How Long Do Zoloft Withdrawls Last?!

[Spiderallis]

I did not react well to zoloft at all. Quit taking it a week ago after about a month on 50mg a day, when I figured out that it was behind the absurd increase in anxiety. Oh my, those 'brain zap' moments are still happening- how long does this last after stopping the medicine?! I didn't even think I'd been on it long enough to get the withdrawl effects... Please tell me it's almost over with, I don't know much longer I can put up with this weirdness.

 

[kers]

I had reactions for several weeks while coming off it. I titrated down pretty slowly, though, because of the reactions--100, 75, 50...by the end I was taking pieces of pills! I hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[Philippa]

Yeah, I had those brain zaps for a long time after I stopped taking zoloft the first time...but I think that abruptly stopping taking them didn't help matters there. I'm pretty sure it made things much worse for me.

The second time I took them, when I weaned off them I did not notice the brain zaps were as frequent, but I do agree they were very weird.

Hang in there. They will fade eventually, but it's hard to say how long. Everyone's experience is different.

 

[Philippa]

Did you just stop taking them without weening off them? That can make all the difference.

Weening off slowly is a better way to go.

 

[Spiderallis]

I just stopped. I'd only been on 50mg for about a month and didn't think that was long enough to get withdrawl effects. Still getting the zaps, not as many though.

 

[JustBe]

I had the brain zaps for a few weeks, nausea, stomach troubles, the works! It does get better though. Hang in there!

 

[Philippa]

I was on them for three months and suddenly stopped.

I think it takes a week for them to kick in, from memory, so after that they start to change your brain chemistry. A month of getting used to having serotonin pumped into it daily may have been long enough for your brain to have atrophied in it's own serotonin production. When it is used to it and then doesn't get it all of a sudden it can cause withdrawals.

Generally it is better to wean off them slowly, by cutting the pill in half or quarters as time goes on.

The brain zaps seem to be normal with zoloft, judging by the comments in this thread though. They did pass, and I no longer get them, but from memory, it took a while.