Tapering Off Zoloft
I'm doing this for several reasons, including not having the support of a therapist (my primary doctor put me on these), and because the guy with actual worms for brains wants to send people like me to work camps. But also because it doesn't have much of an effect on me anymore, and I want to explore other options. Probably CBD or St. John's Wort, my old friend.
But also...I think it has contributed to my weight gain. I originally attributed this to HRT, as testosterone can raise hunger levels. But I haven't been on T for a while, and I eat healthy and workout. So why do I continue to gain weight? Sure, a lot of it is muscle, and I've got abs and some very firm thighs, so I'm doing something right.
The weight gain has been a gradual process, and I've been battling it for almost just as long. I also wonder how much came from my lack of treadmill use; I had to give it up because it needed a new piece, but it would be far cheaper to just buy a new treadmill. Not that I have the funds...I've since moved on to full body workouts and more focus on strength training.
I'd also like to point out that this isn't my first romp with SSRIs. I've been on and off them for years, so I know when something is off with my body. Zoloft was great for my depression and anxiety, especially while balancing challenging management and coworkers, but I'm moving career paths. Not that they'll be stress free, but the pay will be better and I'll have more time to myself. No customers! And I'd actually feel like my work serves a greater purpose, as I'll be cleaning and sterilizing surgical tools.
But let's stick to the subject at hand! Tapering.
I found a calculator online to help map out the process. The first time I took myself off meds, I stopped cold turkey. It was one of the worse times of my life. I learned my lesson, but not enough to intuit the process. I'm on 50 mg, which will be easier to wean myself off of.
Today was my second to last full dose. Tomorrow, it's going to be a half dose. The day after that, the last full dose. From there, it'll be half doses every day for a week, then two days in a row with a break in-between. It'll be every other day after that, then every two days, and so on, with my last dose being on the 18th of August.
I have a full list and all the fun stuff in Obsidian, and will update my med app accordingly. I'll be doing some journaling throughout the process, mostly in a private doc for myself. Anything major will get dropped in the blog, but I'm not expecting a ton right now.