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Taking Venlefaxine for 10 years’. Stopping April 2016.

Posted , 5 users are following.

RISquare-42
RISquare-42

I have been taking venlefaxine for 10 years’ & am starting to stop today. Having quite a few disabilities; inc. Club Feet, Arthrogryposis along with other problems. Being a confirmed meat eater - who cannot cook due to my problems does anyone have suggestions for supplements and other thoughts?

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • darkest21035
    darkest21035 RISquare-42

    Posted

    Have you thought about. Slowly tapering off, it will take a while but alot safer. When you first started Venlefaxine did it effect your conditions, I would do it slow over a few months, Ive read some peoples reactions, seems its easier if you lower the dose over time.
  • RISquare-42
    RISquare-42

    Posted

    Whoops! Seems that I can't spell Velafaxine properly after all this time.

     

  • jennifer318
    jennifer318 RISquare-42

    Posted

    Hi. I have to agree with Darkest. I have been on Ven for over 10 years also, and am finding that the Ven is responsible for many of the problems I have been dealing with like treatment resistant depression, inability to think clearly, anxiety, ugh! it just goes on and on.

    I just began to reduce my dose and plan on taking my time with it. Apparently many doctors are not aware of the difficulties patients face when they stop taking Ven, so the withdrawal can be frightening. 

    Read some of the posts on getting off of Ven, it can be a horrible drug to stop taking with some really evil side effects, and the safest way to stop is to taper off slowly. That way you can minimize the side effects. I dont know about supplements, however I would think that a well balanced multi couldnt hurt!

    Good luck!!

  • RISquare-42
    RISquare-42

    Posted

    Thank you kindly for your responses. I am going slowly and tapering off slowly and after a long talk to my GP. He agreed that the time has come to stop, however he has put me on a closely monitored regimen.

    My main question is whether I should be taking any supplements; especially as it is very difficult for me to cook my own meals and use a lot of ready prepared meals from my local delivering supermarket chain who do better quality meals than some of the others. However do you think that I might/should take these supplements?

    To answer darkest, I am sure that it has added to some of the problems. I will know a clearer answer in several days.

    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 RISquare-42

      Posted

      I will back the others in saying to do a SLOW TAPER!  The doctor will probably tell you to go faster than is prudent for someone who has been on for 10 years.  What they don't seem to recognize is that the brain remodels to take the action of the drug into account, in an attempt to regain homeostasis.  The longer you have been on and the higher the dose, the longer it takes for the brain to remodel in reverse.  

      I came off too fast after 12 years and ended up in protracted WD for 10 months, ended up reinstating.  When I reinstated, the clouds parted and the sun shone within an hour, a true sign of getting a "fix" of the drug you are withdrawing from.  I am now doing a very slow taper, 10% per month calculated on the previous month's dosage.  I realize now that my nervous system was really stuck operating with the drug's action as part of the equation and it was going to take a lot longer for it to adapt than expected.

      When we come off too quickly, the nervous system is destabilized and tthat causes the withdrawal, which can happen in windows and waves, windows being periods of feeling good, followed by waves which are periods of withdrawal symptoms.  It is NOT about getting the drug out of your system and then you'll be ok; it is about the drug not being there that causes all the problems!

      Tapering too fast amounts to a cold turkey.  When you taper, if you make bigger cuts than 10%, then at least allow a full month in between to allow for stability to set in.  Usually symptoms will arise about 5 days after a cut, though if the cut is too big you will feel it the next day, and that is a sign that it was too big.  The symptoms will last perhaps a week and then subside, and that is where you need to leave your nervous system alone for a week to 10 days, to settle into the adjustment, before challenging it with the next cut.  NEVER make another cut while you are experiencing symptoms, just because your doctor gave you a schedule to follow!  That would be heaping more instability on top of instability!

      Tapering is an art.  People mess up by pushing more cuts, too big and too fast, such that the nervous system gets overcome and the wheels come off the bus.  Much better to make a few cuts and then hold for a couple of months, let yourself get really stable and then resume.

      I'm telling you all of this from my own experience as well as a wealth of experience from others who have made the mistakes and learned from them on a withdrawal forum.

      Also know that depression/anxiety/panic/insomnia are all withdrawal symptoms that can well up later in recovery, sometimes months later, but doctors will deem you relapsed and insist you go back on meds.  A tiny reinstatement may indeed help, but not because you relapsed and "need" to be on meds, but because you are in withdrawal and came off too fast.  There is a difference.

      Good luck coming off Ven!

       

  • RISquare-42
    RISquare-42

    Posted

    Thinking of the side effects of venlafaxine as well as withdrawal, has anyone else had quite nasty tinnitus whilst taking it.

    Also did people hear voices? And if you did/do, did the voices fade away to one's own thinking voice as one came off the stuff?

    • Jan808
      Jan808 RISquare-42

      Posted

      Hi Eigelssveigeson,

      I noticed that I had tinnitus about 6 years ago when I was taking Celexa and going through an extremely stressful time. Over the years I've become "friends" with it. 

      I started a two month taper with Effexor (I wish I would have taken two years to mirco taper and avoided this hellish withdrawal) and after a week or so the volume and dramatic tonal changes of my tinnitus greatly increases.  Crazy making stuff!!!!!

      Four months later my tinnitus is almost back to normal and once after a meditation it was totally gone for about 3 seconds. Cool, eh?

      I didn't hear voices but I did hear mechanical clunking sounds in my head whenever I moved it. Thanksfully that cleared up after a few weeks. 

      Best of Luck,

      Jan

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