Zoloft Dependent

Hi! I stumbled upon this forum after googling info on how to wean off zoloft safely. I have been on 50mg dosage of zoloft for the past 14 years. I was originally prescribed zoloft for coping with postpartum depression and panic attacks (we filed bankruptcy due to loss of a small business 1 month after having my youngest son). I really needed the help at the time!!!!
However, I am tired of the side effects that come with it, although I believe I've benefited greatly from it in the past. I read an old forum on this subject and realized that I'm not alone with the side effects it's caused i.e. an uncontrollable (but infrequent) twitch of my left arm. Other side effects I've noticed are loss of emotion (feel like nothing excites me anymore, good or bad), huge appetite (gained about 20 lbs over the past 14 years), but worst of all I can look back and see that my "numbness to life" has caused me to ignore situations with my children (now almost grown) that should've alerted me to get involved instead of shrugging it off. Yes, I believe this med causes me to have a "meh, oh well" kind of attitude.
Maybe I should add in here that another reason I wanted on something was due to similarities in hormone-related mood swings that reminded me too much of being a teenage girl living at home with a mom going through menopause! (insert permanent scars here!!!) I DON'T want to be remembered like that! I've always told my husband that I'd rather die young from the side effects of zoloft than live to be 100 and be remembered as being a #()*$)%(&#)!!! LOL. What to do, what to do??!!!
I tried cold-turkey method for 1 week until my kids asked what was wrong with me (Yikes! Embarrassing!) SO today is day 1 of being back on 50mg. How can I wean safely and with little side effects?

Hello and welcome!

I just want to add my encouragement and echo the good input given above by A.L.

Do talk with your doctor for guidance...and also consider using a fish oil supplement if you are not currently taking one...as this is thought to be helpful in relieving withdrawal effects.

See also our Resources for great stress relief exercises and coping skills. Regular practice of these will help your discontinuation go as smoothly as possible.

Keep posting with us for anxiety support. :)

Scaredy Cat

Thanks so much for the kind words of encouragement! It is refreshing to find others that are interested in helping one another!

I actually went to the dr yesterday to get a renewal of zoloft. I didn't mention wanting to quit due to how I felt at the moment. I will call her this week.

I've noticed something today after just one 50mg dose (my usual) that my energy is gone, and I can't seem to accomplish my daily tasks that I was doing so well with last week.


I will try the fish oil and continue in my research for weaning off this medicine. Thanks again.


NEW QUESTION:
Has anyone here gotten off of Zoloft without replacing it with another drug and been successful with it for a long period of time, like a year or more? Curious about long term effects. Do symptoms return that give one the desire to go back to meds?

i have been off zoloft (and prozac and all other antidepressants ) for almost 2 years. generally i feel much better but still suffer from anxiety time to time. i take buspar as needed (not often). i do not want to return to ssri drugs ever again and hope to remain free from them. it can be done-just depends on what kind of physiological shape your are in. some people really need the meds. so far far 2 years i do not need it

Update: Yesterday I took half my regular dose (25mg). Felt pretty well! Less of an appetite!! Great! Slightly more than normal, but I've been so passive with life that that doesn't necessarily mean a bad thing. My kids didn't ask me what was wrong with me, LoL, SOOO....we'll see how this goes on half dose for awhile. Thanks for the support!