Coming off Sertraline - if you had discontinuation symptoms, how long did it last?

[Zapped01]

I was on Sertraline for about 4-5 months for PMDD, initially on 50mg but advised to increase to 100 after a couple of months, as i was told that is the average minimum effective dose for most people.

I actually felt ok in general and that it was really helping with the PMDD symptoms every month - much more balanced and less of a massive dip into feeling awful 1-2 weeks before my period.

However I eventually realised that it was causing me to clench my jaw massively, mostly at night. I was waking up with a sore jaw and teeth and could feel my teeth were actually going out of alignment. The top teeth were pushing forward and the bottom row being compressed backwards.

I spoke to the GP about going back to 50mg and possibly tapering off, which I did over a long time. I knew you should stop slowly and carefully, but didn't really know about discontinuation symptoms and that they can occur even with slow reduction in dose. I didn't realise how much the brain gets used to the serotonin availability and the way that can affect some people. :(

Within a few days of stopping, I developed constant distressing tinnitus and am getting "brain zaps" as I believe they're called. I feel them when I move my head/eyes. I don't actually feel dizzy, but it's quite disorienting when it happens.

I realised in hindsight that I had also been constantly hungry and put on weight, which is hurting my joint condition.

So I don't really want to start back on them at the moment and am a bit apprehensive about trying a different AD medication, even though it did help.

I'm not usually one to worry about side effects, I guess I've never had any that affected me this strongly.

I am optimistically thinking that the tinnitus is fading a little, but was interested in whether anyone else had experienced similar issues. Also if you were able to switch to a different medication that helped.

Thanks in advance. 🫠

Hi Zapped01.

My adult DD is 31 yrs old and has SLD. She was prescribed 100mg Sertraline last October and also had awful weight gain. Went from 9st 51bs to 11st. In 7 weeks 😱. She also became extremely irritable and aggressive so we contacted the psychiatrist and had it reduced to 50mg which was slightly better but she would flare up and lash out at people physically with no warning.

As she was only taking 50mg the psychiatrist agreed to take her off it altogether roughly 6 weeks ago and said she didn't need to wean off; she could just stop it immediately as she has only been taking 50 mg for a few months.

Since stopping she was fine for the first couple of weeks but.then had absolutely horrendous PMT near her period - she was attacking people constantly - and although she has calmed down since, she is still extremely irritable especially first thing in the morning and still lashing out. We have another appointment with the psych this week to discuss her possibly being moved onto Respiridone.

Unfortunately, we can't ask her how she is feeling as she only has the speech and abilities of a 3 yr old but I didn't want to leave your post unanswered when we have recently had experience of Sertraline as a family.

Really hope things improve for you soon.

I tapered so so slowly over 6 months! Got down to cutting 25mg a in half and spacing the tiny dose 2 days apart🫣 But I eventually realise the teeny dose was prolonging the discontinuation effects and finally just stopped. Symptoms happened probably for a week then totally gone.

Look up Mark Horowitz and Hyperbolic Tapering

I found it really hard to come off sertraline, the brain zaps were very unpleasant.

I did find 5htp helpful, it's a supplement that helps to boost your serotonin levels. I used it to help bridge the gap.

Brain zaps are such a weird feeling! I tapered off over about three months and had the zaps for about six weeks around the lowest dosage/ stopping completely stage. They gradually became less strong and further apart, then stopped once I'd been completely off the tablets for a few weeks.

thank you all. 💐

Its been just over a week since my last dose so I'm crossing my fingers that it will eventually settle down.

it's unfortunately coinciding with the end of my cycle so I think I have been a bit intolerant/target and probably quite shit to live with this week. 🙈😳

1 week is very early. I have come off citalopram and sertraline and I would say you'll gradually get better if you can sit it out. When I came off citalopram I went from 10mg and missed one day a week then 2 and increased the number of days I was missing the drug. The brain zapps are weird though.
Keep thinking positively they will fade but it will take a few weeks.

Brain zaps for about 4 weeks x

I'm on 200mg and have been for 18 years now. Id love to reduce them but the side affects of that worry me. X