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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Amy123 on May 30, 2005, at 16:21:42
My story~ I started Zoloft at a very small dose (one of those starter packs), I think it may have been 6.5mg. I worked my way up to 12.5mg over the course of 3 weeks. I eventually got to 25 mg. During this time, I was experiencing horrible stomach pain. I could not eat *anything*...I had indigestion, could feel acid in my throat, woke up in the middle of the night with heart burn that was unspeakable...(this did nothing to help my anxiety...the reason I was on the Zoloft to begin with). Anyway, I never put two and two together, and never thought that it was the Zoloft causing this. After several trips to the ER, some unpleasent tests and an endoscoopy, I was told I had gastritis...which was caused by the Zoloft. Since the medication was helping me somewhat otherwise, I was given Protenix to help with the stomach problems. Problem was solved for the time being. I went to my doctor who told me to go up to 37.5mg of the Zoloft. Within 10 minutes of taking that dose, I had stomach pain again. I took that dose, 37.5mg for four days thinking maybe my system would get use to it. I had to stop, I could not take the pain anymore. When I went up in the dose, I started getting horrible diarrhea (this is my current concern). My doctor and I decided to go off Zoloft completely and try something else. I was on 25 mg for a few days and am now down to 12.5mg but my problem is, and my reason for writing, is that I have horrible diarrhea. I had it going up in the dose and now trying to lower the dose. This new sysmptom of diarrhea is playing on my anxiety because I have never had diarrhea like this before. It makes me think that something else is wrong with me, even though I know that it all started with the Zoloft. I was only on the Zoloft total time of two months. Has anyone else had the stomach pain and the diarrhea?
Posted by JaneB on May 31, 2005, at 12:40:54
In reply to Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help!, posted by Amy123 on May 30, 2005, at 16:21:42
Has anyone else had the stomach pain and the diarrhea?
YES, my response was very similar--on and off Zoloft. Be encouraged! The severe diarrhea lasted about one month after discontinuing. Now my stomach is back to normal.
Posted by SLS on May 31, 2005, at 17:23:04
In reply to Re: Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help!, posted by JaneB on May 31, 2005, at 12:40:54
> Has anyone else had the stomach pain and the diarrhea?
>
> YES, my response was very similar--on and off Zoloft. Be encouraged! The severe diarrhea lasted about one month after discontinuing. Now my stomach is back to normal.
How did you go about tapering the dosage before discontinuing it?
- Scott
Posted by Amy123 on May 31, 2005, at 17:37:21
In reply to Re: Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help! » JaneB, posted by SLS on May 31, 2005, at 17:23:04
I am in the process of tapering the dose of Zoloft. I was at 37.5 mg (highest dose taken) then went to 25 mg for one week and am now at 12.5 mg and have been for over one week. My doctor told me how unusal it is to hear that someone on such a low dose would experience such problems. I am beginning to think that I won't be able to tolerate any anti-anxiety/PTSD medication. Whatever I try, it seems like my body takes one of the rarest side effects that 1 in 1000 people get and suffers from it.
Posted by JaneB on June 1, 2005, at 14:25:59
In reply to Re: Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help! » JaneB, posted by SLS on May 31, 2005, at 17:23:04
>
> How did you go about tapering the dosage before discontinuing it?
>
>
> - ScottI split, split, and split some more. I had a pill cutter and first cut 25 mg into 2 pieces for a few weeks, then into 4 pieces for a few weeks and then I followed your advice and just took a smidgeon when dizziness got too bad. That worked for me. Thanks for your advice. I might add that I had to split Zoloft and clonazepam at the same rate. It didn't work to cut out one and then the other. I did them both at the same time.
Posted by Sgt.207 on June 12, 2005, at 10:29:35
In reply to Re: Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help! » SLS, posted by JaneB on June 1, 2005, at 14:25:59
I tapered down to about 3 mg's of zoloft back in '03 for about 2 months then stopped. Severe stomach upset started and about two weeks later it felt like my stomach stopped working. The nausea would not stop. I could not eat. There was a strange tingling in my stomach and I lost about 40 pounds in two months. Due to this, and other withdrawal effects, I had to restart zoloft on a low doseage to stop it all. I started back on about 6mg's and am back down to about 4 mg's now and trying to stop again. They say this should not be happening but it does.
Posted by JaneB on July 9, 2005, at 10:40:44
In reply to Re: Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help!, posted by Sgt.207 on June 12, 2005, at 10:29:35
I would like to encourage you all. I had stomach problems while on Zoloft and horrible stomach problems during withdrawal. Now my stomach is feeling better than it has in years. I have not had any medication in the last 3 months. I feel great. There is life after antidepressant withdrawal!
Jane
Posted by Sgt.207 on July 9, 2005, at 11:12:10
In reply to Re: Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help!, posted by JaneB on July 9, 2005, at 10:40:44
Jane,
What type of stomach issues did you have during withdrawal and for how long.
Thanks
Chris
Posted by JaneB on July 9, 2005, at 12:01:57
In reply to Re: Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help!, posted by Sgt.207 on July 9, 2005, at 11:12:10
Chris,
On Zoloft I had nausea, gallstone type pain, severe episodic diarrhea. I had no idea it was related to the zoloft.
Withdrawing from zoloft I had more severe debilitating diarrhea and nausea. I had a colonoscopy which was normal.
Zoloft free now and my nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea have subsided.
It took a long 2 months after being off zoloft completely. I had done the very gradual taper and then took a tiny zoloft when dizziness was unbearable for 2-3 weeks.
I have been free of stomach issues for 5-6 weeks.
Zoloft free for 3 months.
Total cholesterol lowered by more than 60 points.
Does this help? I wish I had kept a more accurate journal but I am pretty sure of specifics because of doctor appointment dates which I have used for memory and reference.
By the way, an internist told me that if I went off Zoloft I would probably have more problems with multiple symptoms. I went against that doctor's advice and discontinued following advice on this helpful board.
A family practice physician told me that if I would exercise I would be fine without zoloft. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to exercise while experiencing debilitating diarrhea?! But since he thought I would be fine without Zoloft (and clonazepam which I needed to sleep while on zoloft) I did it.
Now I am med free and back to exercising! I have 9 years of depression and/or antidepressant-induced apathy/inactivity to undo.
Jane> Jane,
>
> What type of stomach issues did you have during withdrawal and for how long.
>
> Thanks
> Chris
Posted by Sgt.207 on July 9, 2005, at 12:41:30
In reply to Re: Horrible GI upset w/ Zoloft withdrawal..need help! » Sgt.207, posted by JaneB on July 9, 2005, at 12:01:57
Thanks Jane
I have been on Zoloft since '98. I always took a low dosage [ranged from 25 mgs down to about 2 mgs]. I weaned down to 2mgs in '03 then stopped. I had real bad nausea, so bad that I really couldn't eat much for about two months. I also had my stomach become partially paralyzed for a while. As the withdrawal continued, I began to dehydrate, even though I was drinking and did not have any diarrhea; and suffered from bad muscle weakness. The final straw was a weird tingling sensation in my gut, going into my upper legs, along with a strange feeling in my pancreas. After two ER trips, the doctors said I was fine and that I should just re-start the zoloft. I did re-start with about 5 mgs and after about a day or two the withdrawal stopped. What I can't believe is how I suffered from such withdrawal, even after tapering down to 2mgs. Since I started Z in 1998, I gained 65 pounds. During my withdrawal period I lost 40, only to regain it all after restarting. I now plan to come off again but intend to use the liquid zoloft to assist in doing it even slower.I only wish someone told me to hold out a little longer in 2003 - I was off zoloft for about two months when I went back on. If I only knew that a couple of weeks later and I would be fine I would have toughed it out.
I am glad you're doing ok with coming off of Z.
Thanks again.
Chris,
> On Zoloft I had nausea, gallstone type pain, severe episodic diarrhea. I had no idea it was related to the zoloft.
> Withdrawing from zoloft I had more severe debilitating diarrhea and nausea. I had a colonoscopy which was normal.
> Zoloft free now and my nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea have subsided.
> It took a long 2 months after being off zoloft completely. I had done the very gradual taper and then took a tiny zoloft when dizziness was unbearable for 2-3 weeks.
> I have been free of stomach issues for 5-6 weeks.
> Zoloft free for 3 months.
> Total cholesterol lowered by more than 60 points.
> Does this help? I wish I had kept a more accurate journal but I am pretty sure of specifics because of doctor appointment dates which I have used for memory and reference.
> By the way, an internist told me that if I went off Zoloft I would probably have more problems with multiple symptoms. I went against that doctor's advice and discontinued following advice on this helpful board.
> A family practice physician told me that if I would exercise I would be fine without zoloft. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to exercise while experiencing debilitating diarrhea?! But since he thought I would be fine without Zoloft (and clonazepam which I needed to sleep while on zoloft) I did it.
> Now I am med free and back to exercising! I have 9 years of depression and/or antidepressant-induced apathy/inactivity to undo.
> Jane
>
> > Jane,
> >
> > What type of stomach issues did you have during withdrawal and for how long.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Chris
>
>
This is the end of the thread.
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