How to come off tablets without failing...

[PiafPilaf]

Been on sertraline for a few years and I want to come off them as I’m pregnant and also have come to resent having to take them. I’ve slowly reduced the dose over a period of a few weeks down to nothing but now I feel awful - I’ve turned back into an irrational, irritable, stressed-out ball of anxiety :( This has happened when I’ve tried to come off them before. I feel like such a failure for not being able to do it. Also heard an article on radio 2 recently about people feeling awful for months afterwards. Is it ever possible to come off SSRIs and not feel awful?! I managed it with my last pregnancy but was back on them a few months after the birth, but I’d had PND and PTSD so wasn’t entirely surprised.

Fgs a few weeks is way too fast. You've been on them years, its ridiculous to think you can wean off them in a matter of weeks. ADs work by changing your brain chemistry, you're basically sending your brain into shock by withdrawing so quickly. It's a process that should take months. What dose were you on? It needs to be very small drops with a minimum of 2 or 3 weeks to adjust to each. Dont drop any more until you have adjusted to the last one and are stable. It's not a quick process.

Are you doing this under medical supervision? You should not be messing around with your medication without the doctor agreeing first.

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut Thanks for your judgement and telling me I’m being ridiculous. Just what I needed.

@PlanDeRaccordement not directly, though I’m seeing them on Monday, but I’m doing the same as I did last time which was under supervision.

Sorry I'm not judging you just shocked that your GP was allowing it. Didn't mean it to sound directed at you but for christ's sake this person is supposed to have a medical degree. They should be advising and helping you, not leaving you to crack on with it, especially while pregnant.