Tapering Zoloft 100mg (measuring/crushing pill)

My Psych NP has been very supportive and emailed me a taper schedule.  I expressed my wishes to her that I wanted to go extremely slow, mentioned the 10%/4 weeks at minimum.

 

In her email she told me to crush my Zoloft (100mg) in juice measuring 100ml then taking a vile and measuring out 1ml liquid and disposing of it and drinking the 99ml. She said do this and up it every few days.

 

I am very frustrated and worried I'll do something wrong. Is it really that simple?  My brain is fried.

 

I've seen other benzo/SSRI tapering boards and it seems alot more complicated and complex.

You are fortunate to be working with a Psych NP who is supportive of a slow, gradual taper.  Is she aware that Zoloft/sertraline is available in the US as an FDA-approved oral solution?  Using the safety and effectiveness-tested commercially available product maximizes accuracy and precision in dosing compared to the homebrew method she suggested.  FYI Given that Zoloft is available in both 50mg and 25mg tablets, you could use a combination of the oral solution and regular tablets until your dose gets below 25mg.

 

Do you know about Surviving Antidepressants, a peer support forum for individuals who are discontinuing antidepressants? SA also offers a helpful “tip sheet” for tapering Zoloft at:

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1441-tips-for-tapering-zoloft-sertraline/

 

PS If you decide to use the method your Psych NP suggested, did she caution you that grapefruit juice may affect the pharmacokinetics of sertraline?  You might want to consider just using water so you can visually verify you are consuming all of the drug/excipient particles. In case you are a visual learner, here’s a video that demonstrates how to use the “water method” for tapering benzodiazepines (if you only dose once a day, you would not divide your dose as shown in the video):

 

 

I am currently tapering Sertraline. Yes I recommend getting a prescription for the oral solution. Makes things a lot easier.

Hey guys,

 

Yes I am in the Surviving Antidepressants forum.

 

I know about grapefruit juice and not consuming it with these meds. OJ is ok right?