Hi, I'm GeorgeSP

September 7, 2026

Hi! I'm a spanish guy over 26 years on psychiatric medication. Mostly SSRI and SRNI, combined in certain periods with mood stabilisers, downers (benzos/quetiapine, mostly for sleep) and stimulants (methylphenidate-vyvanse). Cocktails of up to 7 drugs but generally SSRI-SRNI + downers. The so-called antidepressant (AD) have been the problematic ones in previous too-fast-taper (if not cold turkey) attempts. Terrible withdrawals, not just physical (symptoms went away in days in my case) but more emotional (which i believe they are also physical) with crying spells, passive suicide ideation, emotional hyperactivation, strong anxiety and that sort of wonderful effects. Currently under sertraline 150mg and vyvanse 25mg. Planning starting a 10 % gradual tapering - hyperbolic maudsley guidelines approach over the following years. Focus on sertraline, i have tapered vyvanse in the past several times. Happy to be a member of this community. Hope we can fill the several gaps the system have.

Zoloft — 150 mg — 26 years — planning taper | without clinician

2 Replies

⭐

CatinaSep 7

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @GeorgeSP, welcome! Great to have you here. That's quite a long history you have described. Yes, tapers that are too rapid can cause so may issues. I'm glad to hear you're going to be tapering one drug at a time using the Maudsley Deprescribing guidelines. Have a look around the site. Feel free to welcome new members as they join. You can see new posts in the Introductions thread. Also, if you can offer a word of encouragement to anyone who is having a hard time it would be appreciated. We all need each other! Let us know if you have any questions, and we'll be happy to help! Catina 🩷

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.28 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Synthroid - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

⭐

BasedStaffSep 9

Community AnchorEffexor

26 years is a long time to carry that much weight, and youve clearly paid the price for too fast tapers before. The emotional fallout being worse than the physical is something a lot of people here recognize, it doesn't get talked about enough. Good call focusing on the sertraline first and leaving the vyvanse alone for now. Worth logging check ins as you go, you'll see the pattern clearly after a few weeks and it gives you something concrete to show whoever you work with. And don't hesitate to jump in on other people's posts, someone three months behind you needs to hear from someone who survived the polypharmacy years.

Creator of Taper Community, here to help you.

Join the conversation

Need a clinician who understands tapering?

Browse our map of deprescribing-informed providers worldwide.

Find a Deprescriber