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Come off heparin feel awful

Posted , 7 users are following.

heather29740
heather29740

Stopped taking venlafaxin five days ago without doctors knowledge.

I feel awful, sick, hot and cold absolutely ill and feeling petrified.

Could anyone help me and tell me if this is going to get any worse and if I have anything to worry about.

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • betsy0603
    betsy0603 heather29740

    Posted

    Yes, it can get a lot worse, and the physical withdrawal up front is just the beginning.  Horrible depression/anxiety/insomnia can enter the picture two months or more later.  The manufacturer even says not to go cold turkey off this med as it is dangerous and will cause "discontinuation syndrome."

    How much were you on and how long had you been taking it?  Why do you want off of it?  I strongly recommend that you resume taking your ven as before, and then if you want to come off, you should follow a 10% taper schedule as discussed in that topic in the following thread:

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/depression-resources-298570

    Not many can actual stand to stick out a cold turkey off Ven.  It is truly horrible, and you'll save yourself a lot of suffering by resuming, stabilizing, and then doing a slow taper off.

     

    • heather29740
      heather29740 betsy0603

      Posted

      Don't have anymore to take was on 150 for over two years.

      I am feeling awful can't phone a doctor and ask for them as I can't go out in the state I'm feeling.

    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 heather29740

      Posted

      Please try to get in touch with a GP ASAP and go back on it to help yourself.

      Please

  • Jojocull
    Jojocull heather29740

    Posted

    We all get different effects from coming down off this. I'm on my seventh day coming off from 150mg to 75mg and tomorrow down to 37.5mg. I can totally sympathise with you even though my symptoms are different. Today I woke up felt normal for a couple of minutes and then it all started happening again. I felt so strange, tonnes of pressure inside my head and the feeling I couldn't cope with this anymore. I took seroquel which I was prescribed a while ago to help me sleep and I knocked myself out for the whole day as being asleep is the only way through it I believe. That's how super evil this drug is. Hang in there and msg me everyday if you like as support is crucial from someone else going through the same thing!! How many mgs are you on now?? Also I have been taking ibprofen too for the pressure and headaches and Prozac to help too. Keep strong I am here with you, Jo
    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 Jojocull

      Posted

      I too am reducing from 150 - my plan from the GP is to reduce over 12 weeks to zero but nothing in place to help. Think I will go back to GP to put in a bit more support.

      What is your plan?

      I would like to stay in touch as we all get off this vile drug.

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull Sunvally59

      Posted

      Today I have gone down to 37.5 today and I feel awful. I tried to pick up my lunch and my brain just wouldn't connect with my hands which was distressing. I'm just lying on the couch feeling useless but I know I have to keep going to get off them.
    • Jojocull
      Jojocull

      Posted

      Oh I forgot to say I'm going off them in one week.
    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 Jojocull

      Posted

      Bless you.

      Are you taking anything like Prozac to help you cope with the withdrawal?

      Do you think you should give yourself longer to adapt to each lower dose?

      I know that it is so important to come off this horrid drug but don't make the steps too big, too quickly.

      Hugs

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull Sunvally59

      Posted

      Yeah I'm taking Prozac but the physiatrist said not to, which I think is rubbish because it helps with the symptoms. They are not clued up at all about venlafaxine withdraws here in NZ which I highly frustrating. He said to now keep on Prozac and stop the venlafaxine cold turkey!! He's the turkey as obviously my brain won't cope with the shock. I'm still gobsmacked he suggested it. I should give myself longer to get off it but I don't want to prolong the inevitable. I just want the drug out of my system. It's evil and the most addictive drug on our market. Sorry I'm going on Im just so resentful of it as its done and doing so much unnecessary damage.

      How are you going?????

    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 Jojocull

      Posted

      I am ok. I am coming off Ben over 12 weeks. The program suggested makes sense.

      I am on 150 and each week I drop to 75 a day at a time. So I went to 75 this Monday, rest of the week 150, next week mon and We'd 75 and so on until everyday 75. Then same process until all days are clear of it. Going to see GP tomorrow hopefully to start Prozac alongside.

      Though I did find something last night that made me feel better today. I am struggling to sleep and get a horrible dry mouth at night. Tried water, no effect. Tried Gatorade last night - much better. Although still v little sleep feel better - so wondering if dehydration is part of worsening symptoms?

      Do you have Gatorade over in NZ?

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull Sunvally59

      Posted

      Yes we do. I was thinking the same thing too. I think dehydration can worsen the symptoms. My partner was really worried about me today as at lunch time I couldn't feed myself. It was so awful. My brain and hand movements lost connection which made me cry and then I couldn't cry as I usually would. Anyway he rung the psychiatrist and he told him that I should never have taken Prozac and to stop the venlafaxine tomorrow!!! I was horrified so I wrote this to him...

      Thank you for ringing me and speaking to James yesterday however I will be continuing on 20mg of Prozac whilst I am tapering off venlafaxine and I will continue to stay on the dose of 37.5mg as originally suggested. This is because Prozac actually does help with withdrawal symptoms (it's widely known in the medical profession worldwide) I can send several links if you would like. Going completely down to 0 mg that you suggested to James couldn't be more wrong and I am horrified you even suggested it. I am no psychiatrist but obviously going right off it would be too much of a shock to my brain causing further distressing withdrawal symptoms. I ask that you please look deeper into this drug and its effects before your suggestions hurt someone else. Thanks, Joanne

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull

      Posted

      Silly me already told you all about that too lol!!

      It makes you lose your short term memory aswell!!

      Hope you feel better soon smile

    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 Jojocull

      Posted

      Don't worry!!

      As your symptoms are so severe, don't you think it might be better to go up a bit more on Ven until you start to feel better, stabilise and then plan a better withdrawal?

      Do get some Gatorade and keep sipping it, it is really good.

      I thought your letter to James was spot on. In fact so much so that I am not seeing the GP tomorrow but waiting until the GP who prescribed it is back and see him!

      Remember: " I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, but through it allI still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing" Agatha Christie

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull Sunvally59

      Posted

      I've made it this far (just)!! So I will keep on going as I only have one week to go until I'm right off them but I'm worried that when I go down to zero I will still get withdrawels. I wish there was some info out there so we could know what to expect.

      I'm about to take some quitiapene as I can't stand the feelings I'm going through. If I didn't have that I couldn't do this at all. How wrong is all of this aye?!

      How are you feeling?

    • heather29740
      heather29740 Sunvally59

      Posted

      Hello again,

      I have went to the doctor and he has put me back on them and referred me to the mental health team.

      This drug does take the edge off depression, but the feeling are still there only you seem to not care as much. This in turn messes with your head.

      Don't get me started on food cravings , in particular sweet . I have gained more than 50lbs since starting it.

      Go to a doctor and say you think your medication is causing you to crave food and they say rubbish, I know better.

      This drug your damned if you take it and damned if you don't.

    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 heather29740

      Posted

      Well done for going back to the GP. It will take you a good 10 days to feel better again. But then you can start a structured reduction.

      You are right that ven makes you gain weight, and in fairness my GP did acknowledge that one of the side effects was weight gain.

      I have found sipping Gatorade has helped enormously.

      I had not realised how complicated the side effects were until Easter and had put down many things I was experiencing (body jerks, headaches, sugar craving, etc) to other things.

      I am determined to get off this horrible drug and to be in control better.

    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 Jojocull

      Posted

      Morning

      How are you?

      I am feeling ok but my reduction is much slower than yours.

      I have just said to Heather29740 I had no idea how much this drug messed you up, and things I put down to bizarre behaviour was actually ven!

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull Sunvally59

      Posted

      Yeah I'm in the hospital tonight with a drip in my arm and still waiting to see a psychiatrist. I couldn't cope anymore with the intense pressure and headache anymore. I just wish they would hurry up and see me. They don't seem to take this very seriously at all. It's like you have to have blood pouring out if your head for them to do anything. If they could see inside my head they would be rushing!!
    • ronnie_21593
      ronnie_21593 Jojocull

      Posted

      Hi there

      Just wanted to ask how it's going with venalafine tapering ?

      I've been on 75mg 5 years.

      Just dropped to 37.5 and feel agitated and moody and ache ! Feel horrible

      Thanks

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