Hello, I was a member on SurvivingAntidepressants for 4.5 years before it closed. 
 

I have spent the last ~5 years (April 2021) dealing with serious side effects and withdrawal symptoms caused by multiple attempts to get off sertraline.

 

As of now I am down to ~51.5mg from my top dose of 100mg. 
 

I have been in a state of severe withdrawal for a year now, since a 4.5% drop in late January 2025. I deal with akathisia and myoclonus (involuntary body jolting) every day. My body is very tired from fighting so long. 
 

I have lost my job, my degree, my future career, my friends, my independence, and most importantly my health. I am sure most of you will have experienced the above at some point.

 

I created this topic so I could add any progress I make in tapering or symptoms, but I won’t post or visit frequently due to my current condition. 
 

My SA Thread;

Hi @Erimus

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

It’s good to have you here. 
 

It’s surreal for me to do your intro post as you were my Mod on SA and now I’m approving yours. 
 

Im very aware of your journey, as will a lot of us on here be and I’m so very sorry for all the suffering you have been through and continue to endure. 
 

These drugs take so much from us but some of us they seem to take more from. 
 

I hope and expect that over time things improve for you, everyone here is right behind you, cheering you on. Anything you need we are here as much or as little you post. 
 

Chippy

I finally had my appointment with the national deprescribing clinic in England as well, which means after 5 years I finally have protracted withdrawal syndrome as the diagnosis on my record.

 

I’ve been having issues with the scales I use to measure, and am now on the third different set. I might need to switch to homemade liquid at some point.

 

I have been offered the oral solution but the ratio is something like 25mg/ml which would just involve further dilution in order to achieve tolerable reductions. 

29 minutes ago, Erimus said:

I finally had my appointment with the national deprescribing clinic in England as well, which means after 5 years I finally have protracted withdrawal syndrome as the diagnosis on my record.

I’m pleased to hear this. Not an easy thing to achieve. 
 

29 minutes ago, Erimus said:

I’ve been having issues with the scales I use to measure, and am now on the third different set. I might need to switch to homemade liquid at some point.

Which ones are you using? I’ve heard of people say they have been through a few gem20 scales. 

 Preparing Doses for Tapering - Weighing & DIY Liquids

29 minutes ago, Erimus said:

I have been offered the oral solution but the ratio is something like 25mg/ml which would just involve further dilution in order to achieve tolerable reductions. 

Sertraline is 20mg/ml strength in the uk. 
 

The Maudsley recommends a dilution to 2mg/ml and 0.2mg/ml for smaller doses. 
 

Theres more info here if you ever need it. Including ratios to achieve those dilutions above. 

 

 Cutting Calculator 2.0

 Using Manufactured Liquid Antidepressants
 

Chippy

First set of scales was a Gemini-20 which broke after a couple years. They refused to honour the warranty so I bought another set that looks the same. That one died after about a year. They all seem to be cheaply produced.

 

I bought a graduated cylinder and some syringes for when I want to switch to liquid.

Since I recommenced tapering in April 2024 I have removed a total of 0.45gpw//14.93mgai.

Sadly I added 5mg back on in August 2024 after a severe akathisia crash. 
 

So nearly 2 years of extreme suffering to get back to 50mg, whereas increasing from 50 to 55, and 55 to 60 in early 2024 had no negligible effects. It baffles me. 
 

From June 2025 to Jan 2026, over 7 months, I held on the same dose and things didn’t even get better. Just an excruciatingly slow dive into an inevitable giant crash I am still waiting on. 
 

So I decided to just try removing 0.001gpw//0.314mgai every 4 weeks until I crash. It doesn’t seem to make much difference, the symptoms are awful regardless.

 

I know a lot of people tell you to hold when you have such violent symptoms, but for me it just doesn’t seem to help anymore. When I reach stability I get crushed with severe muscle contraction that leaves me unable to walk. If I keep holding whenever I get symptoms I’ll still be sat here in 20 years on this drug. 

55 minutes ago, Erimus said:

So nearly 2 years of extreme suffering to get back to 50mg, whereas increasing from 50 to 55, and 55 to 60 in early 2024 had no negligible effects. It baffles me. 

I wonder if this is hyperbolic @Erimus above 50mg the drug obviously has significantly less effect pound for pound. We’ve another member today who has managed to remove masses of sertraline really quickly but like you can’t get down from 50. Unlike you his hold has settled things down only to be upset again after a 1mg drop. 
 

55 minutes ago, Erimus said:

From June 2025 to Jan 2026, over 7 months, I held on the same dose and things didn’t even get better. Just an excruciatingly slow dive into an inevitable giant crash I am still waiting on. 

It’s like you’ve rejected the drug but are dependent on it at the same time. Almost like tolerance or a ADR. 

 

55 minutes ago, Erimus said:

So I decided to just try removing 0.001gpw//0.314mgai every 4 weeks until I crash. It doesn’t seem to make much difference, the symptoms are awful regardless.

 

I know a lot of people tell you to hold when you have such violent symptoms, but for me it just doesn’t seem to help anymore. When I reach stability I get crushed with severe muscle contraction that leaves me unable to walk. If I keep holding whenever I get symptoms I’ll still be sat here in 20 years on this drug. 

No totally get it. As with Poop or an ADR carefully down is the only route. And if you are no worse then as you said what’s to loose until it is worse. Then rest there. 
 

Have you any thoughts about what’s going on?

@Erimus in the link @Chippyprovided, there are a couple scales that are higher end that weigh to the fourth decimal point. Also there is a precision micropipette mentioned that Dr H uses.

https://antidepressantrecovery.org/topic/240-preparing-doses-for-tapering-weighing-diy-liquids/?do=getNewComment

Nice to see you here. ❤️🙏

7 hours ago, LostinCanada said:

@Erimus in the link @Chippyprovided, there are a couple scales that are higher end that weigh to the fourth decimal point. Also there is a precision micropipette mentioned that Dr H uses.

https://antidepressantrecovery.org/topic/240-preparing-doses-for-tapering-weighing-diy-liquids/?do=getNewComment

Nice to see you here. ❤️🙏

Thanks for the links. 
 

Those scales and the pipette looks much more accurate than what I currently have. 

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Erimus

7 hours ago, Chippy said:

Have you any thoughts about what’s going on?

It appears that as soon as I remove too much at once, and ‘push through’ the symptoms, my brain physically cannot work things out through holding.

It’s like as soon as I go over some specific threshold in reduction size it has to crash. 
 

The reason I did the 4.5% drop in January 2025 was because the pain was so extreme I was contemplating rapid tapering the entire drug. I couldn’t walk to the car 20 yards from my front door.

 

The drop massively improved the pain but the consequence is months and years of severe withdrawal. I just can’t win with it.

 

All I can do is keep tapering until I physically cannot go on I guess. 
 

Thanks for the links. 

11 minutes ago, Erimus said:

Those scales and the pipette looks much more accurate than what I currently have. 

They really are...I am way to sensitive to use a less accurate scale....when you are using 0.046 g on a gem scale...it could be 0.0456 to 0.464g...for me that is too big of a variable. My pill weight is 0.0462g...I  can feel a decrease of 0.0002g so the scale has been so good for me.

When I eventually go to liquid, I will use that pipette as well.

 ❤️🙏

8 hours ago, Erimus said:

The drop massively improved the pain but the consequence is months and years of severe withdrawal. I just can’t win with it.

 

This sounds like ADR to me.

 

8 hours ago, Erimus said:

It appears that as soon as I remove too much at once, and ‘push through’ the symptoms, my brain physically cannot work things out through holding.

It’s like as soon as I go over some specific threshold in reduction size it has to crash. 

But youre super sensitive to WD symptoms so as you say they are extreme and don't ease with a hold.

 

8 hours ago, Erimus said:

All I can do is keep tapering until I physically cannot go on I guess. 

I know you are probably terrified of making it worse, but can you manage a little more but divided up into weekly drops, like a BM Slide? Maybe 0.25mg each time. Just to try and get the dose down in the hopes you can find a more comfortable level. I guess you don't know and trying seems like a daunting prospect I suspect.

Thank you for joining, I am also very aware of your story like @Chippy.

 

You'll be well aware from your time on SA that none of this is an exact science, and also that a lot of the general advice just doesn't apply in every situation. Much of the advice given on SA assumed tolerated the drug well, if not immediately then in time.

 

That simply isn't the case for everyone.

 

I hope that you find a way forwards.

The akathisia and myoclonic jolts have reached unbearable levels.

 

I think I will have to hold for another 6 months, which is extremely demoralising at this point. 
 

When I am like this tapering just feels like I am causing more damage, even at 0.6% per month. 
 

I don’t have answers anymore. In the two years since I started trying to reduce it has just been disaster after disaster. 

35 minutes ago, Erimus said:

The akathisia and myoclonic jolts have reached unbearable levels.

 

I think I will have to hold for another 6 months, which is extremely demoralising at this point. 
 

When I am like this tapering just feels like I am causing more damage, even at 0.6% per month. 
 

I don’t have answers anymore. In the two years since I started trying to reduce it has just been disaster after disaster. 

@Erimus I’m so sorry for your suffering. 
 

I can’t begin to understand how frustrating and as you say demoralising this must all be. 
 

Non of it makes sense. The nervous system is so complex. 
 

I hope a hold can eventually find the stability you need. 
 

Wish there was more that could be done. 

I had to switch the extra 1.5mg over 50 to liquid because I am having problems with the scales again.

 

So now I’m taking 25mg twice daily in pill form, then 1.5mg as homemade liquid with the night dose. 
 

Withdrawal is very extreme right now so not good timing, but the scales were producing so many errors it was probably causing even more harm. 

 

I can feel I’m right on the edge of a big crash. Unfortunately it seems that is the only way my system can move forward. 
 

I will try to keep holding until the adverse effects become unbearable. 

19 minutes ago, Erimus said:

I had to switch the extra 1.5mg over 50 to liquid because I am having problems with the scales again.

 

So now I’m taking 25mg twice daily in pill form, then 1.5mg as homemade liquid with the night dose. 
 

Withdrawal is very extreme right now so not good timing, but the scales were producing so many errors it was probably causing even more harm. 

 

I can feel I’m right on the edge of a big crash. Unfortunately it seems that is the only way my system can move forward. 
 

I will try to keep holding until the adverse effects become unbearable. 

Thanks for the update. At least it’s homemade so hopefully won’t be an issue with the crossover. At least, as you say, you have some accuracy back. 
 

Wishing you well @Erimus

On 3/8/2026 at 2:40 PM, Erimus said:

I can feel I’m right on the edge of a big crash. Unfortunately it seems that is the only way my system can move forward.

 

Do you feel as though this has been building throughout 2025 and the first part of this year, having been tapering over that time, or does it feel like a more recent thing that has been coming on?

3 hours ago, Luke said:

 

Do you feel as though this has been building throughout 2025 and the first part of this year, having been tapering over that time, or does it feel like a more recent thing that has been coming on?

It’s been building ever since the 4.5% drop I did in Jan last year. 
 

I’ve just been in a perpetual cycle of withdrawal ever since, and the 7.5 month hold last year didn’t even improve things. 
 

Since December things have been consistently worsening, and a few weeks ago I experienced a few days of flu symptoms which only appear during crashes. 
 

The hardest part is I don’t think I’ve hit the bottom yet, and every few weeks I seem to crash a little deeper. 

Are you noticing increased symptoms from drops, or did the hold feel pretty much the same as when you're slowly tapering?

On 3/7/2026 at 1:32 AM, Erimus said:

The akathisia and myoclonic jolts have reached unbearable levels.

 

I think I will have to hold for another 6 months, which is extremely demoralising at this point. 
 

When I am like this tapering just feels like I am causing more damage, even at 0.6% per month. 
 

I don’t have answers anymore. In the two years since I started trying to reduce it has just been disaster after disaster. 

Hi @Erimusgood to see you here. I wasn’t familiar with your journey over on SA, but your case definitely sounds very familiar with mine. Read over it if you’d like, I experienced the exact same severity and the same symptoms from jumping on that exact same dose of Sertraline back in 2023. 
 

All I can say from my own personal experience is that things did NOT get better until I was COMPLETELY off the drug altogether. That includes both Sertraline from October to December of 2023 as well as Venlafaxine from December 2023 until July 2024. I was still in withdrawal and heavily sensitised whilst still on the drugs and stable at 50mg. I believe the dose of Venlafaxine was 75mg which is somewhat equivalent to 50mg of Sertraline. 
 

I believe some of us actively stay harmed and incredibly dysregulated on the drugs once the initial withdrawal phase as kicked in. That’s why you’ll hear a lot of people including myself stating “healing doesn’t occur completely until you’re off the medication entirely”. 
 

I would say if your symptoms are still quite severe this long out with no signs of relief or fluctuations then I would maybe look at trying to cut as much as you can and pushing to come off completely over a prolonged period or perhaps trying to up dose back to 100 milligrams and stabilising there and cutting extremely slowly in the future if stabilisation occurs and symptoms decrease. 
 

I stand firm on the belief that most will stabilise if they return to their original dose before withdrawal and hold. But this can be risky and may not work and can further sensitise the nervous system. Most can achieve stabilisation with time at specific doses, but it doesn’t always happen. And other the end of the spectrum I also believe the nervous system and brain cannot completely start the processes of recalibration and healing and adjustment until the medication causing the alterations and dysregulation are completely removed. This happened with me, and I’ve seen the same occur in plenty of others as well. 
 

Remember, if you choose to continue cutting, you are NOT causing more “damage” - you are simply causing more dysregulation, that is all. Yes you’re scared to do this, yes it FEELS like you’re worsening and you’re damaging your brain and nervous system but they’re simply becoming more hypersensitive, irritated and it’s completely normal to feel worse before you start to feel better with coming off the drug entirely. 
 

There is no wrong or right way to go about this, no one can tell you for certain what will occur with your choices, but only YOU can decide which way you want it to go unfortunately. Just remember though, you are NOT destined to stay like this forever. 
 

I had a pretty severe withdrawal experience and prolonged protracted withdrawal, I’m still healing but I’ve been medication free since July of 2024 and I’m doing 1000 times better than I was when I was on the drugs still. 

1 hour ago, Luke said:

Are you noticing increased symptoms from drops, or did the hold feel pretty much the same as when you're slowly tapering?

It’s very difficult to tell because the symptoms are so bad anyway. 
 

I started worsening before the two little drops I did this year, though. 

9 minutes ago, Jack said:

Hi @Erimusgood to see you here. I wasn’t familiar with your journey over on SA, but your case definitely sounds very familiar with mine. Read over it if you’d like, I experienced the exact same severity and the same symptoms from jumping on that exact same dose of Sertraline back in 2023. 
 

All I can say from my own personal experience is that things did NOT get better until I was COMPLETELY off the drug altogether. That includes both Sertraline from October to December of 2023 as well as Venlafaxine from December 2023 until July 2024. I was still in withdrawal and heavily sensitised whilst still on the drugs and stable at 50mg. I believe the dose of Venlafaxine was 75mg which is somewhat equivalent to 50mg of Sertraline. 
 

I believe some of us actively stay harmed and incredibly dysregulated on the drugs once the initial withdrawal phase as kicked in. That’s why you’ll hear a lot of people including myself stating “healing doesn’t occur completely until you’re off the medication entirely”. 
 

I would say if your symptoms are still quite severe this long out with no signs of relief or fluctuations then I would maybe look at trying to cut as much as you can and pushing to come off completely over a prolonged period or perhaps trying to up dose back to 100 milligrams and stabilising there and cutting extremely slowly in the future if stabilisation occurs and symptoms decrease. 
 

I stand firm on the belief that most will stabilise if they return to their original dose before withdrawal and hold. But this can be risky and may not work and can further sensitise the nervous system. Most can achieve stabilisation with time at specific doses, but it doesn’t always happen. And other the end of the spectrum I also believe the nervous system and brain cannot completely start the processes of recalibration and healing and adjustment until the medication causing the alterations and dysregulation are completely removed. This happened with me, and I’ve seen the same occur in plenty of others as well. 
 

Remember, if you choose to continue cutting, you are NOT causing more “damage” - you are simply causing more dysregulation, that is all. Yes you’re scared to do this, yes it FEELS like you’re worsening and you’re damaging your brain and nervous system but they’re simply becoming more hypersensitive, irritated and it’s completely normal to feel worse before you start to feel better with coming off the drug entirely. 
 

There is no wrong or right way to go about this, no one can tell you for certain what will occur with your choices, but only YOU can decide which way you want it to go unfortunately. Just remember though, you are NOT destined to stay like this forever. 
 

I had a pretty severe withdrawal experience and prolonged protracted withdrawal, I’m still healing but I’ve been medication free since July of 2024 and I’m doing 1000 times better than I was when I was on the drugs still. 

I wouldn’t ever go back up to 100mg. 

 

I went up from 50 to 60mg just over two years ago and it was the worst thing I ever did. It added 2+ years onto my taper. 
 

For some people, yes, pushing through symptoms and getting off is beneficial. However, in my case such attempts have led to multiple movement disorders that have only worsened.

 

I tried to keep tapering through the hell but eventually it just becomes unbearable.

18 hours ago, Erimus said:

It’s very difficult to tell because the symptoms are so bad anyway. 
 

I started worsening before the two little drops I did this year, though. 

 

I see, ok.

 

It's quite difficult to unpick what is adversely reacting to the drug and what is further withdrawal issues from dropping the dose.

 

Only you can really gauge this, anything we do from the outside is speculation.

How have you been @Erimus?