Welcome, Lotusflower!

lotusflower · 12-13-2010, 08:10 AM

Hi everyone,
This is my first post....found PP a little over a week ago. I 've been taking zoloft 50 mg. almost exclusively for the past 12 years (see below). Went up to 75 for a couple of months, then back to 50 mg. on Nov. 25, too fast but found this site after I did that. On day 11 of 50 mg., I came down with the worst flu, sinus infection, nausea, cold sweat, chills, cough, I have ever had.
Today is day 19. My physical symptoms are better, only the cough remains. I am much better today. Last week I thought I'd have to go back up to 75. I have an appt with a pdoc next week. This will be my first visit with her. My old one moved and she took his place. I plan to talk to her about tapering off completely.
When I found PP, I thought I was dreaming. My ex-therapist who put me on the zoloft in 1998, told me that when I had difficulty tapering off it, that was because I needed to stay on it. I was with her for over ten years. I trusted her. She had a zillion patients. She said she never heard of the withdrawals I was having. Even the med doc told me that it was like taking an aspirin, such a low dose he said!!! So I have carried on like a zombie, exhausted, weak, lethargic, no sex drive, for almost 13 years.
I am at 50 zoloft now, nothing else. Last week i had no desire to live and felt like i was unraveling but was also very ill physically. I see the pdoc next week. I have almost three month supply of zoloft 50 mg. pills left.
Please suggest how long should I stay on 50/day and when i drop, should I go to liquid?
I just want my life back. I want to be able to enjoy sex with my husband.
I want to look forward to doing something, anything. I am in hell......but hopeful. lotus

medsrnot4me · 12-13-2010, 10:01 AM

Hi Lotusflower! Welcome to PP! I have been tapering Zoloft too. I was using the liquid to taper so that I could make smaller cuts than with pills. However, recently have run into some trouble and went back up to 50 mg and am again using the pill form. I would wait to start your taper until you feel 100% well again (healed from your recent bout of flu - sorry to hear you were so sick). What is recommended here is generally not dropping more than 10% your current dose every 3-6 weeks. However, this is just a general guideline. I have found it to be a bit too much for me lower than 50 mg so am planning to restart my taper at smaller increments once I feel stable again.

Good luck with the start of your taper!
Michele

LCrawford67 · 12-13-2010, 10:03 AM

Welcome, Lotus!

If you were only on 75 for a couple of months, you should stabilize back on your original dose of 50 mgs relatively shortly. Give it some time, espeically since your bout with the flu and sinus infection.

Stay where you are, until you're feeling well enough to start tapering. When you're ready, same rule applies to Zoloft as Paxil - 10% every 3-6 weeks. And yes, it will be easier if liquid is available to you.

We'll be here for you every step of the way!

lotusflower · 12-13-2010, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by medsrnot4me

Hi Lotusflower! Welcome to PP! I have been tapering Zoloft too. I was using the liquid to taper so that I could make smaller cuts than with pills. However, recently have run into some trouble and went back up to 50 mg and am again using the pill form. I would wait to start your taper until you feel 100% well again (healed from your recent bout of flu - sorry to hear you were so sick). What is recommended here is generally not dropping more than 10% your current dose every 3-6 weeks. However, this is just a general guideline. I have found it to be a bit too much for me lower than 50 mg so am planning to restart my taper at smaller increments once I feel stable again.

Good luck with the start of your taper!
Michele

Michele,
It is great to find a fellow zoloft sufferer!!! I guess misery loves company.

I see the doc next week and so hope to get the liquid.
Hope we can support each other through this. Getting off has been so unpleasant in the past....could never make it. Finding all of you has been a miracle for me.

lotusflower · 12-13-2010, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCrawford67

Welcome, Lotus!

If you were only on 75 for a couple of months, you should stabilize back on your original dose of 50 mgs relatively shortly. Give it some time, espeically since your bout with the flu and sinus infection.

Stay where you are, until you're feeling well enough to start tapering. When you're ready, same rule applies to Zoloft as Paxil - 10% every 3-6 weeks. And yes, it will be easier if liquid is available to you.

We'll be here for you every step of the way!

Hi Laurie,
It's reassuring to hear this....I intuitively felt that it would be ok to make that drop since I had been on the 75 for only a couple of months. Then when I read this site and experienced all those symptoms, I wasn't so sure.
I'm hoping I can get the liquid, but will check in here before I make any

move. i feel more hopeful since this morning when I joined PP, thanks so much for your support. Lotus

medsrnot4me · 12-13-2010, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lotusflower

Michele,
It is great to find a fellow zoloft sufferer!!! I guess misery loves company.

I see the doc next week and so hope to get the liquid.
Hope we can support each other through this. Getting off has been so unpleasant in the past....could never make it. Finding all of you has been a miracle for me.

I thought the same thing when I saw your post earlier today - it is nice to have a fellow Zoloft sufferer here! I also hope we can support each other through this......I am really needing a lot of support right now. I liked your description of feeling like you were unraveling last week - that is exactly how I feel at the moment. I am really glad you are here, Lotusflower. I hope your visit with your new doctor goes well - please keep us posted!

Michele

12-13-2010, 08:10 AM	#1
lotusflower Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,203	Re: Newbies to paxil tapering, Will you please read this? Hi everyone, This is my first post....found PP a little over a week ago. I 've been taking zoloft 50 mg. almost exclusively for the past 12 years (see below). Went up to 75 for a couple of months, then back to 50 mg. on Nov. 25, too fast but found this site after I did that. On day 11 of 50 mg., I came down with the worst flu, sinus infection, nausea, cold sweat, chills, cough, I have ever had. Today is day 19. My physical symptoms are better, only the cough remains. I am much better today. Last week I thought I'd have to go back up to 75. I have an appt with a pdoc next week. This will be my first visit with her. My old one moved and she took his place. I plan to talk to her about tapering off completely. When I found PP, I thought I was dreaming. My ex-therapist who put me on the zoloft in 1998, told me that when I had difficulty tapering off it, that was because I needed to stay on it. I was with her for over ten years. I trusted her. She had a zillion patients. She said she never heard of the withdrawals I was having. Even the med doc told me that it was like taking an aspirin, such a low dose he said!!! So I have carried on like a zombie, exhausted, weak, lethargic, no sex drive, for almost 13 years. I am at 50 zoloft now, nothing else. Last week i had no desire to live and felt like i was unraveling but was also very ill physically. I see the pdoc next week. I have almost three month supply of zoloft 50 mg. pills left. Please suggest how long should I stay on 50/day and when i drop, should I go to liquid? I just want my life back. I want to be able to enjoy sex with my husband. I want to look forward to doing something, anything. I am in hell......but hopeful. lotus __________________ AKA Joanne 11/25/10 50 mg. zoloft 12/30 45 1/19/11 40.5 2/6 36.5 3/7 32.8 3/29 29.5 4/20 25 5/28 22.5 6/16 20.2 7/7 18.2 7/28 16.4 8/18 14.7 9/8 13.0 9/23 12.5 10/10 11.2 11/6 10.6 11/9 11.2 12/7 10.5 1/1/12 10 2/1 9.5 3/1 9 3/23 8.5 4/30 8 5/29 7.5 6/26 7 7/31 6.5 8/22 6 9/15 5.5 10/20 5 12/17 4.8 (made my own liquid) 12/26 4.5 1/28 4.1 2/4 4.0 February 9, 2013 last sliver zoloft 4.0mg. February 10, 2013- 0 mg. zoloft

12-13-2010, 10:01 AM	#2
medsrnot4me Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 367	Re: Welcome, Lotusflower! Hi Lotusflower! Welcome to PP! I have been tapering Zoloft too. I was using the liquid to taper so that I could make smaller cuts than with pills. However, recently have run into some trouble and went back up to 50 mg and am again using the pill form. I would wait to start your taper until you feel 100% well again (healed from your recent bout of flu - sorry to hear you were so sick). What is recommended here is generally not dropping more than 10% your current dose every 3-6 weeks. However, this is just a general guideline. I have found it to be a bit too much for me lower than 50 mg so am planning to restart my taper at smaller increments once I feel stable again. Good luck with the start of your taper! Michele __________________ 2006 60 mg Cymbalta; off 3/07 7/07 ?delayed w/d? terrible anxiety, insomnia. 10/07 Zoloft and Klonopin tapered Klonopin 6/09 Start tapering 100 mg Zoloft 11/13/10 33 mg - updose 54 mg; 5% cuts: 2/12 37.5 - stressful time, lots of withdrawal sx - waited out for 2+ months but kept getting worse. ?poopout? Tried updosing but made things worse. 7/12 - 1/13 switched Zoloft to Celexa. Now 35 mg Celexa and 1 mg Klonopin

12-13-2010, 10:03 AM	#3
LCrawford67 Moderator "Everybody poops" Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 34,485	Re: Welcome, Lotusflower! Welcome, Lotus! If you were only on 75 for a couple of months, you should stabilize back on your original dose of 50 mgs relatively shortly. Give it some time, espeically since your bout with the flu and sinus infection. Stay where you are, until you're feeling well enough to start tapering. When you're ready, same rule applies to Zoloft as Paxil - 10% every 3-6 weeks. And yes, it will be easier if liquid is available to you. We'll be here for you every step of the way! __________________ aka LC aka Laurie C. Paxil, 20 mg since 1997, for IBS Two unsuccessful attempts to quit. Started tapering 11/27/06 PAXIL FREE 12/29/07 Today is the best day, EVER!

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