# Going off Zoloft and back to DP???



## frozen (Jun 25, 2006)

Hmm... I don't know if anyone will be interested in reading this, but I am going to write this anyway.

I started having issues with depersonalization and derealization when I was about 16. I also had panic attacks at this time but the DP would persist for days and days when I wasn't panicky. Eventually, I felt like I was going crazy, became very depressed and was hospitalized.

But, somehow I managed to go to college and finish my BS and now my MSW. I currently work in psych research (surprise, surprise, it seems like many of the "mentally ill" gravitate to this field.

I have had DP on and off during this whole time but had not had another really frightening experience with it until now. I stopped taking Zoloft about a week ago because I was unwilling to continue putting up with the sexual side effects and thought I might be able to give it a go without it.

Yesterday and today I have had DP pretty badly but have managed to keep on going through my daily routine. I have been taking Klonopin which seems to help somewhat. (I took Ativan from 18-21 and Klonopin 21-present). But, I know that Klonopin is not a long term solution.
I am curious as to whether the DP is a "withdrawal" symptom of stopping the Zoloft (I did go off gradual-- but still, does anyone really know how long it takes the brain to readjust?) or if it is a sign that I need to go back on the Zoloft.

My psychiatrist is not particularly helpful regarding this. His solution generally is "let's talk about it next visit." Great.

I am glad to find this page after many years of psychiatrists looking at me like a wacko when I try to describe this feeling to them and then putting me on antipsychotics.

It's good to know I am not alone in this. Good luck to all of you!


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## Heartbeats (May 23, 2006)

This really scared me. The thing is that I started taking Inderal and Zoloft about two weeks ago and really didn't think about the side effects. Well, I've seen that long list on the product information, but I didn't take much attention on it. I was on exams and I couldn't stand like this much longer. I don't thing the dp got any better, but what can I do?

Does it really have adverse sexual effects? Now I'm really getting scared. Thank God I'm still on a low dose.


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## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

Dp could most certainly be a side effect of withdrawal from zoloft. Im not to sure how bad zoloft is to withdraw from compared to other ssri's or even worse effexor but the withdrawal can be nasty with these drugs.

It will take some time for your serotonin levels to return to normal so its natural to feel atleast abit weird coming off these drugs.

As for the sexual side effects that someone was asking about they can get pretty bad. Ssri's are notorious for causing sexual side effects. I was never on a ssri but i was on effexor a snri. Basically same side effects only worse. The sexual side effects was one of the main reasons i stopped taking effexor. All of the other side effects i maybe could have gotten used to but not that.

But some people dont get this side effect very much at all. So it varies widely from person to person, theres really no way to tell unless you try it. Also there are medications that can help relieve that side effect to some extent.


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## strigoi (Jun 27, 2006)

Maybe you are withdrawing too fast?

SSRI's are a real mystery it seems , no two people have the same reaction to the same med at the same strength. When I initailly had anxiety attacks with bouts of dp (i didn't know what it was then) I was 18 and paxil worked like a charm minus the sexual effects and mood flattening, but it was well worth the trade to me! I got off paxil when I was 21 and life was fine and dandy most of the time besides the 'normal' bouts of depression etc. I then did a dumb thing and got into drugs when I was 23 (now) after smoking alot of dope and one acid trip i got hit broadside with my old anxiety attacks and sessions of dr that were very bad.

I went on paxil at this time hoping it would put things back to how they were, WRONG! It made them my DR so bad I laid on the couch for two days just praying for everything to stop and having panic attacks that I was going to be sent to a mental hospital for my whole life. I'm not saying paxil is bad, it's just that its a hit and miss thing for every different person. I also tried effexor when I was 19 and the two days of absolute dizziness was too much for me.

Don't give up looking for a cure because each person has there own, you just have to find it. Maybe thats why God made DR/DP, he thought maybe we needed a challenge we could overcome all by ourselves. I would continue talking to your doc/psch (of course!) but look for some relief yourself. As for myself I'm taking klonopins and omega3 (fish oil) which have made my dr/dp basically go away. My religious views have also intensified too so they may also have helped. My only problem now is that if I have time to think I still have racing thoughts and will often find myself 'stuck' in paradox's. I plan on telling that to my doc when I go this month because I feel it may just be OCD, which my mother suffers mildly from.


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## tia (Aug 19, 2006)

new here.
FYI ...just from my life....
paxil....bad for me...
lexapro....ok for depression not quieting the mind/anxiety
zoloft....good.....
if i'm off it....DP bad.....its already bad....but when I went off I lose myself to the point I can't remember to get back on. 
I make poor decisions....life suffers....panic takes over during th DP
On Zoloft I can somewhat not panic and accept better. Needed to be over 100mg though.
Don't mean to sound depressing....really out there right now and having a tough day. My point....be careful....make sure somebody is watching you over the next few weeks of withdrawal. You may not see yourself changing or you may forget how to help yourself. Its hard to get back, especially if you are only seen by a psychiatrist once a month....hopefully you have someone close to you to watch....or a good psych to see you more. Good luck and I'll send good thoughts to you.
Just be careful, I lost alot when off meds and DP set in, it took years to get back and I'm still trying...smiles...we can beat this right......smiles....T.


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