Hello everyone! I am happy all of us SA people have found a new home here. I have linked my SA profile in my signature that will walk you through my whole story… but basically. Been on Sertraline at various doses on and off the drug for 10 years. Originally for GAD, but it was misdiagnosed OCD (health related) until just a year ago. SERT only helped my OCD for maybe 2 years or so but I was always upping the dose. Went though hell increasing, decreasing and then reinstating too high and adding in Buspar. CTing Buspar and then lowering another big chunk of Sertraline. I had a short period of what I now know was akathesia, terror, tremors, racing, looping thoughts. I really believe I had Serotonin syndrome at some point or was just kindled badly. Was unable to eat anything fortified for a good while. I was making small drops everytime I got a window and was dealing with horrible upticks in symptoms. (Insert a push for long holds here)  
 

I feel the smallest 0.5 mg drops in the form of looping, racing, sticky obsessive thoughts. I am SLOWLY healing. It took a solid six month hold for me to really stop having waves and to be at baseline. I can now eat fortified food and take small doses of allergy medication and pain reliever. I still don’t tolerate supplements 
 

Currently on 81.7 mg from 125. My last drop was the beginning of December … and while I felt minimal symptoms, I currently just had a wave during an illness. Feeling better from that, thankfully. 
 

There has been a lot of good days and weeks in this journey and I’m thankful. But  I worry a lot about tolerance, although I suspect I’ve been in it for many years as it doesn’t help with my OCD AT ALL. 

 

I’m not super active on here. Mom of three school aged boys and a down syndrome mama. All this to say, happy to be here!

Thank you for crossing over and for joining the forum, and for updating your signature.

 

I'm glad that you are having some better times on this journey, and you seem to be ontop of tapering in a cautious, managed way and in tune with what causes symptoms.

 

I hope that 2026 brings some good windows and that you're able to continue tapering and feeling improvements in your condition from it, this place is here if you want the support.

Hey AAoffZ_2

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

It's good to have you here. 🙂 

 

I hope your taper goes well this year. I know you are worried about Tolerance and alot of people share this fear. Try to take one day at a time, it is so important to taper slowly. PWD is not fun as you know.

 

You sound like you have a busy life there! Its good you have some great days, Im pleased for you.

 

Come on here as little or as often as you like Its always here for you.

 

Chippy

Hello @AAoffZ_2, 

 

Glad you are here! I remember your name from SA. I didn't interact with many people as I as too unwell and overwhelmed. 

I share your struggles getting off zoloft. What a nightmare.

Glad you are through your last wave during an illness. Sounds like you are doing really well, slow and steady, listening to your body. 😘

 

Tracey 

 

 

 

 

 

10 hours ago, AAoffZ_2 said:

Hello everyone! I am happy all of us SA people have found a new home here. I have linked my SA profile in my signature that will walk you through my whole story… but basically. Been on Sertraline at various doses on and off the drug for 10 years. Originally for GAD, but it was misdiagnosed OCD (health related) until just a year ago. SERT only helped my OCD for maybe 2 years or so but I was always upping the dose. Went though hell increasing, decreasing and then reinstating too high and adding in Buspar. CTing Buspar and then lowering another big chunk of Sertraline. I had a short period of what I now know was akathesia, terror, tremors, racing, looping thoughts. I really believe I had Serotonin syndrome at some point or was just kindled badly. Was unable to eat anything fortified for a good while. I was making small drops everytime I got a window and was dealing with horrible upticks in symptoms. (Insert a push for long holds here)  
 

I feel the smallest 0.5 mg drops in the form of looping, racing, sticky obsessive thoughts. I am SLOWLY healing. It took a solid six month hold for me to really stop having waves and to be at baseline. I can now eat fortified food and take small doses of allergy medication and pain reliever. I still don’t tolerate supplements 
 

Currently on 81.7 mg from 125. My last drop was the beginning of December … and while I felt minimal symptoms, I currently just had a wave during an illness. Feeling better from that, thankfully. 
 

There has been a lot of good days and weeks in this journey and I’m thankful. But  I worry a lot about tolerance, although I suspect I’ve been in it for many years as it doesn’t help with my OCD AT ALL. 

 

I’m not super active on here. Mom of three school aged boys and a down syndrome mama. All this to say, happy to be here!

Great to see you here!  You are doing great and slow is the way to go to avoid all these symptoms.

 

I am holding since October 2025 after having late withdrawal symptoms in November.  

 

One positive thing is that in January I have started to sleep passing my 530am mark.  

 

In November, old symptoms came back.  Now, it's slowly improving but still throw me off few days a week...

 

We will survive in the name of Jesus...

11 hours ago, AAoffZ_2 said:

I am happy all of us SA people have found a new home here

I am so grateful for this site. So happy we are here together. ❤️🙏

Thank you, @LostinCanada, to join us in this site. Thank you so much, @Luke an @Chippy, to create for us this life saving space. I don't know how I would survive without this Forum, really don't know.

Svetla 

2 minutes ago, skamen said:

Thank you, @LostinCanada, to join us in this site.

Glad I am here. ❤️🙏

10 minutes ago, LostinCanada said:

Glad I am here. ❤️🙏

Glad to see you here!

Hey @AAoffZ_2

 

It’s really good to see you here! I agree with you about supplements, I haven’t touch any since the cod liver oil incident, that was just too traumatic! 🤣

15 minutes ago, NBJ71 said:

Hey @AAoffZ_2

 

It’s really good to see you here! I agree with you about supplements, I haven’t touch any since the cod liver oil incident, that was just too traumatic! 🤣

we had the same thing happen remember? I felt acute for 2+weeks from taking omega 3s! 

I remember it really well, I went through it first then found you struggling with the same issue and very similar symptoms, it was brutal! I’ll never touch omega 3 again! 

On 2/3/2026 at 8:09 PM, AAoffZ_2 said:

There has been a lot of good days and weeks in this journey and I’m thankful. But  I worry a lot about tolerance, although I suspect I’ve been in it for many years as it doesn’t help with my OCD AT ALL. 

 

I’m not super active on here. Mom of three school aged boys and a down syndrome mama. All this to say, happy to be here!

Hey @AAoffZ_2, so happy to see you on this nice new site! You seem to be on a good trajectory, and glad you can live life and stay a busy mom. Continued best wishes with your taper! 💖

Not so good update here… I caught a nasty virus a week ago. And while I’m better now physically it seems that it’s kicked up some nervous system issues for me. I’m getting waves of wanting to jump out of my skin feelings and I’m very irritable. Frustrating. I’ve been fine with illnesses up to this point, but I also made a drop in the last several weeks so that could be why. I even had a bout of chemical anxiety… which is CRAZY because it’s been literally a year since I’ve had that. 
 

Im trying my best to push through, but it’s so hard to parent my three boys through this. It’s definitely not like acute… physically, it feels that way but thankfully not mentally. 
 

Just tired of being broken and fragile. Wonder if I should have held longer than 6 months… or maybe I’ve healed as much as possible while ON the drug and now I’ve got to taper and just hope for the best. Who knows. Haven’t felt this way in honestly almost a year before I held. 

Edited February 8Feb 8 by AAoffZ_2

59 minutes ago, AAoffZ_2 said:

ust tired of being broken and fragile. Wonder if I should have held longer than 6 months… or maybe I’ve healed as much as possible while ON the drug and now I’ve got to taper and just hope for the best. Who knows. Haven’t felt this way in honestly almost a year before I held. 

I can totally relate.... every day I feel like this drug is killing me but what alternative is there when every drop is so hard....I too have been holding, wondering why I am not feeling better. This too shall pass. ❤️🙏

@LostinCanada thanks for responding.
 

Helps to know we don’t fight alone. I cannot believe how bad I feel. The agitation has turned into fear 😭 I literally feel fear for the first time in a year. It’s truly awful. I am praying for you dear, LIC.

1 minute ago, AAoffZ_2 said:

agitation has turned into fear

I am having fear and dread again as well, especially in the early morning hours. I can’t believe I am cycling through it again either. I keep telling myself I am safe. 
 

 

3 minutes ago, AAoffZ_2 said:

praying for you dear, LIC.

And I for you. You are such an amazing mom….I was just telling to my hubby today about all the amazing women and men on here dealing with kids still at home, work, and wd. It’s hard enough without all the other responsibilities. Keep showing yourself kindness, you don’t have to be perfect. ❤️🙏

19 minutes ago, LostinCanada said:

Keep showing yourself kindness, you don’t have to be perfect.

Can’t tell you how badly I needed that reminder. Thank you. You showing up for people on here, some in their darkest hour, is equally as important and sacrificial. Lifting you up in prayer as we speak. 

Edited February 9Feb 9 by AAoffZ_2

It’s 11:30 pm. And I cannot begin to express how horrible I feel. Im currently pacing and shaking in physical panic. I can hardly believe that I’m here again, feeling acute. It has been almost 7-8 months since I’ve felt something like this and it was from an adverse reaction to some tea I drank. 
 

Could the bad virus i had this past week have caused this? I’ve been applying tea tree oil in coconut oil to a ring worm rash I have for a couple months. Could that have caused this??? Could my tiny drop 8 weeks ago have caused this? I notoriously feel drops weeks and weeks down the road. 
 

I know sometimes there is no answer. But MY GOODNESS, this came out of left field. I can’t really lay down for longer than 10-15 minutes at this point. I get too jumpy and have to get up. 

Hey @AAoffZ_2,

 

I just saw your very distressing post and wanted to say I am thinking of you with all the fear and panic and not being able to lay still. So sorry you are enduring this again after so long of not having such intense distress. 

 

Take care and I really hope you can settle soon and this awful wave will pass sooner rather than later. 

 

Tracey xx

31 minutes ago, AAoffZ_2 said:

been applying tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is really potent stuff…. You may be reacting to it. I wouldn’t apply any more and see if things settle down. 
❤️🙏

1 hour ago, AAoffZ_2 said:

It’s 11:30 pm. And I cannot begin to express how horrible I feel. Im currently pacing and shaking in physical panic. I can hardly believe that I’m here again, feeling acute. It has been almost 7-8 months since I’ve felt something like this and it was from an adverse reaction to some tea I drank. 
 

Could the bad virus i had this past week have caused this? I’ve been applying tea tree oil in coconut oil to a ring worm rash I have for a couple months. Could that have caused this??? Could my tiny drop 8 weeks ago have caused this? I notoriously feel drops weeks and weeks down the road. 
 

I know sometimes there is no answer. But MY GOODNESS, this came out of left field. I can’t really lay down for longer than 10-15 minutes at this point. I get too jumpy and have to get up. 

 

@AAoffZ_2 so sorry you are suffering so badly now, sounds like akathisia to me, truly awful, I was there just two days ago (well, and quite a few times before that) and just when I thought there's no way out, it's faded so please hang in there, it's temporary, it'll pass.

So many things can cause flare-ups when our system is so sensitive, no definitive way to know other than trial and error and being attentive to your body as you already do, if it feels like it's the tea or anything else then stop and see how you react, sometimes it will work and sometimes the system will just express itself this way as part of the healing process.

Please keep surviving and hold on hope that it will pass as it always does, hopefully very very soon.

We are all here for you.

Edited February 9Feb 9 by Fullhealing

Hi @AAoffZ_2,

 

I’m so sorry to hear you are in a bad wave at the moment and I hope it passes quickly. As you know our bodies remain sensitive for some time and it’s really hard to say what may have caused it in this case. Please don’t go mad trying to beat yourself up to find out, for now it’s just about managing your symptoms until it inevitably calms for you. 
 

I am also a mum and can totally empathise with the inability to just drop everything when this happens, though I encourage you to lean on any support that you have right now. It’s so hard!

 

You will get through this, you’ve done it before, your body has done so much healing since then as well. It just needs some time, this is a temporary blip that requires you to go back to your coping mechanisms for a short while. 
 

I notice that you were also an ADR at one point, I’m sorry to hear that and know how awful it is. Sending you strength and hope, we are all in this together ❤️‍🩹

3 hours ago, AAoffZ_2 said:

It’s 11:30 pm. And I cannot begin to express how horrible I feel. Im currently pacing and shaking in physical panic. I can hardly believe that I’m here again, feeling acute. It has been almost 7-8 months since I’ve felt something like this and it was from an adverse reaction to some tea I drank. 
 

Could the bad virus i had this past week have caused this? I’ve been applying tea tree oil in coconut oil to a ring worm rash I have for a couple months. Could that have caused this??? Could my tiny drop 8 weeks ago have caused this? I notoriously feel drops weeks and weeks down the road. 
 

I know sometimes there is no answer. But MY GOODNESS, this came out of left field. I can’t really lay down for longer than 10-15 minutes at this point. I get too jumpy and have to get up. 

Im so very sorry to hear all this @AAoffZ_2

 

I think any of these things can cause setbacks and problems. Hard to unravel some times isnt it!

 

WD symptoms can be delayed as you know and you recognise that this is typical for you. Your last dose in your signature was 8.5% you said, (I didnt check the maths)? Maybe this was a little much for you. Whilst youre feeling like this, a hold sounds sensible to me. I guess it's not unreasonable to consider an up dose if its WD but obviously this may or may not help. No one really knows is the problem. Im always concerned about making things worse, I often think stability over further changes is kinder to the system.

 

Hope you feel easier soon I really do.

 

Chippy

3 hours ago, Chippy said:

Im so very sorry to hear all this @AAoffZ_2

 

I think any of these things can cause setbacks and problems. Hard to unravel some times isnt it!

 

WD symptoms can be delayed as you know and you recognise that this is typical for you. Your last dose in your signature was 8.5% you said, (I didnt check the maths)? Maybe this was a little much for you. Whilst youre feeling like this, a hold sounds sensible to me. I guess it's not unreasonable to consider an up dose if its WD but obviously this may or may not help. No one really knows is the problem. Im always concerned about making things worse, I often think stability over further changes is kinder to the system.

 

Hope you feel easier soon I really do.

 

Chippy

Thanks for your kind words, @Chippy  My drop from December was a tiny drop to test the waters. From .256 to .255 on my scale. Almost nothing. Before that, I held 6 months and felt very good up until about two weeks ago when I started getting sick. 

Edited February 9Feb 9 by AAoffZ_2