5 hours ago, molly97 said:

don't think Lustral does a 25mg tablet and I've never been on it before, but thank you for the suggestion.

Lustral is the brand name for Sertraline in the UK. They do a 25 mg tablet.

If you are willing to pay for it, it might be your best option for stability.

❤️🙏

On 2/28/2026 at 10:24 AM, Chippy said:

Hey @molly97 

 

Do you mean you want to change to the non generic?

I've always been on generic, I'm just wondering what is the best course if action in order to avoid brand changes going forward. Does anyone have any suggestions in the UK of what to do next?

55 minutes ago, molly97 said:

I've always been on generic, I'm just wondering what is the best course if action in order to avoid brand changes going forward. Does anyone have any suggestions in the UK of what to do next?

Got you.

 

@LostinCanada is suggesting you try to get hold of the Lustral which is the branded version in the UK. You would need to do a crossover again if you did this. She is saying this as the branded versions have a reputation for being more stable than Generics. She has a point.

 

I was thinking you should stay put and try to get more of this version of the generic as a stock pile so you don't have to shift again. If you could get a regular supply of the this current Generic version you could make DIY liquids and then stay on this brand going forwards.

 

My side thought was if you needed to change brands in 4 months (as your supply is out then) perhaps you could get the liquid from your GP and crossover to that and then you are done ready for the smaller doses.

 

There isn't a right answer really. 🙂 

4 hours ago, molly97 said:

just wondering what is the best course if action in order to avoid brand changes going forward.

This is why I am suggesting the name brand...once you say you want only name brand, they won't keep changing you....at least that is how it is in Canada...it is a steady guaranteed supply...I would check with the pharmacist and ask if you go with the name brand, will they always be able to get it in and not be changing you up on it....just don't know the cost involved.

If they can do the same with a generic brand, great...but if not, this may be the only option for a stable solution.

And yes you would have to crossover but hopefully it would be the last time.

3 hours ago, Chippy said:

perhaps you could get the liquid from your GP and crossover to that and then you are done ready for the smaller doses.

This too is a very good option. ❤️🙏

Hi all, thank you for all your suggestions.

 

Just an update that I'm doing a lot better apart from the emotional blunting, but it's definitely lessened and is manageable. All symptoms from the December 1st updose have resolved.

 

I've read Crossing Zero, have my referral to the deprescribing clinic and am generally feeling more positive about making slow, steady reductions. Rather than thinking about getting to zero, I'm breaking things down and may resume my taper with a small 2% reduction to build my confidence.

This sounds very sensible and hopeful @molly97. So happy you have stabilised at 25mg now (mostly). You have a nice well thought out way forward and support. 

 

Wishing a smooth taper from now on. 

 

Tracey 

13 hours ago, molly97 said:

Hi all, thank you for all your suggestions.

 

Just an update that I'm doing a lot better apart from the emotional blunting, but it's definitely lessened and is manageable. All symptoms from the December 1st updose have resolved.

 

I've read Crossing Zero, have my referral to the deprescribing clinic and am generally feeling more positive about making slow, steady reductions. Rather than thinking about getting to zero, I'm breaking things down and may resume my taper with a small 2% reduction to build my confidence.

Hey @molly97

 

Thank you for the update, I am so pleased to read you have settled down now from your updose. Great news!

 

Yes I think you are very sensible. Nice hold now till you find a stable place to continue your taper from.

 

When you are ready, I think a small dose is a great idea to test the waters.

 

Others have found a Brass Monkey slide effective have a read here and ties in well with a small initial dose like you mentioned here:

 

Brass Money Slide

 

Another option is to really creep off using a micro taper, this has been very successful for folk in the past.

 

Micro Taper

 

Speak soon

 

Chippy

I am so happy you are doing better @molly97! It is a good plan to think about the next steps ahead and not about the whole way to zero. One step at a time. December 1 is not sooo long ago, this shows that your brain can make big steps in recovery and not too long a time - this is a very good sign . it gives me hope for the way ahead. 

On 3/7/2026 at 2:37 PM, molly97 said:

Hi all, thank you for all your suggestions.

 

Just an update that I'm doing a lot better apart from the emotional blunting, but it's definitely lessened and is manageable. All symptoms from the December 1st updose have resolved.

 

I've read Crossing Zero, have my referral to the deprescribing clinic and am generally feeling more positive about making slow, steady reductions. Rather than thinking about getting to zero, I'm breaking things down and may resume my taper with a small 2% reduction to build my confidence.

I wish you the best. I'm on a long, slow journey to get off sertraline after long term use like you. I'm still at 46mg, which at 2-3% seems like forever. Take it slow, that's all I can say. 

@Nemina @Tracey @Chippy @Nathan_C Thank you all for checking in & leaving nice comments. I'm trying to remember to come back here when things are good, both as a reminder to myself but also to remind others that healing happens. I know I still have a long way to go, but it's relieving to know stability can be found even during a taper.

@RachelSusan I’m just replying here on my own thread. Thank you for taking the time to get back to me. I think I have stabilised symptoms-wise (I’m emotionally blunted on 18.75mg but I had that on 50mg, so maybe that’s my ‘WD normal’). I do have lingering symptoms but they are so minor - a dry mouth (sometimes), loss of appetite (sometimes). If I read something scary online re: tapering then it tends to impact my sleep e.g. I wake up a couple of hours earlier with busy thoughts. But overall, I think I’ve stabilised? 

 

Although the anxiety has been replaced by emotional blunting, I’m very aware that I’m thinking of my medication/tapering/the next few years almost constantly, so cognitive anxiety (?) without the emotions. I’m trying to reduce time on forums and researching as I don’t think it helps. Sometimes I notice myself having almost paranoid thoughts or maybe just fear-based thoughts that hyberbolic tapering doesn’t work for everyone because I see people in an acute or near-acute state during a taper and that scares me. But I suppose that state can last days/weeks/ months, whereas a CT withdrawal can last years and be far more brutal. But sometimes people sit on a hold for months or years and it IS brutal - AND they’ve still got to finish their taper. 

 

I just wish so desperately for certainty in this journey e.g. if I taper at X rate, I’ll only experience symptoms X Y and Z for __ amount of days. After experiencing akathisia & that horrible vibrating/buzzing feeling & and the SI that came with it, while simultaneously having read that people experience it to a far worse extent than I did, I just don’t know how I could tolerate it happening again. And the thought that it could be worse. I barely got through it as it was. I’m in therapy, both CBT and EMDR, and I’ve even sought out a third therapist who specialises in withdrawal for when I begin my taper. But I just can’t process the fear because I’m not feeling it, only thinking it. So I don’t know how I’ll mentally prepare for the taper. I think I had a trauma response to the akathisia because I started to have intrusive memories of past trauma. I feel like this whole process will retraumatise me again and again. I’m scared I’ll develop psychosis from the fear, lack of psychological security and lack of sleep. 

 

You’re right. I have a million worries and ‘what ifs’ - what if I don’t stabilise on the liquid, what if the GP only prescribes the liquid for X amount of months, what if the manufacturer stops producing the liquid. I’ve even read on SA about people saying they get WD after having opened the liquid bottle for 2-3 weeks - that’s liquid sertraline in the UK. Then there’s interdose withdrawal and sertraline with its lower half life may have a risk of this as I get to the lower doses, but all of this depends on my genetics/metabolism, etc. I don’t know how I can convince my body that it’s safe with all of these things happening. And if I can’t convince myself I’m safe or that these symptoms will pass, my fear will exacerbate it and sensitise me to the feelings. How do people do this? How do they survive the uncertainty? 

 

My question more than anything is how you knew you’d stabilised & it was time for a reduction. I read through your story and it seemed you had pretty challenging symptoms at times. 

@molly97

Hi Molly. What you went through with akathisia sounds incredibly frightening, and it makes sense that it left you with a lot of fear and “what if” thoughts. It also sounds like you are doing thoughtful things to support yourself with therapy and by limiting time reading things that increase your anxiety. I also did a tremendous amount of research at the time and eventually had to limit it. I think part of me believed that if I learned enough and became a super expert I could control or prevent the symptoms, but that was not really the case for me. In the end I realized I could not control them. I just had to get through them. And yes my symptoms were awful. Beyond awful actually.

 

Uncertainty is one of the hardest parts of this process and most of us wish there were clearer guarantees. From what you describe, mostly minor symptoms that come and go, it does sound like you may be close to stabilization or perhaps stabilized.

 

For me, stabilization meant waiting between reductions until most of the symptoms from the previous cut had settled down. They did not have to disappear completely, but most had eased and things felt manageable again. Sleep was also an important sign for me. It did not have to be perfect, but it needed to improve enough that I felt reasonably comfortable moving forward. It took me years after finishing my taper for my sleep to fully return.

 

You are approaching this very thoughtfully, and taking it one step at a time is really the best way through it. If you can try and focus on the here an now it would be helpful. I know, easier said then done, right?

Edited March 18Mar 18 by RachelSusan
typo - clumsy fingers

18 hours ago, molly97 said:

Although the anxiety has been replaced by emotional blunting, I’m very aware that I’m thinking of my medication/tapering/the next few years almost constantly, so cognitive anxiety (?) without the emotions. I’m trying to reduce time on forums and researching as I don’t think it helps. Sometimes I notice myself having almost paranoid thoughts or maybe just fear-based thoughts that hyberbolic tapering doesn’t work for everyone because I see people in an acute or near-acute state during a taper and that scares me. But I suppose that state can last days/weeks/ months, whereas a CT withdrawal can last years and be far more brutal. But sometimes people sit on a hold for months or years and it IS brutal - AND they’ve still got to finish their taper. 

Hey Molly,

 

Just wanted to say I understand your fear. There are a lot of people suffering.

 

There is always a reason, and their cases are often complex.

 

It isn't that hyperbolic tapering or slow tapering doesn't work.

 

You are doing your best now. That is enough.

 

You are showing signs of being stable. Just follow the process through. Don't rush. It isn't a goal to get to zero. It is a goal to be stable whilst you taper and live! So important to reframe this. Trust your body and listen to it.

 

You are not destined to have a rough taper. Unfortunately your recent updose which was very big 18.75mg - 25mg was a 33% increase. Way too big and delayed too. So it wasn't that the updose was a bad idea it was just you did far too big an increase/left it too late. You did this updose to try to relieve wd caused by a too faster a taper.

You see what I mean? Reasons for it all. When I see people with issues, there is always a reason. It isn't destiny or that tapering doesn't work. It is a result of choices that were made.

 

Now is a reset for you. Time for some fresh choices. Don't rush into a taper. Have a nice hold here until you are confident you have found your baseline. Then lets chat about how how you proceed. I would love and be happy to help with that process. 🙂 You are not on your own.

 

For the minute try to not over think it all. It is a common thing for us humans to do. Like if we just research and think it through enough we will convience ourselves that it is all going to be ok. But it doesn't work so we keep trying. I call it 'worry fixing'. We must learn to control what we can and accept the rest. 🙂 

 

Chippy xxx