific.

Currently reducing my dose of another antidepressant. I'd find a dr who will support you. Would you say you're feeling 'well' mentally? If so, for how long? Would you consider switching to another drug?
I believe staying on it longer can make you less likely to relapse, but it has to be your choice.
I've found this useful:
www.mind.org.uk/media/4727659/coming-off-psychiatric-drugs-2016-pdf.pdf

I agree that you need to do this under medical supervision. See a different GP if you need to. You need lower dose tablets so at most you are reducing by half a 25mg tablet every time. And at least two weeks on the new dose before going lower. You can have a horrible rebound if you come off too quickly, and the effects are long lasting. Good luck with it.

How is this an ‘aibu’ question..

I second that you should change your GP. They have given you incorrect information and don’t seem to be aware of how to support a patient in tapering off medication. You don’t have to take it for life!

It would be best to have a conversation with a different GP about how you should go about it. They can prescribe you tablets in smaller doses, as halfing them etc isn’t an exact science. Best of luck x

Thisname has it. Definitely see another gp. You should never come off Sertraline (or similar) without medical advice!

It sounds like you are on your “therapeutic dose” atm, but do not be fooled that if you feel ok now that you don’t need to keep taking it.

I would first want to know why the GP thinks you should be on sertraline for the rest of your life

Re cutting down...yes to reducing a small amount at a time and give it 2 weeks before reducing further. Another way is 200 on day 1, 150 on day 2, 200 on day 3 etc. Then in week 2, day 1 on 200, days 2&3 on 150. etc etc.

It really should be done under GP supervision and if you do not agree with your GP’s opinion then get a second one.

@over50andfab What's a therapeutic dose please?

PS well done on the healthier lifestyle OP - it always helps when you know you are doing things that will help you

Tapering 25mg down every second day would be my advice

I was on 50mg and stopped over several months. I still had side effects after the last dose. Please get some more support and advice before making a plan

Go very very slowly. You should be able to cut down from 200 to 150 without too many problems but beyond that, you will experience side effects and the only way to minimise them is to taper over a longer period.

I went from 150mg sertraline to zero in about 3 months. By the end I was taking fragments every other day then every third day. Definitely request tablets of a smaller dose. I still had some of the brain zaps, dizziness and spaced out feeling but it was really minimal compared with a fast reduction.

Speak to your gp.

I was on a similar AD which was notoriously had to come off. I tapered by reducing my dose by one half tablet a week. I.e. on Monday half a tablet, full tablet for each other day of the week. The next week, half a tablet on Monday and Tuesday, then a full tablet for the rest of the week. Etc. It took 14 weeks to come off it but I managed without any side effects.
HOWEVER it is really important to have your GPs involvement, change GP and talk it through with them.
Good luck.

I got told I should lower the dose by 50mg every 5 days

@Pinkbutton85 the therapeutic dose is the correct amount of medication that produces the desired effect.

Please please don’t do this without your GP’s support.

How long have you felt “all right” for?

The only time I’ve successfully come off ADs I did it very slowly. Took about 18 months to go from the dose I was on to stopping completely. And I’d felt “all right” for about 6 months to a year before I started coming off them.

Other times when I came off more quickly, I needed them again within a few months.

I’m in the process of coming off and my mental health advisor said if you’ve been on them a year or more, you’re looking at months to come off them. If you’ve only been taking them for a number of months, then you can do it in weeks.

I did a bit too big of a step down a while back and ended up feeling very teary so I went back up to where I had been until I levelled out again. My dose is minimal (I always forget what) but even that little decrease really makes a difference.

You’re waiting for your brain to get used to making the right level of seratonin each time you change

I reduced down from 150mg really slowly and it took me about 3 months to fully come off them, but aside from a dry mouth I didn’t get any side effects.

I essentially repeatedly reduced my dosage by 25mg a day but over around two weeks, so I started by taking 150mg one day and then 125mg the next day, then carried on with 150/ 125 on alternate days for aroumd a week. Then I dropped to 125 a day for a week or so. Then I went back to reducing it every other days so it was 125mg one day, 100 the next and alternating it for another week. Then I went down to 100 a day for another week or so - I didn’t rush it at all and would often stay on a dosage pattern for more than a week. For a few weeks I just took one 25mg dose on a Sunday before halting entirely.

I had no problems coming off, I didn’t discuss it with my doctor but in hindsight I probably should have and I’m not sure if I was just lucky it felt so easy or whether it was due to doing it so slowly.