Should I come off Sertraline?

[Nazarina]

Hi all,

I have been taking anti-depressants on and off since (I believe) the early 2000s. I am extremely anxious and struggle with intrusive thoughts.

I am presently taking Sertraline 100mg. I have been taking this for about three years. I previously quit cold turkey (not a good move) and was as well as could be for a while before the issues came back (and then some - it was horrible!).

The Covid situation (as awful as it is) has given me time to reflect.

I am very grateful for this medication - hugely grateful, in fact! - but I have been feeling like I want to start 'feeling' things. I think that a lot of me is still very closed and I want to grasp the nettle. I don't know how much of this is the medication and how much is my normal personality but perhaps it is time to try...

My life would be great without the anxiety and intrusive thoughts.

I am single and live with my cat (whom I love to pieces).

I have been thinking about things like online dating - things that terrify me!

If I did come off these tablets, I would be sure to do it sensibly this time.

I am scared but fear can be a positive, right (I have started reading self-help books again, too!).

Thank you to anyone who has read this and sending much love to all

Couldn't read this and not reply! I've recently gone cold turkey from sertraline (not on purpose, gp messed prescription up and had to go just over a week without any) and it's been truly awful. A bit like you, it started out ok but I quickly fell apart. I've started taking them again now but I'm still having some symptoms - anxiety, tearfulness, mood swings, just generally feeling very fragile. It's been like this every time the gp has tried to wean me off them. I'm not such a huge fan of relying on medication, but I cannot cope without them unfortunately. I'd rather take meds and be somewhat sane for my children's sakes. If you fee it is right for you then definitely explore it, but don't put yourself through hell if they really help you

You need to speak to your GP and wean yourself off, I’ve come unstuck before as didn’t have an alternative coping strategy when I came off them.

I’m back on them, when things stabilise I’m going to try home CBT and wean myself off.

Thank you for reading and the replies.

@natnev - sending you hugs. It is horrible. I really hope things will be better for you soon. I identify with so much of what you have written.

@Medstudent12 - I am going to make an appointment with my GP as soon as I can. (I tried to make one online yesterday but I think that Covid is still a factor with this.) Sending you best wishes. I'd love to know how you get on with the CBT.

xx

Definitely very tough, especially at the moment. I also suffer horrific migraines which don't help with the mood very much. Isn't it mad that chemicals do all this to us I hope you feel more yourself soon x

I came off Sertraline about four weeks ago. Cold turkey in the middle of a house move and from the highest recommended dose to nothing.

I’ve actually been ok. A bit moody, a bit wobbly but not unwell but I think it helped I’ve done three years of intensive CBT and have a lot of back up strategies to use. Personally I would in hindsight taper slowly and I definitely would only do so if you’ve done a lot of work on medication alternatives etc

The thing is best guidance seems to be that you should remain on a medication for 6 months to a year AFTER you’ feeling better for the best chance of not just going down again.

It doesn’t sound like you have reached a point of being better and a change of dose or medication may be the better option.

The feelings towards medication and life you are describing are fairly common and ime cyclical as in I went round the merry go round many times before coming to peace with being on some form of medication.

If you’re not feeling really well now then rationally why would ceasing treatment help?

Other qs have you tried other treatments? Is there a particular side effect bothering you? Is this a really stable easy time to run an experiment with your mental health? Do you think that medication would stand in the way of dating and if so why? How do you think taking tablets reflects upon you?

Encouraging really unpacking it.

If you do you want to go incrementally slowly imo to avoid cessation syndrome which can be hellish and very dangerous in terms of how you feel and think.

@TheDIsiilusionedAnarchist

I came off Sertraline about four weeks ago. Cold turkey in the middle of a house move and from the highest recommended dose to nothing.

I’ve actually been ok. A bit moody, a bit wobbly but not unwell but I think it helped I’ve done three years of intensive CBT and have a lot of back up strategies to use. Personally I would in hindsight taper slowly and I definitely would only do so if you’ve done a lot of work on medication alternatives etc

Do be careful and maybe involve someone else who you trust to tell you if you don’t seem well. Sorry to sound negative and I really hope it goes well. If it’s return to symptoms rather than cessation syndrome it’s usually usually 2 months or so after stopping. Hopefully not for you.

Thank you all again for the replies.

I will be honest - I had not thought about changing medication or the dose. I have been on Sertraline for so long that I just assume (aargh, my apologies for any clumsy wording) that this is the medicine I need for my anxiety and intrusive thoughts. (It is the intrusive thoughts that I would like to go more than anything. Oh, if only.)

I have tried many things over the years from alternative treatments, meditation (but my head is never really quiet), prayer...

I just... aargh, how can I put this. It has been an awful year for my family. I feel upset and I want to help, to feel with my family... But I worry that I am not feeling enough! I cry sometimes, but it still feels like something should be happening (as emotionally painful as it may be) that isn't. (Again, I apologise if I am wording this terribly.)

Migraines sound awful, and house moves are stressful!

Sending much love x

Definitely a conversation to be had with your doctor.

I would suggest not stopping or cutting down till covid business has calmed down and face to face gp contact is available again.

Tmi but biggest issue with sertraline for me was finding it difficult to orgasm.

If anxiety and obsessive thoughts are the main issue then there will be better meds to try. Bare in mind that the thought that you should come off meds may be/become an intrusive thought?

If you have been on ssri meds thst long you will need to wean incredibly slowly. Over a year would be best.

@TheHoneyBadger

Definitely a conversation to be had with your doctor.

I would suggest not stopping or cutting down till covid business has calmed down and face to face gp contact is available again.

Tmi but biggest issue with sertraline for me was finding it difficult to orgasm.

If anxiety and obsessive thoughts are the main issue then there will be better meds to try. Bare in mind that the thought that you should come off meds may be/become an intrusive thought?

Not TMI at all. This has actually been a little factor with me. I started using a vibrator for the first time during lockdown (I hope this is ok to post!) and speaking (or posting) as someone who is very inexperienced, I am not sure whether I am having orgasms or what they should feel like.

I have become obsessed with the idea of feeling things!

All the posts here have been really helpful. I am going to go to my GP as soon as I can and take it from there.

xx

You need to talk to your Dr! This is your health and wellbeing and ability to function you may mess with so do it with good advice and support. Just to say though, I am on sertraline and it seems invisible to me. I don't feel dulled or like I'm not feeling things. I'm just concerned that you are blaming the sertraline and it may not be that? I feel everything as I always did when well. I just am not suffering from anxiety that is making me physically ill now I assume thanks to the drugs.