How to get back on Zoloft?

[[sc...]]

Apologies feel free to remove if this is not allowed 

 

CT’d Xanax and Zoloft around 1.5 months ago. Cannot handle anxiety and might reinstate Zoloft but no longer have a provider so no medical guidance. Does anyone have advice on how to reinstate? Thanks  

[[Es...]]

@[sc...]

You need to go back to your previous doctor. One reinstates an AD from the lowest possible dose, but I cannot absolutely give you any advice and take responsibility for your life. I'm not a medical professional.

 

 

[Guest [...]]

Hi @[sc...]

I’d go back to your original prescriber. 

I looked at you medication/history, and you say your doctor wants to reinstate to 100mg Zoloft. I’m not a medical professional, but if you’ve been off it for 1.5 months, then you certainly shouldn’t be reinstated at 100mg. As Estee said… you start at the lowest dose and build up gradually. I’m not here to advise whether you should reinstate or not, but, you should be aware that the first few weeks of AD’s often increase anxiety and then it gradually subsides. Many who add an AD during taper or recovery to deal with anxiety often change their mind and cease taking it for that very reason.

Whatever you decide, please know that your symptoms will eventually ease and there are much brighter days ahead for you.

WS
 

 

[[sc...]]

@[Es...]@[Wi...] My original psychiatrist will not allow me to start at a lower dose. He said either follow the prescribed amount or I need to seek another Dr. I found an NP and waited two weeks to seek her. When I finally did she said I’m not withdrawing. Nobody believes us. 

[[sc...]]

It’s going to destroy my ears but I might check into to psych facility cant do it. Might have infection from 24/7 earplug use antibiotics are extremely risky for hyperacusis and tinnitus praying it’s not infection pease God please let us be ok 

Edited September 9, 2023 by [sc...]

[[Es...]]

@[sc...]

Okay, go to your original dose, do watever this pdoc wants. I agree with @[Wi...], your situation is critical. You’d rather stay away from the hospital, if possible. I was hospitalized four times. Once against my will - Mother's ruse, I was supposed to be suicidal and I wasn't. They kept me eight days cause wanted the money for my stay. Get your ears checked at an ENT. Infection would usually be accompanied by temperature, discharge from the ears, etc. You will get better, don't worry. Anything will be better than this nightmare you're going through. Yes, the sertraline has left your system completely at this point. Even any active metabolite. I used to cut ADs but never was in such a predicament. You're playing with fire at this point. Anything but the hospital. It will be a huge shock and they'll overmedicate you instantly. You are too weak to resist them❤️❤️❤️

Edited September 11, 2023 by [Es...]

[[Pa...]]

On 09/09/2023 at 17:51, [[E...] said:

@[sc...]

Okay, go to your original dose, do watever this pdoc wants. I agree with @[Wi...], your situation is critical. You need to stay away from the hospital. I was hospitalized four times. Once against my will - Mother's ruse, I was supposed to be suicidal and I wasn't. They kept me eight days cause wanted the money for my stay. Get your ears checked at an ENT. Infection would usually be accompanied by temperature, discharge from the ears, etc. You will get better, don't worry. Anything will be better than this nightmare you're going through. Yes, the sertraline has left your system completely at this point. Even any active metabolite. I used to cut ADs but never was in such a predicament. You're playing with fire at this point. Anything but the hospital. It will be a huge shock and they'll overmedicate you instantly. You are too weak to resist them❤️❤️❤️

@[Es...], I feel you’re projecting your fears and experience of hospitals on @[sc...].  You’re certainly allowed to share your experience but telling another member they need to stay away from the hospital is prescriptive and you’ve been warned about this before.  You make all the appropriate claims that you’re not a medical professional, then you tell other members what they should do or need to do.  Your blanket statement doesn’t absolve your conduct. 

Take care to review your posts before hitting submit, or the team will take steps to do it for you.

Pamster

[[Es...]]

@[Pa...]

Yes, I do actually. I got very emotional and scared thinking about @[sc...].

It’s difficult to control every word in such context. I have a deep-rooted trauma of psychiatric hospitals.

I’m really doing all I can not to be prescriptive. It would be madness to take responsibility for someone’s health and life. I wonder how doctors handle that responsibility. Someone has to...

I edited my post, hopefully it’s better now. Maybe I just write too much.

I promise to review my posts more than twice and not to post when I’m tired. 

I hope she’ll be okay, I really do...

Paula

[[sc...]]

On 09/09/2023 at 10:46, [[W...] said:

Hi @[sc...]

I’d go back to your original prescriber. 

I looked at you medication/history, and you say your doctor wants to reinstate to 100mg Zoloft. I’m not a medical professional, but if you’ve been off it for 1.5 months, then you certainly shouldn’t be reinstated at 100mg. As Estee said… you start at the lowest dose and build up gradually. I’m not here to advise whether you should reinstate or not, but, you should be aware that the first few weeks of AD’s often increase anxiety and then it gradually subsides. Many who add an AD during taper or recovery to deal with anxiety often change their mind and cease taking it for that very reason.

Whatever you decide, please know that your symptoms will eventually ease and there are much brighter days ahead for you.

WS
 

My fear is exactly like you stated, that the anxiety will get worse on an AD and I’ll have to taper and go through another withdrawal. At this point, I’m having panic attacks every day and they are unbearable. My mom asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. I feel like I backed myself into a corner. I’m terrified to ever touch a benzo again after the damage I did quitting CT. If I take an AD, that’s a risk. If I stay off all meds I have terrible panic attacks. I’m scared. My poor mom is exhausted from me calling her into my room multiple times a day because I’m losing it. I don’t know where to go from here. I’m only two months out from stopping CT and it feels like this will never get better. 

Edited October 4, 2023 by [sc...]

[[Pa...]]

I’m not surprised you’re still in so much pain, at 2 months I was pretty raw.  Have you been in contact with your prescribing doctor or have you shut the door on that relationship?  You’ve probably already explained this, but why did you cold turkey both of your medications? 

[[An...]]

On 06/09/2023 at 20:50, [[s...] said:

Apologies feel free to remove if this is not allowed 

CT’d Xanax and Zoloft around 1.5 months ago. Cannot handle anxiety and might reinstate Zoloft but no longer have a provider so no medical guidance. Does anyone have advice on how to reinstate? Thanks  

Hi @[sc...]

IMO, you should not have a problem finding another doctor to reinstate you on Zoloft if your original prescriber refuses. Where I live, most doctors now will only refuse to prescribe you benzos for long-term management of mental health conditions like some of the anxiety disorders but will Rx you ADs. Even many of the telehealth platform docs like hers and hims will Rx you ADs. None will Rx you addictive meds like benzos tho.

When you CT'd the xanax, you should have probably held on to the Zoloft until you felt well enough to start a slow taper off the AD. CT is really never recommended on any  Rx medication that you have been on a long time unless you are having some serious adverse reaction. Psychotropics like benzos and ADs  can be esp. troublesome, and possibly dangerous from Rx meds like benzos. I am on Lexapro now and slowly tapering valium at a 10% reduction rate every 3 weeks like what BB recommends. Altho I am symptomatic, the w/d SXs from the valium taper are very tolerable ATM. After I am completely off the valium, I will wait approx. 6 months to a year and then do a slow taper off the AD.

If you don't mind me asking, why did you CT and not taper? How long were you on the Xanax and Zoloft bf the CT? Were you on the Xanax 1st and then the Zoloft was added or the opposite, or were both started at the same time? Personally, I am finding the Lexapro that I am on to be extremely helpful as I slowly taper the valium. The Lexapro did spike my anxiety at the start but after a little over 2 weeks, my CNS settled down and my anxiety has now been reduced greatly. I am also sleeping on average 6-7 hours per night which is a huge plus.

 

[[sc...]]

On 04/10/2023 at 20:08, [[P...] said:

I’m not surprised you’re still in so much pain, at 2 months I was pretty raw.  Have you been in contact with your prescribing doctor or have you shut the door on that relationship?  You’ve probably already explained this, but why did you cold turkey both of your medications? 

I can’t make up my mind and I’m terrified of starting any meds again so I never went back. I quit because I had an acoustic trauma from an mri that gave me hyperacusis. I was so scared when I read that benzos could be ototoxic that I panicked and stopped cold turkey. I’d been on Xanax for over 10 years I think, so it makes NO sense - how could they randomly start causing issues after that long?? I could have gotten back on when I started getting really sick but I was so freaked out that any choice I made would worsen my ears. In my obsession to protect my ears, I made them 100x worse. I had a chance to heal from hyperacusis if I just left everything alone. Not only did I ruin any chance, it’s now catastrophically bad and I probably did irreversible damage to my body. 

My nerves are so sensitive it’s driving me insane. When I swallow, brush against my ear, or listen to tiny sounds, it is extremely uncomfortable and feels like the nerves are being messed with. I’ve started getting an echoey feeling when I hear things, and now there is a zapping/shock sensation when I listen to sound. I’m scared my ears are beyond healing. I’m scared for my future. Apparently people have gotten tinnitus/hyperacusis from starting benzos or stopping them and some have never recovered. 
 
I wonder if I made a mistake not reinstating. It’s a risk so I got scared. Starting any new med to try and control my severe panic/anxiety will be a gamble - the panic is so bad my mom asked if I wanted to go to the hospital.  I’ve backed myself into a corner with the terrible decisions I’ve made. I’m losing my mind. The ear/nerve sensitivity, the sheer panic. My eyesight has gotten very blurry and my teeth have nerve like pain. I’m so scared and I don’t know what to do. Hyperacusis from noise trauma has a grim prognosis and now it’s even worse. I’m homebound. I’m missing my brother’s wedding because of it. I can barely talk and I’m alone in my room almost 24/7. I’m sorry for rambling. I’m in crisis mode and it all could have been prevented. I’ve driven my mom crazy and ruined her life. She should be looking forward to the wedding and enjoying her retirement. Now she’s doing literally everything for me. I can’t even open food packing because it’s too loud. There is not treatment or cure for this and some make people worse. People with hyperacusis have been told it’s anxiety. I didn’t realize it was one of the worst conditions you can get. The walls are closing in. 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by [sc...]

[[Pa...]]

@[sc...], my heart is breaking for you, I’m so sorry for your pain and hopelessness.  I don’t know what to say, I don’t know how to help you.  I’m sure your mom loves you and doesn’t think you’ve ruined her life, please don’t let your pain fill your head with thoughts that aren’t true.  

Indecision is really hard on us, it creates more stress and I can see you’re terrified of making the wrong one but if there is a chance an A/D could help, wouldn’t that be better than what you’re living with now?  I’m not trying to talk you into anything, I can see the risk you’d be taking with your hyperacusis, what a miserable place to be. 

[[sc...]]

11 minutes ago, [[P...] said:

@[sc...], my heart is breaking for you, I’m so sorry for your pain and hopelessness.  I don’t know what to say, I don’t know how to help you.  I’m sure your mom loves you and doesn’t think you’ve ruined her life, please don’t let your pain fill your head with thoughts that aren’t true.  

Indecision is really hard on us, it creates more stress and I can see you’re terrified of making the wrong one but if there is a chance an A/D could help, wouldn’t that be better than what you’re living with now?  I’m not trying to talk you into anything, I can see the risk you’d be taking with your hyperacusis, what a miserable place to be. 

Thank you so much. Can something like this (nerve issues, increased hyperacusis) get better of caused by benzo CT? I’m scared I have no chance of getting better ear wise because my ears were already compromised. I’ve heard that most things that come with benzo withdrawal go away for most people. Is that correct? Thanks for your help and kindness. 

Edited October 6, 2023 by [sc...]

[[Pa...]]

I think cold turkey gets a bad rap, yes, it’s a horrific way to quit and not recommended but I’ve not seen a correlation between it and those who taper in terms of protracted recovery.  Granted, I’m basing my opinion on what I’ve seen here but I don’t think anyone can say definitively that quitting cold turkey means you’re doomed.

I quit cold turkey and fully recovered in the typical time frame as those who taper, please don’t lose hope.

[[sc...]]

4 hours ago, [[P...] said:

I think cold turkey gets a bad rap, yes, it’s a horrific way to quit and not recommended but I’ve not seen a correlation between it and those who taper in terms of protracted recovery.  Granted, I’m basing my opinion on what I’ve seen here but I don’t think anyone can say definitively that quitting cold turkey means you’re doomed.

I quit cold turkey and fully recovered in the typical time frame as those who taper, please don’t lose hope.

Thank you so much. I found the thread about tinnitus/hyperacusis from @[Bi...] and it’s scary how many people get t/h.  I read tinnitus is one of the last symptoms to go which is unsettling - I’m not sure about hyperacusis. I wish I would have looked this up before I CT’d (which I shouldn’t have done in my case regardless). I just saw “ototoxic” and panicked I guess. Still no excuse. It looks like it heals for some and doesn’t for others. 
 

Can the nervous system heal, and is permanent damage done when benzos are stopped? I get confused by that. I guess the reality is that nothing is guaranteed. I pray this at least goes down to a functional level. I’m scared the original damage will prevent or limit any healing. 
 

I’m so glad to hear that you fully recovered. Thanks again for your help and assurance, it means a lot. 

Edited October 7, 2023 by [sc...]

[[Pa...]]

I’ve read that too @[sc...], that tinnitus is often the last symptom to leave but I believe we’re always recovering.  Our cells replace themselves, they repair themselves and they’re constantly working to get us back to homeostasis, this is happening. I wish you could trust your body to know what to do because being in this constant state of anxiety isn’t good for you and could slow the process.

I don’t know what tools you use to calm yourself, have you found some that work?