Hi, like others, I'm so glad I've found this forum. I've been on 50mg Sertralene for a year because of anxiety/panic attacks/irrational crying which got really out of control. I suffered really badly with side effects when I first went on it; sickness, diarrhoea, increased anxiety (almost agoraphobia) and weird fizzing waves that started at the top of my back, up the back of my neck and into my head. But I persevered and eventually started feeling better.
One of the posters on this thread, I'm sorry I can't remember which one, said that your body tells you when you need to come off. I've found this is the case with me. A couple of months ago, I seemed to really turn a corner. I've still had the odd panic attack while on Sertraline, but I've learnt to control them better now. I've realised that, if you have a headache, you tend to be annoyed with it, saying to yourself "for goodness sake, my head hurts so much, how annoying, I wish it would just go away!" So why, when we have panic attacks, do we immediately submit to them and fear them? I've managed to change my way of thinking from "Oh no, oh no, I'm having a panic attack, I feel terrible, help, how is it going to end..." to "Oh, ok, here's another panic attack. Stupid thing, I could do without this today, but it'll pass in a minute. Now, about
that shopping list..." and I try and put it to the back of my mind and ignore it. Sometimes it works better than others, but I haven't had a really bad one now for months.
I've also taken up yoga, which really helps. A few months ago, I had a mild panic attack in an airport, and just put myself in a corner and did some yoga! Ha ha, I must have looked so stupid but it cured the attack so who cares!
Anyway, like others on this forum I have suffered side-effects such as blurred vision, lack of libido and weight gain. I hadn't made the connection with the weight gain until a short time ago. I'd wondered why my weight was creeping up and up slowly and simply would not shift. :-( Also I just put my eyesight deterioration down to old age (which could possibly still be true, of course!)
So, a few weeks ago, I decided to start weaning. I did it without consulting my doctor, but she had said that we would probably start reducing around May. I know we should consult first, but I was feeling really strong mentally and decided that making the decision myself would make me feel more empowered (corny). My reduction plan has been slow, slow, slow.... probably ridiculously slow, but so far, it's working for me. In week 1, I took my normal dose for 6 days, and half a dose on day 7. On week 2, I took 5 normal doses and 2 half doses. etc, etc... this means that in 7 weeks I'll be down to a half dose every day. I know this is super slow, as I was only on 50mg so could possibly have gone cold turkey or come off in a couple of weeks max, but this way I know I'm reducing as slowly as possible. Keeping it all recorded on a calendar helps me feel in control too.
At the moment, I'm on week 4 of my (complicated!) plan, so this week I'm on 3 normal doses and 4 half doses. And I feel fantastic! Have had no nasty symptoms at all, and actually feel a bit more in the normal world as opposed to a bit spaced out. I'm feeling really positive and glad I'm doing this. Feeling a bit more sexy already (sorry, too much information!)
I'll try and check in again over the next few weeks with updates, but so far, so good!