Withdrawal nightmare
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi,
I've been reducing venlafaxine for probably nearly 2 years now off and on and i've got down from 225mg to 9.6mg (approx, I use a pill splitter). I am obviously very sensitive to the medication changes having been on venlafaxine for about 6 years and other antidepressants for 6 year prior to that. Every time I make a reduction I feel awful; nausea, anxiety, retching, headaches, irritable etc but I could deal with that if it weren't for the heart problems.
Every night for the past 9mths I've been jolted awake by the feeling that I've stopped breathing as I cross over into sleep (and sometimes before). Drs have given me a referral to a sleep clinic but they are sceptical that it's sleep apnea and just chalk it up to their favourite thing: anxiety. However, I can live with this happening although it is incredibly uncomfortable and sometimes painful, but for the fact that every month to six weeks I'll get a few nights where it's so bad that it will happen over and over again for several hours and it will be intolerable as I am exhausted and unable to sleep at all. Drs cannot find any reason for this happening and as it happens a few weeks after reducing my dose and i've had palpitations previously when I tried to stop the meds completely, I'm pretty sure it's due to the withdrawal. (I also sometimes get convulsive shakes like I'm a junkie or something)
The thing is it's pretty hard to reduce by such small amounts and I don't know how I can cut the pills any smaller. Websites about tapering ADs often say to use a liquid form, has anyone managed to get liquid venlafaxine in the UK?
I can't keep having time off work for withdrawal symptoms and I need to get off these drugs somehow so that I can try and get pregnant in the near future.
Awful drug
1 like, 12 replies
elaine92718 penguinteacup
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Guest penguinteacup
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penguinteacup Guest
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betsy0603 penguinteacup
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This drug is so hard to get off of, it really is worth all the hassle to measure out the smaller 10% cuts. Really reduces the level of suffering!
Also, faster tapers lead to bigger WD symptoms, anxiety and depression included in the list of WD symptoms. Many think they are relapsing when in fact that are suffering withdrawal. We end up thinking that we need this medication like a diabetic needs insulin because we have an "imbalance," but if you do your research, there is no scientific evidence that neurotransmitter imbalances are the cause of anxiety and depression. In reality, the scientists still don't know what the true mechanism of these disorders is.
penguinteacup betsy0603
Posted
One of the hardest things about withdrawal is that people (doctors especially) do not understand that it can be so difficult even to come off a small amount of the drug if you've been on it for years. Yes some people can come off and just feel a bit sick but I have learnt the hard way that that's not me!
I will try again to reduce, only more gradually with the scales once my heart problems have reduced. Maybe one day I'll be free of this drug!
elaine92718 penguinteacup
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betsy0603 penguinteacup
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penguinteacup betsy0603
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Sxx penguinteacup
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I could never take a high dose as I am over sensitive to medication and get terrible side effects.
I was on 75 mgs, cut down to 37.50mgs for a month and then to 18,75mgs. I've been on this dose for 5 weeks and intend to stay on it for longer ???
I open the capsules and count out 75 beads... I do this because the capsules vary from 142 to 164 beads per capsule. I don't know if I'm doing this right as have no one (except Internet) to ask...my psyc. doc says "take them every other day for a couple of weeks then stop"". That doesn't seem a good idea to me my brain wouldn't know if it was coming or going.... and my poor brain has suffered enough with this dreadful medication....
I still never have a good day. I am nervous wreck and have no reason to be.
I get bad palpitations, sweating and have a terrible numb feeling in my face/jaw and neck all day long.
does anyone know if these are still withdrawal symptoms? If I knew for sure then maybe they would be easier to cope with...
take care
Sxx
penguinteacup Sxx
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betsy0603 Sxx
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UK-Ven-medicate penguinteacup
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