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Ready to come off meds

post #1 of 12
5/16/06 at 3:59pm
Thread Starter 
I've been on zoloft for over a year now for ppd. I think I'm ready to come off of it. How can I be sure? I know I should wean down... how long would you take? I can't see my psych anymore since I owe so much money due to no ins, but really feel like I'm done.
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post #2 of 12
5/16/06 at 10:03pm
Hey there! I don't have any real advice on how to wean off, maybe some of the other girls who have used zoloft and come down off it could help more there. Just wanted to say congratulations on getting to a point where you feel good enough to start weaning. Make sure that whatever you do, you do it slowly.
post #3 of 12
5/17/06 at 3:48pm
I hate giving advice about this because you really should be under the care of a Doc to do this... though I understand the financial issue. But I do have personal experience weaning off meds under a docs care...

How much are you currently taking?
post #4 of 12
5/17/06 at 7:13pm
Thread Starter 
I'm on 100mg a day now. I was thinking of going down to 75 for a month, then 50 for a month, then 25 for a month, then 25 every other day for 2 weeks, then stop. Obviously, if I feel funny, or family notice unhappy changes, I'll stop where I am.
t
post #5 of 12
5/17/06 at 7:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by yogachick79
Hey there! I don't have any real advice on how to wean off, maybe some of the other girls who have used zoloft and come down off it could help more there. Just wanted to say congratulations on getting to a point where you feel good enough to start weaning. Make sure that whatever you do, you do it slowly.
: Good for you mama, you sound very sensible, hope it goes well
post #6 of 12
5/17/06 at 7:28pm
I agree do it slowly. I weaned myself off zoloft. The plan u have sounds like what I did altho I weaned off a bit faster than that. Like u said just watch for signs that things are not as they should be and if u decide to keep going then u can decide if u want to go back to the full 100mg dose or at a lower one.
post #7 of 12
5/17/06 at 7:53pm
The way I did it (on my own, w/ some advice from my Dr. but not direct supervision) was to cut my doses in half. Once I felt ok on that, I cut it in half again (so 1/4 of the original amount now), and so on. When it got too small to cut, then I went every other day, then every few days until I eventually forgot to take it.

Please be aware that you may feel worse before you start to feel normal again. It took my body 2-3 weeks of emotional highs and lows before I finally stabilized at a middle range. Of course, if things take a big turn for the worse then maybe now isn't the best time for this, but if you are feeling only mildly to moderately crappy just know that it's to be expected. Trust your instincts.

I *highly* recommend getting some nutritional support at this time if you are able to. I first saw my Naturopath when I was weaning off Zoloft and she started me on a vitamin regimen including fish oil and a high-dose B complex. I think those really helped my outcome, both short term and even now, one year later. Feel free to PM me if you'd like more info and best wishes to you!
post #8 of 12
5/17/06 at 9:03pm
The plan that you describe is certainly slow enough... You could probably do 2 weeks at each dosage instead of a month. That's what I've been advised every time.

I definitely agree with the other Mama's that said make sure your other supports [emotional, nutritional etc...] are in place as you do this. Exercize and sunlight are always a help as well!
post #9 of 12
5/18/06 at 6:03pm
I am cutting of Effexor right now- which is known for it's brutal discontinuation syndrome.
I 1/2 the dose for a month, then 1/2 again for a month- this meant breaking open capsules and dumping 1/2 of the contents.
I also am supplementing with Salmon Fish oil, Stress B capsules and Gingko Biloba. Lots of success so far for me- I should be completely off them within a few weeks.
Check out www.greenspiration.org-- really great info on anti-depressants.
post #10 of 12
5/18/06 at 7:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mysticmomma
I'm on 100mg a day now. I was thinking of going down to 75 for a month, then 50 for a month, then 25 for a month, then 25 every other day for 2 weeks, then stop. Obviously, if I feel funny, or family notice unhappy changes, I'll stop where I am.
t
This sounds very sensible.........I did pretty much the same thing. Yeah, I would say doing it as slowly as possible is the best bet though. Gives your brain a better transition. Have you thought of taking some fish oil along with it? I got some at Costco that was a pretty good deal, says it's free of heavy metals, from cold deep sea fish.

You might notice some things at each transition. I would just take it easy and lay low and slow, not plan too much for a couple days after each one. Especially for the final weaning.

Good luck!
post #11 of 12
5/18/06 at 8:13pm
Lasergirl,
Thanks for posting that site. I think the link you posted doesn't work. This one should work: http://www.greenspiration.org/

That's a sad story about Tooker Gomberg on the site.
post #12 of 12
5/18/06 at 9:28pm
I started realizing I didn't need it anymore when I realized I'd forgotten to take it for a week... (I'd forget it a day here or there, then two days in a row... and so on) and I felt GREAT!!!

I found I could actually take it here and there when I needed it (had a particularly stressful day or week) and it would actually help - I didn't need to take it consistently (lol, the psychiatrist I work with would kill me if he heard me say that... but it's true for me...).