So far I am only 4 days into tapering off of my Zoloft from 200mg to 150mg. I have been taking this medication for over 10 years and even though I am only tapered down by 50mg my anxiety feels like it’s heightened more than normal. I have now had problems sleeping, shortness of breath, and racing heart. I haven’t had these anxiety symptoms in years. Is this normal? Is it going to get worse as I continue tapering ?
Effects of tapering off Zoloft?
Question posted by Chriss_118 on 12 Oct 2018
Last updated on 16 October 2018
3 Answers
Rathmullan
13 Oct 2018
Chriss:
The longer you've been on an AD and the more effective it's been the slower one should taper. A way that has worked for me is called the "Anthony Protocol" and is designed to build up to the number of consecutive days on the new lower dose. We'll start by using Monday as the first day at the lower dose. in the following example.
Weeks 1-4: Mon 150 mg; all other days 200 mg
Weeks 5-8: Mon and Tues 150 mg; all other days 200 mg
Weeks 9-12: Mon, Tues & Wed 150 mg; all other days 200 mg
Weeks 13-16: Mon, Tues, Wed, & Thurs 150 mg; all other days 200 mg
Weeks 17 -20: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, & Fri 150 mg; all other days 200 mg
Weeks 21-24: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, & Sat 150 mg; all other days 200 mg
Weeks 25 and on: 150 mg each day.
When tapering in this manner where the new reduced target dosage is gradually introduced there should be little withdrawal symptoms. However, the new lower target dosage should not be less than 66.7% of the previous dosage (with the exception of the second from the last and the very last step down). In other words, going from 100 mg to 50 mg isn't recommended because 50 mg is only 50% of 100 mg and therefore less than 66.7%. The new target dosage would have to be 75 mg.
I know it sounds extreme as it would take you almost a year to transition fro 200 mg of Zoloft per day to 100 mg per day and a second year to transition from 100 mg 50 mg and finally a third year to go to 0. However, when you consider that you have been on this medication for 10 years, 3 years doesn't seem all that long! Some people do speed the process up a little by starting off with 2 consecutive days at the lower dosage or adding a consecutive day after a 3 week period instead of 4. But it is whatever the patient is comfortable with.
Sorry for so much detail. But I hope this helps. Good luck and take care for now.
superhalfcircle
16 Oct 2018
This may be a good schedule to follow. I recommend that you go as slowly as possible. The slower, the better it will be for you. Do look into a pill splitter so you can cut the dose into increments. And I recommend you read as much as you can about antidepressant tapering: Search "antidepressant" and "withdrawal" on Amazon to find some helpful books/ebooks.
Chriss_118
16 Oct 2018
Thank you, I will talk to my doctor about this. She wants me tapering by 50mg a week and that just seems way too fast.
Rathmullan
17 Oct 2018
Chris:
You can try tapering at your Doctors rate. You might be fine. Is she moving that fast in order to switch you to another anti-depressant? If not, why the hurry? BTW, my math was wrong. Under the protocol when precisely followed it would take 2.5 years to go from 200 mg down to nothing.
Take care for now.
Chriss_118
17 Oct 2018
I tried at her rate and 4 days in I felt like I was losing my mind, my anxiety was amplified. Usually I just have panic attacks but I was anxious heart racing, shortness of breath 24 hours.
WildcatVet
12 Oct 2018
Hi, Chriss! Did your doctor give you a schedule to follow? Let her/him know that your symptoms are returning and you need a slower reduction in dose.
But, if I may ask, if your symptoms are returning why do you want to stop the medication? Side effects?
Chriss_118
13 Oct 2018
Yes the schedule they gave me was starting by going down to 150mg. It was not my idea to go off of the medication but I was not opposed to the idea. My new psychiatrist said because I have been on it for a little over 10 years at the highest dose and at a younger age she wanted to take me off of SSRI’s.
Inactive
12 Oct 2018
I believe you need to taper down off this drug very very slowly could you not break one of your 50 mg tablets in half and perhaps take 175mg for a number of weeks then take another 25mg off for another number of weeks that's what I would do good luck with it.
Chriss_118
13 Oct 2018
Thank you, I finally got a hold of a doctor and they said to go up to 175mg instead.
Related topics
zoloft, anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, medication, tapering
Further information
- Zoloft uses and safety info
- Zoloft prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Zoloft (detailed)
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