Just like that, the script flips again.

Today is the first day of severe withdrawal symptoms since the reaction.

I took my 6.25mg dose this morning and was okay until about 4pm, then I kinda felt like I’d run out, and I started with the akathisia and myoclonus.

9 hours ago, SparklingG said:

Have you reached out to any of the professionals?

Only Dr Horowitz at the Deprescribing Clinic. My next appointment with them is October but I’ve been updating him with my situation post-reaction.

8 hours ago, Chippy said:

Sorry things are so tough still.

I can understand how scary this must be. I have to admit I can't help but think @SparklingG is right. We see so many CT these drugs, then RI small amounts, this is enough often to prop up their nervous system. I can't shake the idea that this could be a way to help deal with the SS and keep the WD more at bay better than a straight CT would.

Thinking of you @Erimus

Thanks. I am trying to delicately balance everything, but sadly I don’t know exactly what dose my brain requires right now.

7 hours ago, Luke said:

I would caution against being too dogmatic about being on your "normal dose".

You might find this settles at a tolerable, stable state but at a lower dose. That's not necessarily a bad outcome. Perhaps you will need to go back up to it, but if you end up stable but not at it, that's potentially ok.

The optimist in me was also hoping my brain would just accept 12.5mg post-reaction, and that would be fine. Sadly as the days pass I appear to be sliding more into withdrawal again. I think I will have to keep increasing towards my normal dose over the coming weeks.

44 minutes ago, N2deep said:

I'm sorry I don't have anything to add I've just been thinking about you since I read about this incident a week ago and before this happened I always just hoped you'd catch a break because you're the last person that needed any more on his plate. Maybe something about CBD and other products causing this issue might be posted somewhere to warn people so some good can come out of this mess.

If there is not a thread on CBD I will make one at some point, when I am more stable.

On 9/7/2026 at 5:53 PM, Erimus said:

The optimist in me was also hoping my brain would just accept 12.5mg post-reaction, and that would be fine. Sadly as the days pass I appear to be sliding more into withdrawal again. I think I will have to keep increasing towards my normal dose over the coming weeks.

I was wondering the same, maybe not necessarily that specific dose, but a lower one than previously.

In any case, I very much hope things stabilise for you soon.

On 9/7/2026 at 5:53 PM, Erimus said:

If there is not a thread on CBD I will make one at some point, when I am more stable.

It's very good of you to want to use your experience to contribute to providing information for others to improve patient safety.

We currently have this thread, which is a generic one on other substances:

Medications, Supplements and Other Substances in Withdrawal - Symptoms & Coping Strategies - The Antidepressant Harm and Recovery Forum

Further ones with more in-depth information about CBD or other substances with information on how they are thought to work and interact with these drugs/WD syndrome would be useful.

If it ends up being a smaller piece of information, and it is appropriate, we could also look at adding it to the above thread.

Just let us know and we'll work on it together, when you're ready.

On 9/9/2026 at 1:43 PM, Luke said:

In any case, I very much hope things stabilise for you soon.

Thanks. It’s just a massive mess I can do without.

Hope things are still improving for you.

I’m still in chaos. Some days I take 18 or 25mg and then others just 5 or 6.

I don’t know if it’s because of surplus serotonin from the reaction, or that smaller doses now produce larger quantities, but something is very broken.

Monday was 18.75mg, Tuesday 25mg, and Wednesday 25mg. By midday on Wednesday I knew I had taken too much.

My brain seems to take weeks to flush excess serotonin out, and every further dose seems to just add to the overflowing pot.

On 9/11/2026 at 2:59 PM, Erimus said:

I’m still in chaos. Some days I take 18 or 25mg and then others just 5 or 6.

I don’t know if it’s because of surplus serotonin from the reaction, or that smaller doses now produce larger quantities, but something is very broken.

Monday was 18.75mg, Tuesday 25mg, and Wednesday 25mg. By midday on Wednesday I knew I had taken too much.

My brain seems to take weeks to flush excess serotonin out, and every further dose seems to just add to the overflowing pot.

I’m so sorry you are still in the thick of this Erimus. Just know that it will end!

In my totally unqualified opinion, it does seem that once someone has had a reaction similar to serotonin syndrome their system becomes more highly sensitised to all serotonin meds. I think your system would benefit from stability right now and if that cannot be achieved on the higher doses could you consider remaining on the lower dose indefinitely? Maybe with a very slow backwards titration upwards? Pick a dose and stay on it creeping upwards over many months with holds to stabilise your system?

I hope you have seen some improvement, all the best.

56 minutes ago, SparklingG said:

I think your system would benefit from stability right now and if that cannot be achieved on the higher doses could you consider remaining on the lower dose indefinitely? Maybe with a very slow backwards titration upwards? Pick a dose and stay on it creeping upwards over many months with holds to stabilise your system?

That’s what I’m trying. Right now I have the classic dizziness withdrawal symptom, which I’ve only experienced when removing too much drug at once.

I’m trying to increase gradually in the hope it stops, but earlier this week I went too high and overdosed again, which took 3 days to come down from.

I’m 4 weeks post-reaction, and taking just under 50% of my usual dose.

Withdrawal symptoms are getting pretty severe now, and my brain finally seems to be registering the absence of drug.

I am trying to increase my dose but it’s challenging because I’m still experiencing unpleasant side effects when I take too much.

2 minutes ago, Erimus said:

I’m 4 weeks post-reaction, and taking just under 50% of my usual dose.

Withdrawal symptoms are getting pretty severe now, and my brain finally seems to be registering the absence of drug.

I am trying to increase my dose but it’s challenging because I’m still experiencing unpleasant side effects when I take too much.

You might have to keep the 50% dose for a while, sorry that it's tough, sending you love and healing ❤️❤️❤️❤️

@Erimus I'm sorry to hear that, that's a very difficult balance to strike.

What withdrawal symptoms are you experiencing?

22 hours ago, Erimus said:

I’m 4 weeks post-reaction, and taking just under 50% of my usual dose.

Withdrawal symptoms are getting pretty severe now, and my brain finally seems to be registering the absence of drug.

I am trying to increase my dose but it’s challenging because I’m still experiencing unpleasant side effects when I take too much.

Thanks for the update @Erimus sorry about the WD, you really are in a rock and hard place. Hope you find a dose that's the right balance for you.

21 hours ago, Luke said:

What withdrawal symptoms are you experiencing?

Dizzy spells, chills, noise sensitivity, light sensitivity, body aches.

I can also get worsened jolts and akathisia, but that’s not a good measure as they were happening before.

I woke up around 4 this morning with nausea. I thought it was just withdrawal but it transformed into multiple vomiting episodes that started at 5.

Not a great start to the week.

No idea if it’s food poisoning or a virus. It’s 845am now and I still feel pretty sick, but I haven’t thrown up for a few hours.

Last time I physically threw up was when I caught covid in July 2022, so it’s not a normal withdrawal thing.

Edited October 5Oct 5 by Erimus

There’s also the chance that the vomiting is a withdrawal symptom, caused by taking 40-50% of my usual dose.

I thought I was managing the reinstatement quite well after the reaction to CBD, but maybe this is a symptom of severe withdrawal as my brain notices the huge absence in drug.

It’s very difficult to tell.

Nausea and minor retching is very familiar to me, but I’ve never projectile vomited from it, except for the covid episode.

Anyway, the withdrawal symptoms were getting pretty severe this afternoon, but thankfully I managed to get 12.5mg sertraline into me.

I’m back on fluids as well which is good.

It's hard to say, I've had some illnesses since withdrawal but they have all felt quite distinct.

31 minutes ago, Luke said:

It's hard to say, I've had some illnesses since withdrawal but they have all felt quite distinct.

The more it goes on the more I’m thinking withdrawal.

The withdrawal symptoms have become so violent this evening I’m on the verge of collapse.

Head is spinning so much I can’t stand up. Whenever I move my eyes or head I get these huge woodshes of imabalance.

Not felt this in about 5 years.

Edited October 5Oct 5 by Erimus

I'm sorry to hear that.

Are you still hoping to gradually increase the dose to try to counteract this and hopefully find a stable one?

23 hours ago, Luke said:

Are you still hoping to gradually increase the dose to try to counteract this and hopefully find a stable one?

Yeah, unfortunately I will have to keep reinstating further so I don’t end up in violent withdrawal.

I thought I was managing it quite well but Monday’s episode suggests otherwise.

Probably many more tedious weeks ahead crawling back to normal dose.

I hope it goes ok. It's difficult to say what a "good" rate of increase would be and you'll have to listen carefully to your body.