need reassurance about withdrawal

Hi Everyone!

 

I am new here. I haven't taken benzos, but I have taken Zoloft 50mg for 8 years. I am currently one month completely off the drug. My withdrawal symptoms are identical to the ones for benzos, which is why I am hoping to join this group for support. I have tried anti-depressant w/d support groups, but my symptoms seem to be so different from theirs.

 

I had terrible adverse reactions going on Zoloft - increased anxiety, terror, akathisia, panic attacs - but I did not know it was the drug, so I kept taking it. It seems like it took months or even years to "stabilize" and even then, I still did not feel great.

 

When I realized that I needed to get off the drug, I began tapering down slowly, but I am now re-living all the adverse effects that I had when I went on it.

 

Is this normal, to re-live the effects that you had when going on the drug? And also, will it stop?!! The anxiety, panic, and terror are horrible, but I think I am just going to have to let my brain "re-set" itself.

 

Thanks.

Hello Sunny1008,

 

I'm in two minds about approving your membership of this forum. We are a benzodiazepine withdrawal support group, and although we allow for discussion about other medicines, it is more about the complications that arise out of taking other drugs in combination with benzodiazepines. Honestly, I feel you will receive better support from a forum that focuses upon antidepressants. Have you tried http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/?

 

Although many of our members take antidepressants, the information they will be able to supply you will not be in-depth. We allow only limited discussion about other meds. If you still would like me to approve you account, please reply in the affirmative, but please keep in mind my comments.

 

Good luck.

Hi Colin,

 

I understand, and yes, I am a member of Paxil Progress. But I was having trouble finding people on there who could relate to my w/d symptoms and who could support me on what I am going through. It seemed like every time I would make a post about needing support, I would just get "rebuffed" by the moderators. I also have found it difficult to find other people who have gone through my experience - pushing through adverse reactions and then having a difficult w/d.

 

Do you know of any other AD support sites? Thanks.

Hi Colin,

 

I think you approved my membership, but I still cannot edit my signature in my profile, or post a new topic in the forum. Do I need to wait for the moderators to unlock my account?

 

Thanks,

Sunny

Hi Sunny,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

 

I think you must have tried these functions just before I approved your account - try again. These functions are automatically enabled upon account approval.

 

I'm not at all qualified to discuss your use of ADs, as I've never taken an antidepressant. However, within the confines and limitations of what can provide you, I'm sure many other members will be able to relate to your experience of Zoloft.

 

Good luck.

OK, everyone I just figured out how to post on here and how to edit my signature.

 

I just need some reassurance that these terrible effects (the same ones that I had during start-up) will diminish. Currently experiencing feelings of terror, anxiety, akathisia, insomnia, dread, unreality, panic...basically my brain is scrambled!

Sunny, what I can tell you is that although ADs often cause similar withdrawal symptoms to benzodiazepines, it is benzodiazepine withdrawal that is generally reported as causing relatively long withdrawal symptoms. I don't mean to diminish what you are experiencing, but you should not expect your withdrawal symptoms to be very protracted. So long as you follow the advice and suggestions provided by specialist websites and the more informed medical professionals, I'm sure you will be fine in the end.

Hello Sunny,

 

Welcome to BB! We are here for you. It is difficult to have all these wd sx's and not have the support you need.

 

I read your list of sx's and wanted to let you know we have and Anxiety board that may be helpful and an Insomnia board as well. There may be some helpful ideas there.

 

Do you like to read? I have some books I have found to be helpful for Anxiety, and Panic.

 

I am so sorry you are having such a difficult time. Hey, can you describe the feelings of unreality to me? Is it like Dr, Dp? Or is it different than that?

 

Summer

Sunny, what I can tell you is that although ADs often cause similar withdrawal symptoms to benzodiazepines, it is benzodiazepine withdrawal that is generally reported as causing relatively long withdrawal symptoms. I don't mean to diminish what you are experiencing, but you should not expect your withdrawal symptoms to be very protracted. So long as you follow the advice and suggestions provided by specialist websites and the more informed medical professionals, I'm sure you will be fine in the end.

 

Hi Colin,

 

Thank you for the reassurance! I hope that my w/d symptoms do not last very long, but some people on Paxil Progress have had months or even years of protracted w/d. I guess it is impossible to predict each person's course of w/d.

 

I am so thankful for support groups like this b/c I no longer trust medical professionals. Several doctors I spoke with said that w/d symptoms only last a week (ha!), and they also just want to put me on more drugs, which is what caused all this in the first place. So I am highly suspicious of them at this point.

Hello Sunny,

 

Welcome to BB! We are here for you. It is difficult to have all these wd sx's and not have the support you need.

 

I read your list of sx's and wanted to let you know we have and Anxiety board that may be helpful and an Insomnia board as well. There may be some helpful ideas there.

 

Do you like to read? I have some books I have found to be helpful for Anxiety, and Panic.

 

I am so sorry you are having such a difficult time. Hey, can you describe the feelings of unreality to me? Is it like Dr, Dp? Or is it different than that?

 

Summer

 

Hi Summer,

 

Yes, I like to read. I would welcome suggestions for reading material.

 

The feelings of unreality are both DR and DP, like feeling disconnected from people, even my own family members, and also feeling like I am living on another planet or in a dreamworld (or make that nightmare!).

Hi Sunny,

 

I don't know how you were able to tolerate the side effects of Zoloft.  I was having all the symptoms you describe after a C/T from librium, then stopping Buspar (which only caused more symptoms), and a doctor had me take  Zoloft to clear up my withdrawal symptoms.  After taking only 1/4 of a very small dose, I was so out of it.  Anxiety soared even higher with panic feelings, disconnected head feelings.  I remember laying down on the floor, hanging on for dear life, as nothing seemed real and I just felt terror.  My brain couldn't handle all the confusion of these drugs.  Doctors kept adding other drugs, and I couldn't take anything, so I had no choice but to work this out myself.

I am so sorry that you are suffering with these symptoms, which sound like what I experienced with the C/T, from benzo.  I certainly understand your statement of a scrambled brain.  AD's can really mess with the brain and they scare me.  I took Prozac for a year, about 5 years ago for IBS and it caused me to be more agressive and then have depression.  I did a C/T (not knowing any better), but I can tell you that I felt nearly instant relief.  Luckily Prozac has a longer half life.  I often wonder if taking that drug messed up my brain.  I have no desire to take AD's again.

 

I hope that your symptoms fade away soon.  The mind symtoms are horrible.

Best wishes,

Sunny girl

Hi Sunny:

 

Oh how I can relate to what you're going through.  I have been on benzos (Klonopin), but also have been on various A/D's, Zoloft being one of them, and mood stabilizers.  They ALL wreaked havoc, and YES - you can absolutely experience nasty w/d from A/D's, benzos, mood-stabilizers, etc.  They're all mood-altering meds.  It is also possible for a person to experience protracted w/d from any of these psych meds.

 

One website you may want to look at is Beyond Meds.  It addresses issues that people experience from ALL types of psych meds, not just benzos.  The woman who started it just "retired" from updating a few days ago, but up to that point, there is a ton of information about w/d from all sorts of psych drugs.  She had been on a "cocktail" of meds and it took her 6 years to w/d from all of them.  I believe you will find the website of enormous help on your journey.

 

I sure hope you find some relief soon.  I know what you're going through.  I'm still living it and suffering, but I know it takes time to heal from this. 

 

Jan