225mg Venlafaxine struggling to withdraw
Posted , 9 users are following.
I've been on 225mg of Venlafaxine for nearly 5 years for depression but I'm now doing very well, been back at full time work for 4 months and things going well. My dr agreed I could start to reduce my medication and put me on 150mg of Venlafaxine. After just 3 days I couldn't hack it anymore and went back on my 225mg. I had a constant headache and was so afraid to fall asleep because the night terrors were the most disturbing thing I have ever experienced. Then the lethargy. About 2 weeks later I attempted it again but again at 3 days I gave up, it was like my world became so surreal and strange I felt odd. Again went back on 225mg. I have an appointment in 2 days to discuss. But I'm wondering what others experiences are? Is it too much of a jump 225mg to 150mg?
2 likes, 53 replies
jayne03174 leanne62426
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leanne62426 jayne03174
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I have been on 225mg for almost 5 years, for depression and anxiety, the last 2 years I also had talking therapy and that's really when I started to see progress. I do think the Venlafaxine helped me, my anxiety was controllable and I generally felt a little bit better mentally. I started on citralpram in 2009, I went through some awful stuff and started having panic attacks then severe anxiety then depression but the citralpram were terrible for me even though I was on them for a whole year! Then I changed to Ven and that's when I started to very slowly get better. I hadn't worked since 2009 and I've just this month turned 30 and finally I'm better, and working again and have a social life again, it's just withdrawing thats hindering me. the only side effects I had when I first started on Ven we're dizziness brain zaps and headaches that passed around 4 weeks each time it was increased.
jayne03174 leanne62426
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leanne62426 jayne03174
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ricky1969 leanne62426
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Regards,
Ricky.
leanne62426 ricky1969
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elaine92718 leanne62426
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leanne62426 elaine92718
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Your absolutely right. I saw my GP today and she has given me 150mg plus 37.5mg. She has instructed that's I take 150mg in the morning and 37.5mg in the late evening around 8-9pm. I think because most of my side effects occur at night. She is calling me next Tuesday to see how this has helped.
elaine92718 leanne62426
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ian25191 leanne62426
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Reading your post i thought it was one of mine i'd written a few months ago. Our circumstances are almost the same. I was on 225 and my Doctor advised 150 straight away which is by far to much of a drop. I had similar symptons and went back to 225 and kept away from my Doctor.
I have been dropping 25 at a time( not exact but near enough) for 3 weeks at a time and am now down to 100 with side effects at all. My headaches are getting better and towards the end of my 3 weeks they come on again. This seems to tell me my body is used to that dose so nows the the time cut down again.
You're not alone, there are probably 1000's of us around world so try again a little more slowly.
Ian
leanne62426 ian25191
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That's good to know thank you. I will try what the dr has advised and see how I get on, if that fails, then I'm taking your advise. My dad has a tablet cutter so il be reducing my dosage my way, bit by bit.
It really bugs me that dr's are still not listening. Why are they still telling patients to reduce so dramatically.
ian25191 leanne62426
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As you may have gathered i have no faith in Doctors. I was put on this high dose by a physcarist with no request for a follow up and have a GP who is happy to let me have them on a repeat prescription presumably for ever. They have no real knowledge of the effects and over the the 5 years i have been on have been prescribed 2 diferent drugs for other problems which after my own research found have a severe reaction to venlofaxine.
So i have found advise from others on here to be more benificial.
Its a scary thought but they prescribe venlofaxine probably having read about it somewhere.
One last point. Has anybody had a test for kidney function?.
Let me know how you're doing Leanne and remember you're not alone.
Ian
elaine92718 ian25191
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leanne62426 ian25191
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I haven't had a kidney test no. Is this something they should be doing with me being on Ven?
leanne62426 elaine92718
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