To ask how to stop sertraline ?

[SurpriseOzzy]

Has anyone experience of stopping it? I’ve been taking 25mg since about Dec, I did try upping it to 50mg and it made me a total emotional wreck. Very unstable, on it I feel a little not quite myself. I took it for anxiety and yes I’d say I am a little less anxious/some things don’t bother me as much. I’m able to stand up for my self a bit and I don’t over react as much.

Does 25mg really do much for anyone?

Why would you want to stop it if it is working? You cannot stop anti-depressants without medical supervision and you need to be symptom-free for at least 6 months before considering stopping.
I do have experience of stopping but I had counselling alongside medication and was symptom-free for nearly a year. I also worked in MH and it is quite common for people to want to stop quite soon after feeling some improvement. I don't know what it's about. One wouldn't stop insulin once they feel their diabetes is under control, their anti-depressants (or anti-psychotics) as no different.
Book a medication review with your GP and go from there.

How long did you try 50mg for?

I tried 50mg for 2-3 days. Honestly I was a total utter mess, couldn’t stop crying or catastrophising.

I have been having regular therapy for 4 years. I am less anxious now and it’s been over 6 months. I want to stop as other parts of me have changed. I’m less fun if that makes sense, I’m more sensible!

I have stopped drinking alcohol. I didn’t drink a lot just the odd one when I go out now I can’t bring myself to have a drink (my dad was an alcoholic and died in his 40s).

I feel like part of me has been numbed. The fun part.

I googled how to come off Mirtazapine because it caused a massive weight gain and since having the stroke my mobility is limited.
I tapered off over a period of two months because I’d been on it for a number of years. I did experience some if the withdrawals for example I had what appeared to be a terrible flu and throat infection, a couple of bouts of nausea and a few instances of d ( think d & v without the v). I’ve been a month off and my sleep pattern is ok and already in losing weight - albeit slowly- without dieting.
have a look online at how people have come off and decide yourself if it’s beneficial to you. It has been for me.

You should contact your GP or who ever prescribed it for advice.

The numbness is very common on antidepressants.

I've been off sertraline for a few years now, but have taken St John's Wort ever since. I'd actually say it's better for the anxiety element of my mental health than any AD ever has been.

Please speak to your GP, you have options including a change of medication.

Incredibly slowly. Speak to doctor but do it over a far longer period than they say. Get a pill cutter and make it smaller over many months.
Make sure you keep up with therapy.

Contact gp. They will give you advice.

Can’t really get less than 25mg tablet can I? Thanks for your advice and the info about St John’s Wort.

I sometimes feel like an observer of the world rather than an active participant. I just want to feel me again.

I've been on 25mg for years - keeps me sane, on level and "normal".

Sorry but I don't understand why you would look online when you have a GP who can guide you through the process in a very safe manner. Can we stop normalising "doing own research".

If you need them and they help, continue with them. I've been on antidepressants since autumn 2005, varying the dose as I've needed to, and changing to different ones as needed and I'm OK. If we need them and they help, why not? There's no shame in taking them. People happily take medication for other long term conditions without worrying about it, so why is taking antidepressants for mental health problems any different? If I need them for the rest of my life, that's fine by me. (I'm 77)

I was on 150mg when I stopped due to persistent weight gain.

My doctors had assured me I wasn't going to gain weight on Sertraline (it was partially medicating my eating disorder), the practice I was with first insisted on annual updates via telephone conversation before allowing the pharmacy to dispense my monthly amount, then didn't bother with those anymore after Covid and at some point I realised I had gained 4 stone and my doctors weren't interested and would only berate me for the weight gain. I had also felt a lot better for a long time.

I halved my tablets at first, then started taking half only every other day (it takes 3 days for the medication to fully leave the body), then stopped over the course of about 3 months. My weight gain stopped.

Was it safe to do it without medical help? No, but good luck trying to get a suitable appointment, even on the phone, when you can only answer at specific times.

Having said all that, OP, there will have been a reason for upping your medication level in the first place, and the fact that you are still experiencing huge anxiety attacks point to you still needing something. Sertraline took 2 weeks in my body every time before I was stable on a new dose and you may just need to give it more time.

Please do NOT mix St John's Wort with sertraline. I am sure I recall it was on the "don't" list in the leaflet and in any case, you'd have to check interactions with your pharmacist at the very least.

I took myself off Sertraline (100mg) after being on it for just over 2 years because I simply couldn’t handle the fatigue and tiredness anymore. GP kept telling me it wasn’t the Sertraline (I had a toddler) but it was seriously affecting my ability to live my life, work and look after my child as I was knackered, had no energy, was so tired and brain fogged all the time. This in turn affected my mental health. I did my own research and found that it could be the Sertraline (and since coming off I’ve been told by professionals that is a side effect and my GP should have told me that). I told my GP I wanted to come off it and they respected my decision and advised me how to do it, so please do this under medical supervision OP. I was referred to a therapist for 6 weeks over the period I came off it, and it really helped as things were up and down for a while so I had someone to talk to to about what I was experiencing. They reduce your dosage gradually. I found for the first couple of weeks I was on cloud 9. Like actually happiest I’ve ever been. I felt like superwoman. And then it flipped and for a couple of weeks my anxiety went through the roof and I was catastrophing everything. It was awful. It took a good few months to settle down and it was only after coming off it I realised what it was masking in terms of my feelings and emotions. And miraculously my fatigue lifted pretty much after the first few weeks and I feel so much better for that. That being said, I am still accessing support for mental health as without the Sertraline I have been up and down more and can tell I’m not taking it if that makes sense.

My GP did offer to try other medications as I felt Sertraline didn’t suit me, so OP if you don’t like how you feel on Sertraline, there are other medications you can try, you don’t have to not have anything if you feel you need it. Speak to your GP and ask what they would recommend.