Suggest Ways To Deal With Side Effects While Weaning Off Sertraline

Brief Answer:
Not generally a drug of abuse.....

Detailed Answer:
but they certainly are associated with a withdrawal syndrome. While one can have a resumption of the underlying disease (anxiety, depression, both) mostly, the symptoms associated with coming off of an antidepressant are hard to characterize. They are not easily called depression or anxiety and they are generally quite individual. They generally last weeks but not months.

First, as a prescribed drug that is not a street drug, one would obtain it in the context of a doctor-patient relationship. Reasonably, the discussion about coming off of a drug would be in the context of a discussion with one's physician or psychiatrist.
OTher things such as counseling would be included in the overall treatment regimen.

Depending on a lot of other features, the drug can be slowly tapered or tapered and other medications started. Mostly, it would be cognitive behavioral therapy about a host of issues including concerns/worries/panic/psychological dependence about coming off of the medication.

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Brief Answer:
yes, quite a concern and needs physician input.

Detailed Answer:
But not like stopping alcohol, sedatives, or benzodiazepine (which can produce fatal seizures). The problems with the anti-depressants, which are very safe drugs (except the oldest and, oddly, the newest?!?) isn't some horribly fatal withdrawal reaction. There is only a few, odd, unpredictable, feelings in a minority of those stopping them.

The big problem is resumption of the depression, which can be quite a bad disease and far worse than the withdrawal symptoms. People need to be watched by a professional in this context. People often don't realize how depressed they are!

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Brief Answer:
Very good questions!

Detailed Answer:
Sertraline and citalopram are both antidepressants that do NOT involve stress hormones but only serotonin. As such, they are quite safe. And they overlap on how they work side effects etc.
They are generally used for a really long time, just because we don't feel like messing with a situation that is working. Really, there isnt more to it and not a lot of research to say how long to use them, except they take a month to kick in fully and generally you'd be on them for at least 3 more months after that.
Then... needs evaluation in person from someone else (not yourself). Seems like there are reasons to stay on them. There are definitely reasons to have the sitaution directly evaluated.

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Brief Answer:
Most people come off of them eventually

Detailed Answer:
and will need some guidance monitoring and support. Often counseling by a psychologist is also recommended (but the data on this being helpful is not great).
The antidepressants do not have long term toxicities. The effects on the brain chemistry are basically to get it back to a more normal pattern.

and would stress need for GP input.

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Brief Answer:
Ok, if there isn't anything else...

Detailed Answer:
they certainly are associated with a withdrawal syndrome. While one can have a resumption of the underlying disease (anxiety, depression, both) mostly, the symptoms associated with coming off of an antidepressant are hard to characterize. They are not easily called depression or anxiety and they are generally quite individual. They generally last weeks but not months.

Unlike stopping alcohol, sedatives, or benzodiazepine (which can produce fatal seizures). The problems with the anti-depressants, which are very safe drugs (except the oldest and, oddly, the newest?!?) isn't some horribly fatal withdrawal reaction. There is only a few, odd, unpredictable, feelings in a minority of those stopping them.

Very slow gradual withdrawal with lowering the dosage under supervision is often quite effective.

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Brief Answer:
Oh... you didn't say panic attacks....

Detailed Answer:
First, to repeat myself, sorry.
Very slow gradual withdrawal with lowering the dosage under supervision is often quite effective; you seem to have an issue about interacting with your real doctor?
None of my patients would wait even 1 day, let alone 4 before calling my direct number and wanting to be seen that hour.

but.... with anxiety.. and underlying anxiety attacks have symptoms of " strange feelings like withdrawal " or "strange side effcts and light headed"

non-drug treatment is preferred for anxiety attacks.

Cognitive behavioral therapy.

basically, people package feelings, thoughts, emotions into a group, give it a label and just have the abstracted label. So... very mild symptoms of tension, some reasonable thought about budgeting get packaged as "overwhelmed" and the person becomes unable to deal with them. Cognitive behavioral therapy and also mindfullness, are about having people notice what thoughts and feelings they are having and whether those are all that imorant and could perhaps just be ignored.

So... plan 1.Very slow gradual withdrawal with lowering the dosage under supervision is often quite effective;
plan 2 cognitive behavioral therapy.

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Brief Answer:
Very good

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the opportunity to clarify. Direct query is available if there are further questions.

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