How to cut sertraline down and what to expect.

[minniemoi]

I've been taking sertraline for over a year and I am going to soon be trying to come off it with the ok from my GP.
I am currently on 100mg a day. How do they start cutting you down? Do you go straight from 100 to 50mg?
I'm worried about withdrawal symptoms and my anxiety coming back.

When I stopped Sertraline I went on Fluoxetine to avoid the withdrawal effects as they are quite bad (sea sick feeling, dizzy, lightheaded, nausea). Once on Fluoxetine I had no side effects and was able to wean of that quickly.

Hi, I was on 50 mg for 6 months. It made a huge difference to my wellbeing, but when I started the deal was I take it for 6 months and then review.
I was in a good place when I went to my review, went in there thinking: I'm going to try and come off them, but if I struggle, I'll tale them up again.
So on this understanding, I weaned off within 2 weeks: initially I took 50 mg every 2-3 days (3pills in the first week), then the second week I took two and then I stopped.
No terrible side effects, I became a bit more aware of stuff, but nothing major.
I told my DP I'm coming off them and he kept an eye on me, he was very sweet, the understanding was: if he notices I struggle to let me know. He asked a couple of time how am I doing and I looked confused: how am I doing with what? I'd forgotten I'm not on sertraline anymore.
Hope it'll be good for you as well. But if you feel it's too much too soon, review the situation with the help of your GP.
HTH

I've completely come off sertraline recently, I went from 200mg, to 100mg, to 50mg, to 50mg every other day and then down to nothing. I didn't really get any side effects.

Sorry to hijack this thread but my GP has prescribed me sertraline and I'm very nervous about taking it. He has given me 50mg and I'm so worried about getting side effects. I've got a 15 month old and no time for feeling unwell- although I am aware that my anxiety makes me feel unwell anyway! I'm interested to hear if you had any side effects when you started it and if it was worth taking. Thanks!

HappyGirl86 side effects I got were feeling tired and I gained weight that I just couldn't shift. The weight is the reason I've come off sertraline.

I did a lot of research before coming off mine, the main point seemed to be that people generally had a much easier time if they kept taking it every day with a lower dose rather than doing the one day on, one day off approach. (so 50mg every day rather than 100mg every other day)

@crazycatgal I am still trying to lose my post pregnancy weight and my weight is one of the reasons I get down! So I'm worried about weight gain. I'm struggling with low self esteem already

@HappyGirl86 honestly if your weight is an issue for you then do some research on sertraline and weight gain online and perhaps speak with your Dr about different medication.

I was one of the unlucky few who experienced weight gain as a side effect and if I knew this would have happened beforehand I wouldn't have gone on sertraline.

Hi Happy, I've found it just made me a bit dozy to begin with, nothing too awful. I think the people who get side effects post more about it than those who don't- I know other people IRL who had no real side effects either.

Thanks Sure. I think you are right- most people probably find it easy to take