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Venlafaxine again!!!!

Posted , 4 users are following.

Belinda7168
Belinda7168

Hi all! My GP recently took me off of venlafaxine slow release from 150mg a day to 0 over the period of 2-3 weeks! This was done due to high blood pressure. I learnt a lot from people on here that it was done too fast, hence the severe withdrawal, so GP put me on metazapine 15mg! I've had a severe breakdown, depression back worse than ever, anxiety that I'd never had and self harm that I haven't done since a child, I'm now 48!

New Year's Eve, psychiatrist upped mirt to 30-45mg, yesterday psychiatrist put me back on venlafaxine 150mg and told me to also continue mirt!

On top of that, local GP has doubled my blood pressure tablets and introduced another medication to try and control the blood pressure!

First dose of venlafaxine 75mg last night had me throwing up and, sorry but watery stools!!!

So now I'm back to square one with 3 different lots of meds on top, shaking and dehydrated, just to name a few! I'm losing the will to fight anymore 😔

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • elaine92718
    elaine92718 Belinda7168

    Posted

    Omg!!! I was also on 150mg for 10 years. I tapered over 4 months and I think that was too fast. Like you due to high BP. I did manage 7 weeks without then the dep/anxiety came back. Some say it's still withdrawal from the Ven, however I had to have something to relieve the symptoms.

    I now take citalopram 20mg and seem to be getting there finally.

    I also take candarsartin, a water tablet and doxazosin all for my BP.

    The side effects I had withdrawing where horrific so I can't even imagine how you must feel. Your GP got it so wrong expecting you to be OK to just discontinue the Ven.

    I hope things improve soon. You will get better once the drug has got back in your system.

    Remember next withdrawal the key is slooooooooowwwww 😊👍😊👍😊

    • Belinda7168
      Belinda7168 elaine92718

      Posted

      Thanks Elaine, I stuck to the gp's way because I thought he knew best but I have since learnt he was wrong, people on here and my psychiatrist have adviced slowly slowly! I've seen numerous dr's, nurses both in the hospital and surgery, all telling me it's not withdrawal till yesterday, so it was a stepping stone to hear a professional body agree with me!

      Thanks for your reply 😉

    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 Belinda7168

      Posted

      HI Belinda!  That is encouraging that you ran into at least one health-care provider who acknowledges protracted withdrawal!  Hopefully, the more awareness that is brought to this issue, the tide will start to shift.

      I think I already mentioned this in another of your posts, but I strongly encourage you to join Surviving Antiepressants if you haven't already so that they can guide you on getting off of these drugs!  Like you, I ended up on mirtazapine AND Effexor, not realizing I was in protracted withdrawal from Effexor, so I get where you are at!

      I am slow tapering the mirt, 10% per month, because it caused me to gain weight.  I am micro-tapering the Ven because it isn't good to do-taper, so I am now down to 29 mg Ven from 37.5.

      I'm sorry you are a another victim of poor doctoring!

    • Belinda7168
      Belinda7168 betsy0603

      Posted

      Thanks betsy, yes I have joined the site, not commented yet but very interesting reading. Right at this moment in time, the hospital have just called and said to stop the venlafaxine, they will pop round tomorrow with a slow release venlafaxine. I have stopped being sick and running to the toilet, but something is happening because I'm not crying or wanting to hurt myself now, in fact, I look at the scabs and think, what the hell???? Once I'm "normal" I'll be able to make wiser decisions and alternative choices, but tapering very slowly is already top of the list, thanks betsy xx
  • steph77910
    steph77910 Belinda7168

    Posted

    Hey bel i know im a stranger and i cant do miracles from here. I know how ur feeling. Ive been through it. I remember i had to stop all my meds when i surprosingly got pregnant. I was alone and scared. I was depressed and vomit everytime i get out of bed. When i miss adose now my sickness and thoughts kill me. Please hang on. Its until you adjust. The watery stools are of previous meds washing out. The more u do the better. Hang in there darling. Xxx
    • Belinda7168
      Belinda7168 steph77910

      Posted

      Thanks Steph, already feeling much more like my old self, can't believe how it was just a couple of days ago I felt soooo bad 😉👍
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