Zoloft Withdrawal Help

I have been thru Zoloft Withdrawal once successfully, and I am now going thru it again. This time I have been on 50 mg/day Zoloft for about 4 months and the withdrawal symptoms are worse this time around. I have twice forgotten about the withdrawal factors and have abruptly stopped taking the Zoloft to be reminded about 3 days after stopping by feeling the brain shutters, dizziness, nausea, and general malaise. I didn't get it at first and thought I was just feeling strange or had the flu, then I remebered that I had not taken the Zoloft in a few days.

The first time I stopped taking the Zoloft I was seeing a Natural Doctor (ND), which didn't prescribe the medicine, but was treating me for other stuff. An ND is no joke, the work required to achieve this profession is similar to and OD or MD, but they only are liscensed to prescribe naturally derived medicines. There are only a few Universities in the US that offer an ND degree.

I'm telling you this, so that you know this treatment for Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors is legit and not from some dude at the health food store.

Anyways the ND told me to take 5-HTP for 30 days to reset my natural seratonin levels, and I think it took about 20 days and my brain shiver and dizziness was gone and I stopped taking the 5-HTP. 5-HTP is a natural herbal formula that is a building block for serotonin. Since it is a building block it gives your body the amount of building blocks needed to make it's natural amount of serotonin, but not more than you need ---at least that's what I think it probably does. It naturally balances the tryptophan-serotonin-melatonin cycle which allows people to be wakeful, operate, and fall asleep and sleep normally.

Do a search for yourself online about 5-HTP and do some reading. Some literature does not recommend taking 5-HTP with SSRI's, but I'm sure a little cross over isn't going to bother most too much when decreasing the SSRI. The dosing and strength is always of question with herbal formulas so I'd say start off with and average amount of 100mg and adjust if needed ---also buy it from a good health food store ---not the market that sells all processed foods. Read the link below which is rather reputable for some insight. You should take it for one moon change (30 days) because believe it or not our natural rythyms are still governed by the month (women know this better than men).

I'm not against presciption meds by any stretch and take a few daily because I have health problems, but I do respect the natural herbs also, and this one worked really well for me for SSRI withdrawal. It works on it's own merit for some for depression also, so it may be something to try for those with chronic depression. So good luck. I hope it helps all ---SSRI withdrawal is very strange at best, and horrible at it's worst.

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/5htp_myth.htm

 

dear aw2009,

good post, yeah i understand all that you have written, when first diagnosed with depression i first did the nd. i was hoping that i had a form of depression that would be helped by the nd. after being in denial, and realizing how bad my depression was, with a lengthy stay in a public mental health facility i had 2 go the medical route. zoloft was the first anti-dep i was put on over 20 yrs ago! not for me though! good post on alternatives, all the best to you, i appreciate your post. thanx and welcome to the forum. keep posting. jamie

iddm, major depression, severe borderline personality disorder, diabetic nuropathy, bad back, water works, hormone deficency, etc, etc!

Withdrawal from Zoloft and Benzos has been very difficult, but not impossible. After being on Zoloft 150 MG for 2.5 years and 1.5 MG of Klonopin for the same amount of time, I started my taper last fall and continue to this day. I'm down to 1 pill/day of Klonopin (.5 MG) and I'm completely off the Zoloft as of one week ago today.

I've been using a blend of homeopathic remedies and intra-muscular injections (which come at a high cost, but in the end should offset the cost of staying on these wicked and wayyyy too freely prescribed meds).

On a recent trip to my Chiropractor, I saw that they were now doing vitamin injections, which I prefer since they absorb much more efficiently into the body than throwing a bunch of pills in your stomach. I receive a shot of:

-METHYL B12 (this is a MUST... other forms of B12 just aren't synthesized by the body as effectively)
-CALM.

CALM is an injection created by a company called Trim Nutrition. They happen to be in the same area which I live, so my Chiro has worked with the Doctors there. It is GABA, Magnesium, Taruine, Theanine. While it hasn't erased the withdrawal, it EASES it SO MUCH more than going solo on the taper. I hate getting injections quite frankly, but I look forward to getting these as I know they do really help. They stack the CALM with the Methyl B12. Both burn quite a bit going in the arm. But again, I wouldn't do it any other way.

I also went to our local "whole foods" like store (it's a Publix Greenwise store) and they carry a TON of homeopathic remedies, and these seem to be working as well. I use Newton Homeopathics:

-Stress and Tension
-Blues and Mood Support.

6 drops each day on the tongue 2-3 times /day as needed.

Overall, being OFF Zoloft has increased my mood for the better amazingly. I just can't wait for the last withdrawal symptoms to go away... because they do hinder and somewhat protract my mood--mostly out of frustration. I've been down the road of "taking the last Benzo pill" and it was awful, and I'm scared to wean from the .5 I'm taking each day. But it is a day by day process, and I will get through it.

I also take:

-Methyl B12 twice a week in pill form (again, almost $35 for 60 pills, but I am told over and over this form of B12 is the way to go).
-5-HTP
-GABA (when I'm not injected)
-Omega-3 fish oils round out the feast of alternative supplements I'm taking.

I still have the bad habit of always needing an afternoon nap after work each day... extremely tired. But I'm trying to break the cycle. The brain Zaps come mostly mid-afternoon through the evening, although rest and my daily naps help alleviate them. Also, for some reason, any OTC sleep-aids with Diphenhydramine seem to take away the zaps. I'm unfortunately now dependent on these sleep aids... so that's another hurdle to overcome down the road. Along with quitting smoking.

We ALL need to be here for each other and share our successes and pitfalls. We can only become more empowered by doing so... and hopefully spread the word about these awful Psychotropic meds. I will NEVER go back to them. EVER.

Best Regards.
-Mark