Posted by Linda C on June 18, 2001, at 20:10:36
In reply to Re: withdrawal symptoms coming off zoloft, posted by Brenna on May 15, 2001, at 7:10:49
I was prescribed Zoloft for stress and PMS two years ago. I was taking 100MG/day. It
was wonderful the first year. I felt like I was crazy not to have sought medical help
sooner. I did gain about 20 lbs. and lobido issues but the benefits seemed worth it. After a
year, my doctor wanted to try taking me off it to see if I could do without it. She had me
cut my dose from 100 to 50 MG/day. I tried this for a month. I became a witch to live
with and I hated myself because I felt so out of control. I was worse than I had ever been
prior to starting the Zoloft. She put me back up to 100MG/day and my moods stabilized
again. However, I started gaining weight like I had when I was first put on it, no matter
how hard I tried to lose it. I finally asked to have my thyroid checked after about 8 months
of consistent weight gain. I was convinced that it couldn't be the Zoloft and had to be
something else. When my thyroid & glucose tests came back normal, the doctor said she
felt the weight gain was a side effect of the Zoloft. I decided to get off the Zoloft because
I was not happy with all the weight I had gained, a total of 50 lbs. over 22 months. I did
not want to go off fast like the doctor had started to do before, so I decided to titrate
myself down slowly. I went from 100 to 75MG/day for 2 weeks, then to 50MG/day for 3
weeks, then to 25MG/day for 2 weeks and then nothing. I thought this would be slow
enough. I felt good psychologically. However, during the 2nd week of 25MG/day, I
started experiencing dizzy spells. I thought it was from the extreme heat we had been
having. The 3rd day with no Zoloft, I got a sudden migraine. I had not had one of those in
years. Again, I blamed the heat. I had no idea that Zoloft withdrawal could be the culprit. I
have now been off Zoloft completely for 7 days and I have been having severe dizzy
spells, tingling up and down my arms and waves of fatigue. I went to the ER today
because I was concerned they may be heart related symptoms. They did blood work and
all was normal. The doctor there told me that I could be experiencing Zoloft withdrawal
symptoms and that I should follow-up with my regular doctor. I told the ER doctor that I
had titrated slowly done over 7 weeks and was surprised that I would have withdrawal.
She said many people have these symptoms and sometimes find it helpful to go every
other day and then every third day before going down to no medication. Since I've been
off the Zoloft for 7 days now, I hate the thought of taking any of it again. I'm afraid it will
just put me that much further behind in overcoming the withdrawal symptoms. Does
anyone have experience with this? If I take a little now, will I just be back at square one?
How long do these symptoms last? I plan on calling my prescribing doctor tomorrow to
let her know what's going on. I had done this weaning on my own, although I know she
would have supported my going off since it was me who had originally requested staying
on the medication. I thought my weaning was better than what she would have advised me
to do based on passed experience. Any thoughts?
poster:Linda C
thread:5582
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010618/msgs/67011.html