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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Roy on January 30, 2000, at 9:28:27
What are the withdrawal effects of Zoloft?
Posted by Cam W. on January 30, 2000, at 10:54:16
In reply to Zoloft, posted by Roy on January 30, 2000, at 9:28:27
> What are the withdrawal effects of Zoloft?
Roy - Withdrawl effects include anxiety, nervousness, some sweating, and perhaps even a general malaise. These are generally mild in nature and are seen with the longer acting Prozac, more so than with Zoloft. I haven't seen many withdrawl effects since we started weaning people from the drug (gradually reducing the dose over a 2 to 4 week period). We only use the four week weaning in people who have been taking high dose SSRIs (esp. Prozac) for more than 2 years and this is probably being overly cautious. It has been my experience that even without weaning the withdrawl effects are generally mild and last usually no more than a week. Anyone else out there experience other effects? - Cam W.
Posted by jd on January 30, 2000, at 13:18:14
In reply to Re: Zoloft, posted by Cam W. on January 30, 2000, at 10:54:16
Actually, I've heard that Paxil and Zoloft (having rather short half-lives compared to Prozac) can both cause a nasty discontinuation symptom if stopped abruptly--often similar to the flu, but with all kinds of other minor weird effects (shock-like sensations, etc.). Paxil has perhaps the worst reputation in this regard. Such problems can almost always be avoided by decreasing the dose gradually over a period of weeks rather than stopping cold turkey.
--jd> > What are the withdrawal effects of Zoloft?
>
> Roy - Withdrawl effects include anxiety, nervousness, some sweating, and perhaps even a general malaise. These are generally mild in nature and are seen with the longer acting Prozac, more so than with Zoloft. I haven't seen many withdrawl effects since we started weaning people from the drug (gradually reducing the dose over a 2 to 4 week period). We only use the four week weaning in people who have been taking high dose SSRIs (esp. Prozac) for more than 2 years and this is probably being overly cautious. It has been my experience that even without weaning the withdrawl effects are generally mild and last usually no more than a week. Anyone else out there experience other effects? - Cam W.
Posted by Cam W. on January 30, 2000, at 18:07:58
In reply to Re: Zoloft discontinuation, posted by jd on January 30, 2000, at 13:18:14
> Actually, I've heard that Paxil and Zoloft (having rather short half-lives compared to Prozac) can both cause a nasty discontinuation symptom if stopped abruptly--often similar to the flu, but with all kinds of other minor weird effects (shock-like sensations, etc.). Paxil has perhaps the worst reputation in this regard. Such problems can almost always be avoided by decreasing the dose gradually over a period of weeks rather than stopping cold turkey.
> --jd
>
>
>
> > > What are the withdrawal effects of Zoloft?
> >
> > Roy - Withdrawl effects include anxiety, nervousness, some sweating, and perhaps even a general malaise. These are generally mild in nature and are seen with the longer acting Prozac, more so than with Zoloft. I haven't seen many withdrawl effects since we started weaning people from the drug (gradually reducing the dose over a 2 to 4 week period). We only use the four week weaning in people who have been taking high dose SSRIs (esp. Prozac) for more than 2 years and this is probably being overly cautious. It has been my experience that even without weaning the withdrawl effects are generally mild and last usually no more than a week. Anyone else out there experience other effects? - Cam W.jd - Thanks, again. Thinking back, the shorter acting SSRIs do have worse withdrawl symptoms. I was thinking of starting a new antidepressant without adequate wash-out, resulting in mild cases of serotonin syndrome. Withdrawl symptoms with the SSRIs are still generally mild, especially when doses are tapered. Like I said, I have not seen a case of severe withdrawl syndrome in years, but I am tucked away in the Great White North with a smaller population than is common in most larger U.S. cities. jd, thanks again, you are the check we need in here. Never take what I say as gospel without independently confirming the information through controlled studies. Most of what I say is fairly close to the mark, but much is my personal opinion, usually backed by fact. Sincerely - Cam W.
Posted by jd on February 1, 2000, at 0:48:40
In reply to Re: Zoloft discontinuation, posted by Cam W. on January 30, 2000, at 18:07:58
No problem, Cam. We all check each other. :-)
--jd----------
Cam wrote:jd, thanks again, you are the check we need in here. Never take what I say as gospel without independently confirming the information through controlled studies. Most of what I say is fairly close to the mark, but much is my personal opinion, usually backed by fact. Sincerely - Cam W.
Posted by Carter on February 3, 2000, at 15:52:56
In reply to Re: Zoloft discontinuation--Cam, posted by jd on February 1, 2000, at 0:48:40
Hi-
I can add that I stopped taking Zoloft abruptly and had quite mild, unproblematic (but still observable) side-effects which included moments of uncharacteristic-amounts of depression. The one I expected least was a touch of faintness now and then- perhaps due to blood-pressure change.
Good luck,
carter
This is the end of the thread.
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