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How Long Does The Withdrawal Symptoms Remain While Weaning Off Zoloft?
Question: I have been weaning off Zoloft (200 mg/day) and Wellbutrin XL (300 mg/day) for approximately 5 weeks and am no longer taking either medication. I am suffering from several withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness; lightheadedness; weakness; some anxiety; nausea; low libido; electric shock-like sensations; muscle pains; very intense paraesthesia; weight gain (4 lbs in 2 weeks); indigestion; stomach cramps; and sleep disturbances. I have been on Zoloft for 20 years and Wellbutrin for 17 years. How long can I expect the symptoms to last and is there anything I can do in the meantime to alleviate these symptoms? The worst symptom is paraesthesia, mostly at night but bad enough that I feel like I could scratch until there is no skin left.
Brief Answer:
Detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Such discontinuation symptoms usually last 3 weeks. This symptoms seems to be caused by Zoloft quit more than Wellbutrin.
Both medicines should not be stopped suddenly. Please note that you are trying to suddenly quit substance which were for 20 years in your bloodstream. So sudden lack of both is a huge shock for your brain. 5 weeks in comparison to 20 years is way too short.
The symptoms will go away if you take small dosage of both medicines. This is the only way you can get better.
I suggest you to get back to this medicines and lower the half of dosage of each every 2 months.
So you should take Zoloft 100 mg and Wellbutrin 150 mg for next 2 months.
After that time, you should take 50 mgs of Zoloft and 75 (or 50) of Wellbutrin for the next 2 months.
If you will reach the point where you do take a half of tablet of lowers available dosage, after 2 months you should take it every 2 days.
As you can see it can take about a half of year to quit this medicines. Your doctor should guide you how to do that.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Such discontinuation symptoms usually last 3 weeks. This symptoms seems to be caused by Zoloft quit more than Wellbutrin.
Both medicines should not be stopped suddenly. Please note that you are trying to suddenly quit substance which were for 20 years in your bloodstream. So sudden lack of both is a huge shock for your brain. 5 weeks in comparison to 20 years is way too short.
The symptoms will go away if you take small dosage of both medicines. This is the only way you can get better.
I suggest you to get back to this medicines and lower the half of dosage of each every 2 months.
So you should take Zoloft 100 mg and Wellbutrin 150 mg for next 2 months.
After that time, you should take 50 mgs of Zoloft and 75 (or 50) of Wellbutrin for the next 2 months.
If you will reach the point where you do take a half of tablet of lowers available dosage, after 2 months you should take it every 2 days.
As you can see it can take about a half of year to quit this medicines. Your doctor should guide you how to do that.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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