Every year thousands of patients use Zoloft as their medication for obsessive compulsive disorder, major depression, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, however, one of the biggest problems these users face are the potential withdrawal symptoms that the drug can cause, especially in those who are trying to stop it suddenly and without doctor’s advice.
Similar to other antidepressants, patients who have tried to stop taking or reduce their dosage of Zoloft have reported experiencing withdrawal syndrome. They may experience nausea, fatigue, myalgia, agitation, anxiety, drowsiness, irritability, hallucinations, insomnia, fatigue, shock sensations and sweating. However these symptoms are not all the symptoms that have been reports, for some patients they maybe consider mild or minor symptoms. Many Zoloft users can actually miss the connection with withdrawal syndrome for having the flu or a cold.
There are other patients however, who feel that the symptoms can be so severe that they are afraid of stopping Zoloft as it can affect their quality of life.
It is important that you have yourself monitored if you are planning to stop using Zoloft. The best candidate to look over a patient during the withdrawal period would be a healthcare provider as they would know which symptoms to look out for and how to quickly treat them. In case you suffer of withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, irritability, confusion, lethargy or headache, your healthcare provider may decide to retard the speed of the withdrawal process. Several clinical studies show that using Zoloft during pregnancy may cause the baby to suffer serious side effects from Zoloft withdrawal symptoms when born. Some of the more commonly reported side effects have been known to include constant crying, increased agitation, insomnia and poor feeding behavior. Many healthcare professionals believe that withdrawal effects of Zoloft are strong because this drug has a risk of dependency. Even for those who have been tapering off this medication, the withdrawal effects seem to be strong, however, for people stopping it abruptly, the side effects can be severe.
Zoloft, like many drugs in the SSRI group, has been known to cause SSRI discontinuation syndrome in patients who have been attempting to stop the drug abruptly. Those seeking to discontinue Zoloft should be advised that the drug must be slowly and with a doctor’s consent. Also be advised that stopping Zoloft may cause your depression symptoms to relapse.
Those Seeking to Stop Zoloft Should Consult with a Doctor First