# Tapering off sertraline 50mg



## Wntusthsacnt (Apr 24, 2018)

Hi everyone

I've been on sertraline for about six years now. I've been on lots of different doses but ha e been on 50mg for about the last year and no longer feel like it's helping. I'm also really really scared to start tapering below 50mg as even though I've had chronic DP the whole six years I feel like it's been made manageable by the sertraline, and I'm worried that by coming off it will get a LOT worse. Any advice on tapering would be much appreciated. It would also be helpful to hear from people who have tapered off sertraline and how their DP responded. My GP advised me to reduce in quarters over 1-2 months but I feel like I'll need longer than this...perhaps I'm being too cautious.

Thanks for listening


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## DPFighter (Apr 8, 2013)

Everyone is different in how their dp responds but you'll be alright. Remember as bad as the dp gets it can't hurt you, you can't go crazy from it,it's not progressive, and it's not brain damage it's brain dysfunction. 50mg isn't a very large dose of that so it's not like your coming off 200mg like a lot of people take for sertraline. Maybe try Citalopram or Lexapro to substitute. They can help anxiety like the sertraline but you have to give em a full 6-8 weeks til they start helping. Hang in there. Also instead of coming off Sertraline what about just going up to a higher dose and see if it works again? I'm at 150mg sertraline right now and it didn't improve my mood or anything really until I got it up to 100mg.


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## nicewon (Aug 10, 2017)

was wondering what the side effects were? can medication get old? was prescribed this last summer still have the bottle.. what does this medication even do? kinda glad i didnt touch it though knowing you were on it 6 years wit out it making a dent in this shit


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## spectator162 (Dec 26, 2017)

Hi im going to try it tomorrow. My doc says its going to help for my mood, because Im very depressed. It probably wont help
for dpdr. Tryed lots of other meds but im very sensitive and she said that this med have the less side effects. Already tryed it once but was to scared and stopped it. She gave me sertraline is this the same as serlain? First week 25mg afther that 50 or more.


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

Sertraline, or "Zoloft" is an SSRI. All medications in the SSRI family can give symptoms referred to as discontinuation syndrome upon discontinuation of the medication.

It is not harmful. If you don't want to experience it by quitting cold turkey, then reduce your dosage in increments every 2 to 6 weeks.


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## DPFighter (Apr 8, 2013)

spectator162 said:


> Hi im going to try it tomorrow. My doc says its going to help for my mood, because Im very depressed. It probably wont help
> for dpdr. Tryed lots of other meds but im very sensitive and she said that this med have the less side effects. Already tryed it once but was to scared and stopped it. She gave me sertraline is this the same as serlain? First week 25mg afther that 50 or more.


If you're very depressed it is a very good idea to try sertraline or some other SSRI in my opinion. Depression isn't something to take lightly. Yes it most likely won't relieve your dpdr but it will give you relief of living with depression and dpdr which can help you stay on track to keep trying new things for your dpdr. I too am very sensitive to meds and the first time I tried an SSRI I got scared and stopped so I know what you mean. I eventually told myself that I'm going to take this for the full 8 weeks at at least 50mg and for the first time in years my chronic depression improved very much. If the side effects are miserable but still tolerable it is worth sticking it out from my experience. For some reason SSRIs take time to work. Patience is necessary. Yes serlain is the same as sertraline. Another thing to consider if you get to the point where the sertraline seems to be helping is combining it with the medication Lamotrigine. There are some trials that suggest the combo can have positive effects on relieving dpdr. I'm trying sertraline 150mg plus Lamotrigine right now and am still working my way up on the Lamotrigine. If you want to do this you may need a psychiatrist to prescribe the Lamotrigine and you may have to convince him to prescribe it by printing out the med trials for him to see.

here's some Lamotrigine studies you could show your doc or a psychiatrist if the sertraline works out:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16960469

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655617/


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## spectator162 (Dec 26, 2017)

Thanks for your answer, the thing is I get so anxious when I feel something is changing in my head and to scared to go on but I will try as long as possible. Youre answer give me some hope, hearing from you that youre depression improved very much. Im glad it helps and hope the lamotrigini will help you too. I think my doc will prescribe it if I ask. Bit first I will try to take serlain for few months and will see then. Could you let me know how the lamotrigine goes?


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## Wntusthsacnt (Apr 24, 2018)

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

I reduced to 37.5mg for a few days and actually felt okay, so have moved down to 25mg. Definitely feeling more anxious and slightly on the edge of panic but going to try and float through it and hopefully it will pass in a few days.

My plan is to come off sertraline and try pregabalin on its own for a while. I was on both at the same time for about a year but I think being on the pregabalin might help to reduce my anxiety without some of the affect blunting side effects of the sertraline.

Anyway, am happy to keep you updated if anyone is curious.

Thanks


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## DPFighter (Apr 8, 2013)

spectator162 said:


> Thanks for your answer, the thing is I get so anxious when I feel something is changing in my head and to scared to go on but I will try as long as possible. Youre answer give me some hope, hearing from you that youre depression improved very much. Im glad it helps and hope the lamotrigini will help you too. I think my doc will prescribe it if I ask. Bit first I will try to take serlain for few months and will see then. Could you let me know how the lamotrigine goes?


I know what you mean about being preoccupied with something changing in your head and so then you're always checking in to see if the med is doing something to you. I think this itself can cause more anxiety than what the med even causes itself. Remember that these meds are safe, millions of people take them worldwide, you can always stop if it is too uncomfortable, and you might not have any side effects at all or just mild ones. For me it was just a matter of taking it easy on myself and feeling pretty miserable for some weeks until my body adjusted. I was very determined so that may be what it takes. And yes I will let everyone know if the Lamotrigine helps me with dpdr symptoms.


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## spectator162 (Dec 26, 2017)

Im taking 25mg sertraline (what is a low dose) for 5 days now. I think I already feel some improvements, I dont know if its the meds but I feel more calmer,lesser anxious, can better follow conversations and I am less tired. Dont really have side effects maybe because of the low dose, just the first two days I was little sick and dry mounth. Hope its getting better and better, let me know if you want to try.


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## eddy1886 (Oct 11, 2012)

spectator162 said:


> Im taking 25mg sertraline (what is a low dose) for 5 days now. I think I already feel some improvements, I dont know if its the meds but I feel more calmer,lesser anxious, can better follow conversations and I am less tired. Dont really have side effects maybe because of the low dose, just the first two days I was little sick and dry mounth. Hope its getting better and better, let me know if you want to try.


Its no coincidence!


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## eddy1886 (Oct 11, 2012)

jf90 said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> I've been on sertraline for about six years now. I've been on lots of different doses but ha e been on 50mg for about the last year and no longer feel like it's helping. I'm also really really scared to start tapering below 50mg as even though I've had chronic DP the whole six years I feel like it's been made manageable by the sertraline, and I'm worried that by coming off it will get a LOT worse. Any advice on tapering would be much appreciated. It would also be helpful to hear from people who have tapered off sertraline and how their DP responded. My GP advised me to reduce in quarters over 1-2 months but I feel like I'll need longer than this...perhaps I'm being too cautious.
> 
> Thanks for listening


Very slowly and bit by bit if you really want to come off it....Over a six month period at least I would suggest...

I would also actually question why come off it if you believe its helping to make the DP manageable....I always suggest to people on meds that if your doing ok and its not broken then maybe dont fix it...

Its a personal choice though...And everybody will react differently to a med reduction or increase....Nobody can actually guarantee how you are going to react...Even those who have been on the exact same meds....Simply because we are all different...


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## Phantasm (Jul 16, 2017)

I don't know if this applies here, but 5-HTP helps a lot if you're coming off an SSRI. Of course it depends what other meds you're taking and the usual considerations.


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## Wntusthsacnt (Apr 24, 2018)

Thanks for your advice Eddy. I think you're right that I should come off very slowly, perhaps over six months or so. The reason I want to come off is that I've been in therapy for a few years but I think that in order to process things I need to be able to feel a bit more and it's difficult to tell if the numbness is the medication or the dp.

I think I'll stay on 25mg for a while now. I've actually felt quite hypomanic the last few days. It's not been great in some respects as I've spent more money than usual and am staying up until 3/4am, but I actually feel more 'alive' than I've felt in a long time, so it's definitely having some effect coming off. My agitation and hypomania has nearly worn off now I think...


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## Wntusthsacnt (Apr 24, 2018)

Hey, glad to hear it's working for you. It really helped me for a while. My suggestion would be to maybe stick to as low a dose as possible to see if that takes the edge off, as it might make coming off easier.


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