Natural serotonin/sertraline

[Plant2628]

I've just stopped Sertraline, having some withdrawal symptoms. Light headed, tingling etc. It's got me thinking though - any vitamins or other natural replacements/advice anyone can give? On it for 5 years , 25mg every other day more recently. Highest dose was 100 mg, down to 50 mg after about a year which I was then on a while and again 25 mg for the last couple of years. I really struggled with obsessive thoughts/anxiety after my child. I'm scared of it coming back. It was never a cure but helped me rationalise better. Thanks.

Did you stop with the help of your dr, slowly tapering dose down or just stopped cold turkey? The latter can lead to withdrawals and can be dangerous in some cases. Personally if your body lacks serotonin there is nothing you can do "naturally" to fix it just the same as a diabetic can't get "natural" insulin from foods. Been on meds for years and after couple of unsuccessful attempts at stopping them I've now come to accept I need the meds to function like a semi normal human being and there's nothing wrong with that. Please contact a medical health professional if you haven't already as sometimes stopping these types of meds suddently can be dangerous! Best of luck.

I was on 25mg every few days by the end, impossible to get hold of GP but I will submit a request. Totally agree, if I struggle I will go back on them. Just trying to think of ways to help myself and see how it goes. Sadly some of us do have low serotonin and it's a chemical imbalance.

I feel your pain re GP's being impossible to get appointments with (and then they'll insist on appointments for the silliest things, wasting everyone's time like a discussion on the process of the implant when this would be my 3rd one). Light exercise, eating well, medidation/mindfullness are all things suggested to me and they might help but I just really need the tablets as my anxiety goes through the roof without them and nothing else helps. Life isn't fun when you're always struggling/crying/imagining the worst so now I take my pills religiously and still at times I struggle. Please take care of yourself and be kind to yourself!

I've reduced sertraline recently. Currently on 25mg every 3 days. I would have struggled if it wasn't for taking up some new exercise classes. I do them early morning so that I can enjoy the natural high all day

I cannot help with withdrawal advice but I cannot stress enough how much regular exercise helps with my anxiety. I mix it up between running, swimming, exercise dvds and long walks (when time allows). I really notice the difference when I miss the endorphins for a few days. So if you can build some exercise into your day, I’d put money on it helping. Good luck!

If you're on 25mg every 2 or 3 days you're doing really well at tapering off. That dose isn't technically therapeutic so will be having next to no effect of you. I'm doing exactly the same. Previously when I've tried coming off I've had symptoms return, not coped with it and increased my dose again. HOWEVER I read up on it loads (I'm also a biomedical scientist) and discovered that there's a big difference between withdrawal symptoms kicking in, and actual symptoms coming back. It may well be that what you're going through is purely withdrawal symptoms, ie. your body learning too do without the tablets. It does NOT mean your depression/anxiety is returning. Your body will get used to doing without the tablets (as it's such a small dose) and the withdrawal symptoms will pass. This knowledge is what successfully got me down from 50mg to 25mg. It was probably 2 maybe 3 weeks of feeling anxey and then I was fine. Previously I've tried coming off probably 3 times, and each time has been an absolute car crash mainly because I did it far too quickly, but also because I never realised withdrawal effects were only temporary.

If you're struggling to taper off then 12.5mg tablets do exist, but GPs don't usually prescribe them because in theory it's an irrelevant dose.

Obviously if your full on symptoms return and aren't showing any signs of fading then increase back up again and seek support.

Thanks for the replies. I'll see how things go.