Zoloft withdrawals really suck!!!

Zoloft (Sertraline) Withdrawal Symptoms: List + Duration

So I've been off Zoloft for about 13 days... Has it been that long?? My how the days have just CRAWLED by. Of all the symptoms listed, these are the ones that have hit me the hardest:

-Anger
-Anxiety
-Brain zaps (I HATE these! Terrible, whoever keeps shocking me with an invisible cattle prod is gonna get what for if they keep it up! Wait...it's my brain causing it? Oh jeez not again...)
-Confusion
-Cramps
-Decreased appetite
-Depression
-Depersonalization
-Dizziness (I wish this would go away! Even walking 20 feet sucks...)
-Fatigue (Thought I had chronic fatigue syndrome till I saw this on the list)
-Flu-like symptoms
-Headaches (Well for me they're migraines but that's nothing new...)
-Insomnia (I stay awake for days then pass out when it's inconvenient and everyone's awake and being noisy)
-Irritability (This is me to a 'T' right now. I'm not irritable, you are!!! JK)
-Memory loss (I joke that I have Alzheimer's a lot)
-Mood swings (These are exhausting! Holy crow!)
-Panic attacks (So sick of these...)
-Poor concentration (Though I've always had ADHD sooo...)
-Sleepiness (Even when I'm putting off going to sleep, I'm always tired)
-Suicidal thoughts (All day every day...wish they'd go away)
-Weakness

Backstory: I've been on Zoloft since age 15, I'm now 24 so 9 years. I was rarely ever at the "starter dose", my most common dose was 300mg a day which is 1.5x the maximum recommended dose! Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder as a teen. My depression has been so constant and pervasive for over ten years now, that one psychiatrist mistakenly labelled me "Bipolar II". However, I've never been manic or even hypomanic so when I got a second opinion the new PDoc quickly said "You're not bipolar, and that guy sucks, I've worked with him before and didn't like him much as a doctor". Honestly sometimes it might be easier if I were cause from what I hear, mania/hypomania can give you more energy and make it possible to hold down a job for some! Nope, I'm just regular "depressive" and I can't do anything right...

Anyone know how much longer I can expect to feel these SSRI Discontinuation symptoms?? 13 days has taken forever, some websites say it can take months! NO WAY!! I want it to be over, yesterday!!! Sorry, I'm just whining. PC is one of the only places where I feel safe enough to be honest about what I'm going through. Too many people IRL would give me a funny look and say "go back on your meds". Gee, thanks Sherlock!!! Wish I'd have thought of that!!! Aaaand here we go with the mood swings again. I'm just gonna shut up before I embarrass myself further.

Sorry it's hit you so hard!
How long did you take to tail off the dose? With one antidepressant (Amotryptilinee) it took months for me to ease off it. I had to reduce the dose by 25mg one day in 4, wait a week and then reduce on another day and so on. Any faster and I got flu like symptoms and pain among other things, but at that pace i had few ill effects and came off successfully.
I think some doctors don't realise how long it can take.

I can see going back on a tiny dose and weaning off that may be a retrograde step.
My guess is if you lasted 13 days, the withdrawal symptoms should wear off in the next couple of weeks (though I don't know really) and then you will have to work out what is the illness rather than side effects.

Sorry if this is discouraging, it's just thoughts, not advice. You probably know more than I do anyway. I think you have lasted so well, you will make it through.

I really feel for you.

Good luck!

Jeez. That's rough. Whenever I've tried to get off antidepressants it's been too difficult, and I suffered like you are. It made me come to the conclusion that I can't ever be off medication because the depression returns. Even though the meds don't do a whole lot they at least keep me sleeping some and keep me from being suicidal. But maybe you're different and you can tolerate being off meds. Good luck to you.

Unfortunately, I didn't plan ahead very well. So I tapered off of 200mg within about a week. If I had to do it again, I'd take much longer. Oops!

There is a silver lining. I've been off Zoloft since roughly Feb. 9th, it's now April 27th. Strangely enough, I'm actually doing okay without it. I won't say I'm doing great, obviously Major Depressive Disorder isn't going away anytime soon. But at least I'm "out of the woods" as far as withdrawal symptoms. I haven't felt suicidal or self-harmed in at least two months. I could be doing much worse.

I definitely plan to go back on meds. I just started seeing a new therapist a few weeks ago. At our next session, I'm going to insist on a referral to a psychiatrist for med management. I figure, why make this harder on myself? Yes, I'm surviving. But I'm definitely not happy, or motivated, or enjoying life very much. I don't need to play Sisyphus, pushing a giant boulder (called depression) up a hill for all eternity. I could use a little help.

That said, I don't know if I'll go back on Zoloft. It didn't make a noticeable difference, even when I was on 300mg (1.5x max recommended dose). There's gotta be something out there that actually helps me.

Thanks for replying -- even hearing "you're not alone" is encouraging!

Take care!

I know what you mean. This is the first time in 10 years that I've ever been totally off meds. I'm surviving, amazingly I've had no thoughts of suicide or self harm in months. But I'm not happy, nor thriving or enjoying life. Next week, I'll ask my new therapist for a referral to the clinic's psychiatrist for med management. I could use a little help. I still believe I was over-medicated before, and the plethora of side effects was making me feel worse. But I can't give up hope. Of all the meds out there, there just HAS to be one (or 2 or 3) that can help me.

Thanks for replying. Good luck with your battle against depression!

I've not put my repeat prescription in & have been out of them now for 6 days! I didn't realise I'd feel quite like I do.
I shake, am dizzy, have a constant nagging headache, feel nauseous, tearful, anxious (majorly), lacking concentration, tired, cant sleep although I'm exhausted, moody & have breathing difficulties!!! This is ****!!! Repeat prescription will be ready tomorrow!!!!

JoBo, it can truly be Hell on earth. I wish doctors were better at educating us about discontinuation syndromes. I'm glad you get your Rx tomorrow! Take care of yourself. It will get better soon.

Thank you, that's lovely of you. I'm now fully topped up, so hopefully the shakes & dizziness will disappear in a few days. Take care of you too.