Coming off setraline

[sunburntfizz]

Without going into detail here DD (17) will be coming off setraline. We will be reducing dosage by 25mg every 2 weeks. On the way down we may hit the dose that is right but right now 100mg hasn't suited. The advantages don't outweigh the disadvantages for her right now. There's not enough improvements and the anxiety and feeling on edge is still there. She has ASD so we don't know what is ASD and what is the depression or the medication. She also has extreme tiredness.

What are your experiences and learnings of a good way of coming off this.

I've come to the end of one week alternating 12.5 and 25. I'm not sure it helped - the 12.5 days were OK, I had some of the side effects on the 25 days, and towards the end of the week I just felt tired of yo-yo'ing. Sweats and digestive issues increased at the end- possibly as cumulatively less in my system over a week. I have also felt a bit angry although this could be other things. I can't compare it to 25/12.5 straight drop as I didn't do that. I wouldn't recommend it as a long term strategy, because of the yo-yo'ing. I'm mainly doing it as my prescription is running out. Next week I'm doing 12.5mg. I have one 25mg tablet for Wednesday. I hope it all goes okay.

OP what about making a list with your DD of all the things that help her depression / anxiety (both prevent and mend).

@LiveandBreathe hope next week will be better for you.

DD back from her event today. She has been more emotional lately too. This could
Also be due to time of month. She is on the mini pill however and takes it straight through meaning periods are just spotting. But last 2 months she has had much less PMT.

Tomorrow we move to 25. No major things planned for the week so if there are symptoms she/we can deal with plenty of rest at home. After that I think I am
Leaning towards just cutting again to 12.5 br will also try to get hold of liquid setraline and reduce by 5mg doses.

Will try to make a list. She is aware of things that she has now learnt that make her feel
Better. It's true am so focused on the side effects that haven't thought that the depression may return. Need to help
Her manage this.

Moved to 25mg today. Not a great day. She has felt very emotional, broken out into spots on her chin, got really upset about this and burst into tears. This is so unlike her.

It's very strange. She has been saying today that her organs are hurting inside and she is feeling really disgusting about her body. It's such a strange reaction. I have never seen her behave like this.

@sunburntfizz
See how it goes. You always have the option of increasing to 37.5mg if you continue to feel she is out of sorts. You are entering unknown territory so you will have to feel you way around a little. Stay in touch. We are here for you through this tricky time. X

Felt rubbish this morning so I took an extra half dose (6.25mg). Not sure if it's psychosomatic but feel much better, like the tension has lifted. Worked out I can cope with a 30% reduction a week so I think next week I'll stick to 12.5mg with one day of 9.125mg.

@LiveandBreathe
Glad you feel a little better and are managing to find s taper that works for you. Hopefully this week will be smooth sailing.
Day 9 of no sertraline for DS. Dizzy spells continue. He has complained of headache but that may not be related. Allowing him
Plenty of rest and encouraging gentle exercise seems to help. He has just finished a gut cleanse and has started taking some
Good quality probiotics and b vitamins in the hope that they will help.

@Rainbows12 can you share a bit more about what you have done for a gut cleanse and would appreciate any recommendations for the probiotics and B12. I have just been researching the probiotics.

@LiveandBreathe glad to hear that you felt better after adjusting the dose.

DD mostly fine today but then in the evening became really stressed about the rash that she has developed on her chin. It is a bit weird - - she has never said things like this before. Have given her a clarityn this evening to help the rash go down and it has had the added advantage of knocking her out. Wasn't keen on giving but I think it may help with the rash on her chin.

I am just a little worried whether dropping to 25mg will make her have withdrawal symptoms for a much longer period. Or is it more a case of getting the rough patch out of the way quickly. She has been very anxious this evening.

@sunburntfizz
I can happily share info about what my son has taken for the gut cleanse and subsequent probiotics. I will send a pm if I can figure how to do it.

Thank you Rainbow.

I had the worst symptoms for a few days and overall 7-10 days when I dropped 50 to 25mg. If she can get through this drop it does get easier. I would just caution not to introduce too much at once- being stable on a dose or finished them before introducing the gut cleanse. I've been doing low FODMAPs, as well as wheat and dairy free, its definitely helped. Lambert's are a good brand of probiotics, they survive the digestive process and reach the gut. I'm sure rainbow will have great advice.

I'm feeling quite confident today so I am going back to my alternating days (12.5 and 6.25) for a week! The flat dose was worse for side effects, although I did have a tough weekend (family things). I need to be able to function this week at work - deadlines and training. Good luck this week.

Thanks@LiveandBreathe. Glad things are better for you. Thanks for the advice. It helps to know that it will get better. Will stick at the 25mg. Won't start anything else in the meantime until she is free of the tablets completely.

I had been looking at the bio-kult probiotics.

I am continuing to post in the bud that should somebody be looking for the withdrawal journey will get a view of our experience. I found it hard to find things when I was looking.

DD was very drained yesterday. Almost drowsy and slept a lot in the afternoon. Felt quite low in the evening. Has continued to complain this morning of aches and pains.

Reading about the withdrawal symptoms and general side effects is making me realise that a lot of the issues she was having on this med were possibly a side effect and not necessarily due to the ASD so eg temperature intoleration (feeling hot when cold and cold when hot), emotional lability, restless legs, aching joints, even potentially sensory sensitivity. For her all these things suddenly appeared last year and I suspect that the medication made her symptoms more acute ie she probably had some sensory sensitivity due to ASD but this pushed it to a different level. This is my theory and I am waiting to see if this will be true.

Morning all. Thank you for such an informative thread. I’m on 100mg and want to come off to ttc. Very anxious but useful to hear all your tips for supplements and monitoring symptoms before starting. Gps don’t seem to really have this on their radar.
@sunburntfizz this must be so stressful and exhausting for all your family. Your dd is very lucky to have such a strong support around her. I’m sure it’s helping.
@Rainbows12 you’re doing so well, kudos! Good to know 50-25 is a drop to watch out for. Hope this is a better week for you.

@sunburnt Someone recommended a book called Too Fast, Too Loud, Too Bright (not necessarily those exact words in that order) on another thread. I found it really interesting.

I took slightly more yesterday (13.75) as I was nervous about a big day. Today I've taken 12.5. I'll probably continue at that for a few days, then when I'm feeling brave again (as in, prepared for any side effects!) have another drop down to a very small amount.

I have been chopping the tablets up and keeping the different sizes in separate sections of a container.

Thanks @Onekidnoclue

I have joined a few Facebook groups and one of them recommends really slow tapering - 5-10% every 2 to 4 weeks. That is incredibly slow. Our CAHMS psychiatrist advice has been much quicker than that. He wanted to reduce dose by 25mg every 2 weeks. And this was him saying that this is slow as due to my daughter's ASD she is likely to be more sensitive to dosage changes.

I would recommend going as slow as you can and don't change dose until symptoms settle in between.

Or experience was that 100 to 75 was a positive change - no side effects - instead had a bit more engergy and definitely less on edge.

From 75mg to 50mg again a bit more energy but also side effects. She felt very drowsy and nauseous at times. Felt very spaced out and disassociated for a few days. It passed and settled 10 days after dose change.

From 50 to 25mg had been horrendous. She has been exhausted, drowsy, down, broken out in a rash and sports, headaches, feeling very fragile. Not good really. We are currently a day 5 after dose change so will see how things go over the next few days. Due to meet Doctor next week and will insist on holding 25mg until symptoms settle. Also will ask for liquid setraline for further down the line.

Really had wanted for her to be off the meds before school holidays end so that she is not battling with side effects as well as final test of school which will be tough.

@LiveandBreathe thank you for the book recommendation. Will try to get a hold of this and read this.

I have done so much reading over the last year on ASD, Aspergers/HFA, sensory processing disorder, highly sensitive people, giftedness, depression and anxiety. Now I am trying to learn a bit holistic nutrition and health. There is so much out there but nothing to join the dots and I am trying to learn so that I can help my daughter. I really pray that once she is off meds and settled that we never have to go back on them again. But will just wait and see.

Wish you all the best best with the big day and the dose changes. Do you find that you are having more symptoms with the lower doses. I have read that somewhere.

Been reading some of the sertraline Facebook groups. This is helpful

withdrawal.theinnercompass.org/page/coping-techniques-z?fbclid=IwAR1e9G7yDZdr0sopnKcsM02c9VUr15dntgC0buM0a1PY4cGU6Q9HThLhZ-Q

Interesting they advise not to change the dose on alternate days. I think I'm going to follow the advice and stabilise on 12.5mg then lower it a little (i.e 10%) for two weeks at a time minimum. It's tedious but personally think I need time to adjust.

Symptom wise, I have more emotional than physical symptoms - a bit anxious, slightly emotional and angry feeling. I find it hardest to shift my emotional state so need to try some different things.

Good luck speaking to the doctor.

@LiveandBreathe thank you so much for sharing that website. There’s so much on there I haven’t come across before, and things I know but can’t remember when I’m stressing out. Really useful.

Day 13 of no sertraline
DS continues to complain of mild dizzy spells but these are not debilitating. He is sleeping and eating fine. Supplements include ecodophilis probiotics and methyl vit b complex. I’m hoping the next week will bring a reduction in dizzy spells....time will tell! I’m hoping everyone else on here is settling into their dose reductions ok.

@LiveandBreathe thank you for sharing that site. Lots to read there.

@Rainbows12 glad that things are manageable for your son. Thank u also for signposting the supplements. Do you think I should wait till my daughter is off meds completely to start the probiotics or can she do this now?

She hasn't been having a great time. Felt very low yesterday and today. Last night she had rage - never seen her like this. Even she couldn't understand it.

This afternoon she made an effort and said she wants to do some gentle exercise and asked to have her hair cut. Took her for an appt and I think psychologically this helped her. We went for a family walk after dinner. Good for all of us. This drop to 25mg is really taking it out of her. Been 6 days now. A few more and really holding onto hope that it will settle by 10 days. Also hoping that subsequent drops will be easier. I will ensure that they are much smaller drops. In hindsight I think we should have dropped by 25% not 50% from 50mg.

Last couple of days in the evening she has also been having jerking uncontrollable. Dot movements.

Sorry that should say body movements