How long to fully get Sertraline out of my system

[Toddlerteaplease]

Didn't feel I needed anymore, wasn't taking it regularly so decided to taper it down over a few weeks then stop. It's been four weeks since I last took one and I still seem to be getting withdrawal symptoms. Yesterday was very bad. Irritable, tearful, palpitations etc. My go says it should be out of my system by now. I didn't go on it for any of the above symptoms. So don't know if I should just restart them again or give it a bit longer.

I'd give it a bit longer, don't forget we are naturally up and down too. It's natural to assume it's the sertraline but it may not be. Were you on them long? What dose? Did you cut down slowly? Xx

The half life of sertraline is about 1 day. This means after a day there is approx 50% left in your system, after 2 days 50% of 50% (25%) and so on. Drugs are generally considered to be cleared after 5 half lives, so for sertraline that would be about 5 days (plus or minus some variation). I don't know how long it takes for the brain chemistry to stop being affected though, so that could account for it (disclaimer, I know about pharmacology ie how the body handles the drug but not about the effects of the drug on the brain)

Are these symptoms you have now what you had before you started taking them? X

It took me about 6 weeks to stop getting those brain zings that I was getting when I stopped taking it.

@thinkingcapon no, I never had any of these symptoms. I'm never irritable or have completely irrational thoughts. No do I have palpitations. I have had various antidepressants on and off since I was 16. I don't have any issues causing it. But I do have MS which I think may be the cause.

Brain zings. That describes it perfectly. I can live with that. It's the other. Stuff I'm struggling with.

It took about 5/6 weeks to feel myself.
The brain shocks were something else!! Also got insomnia and nausea.
Physical stuff was done with after about 4-5 weeks. Then the mental stuff (extreme irritation, teary-ness etc took about another week) fingers crossed that's been me great ever since. Except when I'm due on. That 48 hours is really awful. I try not to loose my shit. Don't remember it being this bad pre sertraline!

I've given in and gone back on it. I just couldn't carry on like that. Can't believe I managed 4 weeks reasonably ok but the. The last few days have been horrendous. It wasnt even symptoms I had before going on to it either.
I'll maybe try getting it in liquid form next time. and decreasing the dose much much more slowly.

You came off them way too quickly. It's not them being in your system that causes the issues it's your brain receptors being used to a higher level of serotonin.
Tapering slowly will give your brain time to adjust.

What dose were you on? I couldn't believe it when I asked my GP about tapering off he said 'you don't need to you can just stop taking them'. I was on 50mg a day so maybe that's a low dose? I've tapered off a bit, took 1 every other day for a while then half a tablet every other day. I've not had any for 1 week now and feel a bit down and lethargic to say the least

@user. I am on one tablet a day. I think it's 50mg. I did exactly the same as you but it was over several weeks.

Thanks toddler. I suppose I've done it too quickly then but I'm now just over 1 week without any tablets so feel like I'll just keep going. Side effects are just feeling weepy and also got a killer of a migraine but that's partly why I wanted to come off them as I was getting so many migraines and night sweats

My wife just stopped three weeks ago. She's been a bit weepy too.

I just started on Sertraline back in October and it definitley helps me with my depression though not my anxiety. I was started on 50mg and I didn’t see much diffference so I went to see the doctor again and he said that he’d up the dose to 100mg as they start everyone on 50mg, am I also going to experience issues coming off of them?

Well my GP said you can just stop them and they don't cause issues but it was only my googling and looking on here that made me realise that's not the case. Apart from a dreadful migraine and crying a bit at the slightest thing I seem to be ok today.

Maybe a placebo effect, you know your off them so your reacting

I was on 100mg for 2 years. I weaned myself off by taking
1 day full
Next day half
For 2 weeks.
Then 1 day full, 2 days half
For 2 weeks
Then half every day
For 2 weeks
Half every other day
2 weeks
Half every 3 days
2 weeks
Etc...until I was done. I had no problems.

Maybe a placebo effect, you know your off them so your reacting

But you would have to know what the withdrawal effects were to react accordingly.

My wife didn't know anything about being tearful. Yesterday morning, I found her sobbing uncontrollably over something she'd just read in John Grisham novel. She's read dozens of his books before without crying over them.

I agree. I don't think it was a placebo effect. Tbh I'd forgotten that I'd not been taking them. Especially after 4 weeks.

Just because you wouldn’t know what the effects/withdrawals would be coming off of them then it doesn’t mean that the placebo effect isn’t possible.

Your subconscious would be in play here with regards to the placebo effect.

There is plenty of recent evidence around "discontinuation syndrome" ie withdrawal.
It's got bog all to do with a placebo effect. You're re-altering neurotransmitter levels. Of course it's going to do stuff.

I take 50mg daily. One time, I didn't get a repeat in time and stupidly I didn't have enough to last. I think I sent three or four days without them, and I felt terrible. The worst were those brain zaps!! Freaked me out the first time as I had no information on stopping them as it was accidental really. So moody.
Would not recommend.

I think you should have tapered them for longer. I'm nervous for this reason for when I come off.