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Mental health

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Original poster

Sertraline withdrawal - is this possible?

18 replies

piscis · 10/07/2023 08:36

Looking to hear some opinions and experiences on this. I was on Sertraline for around a year. Around 3 months and a half ago I decided I wanted to stop medicating and started hypnotherapy for my anxiety. During this time that I was attending my therapy sessions I was tapering it off. I was cutting my 50mg pills in half and then in three pieces, I kept having the reduced dose for a month and a half and then stopped. All good during the reduced dosage time and the first two months of not having it, I never felt better actually.

Suddenly two weeks ago I had really bad anxiety symptoms with no trigger (my previous anxiety normally had a trigger, it had a reason so to speak). One day after work I started feeling really restless and was a bit shaky and it was really hard to complete my commute, the same last Friday. I don't even understand what this is, as it is not the type of anxiety that I used to have when I was treated for it.

I am starting to think that this can be related to stopping the sertraline, but does this makes sense considering that I was absolutely fine for the first two months after stopping it?it doesn't make sense to me as I assume the worse days if you are going to have any withdrawal symptoms are the first days.

OP posts:

Fillyourshoes · 10/07/2023 08:40

To me it reads that you were benefiting from the setraline

and now you’re off it - you’re symptoms are back

Original poster

piscis · 10/07/2023 08:55

What confuses me is that I was feeling so well during those first two months after I stopped, I thought that that was it!

I must add I don't have this everyday, I've had two bad days in the last two weeks, and it hasn't been the whole day, just some moments. It has been quite horrible though, as I thought I was out of the woods, so I am disappointed and sad.

I am continuing with my hypnotherapy sessions, they have helped somehow with a phobia I have that was triggering my anxiety. I'm not there yet but in a better place. I don't have anything against having medication if you need if it weren't for that my gut and stomach has suffered a lot from having medication, that was the main reason I wanted to stop.

OP posts:

Fillyourshoes · 10/07/2023 08:55

The setraline would still have been in your system. Tapering off

Original poster

piscis · 10/07/2023 09:06

@Fillyourshoes for two months? I have been without any sertraline at all for two months before any anxiety symptoms.

I was tapering off for a month abd a half and then two months I've had no medication at all before feeling anything. I'd assume your system clears most medications out of your system in a few days? But I may be mistaken

OP posts:

Spinet · 10/07/2023 09:09

Sertraline has a long half-life. That's why you taper off rather than cut it out. It is possible it's withdrawal but it's more likely to be the anxiety coming back. If you feel better in between it might be worth managing the panic attacks (sounds like) rather than going back on it, but the main thing to remember is it is up to you what you do now. You're not obliged either way. Maybe give it a month or two more and see how you get on IF you can cope with the anxiety attacks?

Original poster

piscis · 10/07/2023 09:10

Google says 5 days without and it is out of your system...

OP posts:

Princesspeachee · 10/07/2023 09:11

Yes I've have the same so i would say it's completely possible.

surreygirl1987 · 10/07/2023 09:12

I'm not sure. But I know that when I ran out of setraline and went a few days without, I felt utterly horrendous. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some sort of withdrawal down the line - it's powerful stuff.

Bearsinmotion · 10/07/2023 09:15

I am in a very similar position - started reducing in early June, no obvious side effects of withdrawal, only on 50mg/day anyway. None for last two weeks. Absolutely fine until Thursday, two big panic attacks. Feel absolutely fine again now.

I am in a really shitty work situation that will be over in two weeks. Hoping to last until then and if I get anxious / panic attacks after that I will consider going back on it, but really hoping not to need to as I have felt much better in other ways since stopping.

Somanycats · 10/07/2023 09:21

Fillyourshoes · 10/07/2023 08:55

The setraline would still have been in your system. Tapering off

No. Not true at all. Nine days at the absolute most and not in any useful quality after a couple of days

Original poster

piscis · 10/07/2023 17:17

It is crazy to think that this can be the cause two months after stoppin...

@Bearsinmotion it is really stressful for me at work lately too 😞 I hope you don't have this again after your worl situation resolves

OP posts:

HedgehogHill · 10/07/2023 18:09

Actually, it most likely IS the withdrawal symptoms.
It's a myth that just because the SSRI is 'out of your system' you won't suffer any ill effects. Your brain learned to function with the SSRI and now it has to learn to function without it. Delayed symptoms of withdrawal are common and have been mistook as old symptoms of the anxiety/depression by GPs for a long time, resulting in many being stuck on the SSRI's 'for life'. GPs have also been telling people to taper by too much, too fast which can cause really quite severe withdrawal symptoms. The guidance has now changed, but sadly a lot of GPs don't seem to have caught up.

https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/clinical-areas/mental-health-and-addiction/nice-publishes-wide-ranging-new-draft-guidance-on-stopping-antidepressants/

NICE publishes wide-ranging new draft guidance on stopping antidepressants

New NICE draft guidance has recommended that patients should be ‘monitored and reviewed’ while their antidepressant dosage is reduced.

https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/clinical-areas/mental-health-and-addiction/nice-publishes-wide-ranging-new-draft-guidance-on-stopping-antidepressants

Spinet · 10/07/2023 18:36

I started taking these types of antidepressants when they were saying they didn't have any side-effects at all even though they quite obviously did. So I don't tend to believe anything that says 'it couldn't possibly be...' about a newish drug.

Original poster

piscis · 11/07/2023 09:13

Interesting ...I've never heard of the delayed withdrawal symptoms! Two months seems like such a long time though!

It makes complete sense that people get stuck having SSRI because I've been thinking if I should start having it again these days...I'll wait to see if this passes, I've had no issues these past 3 days, but I can see my mood is quite low lately, maybe even more so than before starting SSRI to be honest...

OP posts:

Puppypower83 · 11/07/2023 14:46

Hi @piscis I am in a similar boat to you (not the same) in that I accidentally tapered off by missing doses then decided to half pills etc. I’m only two weeks in though and it’s hard to tell if the random feelings I have are as a result of it or just hormonal cycle as I’ve lived with sertraline for 3 years - hard to separate out whats normal and what’s being without it.
I think some of the advice is sketchy here - it is known to have a short half life for example. But that’s just the immediate chemicals in your body. New research seems to show that a quick taper can lead to a reappearance of the symptoms that led you to going on it. There was an interesting recent documentary on it (panorama I think - not the cheeriest programme) and information online now suggesting reducing over months.
I would speak with your GP (I’m going to do the same this week) about what’s to be expected and that a blip is just a blip and it might be a case or riding these out. Or possibly going back on it. Maybe having counselling to support you without the sertraline for a while. It’s sometimes best just to follow one source of advice rather than taking in lots from different people who can only report their lived experience. Good luck!

fancreek · 11/07/2023 19:00

There was a great panorama on a few weeks ago about the unknown impacts of coming of SSRIs. Some people wean themselves off over years. You did it pretty fast it seems like.

I'm on Sertraline, started on 100, now down to 50 and have been for a few months. Will then go down to 15, then cut in half, then alternate days etc.

Zepherine · 11/07/2023 19:06

It just so happens I was at my GP today talking about anxiety after stopping Citalopram some weeks ago, tapering 2.5 every few weeks. Her response was to say they now know that antidepressants have a dulling effect and that I didn't need to go back on them as I'm not actually depressed. So, from what you say, it may be the same for you, that being off the meds means you are experiencing things more intensely. I would go and talk to your GP about it.

SwirlyShirly · 11/07/2023 19:36

My GP called a month or so ago to encourage me to come off sertraline which I agreed to try. I know last time I tried, it didn't go well at all. I was angry, short tempered, irritable, and I didn't like the person I was when I wasn't taking it. I'm ever so nervous about coming off it again. Even very slowly. I am also going through a very stressful time at work at the moment, that is exacerbating my anxiety so I don't think now is the right time.

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