I completely stopped taking zoloft

Okay, I am ignoring the pdoc's instructions to just cut my dosage to half. I am staying on lamictal, wellbutrin, and klonopin for now, though.

Yes, I have given this some thought. This is a good time to try to forego the ad because I only teach three days this week, then a workday, and then I am off for 10 days. I figure the drug will stay in my system long enough to get me through a few days. During this time I have a t appt. and a pdoc appt. at the end (by then I may have switched back!) I am awful at lying, so I will tell both about my decision.

Now the why. I think that the ad zombies me out. I am tired, I feel little emotion, and I have no drive to exercise, spend time with my kids, etc. We also have a mini-vacation planned during this time, a few days in Washington, DC and I want to enjoy it! A sidenote, I saw the movie Olympus is Falling, and I joked with my husband that I hope they get DC put back together again before we arrive!

Bluemountains

Hi Bluemountains,

I recently lowered my Seroquel dose for similar reasons that you have stopped Zoloft, so I completely get it. But I don't understand why you've stopped it altogether instead of tapering down? If your goal is not to be so zombied out then lowering the dose little by little should accomplish that but without the potentially horrible side effects of stopping cold turkey. Your Pdoc suggested halving the dose --couldn't you do that and then if all goes well stop it altogether the following week? Have you discussed that possibility with your Pdoc? That way it's not just a choice between only halving and stopping all at once, there's a potential option in between.

What if you're going through brutal withdrawal from the med during your mini-vacation? I know you want to get rid of it as soon as possible, but it's possible too that halving the dose will make you feel better while you're on your way to stopping it altogether.

So my question is, why quit cold turkey instead of halving it (which might start to help) and then stopping all together a week later, or however long later that your Pdoc recommends? I don't want to judge you, I worry that you'll suffer terrible withdrawal, and I just don't get it. I really wish you the best of luck. If it works out -and probably not everyone reacts badly to stopping all at once- then hopefully you'll be in a better place very soon and I really wish that for you. I know how awful the struggle with meds can be.

Good questions, ultramar. Actually I did take the half dosages last week for several days, so even though I am rushing the process, I really wanted to avoid experimenting with this during work.
As for the vacation and time off, if I feel myself going in the wrong direction I will go back to the half dosages.
I have read withdrawal reactions going both ways-some horrible, and some without any reactions. I have been off and on several ssri's, and I don't remember a terrible reaction except when I was taking nothing. I don't think this was withdrawal, I think it was a bipolar episode with no chemicals to help. I am hoping that the lamictal can sustain me, but if not, I will work towards adding in the ssri's. I just think I am ready to switch again-maybe back to prozac, if necessary.
I know I will be medicated the rest of my life, I just want to reduce the pills if possible.
Thanks for your input!
Bluemountains

I know that I should not do it but I drop medication all the time even if they might be helping me. I know that my psychiatrist gets exasperated by this, but she seems to have accepted how predictable it can be.

I think the mentality is often that I don't want to be to on too many medications and that I was furthermore want to optimize what I think is working.

So, I quit cold turkey all the time with no ill effects, even dropping 300mg Effexor that I took for a few months. I just can't tell anyone to not do what I've done but I sure as hell will not encourage it because I know it's wrong.

Blue , I stop Zoloft cold turkey and I was on the highest dose possible . I had no problems at all.

Good Luck

If you do get serotonin withdrawal it can take up to 9 months+ for the brain to totally recover its serotonin production.

My best friend cold turkey an anti-d and it took her about a year before she felt normal. Even if you don't feel great, its still worth it to stay off if possible. I quit them without tapering, but started lithium at the same time.

Hi Christina,
Did you experience any immediate mental problems? It seems that every time I have gone off of a med I have been told to do it slowly. The only time I ever remember having withdrawal symptoms was when I stopped taking cymbalta. That was awful! And I even followed the dr.'s instructions.

Oddly enough, my main concern is not having the patience to deal with my bp son. He is in obvious need of med adjustments, and it is very hard to be patient with his tirades. His appt. is in two weeks, and it can't come soon enough!

Bluemountains

I didn't have a single problem. My Pdoc at the time ( 20-ish years ago)was fine about me dropping them cold turkey. I didn't have an extra hiccup or sneeze. I felt fine.

lol I have never been one to follow the " OMG you must taper down stuff." LOL