[User42]

Hi. I've been on-and-off Sertraline, which Americans may be more familiar with as "Zoloft", for several years. I don't think it ever actually helped me, in-fact I was supposed to be taking 100mg/day but that made me feal sick so I stuck with 50mg/day.

I'm trying to come off of it, but the problem is that any day that I don't take it, the next day I'll have what The Internet calls "Brain Zaps", although my doctor's never heard of them, and says that any withdrawl should be short-lived. I actually have access to medical journals through my university and have searched for any information on them but couldn't find any. From what I read online though they're common.

At the moment I've managed to slowly reduce the dosage to about 25mg/day (50mg pill cut in half), if I try to cut it down further than that I get brain zaps. I have tried reducing it to 0 and just sticking with it for months but they become persistant and annoying and I can't concentrate on work or anything.

Anyone have any advice?

[AnarchicAngel]

I'm about to come off of Sertraline, so I wish you all the best.

The last time I came off anti-depressants I had to cut down REALLY slowly. I started by taking half a dose every other day and a normal dose in between. Then (after like 2 weeks), I cut down to half. And then half every other day. I think if you do it REALLY slowly you should be able to wean yourself off of it, but it is a struggle.

I hope you get some luck!

[Medicated]

I'm weaning myself off Lexapro (escitalopram) and experiencing the same thing.

Reduce the dose slowly, and once you get to a very low dose, like 1/4 pill, start skipping days. When the side effects become intolerable, take another 1/4 tab and that will alleviate the symptoms. You should gradually be able to go more and more days between rescue doses until you're finally off completely.

Good luck.

[skeksi]

I am also going off Zoloft after nearly four years on it. My doctor had me slowly go to half my dosage (from 100mg to 50mg) and is having me stay at this level for 6 months to adjust, then we are titrating down again. The key, I have heard, is to be willing to go off very slowly, as Medicated describes, to give your brain and body time to adjust. 25mg tablets are available, and going down to a smaller tablet will make it easier to divide the dosage and slow your descent off of it. Good luck!

[User42]

Originally Posted by skeksi

I am also going off Zoloft after nearly four years on it. My doctor had me slowly go to half my dosage (from 100mg to 50mg) and is having me stay at this level for 6 months to adjust, then we are titrating down again. The key, I have heard, is to be willing to go off very slowly, as Medicated describes, to give your brain and body time to adjust. 25mg tablets are available, and going down to a smaller tablet will make it easier to divide the dosage and slow your descent off of it. Good luck!

I was told 25mg tablets aren't available, maybe it's just because I'm in the UK. I am stuggling to divide the 50mg into 4 pieces.

[Amazonmom]

Just living through the zaps for a few days worked for me. They were really weird! I had to get off as soon as possible because Zoloft gave me quite a manic switch.

[User42]

I tried living through them for months. With me, they don't go away unless I start taking the medication again.

[sundog]

I'm really sorry to hear that the brain zaps haven't gone away. I was lucky I guess because I also had brain zaps when I came off Zoloft, but they did go away after a few weeks. I definitely agree with what other posters have said about the need to come off really slowly. I did have the 25 mg tabs and I was taking them every other day and then every 3rd day before I came off completely. I'm actually back on Zoloft again now because I felt worse once I was off it (not from the brain zaps though. My mood was much worse).

I wish you all the best!

[bumpy]

im from uk, was on 50mg, which are scored, but didnt take to them, so stopped