[psw5654]

I've been off Zoloft for a few weeks now and didn't experience any withdrawal side effect with the slow reduction in dose and felt great once I got off of them. Is it possible to go a few weeks without any withdrawal side effects and them have them suddenly pop up?
I'm just trying to wrap my head around how I'm feeling physically right now and the only other thing that I can even think of is IBS. I'm experiencing the headaches, fatigue, stomach discomfort/nausea, bowel issues, etc and it's driving me crazy!! This has been going on for a week now and popped up out of nowhere. IS it possible for withdrawal to just pop up out of the blue? And yes, I am going to go see a dr. about it.

[Travelinglady]

I've heard that withdrawal from a benzo such as Klonopin can be that way, but I'm not familiar with an antidepressant doing that. But could be, I guess. I am glad you are going to see your doc about it.

[psw5654]

Maybe I should mention that before I started my short stint with Zoloft I was on Paxil for a few months prior. I wasn't on either med for very long so I was hoping that once I was completely off I wouldn't be faced with some of the withdrawal symptoms that I've seen/read about from people who were on them long term. I don't even know if I was on both together for a total of 6 months.

[onionknight]

It can definitely be withdrawal. It is not uncommon for symptoms of withdrawal to take a few weeks to crop up. It also happens that withdrawal comes in waves: you will be fine for a while and then, suffer from withdrawal and this will repeat.

[psw5654]

I'm having a super hard time with dealing today. I woke up feeling about the same as I did yesterday but I was doing some thinking about my situation and my withdrawals.
I was taking Paxil for about 3 months, when I stopped taking them I was up to 30MG/day. I figured that 3 months wasn't very long and honestly, I didn't notice any difference at all in my personality or anything else while I was on Paxil which is one of the reasons that I decided that I wanted to try another med, so my PA put me on Zoloft. I failed to do any research and I don't think the PA I had been seeing knew that much about SSRI meds because she didn't suggest that I wean down off the Paxil before switching. I took the last Paxil in the bottle and the next day went right to the 50MG of Zoloft. Within a matter of a few days I began to experience what I thought were side effects from the Zoloft but is it possible that what it really was were withdrawals from the Paxil?
I've been reading a lot more lately on the effects of Paxil withdrawal and it seems that it's a ton harder to break free from than Zoloft. And maybe I just didn't wean myself off the Zoloft slowly enough either.
Can I just be experiencing Paxil withdrawal after only being on the med for 3 months and following it up with a month of the Zoloft? My experience the whole time with Zoloft was horrible. I had a bad week a few days after starting it, followed by one good week and then another bad week, that was when I began to cut my pills in half. I began to feel better and after another week I cut them into quarters and took those for about two weeks and then quit.
I never weaned off the Paxil. It's been well over a month since I took my last Paxil and from what I've read it can take some time for the brain to adjust. I guess what I'm looking for is some positive words and thoughts on my situation. After only 3 months of Paxil use, how long can I expect for the withdrawals to last? IF what I was experiencing during the use of Zoloft was Paxil withdrawal, should I be looking for the end of the tunnel soon?
I still have what is left of my Zoloft and I've been debating taking the 1/4 of the pills again to see if it will help with the withdrawals because I'm tired of feeling this way. I've never been one for depression but I'm starting to just feel like I'm being drug down. I just wanted to find a med to help me with my mild social anxiety but now I'm wishing that I had just done the research before starting on the meds. It's not as glorious of a experience as I was expecting.

[sewerrats]

it may be you need medication not withdrawal, you didn't take both long enough to suffer bad withdrawal. you must have needed an AD to start with so you mabye still need one now.

[psw5654]

I don't have any idea what an AD is.

Wait...is AD "anti-depressant"? I was SO not depressed when I started taking meds. I only originally wanted to start taking meds in the first place because there were times when I found myself anxious in social situations that once upon a time I had no problems being in but once out of the situation I was fine. For example: Last September we went camping/fishing with a group of people. When everyone was all together I couldn't eat, felt sick to my stomach but once everyone was gone I felt fine. I was tired of having situations like this and wanted something to help me out.

[onionknight]

I'd place my bet on you suffering withdrawal from not tapering off Paxil. Paxil basically has one of the worst discontinuation and needs the most careful tapering because of this. Switching to Zoloft isn't necessarily the same.

You say you've been off Zoloft for a few weeks now. You could try reinstating a small amount and seeing if that makes the withdrawal symptoms go away. It might not be too late for that. There isn't really a fix for withdrawal; these medications screw with the brain's functioning and it takes time for it to recover.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by psw5654

I don't have any idea what an AD is.

Wait...is AD "anti-depressant"? I was SO not depressed when I started taking meds. I only originally wanted to start taking meds in the first place because there were times when I found myself anxious in social situations that once upon a time I had no problems being in but once out of the situation I was fine. For example: Last September we went camping/fishing with a group of people. When everyone was all together I couldn't eat, felt sick to my stomach but once everyone was gone I felt fine. I was tired of having situations like this and wanted something to help me out.

What you have is a very common problem suffered by %40 of the world, MILD ANXIETY in certain situations, AD are not for that there for depression, if really bad pop a benzo on really scary experience, even have a swift drink of alcohol to calm your nerve ,s , acute anxiety you can loose you body functions with fear , and loose weight to dangerous levels, CBT may help but I don't think you are that bad to put yourself on the mental health horse, I take loads of anxiety meds I have never been more than 70 miles from where I live through anxierty all my life.

[psw5654]

Originally Posted by sewerrats

I don't think you are that bad to put yourself on the mental health horse

I think that you are 100% correct. I wasn't bad enough to begin any type of medication. I think I just wanted to feel "normal" but really hadn't realized that I'm one of many who feel that way. And now? Now I'm in a place that I wish that I had never stepped into but can't really go back. I just need to keep moving forward and break free from this withdrawal and see what lays ahead for me once I am free of it.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by psw5654

I think that you are 100% correct. I wasn't bad enough to begin any type of medication. I think I just wanted to feel "normal" but really hadn't realized that I'm one of many who feel that way. And now? Now I'm in a place that I wish that I had never stepped into but can't really go back. I just need to keep moving forward and break free from this withdrawal and see what lays ahead for me once I am free of it.

don't worry your not the first to make this mistake, lots go on AD,S for the wrong reason . Personally I would say don't until you completely wasted with depression, I held out 20 years and I should have been on them long before I did. You see if you not unwell enough the antidepressants will have the wrong effect and make you unwell, don't put meds in a healthy mind and body only when its damaged. Stick will your withdrawl and when out think you had a lucky escape

[psw5654]

Day 11 today and I THINK I'm feeling better. I don't notice as much of a headache as before and my head doesn't seem as foggy, which is surprising since I tossed and turned all night last night I'm starting to feel more motivated as well. The last couple of days I haven't felt like doing anything but was left with SO much guilt over not wanting to do anything.
The stomach discomfort is still there but I don't think I could really call it nausea. I guess if I ever had morning sickness when I was pregnant then this is what it would feel like. I'm hoping I'm seeing my light coming up and it will be the end of the line for me. I would really rather not have another one of those weeks where I feel good and then have the withdrawals come back like before when I was on the Zoloft
I just remembered something about one of the times that I went to pick up a bottle of my Paxil. The pharmacist who rang me up made a comment about how he wouldn't recommend Paxil to any of his patients or anyone for that matter. I guess he should have gone into the details with me a little more because I would have loved to have learned about it a lot sooner.
Day by day and pushing on!!

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by psw5654

Day 11 today and I THINK I'm feeling better. I don't notice as much of a headache as before and my head doesn't seem as foggy, which is surprising since I tossed and turned all night last night I'm starting to feel more motivated as well. The last couple of days I haven't felt like doing anything but was left with SO much guilt over not wanting to do anything.
The stomach discomfort is still there but I don't think I could really call it nausea. I guess if I ever had morning sickness when I was pregnant then this is what it would feel like. I'm hoping I'm seeing my light coming up and it will be the end of the line for me. I would really rather not have another one of those weeks where I feel good and then have the withdrawals come back like before when I was on the Zoloft
I just remembered something about one of the times that I went to pick up a bottle of my Paxil. The pharmacist who rang me up made a comment about how he wouldn't recommend Paxil to any of his patients or anyone for that matter. I guess he should have gone into the details with me a little more because I would have loved to have learned about it a lot sooner.
Day by day and pushing on!!

Paracetamol for your headaches, that's all you get at hospital , cheap and effective