Coming off sertraline after a week

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

I really wanted it to work, and I've held out for as long as I can, but the side effects on just 25mg are unbearable. I feel completely numb, plus incredibly anxious. I can't eat at all (have lost half a stone in a week) and just generally feel dreadful. Will I be safe just stopping completely, do you think? Anyone else had similar?

You could just ride it out, it depends how much you feel you need the sertraline in your life. I was on it for 2 years and it really stabilized my mood. You might want to consider the bigger picture, these side effects won't last forever in fact they should start to subside in the next week. But if you are really sure you could stop. I tried to stop mine by going cold turkey and it wasn't a good idea, I had to taper over a long period of time in the end. But if you've only been on for a week, it's a bit different. Maybe cut down to half a tablet for a week....but probably best to talk to gp ahd see what they think...they might suggest an alternative AD med that would suit you more. Take care x

Thank you. I couldn't do it in the end and just went cold turkey. I spoke to the GP and she suggested upping the dose which I stupidly did, and it honestly nearly killed me. Never felt so hideous in my life. At the point of coming off them I hadn't eaten for two days and this was probably causing me to metabolise them much faster, which wasn't helping! I feel much better than I did before I started them, so going to see how I manage for a bit.

Btw in case anyone else is in a similar position, it did me no harm going cold turkey after just a week.

I went cold turkey after 4 weeks from 50mg. The tablets had caused bruising which is a serious side effect so had no choice. Was fine, side effects pretty much non existent but was just relieved to be off.

Worridoncemore that must have been frightening.

That's how I feel though, just very relieved to be off them. Whenever I have a wobble I just remember it's still a hundred times better than how they made me feel.

You do need to give it 4-6 weeks to actually start working though.

Kindofcrunchy I know and I hope im not putting anyone else off them. There's just no way I could have carried on- even if I'd started to improve the very next day. It was bad enough that I pretty much had to come off them immediately.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan it was terrifying, especially as I was on them due to health anxiety. I ended up in a&e for urgent blood tests and worried I had leukaemia or something! Thankfully, all clear but still awaiting results of ct scan which was presumably to check the drugs hadn't done any other damage.

For anyone reading, it's a rare side effect (around 1 in 100), bruising now gone so hopefully no harm done but worth being aware of.