Off Zoloft trying to be strong not taking any antidepressants

So almost two months not taking any medicine besides a half of a.25 Xanax when needed. I've had good days and bad days. Today ugh I had two panic attacks. Driving to work this morning able to calm myself and when I was in work but able again to pull it together I gave in and took xanx half of one. Here's my problem my heart still races here and there my bp is 98/63 that made me nuts. Right off the bat I think I'm having a heart attack or cardiac arrest. Today had ekg blood test chest X-ray all came back fine, but im still Dwelling on and I'm trying not to. I know that I'm not having a heart attack it's just my mind messing with me. I just want to feel like myself again and not have to stress over this. I don't want to go back on any of those meds. I don't know what to do I hate feeling like this it drains me and makes me sad. If I had one wish only one it wouldn't be for money but to wish away having panic disorder. People that don't have do not understand what we go through its like if someone feels a flutter there like what's that then there over it me forget it.

Hi PK.,

It sounds like you have simply not found the right Rx for you!

If you have done other available treatments such as self help and therapy...

...and you're still struggling, then for quality of life, you should keep searching until you find the right med.:)

I do not believe that being medication free equals 'staying strong'! I know plenty of people who are on A/D's...and they are ROCKS!

They recognize the need to take something so their chemistry can operate at its best!!

Conversely...I don't use an Rx...but not because I am 'strong'...it is simply because I am fortunate enough to have therapy/self help suffice for me.

The decision is of course yours...I would just hate to see you suffer when you could...with the help of a P-doc and the right med...feel your best!!

With encouragement!

S.C.

Thanks SC,

I'm doing the cbt therapy I was on Paxil for a couple of years then Dr switched me to lexapro was on that 7 years I still had some break through anxiety but it was nothing. Don't get me wrong the meds were great besides the palpatations and the two isolated issues of afib that's why I got off not to mention I want to be a mom well still debating on that. I need to make sure I can take care of me before I bring a baby into this world. I hate when people say meds mask the anxiety they don't it does help whatever is off in the brain. I guess the Zoloft wasn't that bad I just had to deal with the side effects. I spoke to my dr he's like I understand we will try it your way he just doesn't want to see me crash. I'm gonna hold out I'm just scared to go back on meds because of the heart issue I had due to one med. I was so mad when I saw this one cardiologist in NJ he said he doesn't believe anxiety I wanted to punch him in the face your a dr how can you say that you have no idea what we go through not to mention what your body goes through I was mad and hurt. Never saw that guy again just terrible. I slept better last nite I just get nervous when I turn or stretch my heart beats fast for a sec then slows down I'm guessing again just anxiety.

I wish you the best of luck with your plan. :)

Ughhh I'm stressing myself out. Did you guys ever get that feeling in your chest we're if you get scared real quick then your ok??? That's how I've been feeling like if someone jumped out at me, not to mention I woke up last night at 3:42am heart racing had to calm myself. I took a half a Xanax I'm prob gonna take one in a little bit to sleep. Then I feel like I have ingestion and it's annoying like I have heart burn or something. I hate the worry that I'm I'm gonna have a heart attack or cardiac arrest. I was just fine last week and now I'm in panic mode. I don't like feeling like this , I know all my heart stuff came back normal. Why can I think normal and just brush things off why

I'm feeling a little better today well I kinda have to because I have surgeries this morning I just can't wait to go home. At least I have a four day weekend. Thanks hibee

Hi SC,

I'm not feeling so hot. I came home from a long day and went walking around the park 3 miles. I was fine then now I'm home and I have like this empty feeling in my stomach and I just feel anxiety. I spoke with my dr today about still feeling lightheaded. He said all ur test came back normal. I said I know this but I'm still making myself sick. So I got home took my bp and the one time I did when I was standing up the irregular heart beat thing blinked. I hurried up and looked online I'm hoping it was just a pvc or I moved. I was so scared but I said I'm still gonna go out and walk. I'm fighting it not to take a half of Xanax but I might need to. Ugh the one thing I can say about antidepressants is I still got anxiety but very little and poof it was gone. I feel like I'm thinking about my health 24/7 and I take care of patients I should no better not to think like this but I can't help it. The dr said I'm gonna let us hang for a little longer and he knows I'm trying to be strong but he said I might need to go back on something. I know there's a million ppl with anxiety I just feel lost and mad and upset I don't want to feel like this I'm scared of my own skin. I'm crying now please help me please help me get through this. 😥😡😥😨😔

I was on Paxil for awhile then my dr put me on lexapro for about 7 years and two years ago I had an episode of svt or afib but I brushed it off. Then this past year I wanted to get off I was thinking about being a mom. So I weaned myself off per the dr and let me tell you it was hell on earth I missed a week of work. I started to feel ok then I had two full blown out panic attacks driving home, so I restated my lexapro but 5mg this time instead of 10mg. I started to feel great but 18 days into I had that same either svt/afib called 911 was worst experience ever this time I dwelled on it. So cardiologist put me on 25 mg of Zoloft and then after a week or two my pcp upped it to 50mg I had all the side effects it was bad. Then I started to wean off over a 6 week period which I guess wasn't that bad if i stuck it out. I have .25 Xanax if I need it I just break in half. So that's why I got off. Zoloft I had vision problems sweating at nite not sleeping fast heart rate but then it started to get better.

Yea I know I feel like I can't win.

I think your right and I think I need not take it 24/7 I was out today and I felt really lightheaded and now I did when I got home I rushed and took my bp it was ok 108/75 88 Bpm. So maybe it's my anxiety causing it. My husband just came home and didn't help the situation by saying you keep doing this your gonna need a shrink ur fine if not go back to the Drs. That's does not help me at all makes it worse. I'm like your not supporting me he says Iam but I yell at him and go against him saying I'm fine maybe I need not to do that.

Sorry you had a bad night PK.:(

I hope you can catch up on some sleep and find relaxation and calm this weekend.

Put those coping skills to work!

S.C.