weaning off zoloft

So I have been on Zoloft 12.5 mg for about 5 weeks to help with insomnia which it did not help but it did make me less depressed about it. I am trying to get off the Zoloft as I do not want to get addicted and last week I took my regular dose every day but Monday. This past Monday I did the same thing. I skipped my dose on Tuesday , Wednesday, Thursday and today to see if I could get past the withdraw effects. I have had no brain zapping but really bad headaches on Monday and Wednesday and have been increasingly tense and anxious since Wednesday. Yesterday was really bad and today was bad for awhile. I have been using 5- HTP,magnesium, EPA, Vitamin C, B complex, GABA, and Seriphos, and Benadryl as needed with ibuprofen for headaches and anxiety. I had also been using a progesterone cream for estrogen dominance that was really helping and I have increased the amount of cream I use to counteract the chest tightness and anxiety. I know I should have cut the 12.5 mg tab in half now and not stopped cold turkey. Do you think I should just tough it out since I have been off 5 days or go back on 6.25 mg for another 2 weeks and then try to cut that in half? My doctor has been no help and I wish I had never agreed to try the Zoloft. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I think you can tough it out from here. you made it past the worst esp if you arnt getting brain zaps. drs don't tell about the horror ride of getting off this stuff do they? sound like you have this under control. try valerian root and melatonin together for insomnia if you still have it. what kind of dr prescribes Zoloft for insomnia anyway? trazadone would have been much better

Hi

I agree with the above that you should tough it out as it sound like you are past the worst and you were on a low dose.

Hibee

Thanks everyone for your input. As I am kind of new here I thought I would get an email if there were any responses and actually forgot on what site/forum I had asked the question!!! That tells you what my week has been like! Anyway, yesterday I decided to go back on the Zoloft 12.5 mg and I was a mess all day. My body was involuntarily contracting and I just felt so out of control, like I was going crazy! It was horrible! My husband is such a good support and we were both trying to figure out what was going on. I was cold then too hot! Crying most of the day and just couldn't relax at all. My stomach hurt and my whole body was contracted. tried Benadryl but didn't help much and also tried GABA and seriphos but I was still barely able to function. Last night, I took 150 mg of Neurontin ( was on that for nerve pain but had weaned off in December) and that really helped take the edge off. I didn't sleep last night but at least was relaxed.
So after thinking about it and praying about it this morning, I quartered the 25 mg pill and took 6.25 mg.
I am still anxious but it is better. I ended up taking 150 mg of Neurontin to ease the withdraw and I still feel a bit tense in my stomach but so much better than yesterday. Do they make a Zoloft elixir so you can wean more slowly? That's what I did when I weaned of gabapentin which can also cause a lot of anxiety if you don't wean off it slowly. So my plan is to stick with the 6.25mg for a couple of weeks and make an appointment with my doctor asking him to prescribe a Zoloft elixir. Valerian root and melantonin don't work for me. Do you think that the involuntary contracting of my muscles was due to serotonin syndrome because I took the B6 with the 5 HTP 50 mg? Thanks so much everyone!

Lucy,

The easiest and most gradual weaning process is through water titration.

You can look up instructions for this on line if you are interested...or let me know and I can help find some.

I am sorry today was rough. See our Resources for great coping skill material and to help you feel your best possible.

As far as Serotonin syndrome goes...it is very rare, and usually only seen with multiple med use, at high doses...so I think rather, you are suffering acute anxiety at this time with extreme symptoms.

Talk to your doctor as soon as possible to put a new management plan in place

We are cheering you on towards your goal...youll get there.

Keep us updated!

S.C.

Thanks everyone! has anyone every tried Ashwagandha? GABA seems to help. I am going to put in a call to my doctor and see if I can get in. He never returns phone calls. Today has been tough but I did take 5 HTP and I think that is the culprit . I just hate feeling so tense in my chest and my stomach!! I feel like I am in a constant state of contraction! I will quit the 5 HTP and keep to the 6.25 mg of Zoloft. I will look up water titration and start doing that! will keep you posted!