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Withdrawal success!

Posted , 20 users are following.

Sparklewhizz
Sparklewhizz

I'd been on Venlafaxine for 2.5 years and came to the conclusion with my GP that I was only on it now as the withdrawal symptoms of even missing a dose meant I was staying on them. I came down to 75mg twice a week over a year and three weeks ago I was ready to come off them. I had read a lot if information on forums and I was pretty scared and apprehensive.

i did have brain zaps for 5 days and bad vertigo for about two weeks. I had insomnia and I was very tearful over the slightest thing. I was unable to drive for two weeks.

I took travel sickness tablets when I needed them and they really did help - despite what the pharmacist said!! I also started taking fish oil and vitamin B, again , seemed to really help.

its three weeks today since I took m y last tablet. I feel wonderful. For the first time in 2.5 years I feel like I am seeing things though my own eyes. I smile a lot more and I really appreciate everything in my life. I look forward to things and I enjoy the company of friends and family.

i still get the odd bit of vertigo, maybe a few seconds every few days and I still have some insomnia. Others than that, I'm off it and so very relieved I am. When I went on Venlafaxine, my GP didn't tell me how awful it could be coming off it.

good look to everyone coming off it. Put your mind to it and you will do it. Just allow yourself time off work and be prepared to be housebound for a while.

 

5 likes, 104 replies

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  • Help_Needed
    Help_Needed Sparklewhizz

    Posted

    Hi Sparklewhizz

    How refreshing to hear a positive outcome. It gives me faith.  I have now been off the dreaded Venlafaxine for 13 days and only now are the affects easing.  I haven't have brain zaps for several days, the 8th dimension feeling and a percentage of the aching muscles are also starting to ease off.

    I do swim in the sea for 3-4 hours a day in an effort to calm dawn the extreme mood swings.  The anxiety, rage and so on are still there in over abundant amounts.  I have taken 3 weeks sick leave and transposed myself to a rehab mentality in Greece.  I thought sunshine, warm water, fresh food has got to be more helpful than desk job, stress and commuting in London.

    Thanks for the inspiration to help keep me determined to succeed. 

    • KimPH
      KimPH Help_Needed

      Posted

      You planned well!  Lucky you to have the opportunity to take all that time off and take a relaxing trip!!  I'm 20 days off the venlafaxine and have good days and bad days. The last 2 days I have been dizzy and weak with stomach upset and my emotions are raw.  I'm going to keep on going.  I have NO intention of ever going back on that horrendous stuff again!

      Best of luck to you and keep that determination going.  We can DO this!!

  • KimPH
    KimPH Sparklewhizz

    Posted

    Congrats to you Sparklewhizz!!!  I am just about 3 weeks off the venlfaxine and beween yesterday and today, I feel pretty lousy! I've been feeling dizzy, weak, teary, and overall BLAH for  2 days.  I'm hoping this is the last "hurrah" for this miserable course of withdrawals.  I do have good days and some not so good days.  I haven't taken any time out of work for this process.  I'm getting through my days with challenge, but nothing I can't handle.

    I hope your good days continue on to every day!!

  • Hiness58
    Hiness58 Sparklewhizz

    Posted

    Hey, writing from the US

    I have been tapering down since Mid June and took my last dose of 37.5 about 2.75 weeks ago.  Sparkewhizz is correct that you need to be homebound (or PUT AWAY in an institution) for a few weeks.  Crying kind of scares people! I am thinking a bit more clearly, still very very very emotional about everything.  I am lucky enough to be working from home, because there is no way I could have gotten to work each day these first weeks.  Just seeing Help Needed's post and you really do need to be in a rehab facility just like any drug withdrawal.  I was so physically sick the first week.  And this week it has literally rained the past five days here and I'm trying to keep my chin up!    Good luck to everyone and thank you all for being on these discussions so that we are not alone with all those crazy thoughts in our heads! 

    • KimPH
      KimPH Hiness58

      Posted

      You are SO lucky to be able to work from home (in general)!!  My eyes tear up every time I talk and yeah, it's embarrassing!  It is SO great to have you all to share this with!!  I'm in the U.S. too.  

      Have any of you had the slow motor skills in your hands?  It feels like my fingers just aren't working.

      Thank you all for sharing your journey!

  • Hiness58
    Hiness58 Sparklewhizz

    Posted

    KimPh, in general I do not think I'm functioning but maybe at about 75% in motor and mental skills.  I am desperatetly hoping that this is still a side affect.  I know most of us wonder.  WHO is actually there under that drug?  I was on Zoloft for 10 years before this, so this will be the first time in a long time that I am "naked" so to speak mentally.  Scary????  Are the tears going to mean I''m basically an emotional mess that will make me go back to another anti-anxiety med??  I hope not!!!  But I guess this medicine messes with the entire system.  My energy is so low and I am really forcing myself to perform normal activities such as brushing my teeth and getting dressed!  Hopefully the slow motor skills is still just a delayed reaction.  smile
    • KimPH
      KimPH Hiness58

      Posted

      Exactly!!!  I want to know who I am NOW without the meds.  I've been on the V for more than 7 years.  A lot has changed in  my life and I want to believe that I am stronger now than I was then.  The biggest thing with me is that I wanted to stop them years ago, but my psych nurse wouldn't agree to let me come off.  I'm in control now and I hope I am not an emotional trainwreck without the meds.  Zoloft is HORRENDOUS!! I felt like the walking dead on that crap!  Like I just flatlined emotinally.  Imagine we get scripts for this stuff and look what it does to us, both on and when we try to quit it!

      I'm functioning pretty high level, but I'm exhausted and emotional and clumsy. Funny, but is that really functioning well? We'll see!!!

    • Hiness58
      Hiness58 KimPH

      Posted

      HA!  We have no CLUE of what normal is anymore!  We'll hope that we all come off of this and can see more clearly!  YAY!  Good luck!
    • KimPH
      KimPH Hiness58

      Posted

      I've been researching the side effects and withdrawals on Effexor and Venlafaxine for the last few months, when I was thinking about coming off.  I saw a couple posts on a forum that said the withdrawals can last for 6 or more months!  And one person said she never recovered from the loss of libido.  UGH!!  Sorry to bring up the negative.  I have been joining forums to meet people like you who are going through it too.  I would really like to go through this journey with you all and see where we're at in a couple more months.rolleyes
    • Sparklewhizz
      Sparklewhizz KimPH

      Posted

      My libidos is coming back after three weeks!!! Woo hoo!!!
    • KimPH
      KimPH Sparklewhizz

      Posted

      Mine is a little too, but I feel too lousy to engage!! My b/f is in for a hell of a romp when I'm feeling better!
    • Hiness58
      Hiness58 KimPH

      Posted

      I just know the husband will be eternally grateful when mine returns!!!!
    • jaye76671
      jaye76671 KimPH

      Posted

      Ive been off ven for 4mths and stil have a wide range of side effects one i hate the most is the confusion..and after goin for walks side effects seem much more worse..y is this...
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