Coming off antidepressants help

[Lplatesmum]

Hi,

I have been on sertraline for almost 4 years and I felt the time was finally right to wean off them. I did it gradually but when I finally stopped I did have physical withdrawal symptoms but I pushed through those and came out the other side. I stopped about a month ago and now am starting to feel very low. My partner keeps asking if I need my tablets again which I feel is really unsupportive to me at this time. My mum felt I shouldn’t have come off them at all so I don’t want to go to her for advice now because her answer will be to get back on them.
I have this overwhelming feeling that taking the tablets was sort of smoothing over all the things I felt unhappy about. They were always there and I had feelings of unhappiness but I just never sorted it out and the tablets just kept me ticking over on a level to tolerate it. Now I feel like I’m feeling everything more strongly and realising how unhappy I am in certain areas of my life but I’m afraid to go back on the tablets as this will just take me back to where I was. Not happy but not doing anything about it either. I feel tearful and very down today. I feel like I’m failing my children, I’ve always been failing them and now I’ve woken up to how much better they deserve than me. I feel worthless and unnecessary, I can’t even keep my home tidy or have everything my children need organised.
I’m posting to see if anyone felt this way after coming off medication and will I get through it? And also I just needed to let these feelings out because I’m scared of how low I feel.

I'm not any help but I'm in pretty much the same position and know how you feel, it's shit isn't it?

Did a GP tell you to stop the medication OP, or did you just decide yourself?

How long have u been off the tablets ? It can take up to 90 days for ur body to ease from the effects . These are wide ranging and u discribed a number of them . Is your doctor aware that u are off them . Telling them may give u the support u need . The other issue of addressing situation u are unhappy with could u speak to therapist . I hope u feel better soon

Sorry you’re feeling this way too, it’s an awful feeling. I just want it to stop.

At the start of last winter my GP said I should think about coming off them, as I had been on them so long. I told him I wasn’t ready then as I always find the winter harder so he prescribed enough until March and said in the spring I needed to try and reduce my dose so I went to half a tablet a day, then half every other day. The GP isn’t aware I’ve fully stopped though which I know isn’t advised but I just felt ready after reducing down so well.

Thank you for your replies :)

Did you have a talking therapy alongside your medication?

Do not give up hope yet. This is what happens after a few weeks. You’d think you’d go crazy after a few days - not true!

Ride this out for a week and see where it gets you. I did and I survived.

But I also have to take care of myself now. Eating a low sugar diet, walks, vitamins etc all help

There are various other things you could try too! Give your brain a touch more time and if you still feel horrendous then you can always go back on them

Do you have anyone other than you partner or mother you could talk to about your feelings? Have you been having any counselling whilst on the medication? Maybe you consider getting some if you haven't. I do hope you can get the help you need.

Ok so u need to see the doctor and tell him where u are up to . He can then help u with what u are going through . It helps to write down a timeline of what does u took and the time frame . If it's on paper u can just show it them n not try to remember . I wish you well

Dose

Thank you so much everyone for replying so quickly to me. That’s really helpful to hear that others have been in this place and it could pass (although I acknowledge it might not for me, but it gives me a target to work towards) I will phone up my GP on Monday and explain where I am with the medication now. I had CBT about 6 months after starting the tablets when my daughter was a baby as I was in a very bad place then, looking back now I can see I am so much better than then even though I still have ups and downs. I will try and get referred for some further therapy as I know that really helped me at the time and maybe I need some updated support to suit my current life and issues.
Thank you again, I still feel low but I’m so glad I posted on here for support.

So it sounds like u have a plan of action . That takes a lot of courage with all u are dealing with . Little steps take ur time and be kind to yourself .

It may be you didn't wean off then slowly enough. I came off citalopram. I reduced the dose by a small bit and only reduced again when I felt ok for a number of weeks.
Good luck with the GP.

How's your week going ?