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Advice please - feeling dreadful after stopping Venlafaxine.

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michelle281
michelle281

I have been on Venlafaxine for about 18 months and due to symptom of sweating profusely, it was decided that I would wean myself off it. I was taken 75mg twice daily. After consulting with my GP Thursday before last, it was reduced to once a day until Thursday and then stopped it.

I have been feeling absolutely dreadful - nausea, dizziness, palpatations, feeling 'drunk' and pupils have been the size of pin pricks!! Loss of appetite and terribly middle back pain. I'm not sure if these symptoms are related to stopping the medication or not? If it is, any idea of how long this will go on for? I am due to start something else Thursday but if I'm still feeling like this, I am seriously thinking of not starting something else...can't carry on like this. I've spent most of yesterday and today flat on my back because of the awful feeling in my head. I was a bit concerned about the palpitations as I have a heart murmur and a 'dicky' valve. Could this be made worse by the flutter feeling in my throat? Any advice would be most appreciated. Thank you in advance....

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • mark1985
    mark1985

    Posted

    Hi, I recently searched for a similar problem and found your post. I was on the same dose as yourself but -

    managed to reduce to 1 a day without any problems can't seem to switch to having none at all.. What did - you end up doing? I'd really like to hear from you as I desperate to get off them..

    Regards.

  • michelle281
    michelle281

    Posted

    Hi Mark,

    After posting this - I made an appointment to see my GP and I explained how awful I was feeling and he said that it can happen but it not common. Clearly this is what it was.

    I was on no medication for two weeks and then started taking different tablets and after about a week, I felt a little bit more human and after a month or so, felt much better - in that the horrible symptoms had completely gone.

    I seem to be feeling much brighter and better since. I'm just glad that I found out that it was from coming off the tablets and not something else!!

    Good luck Mark and do let me know how you get on - perhaps have a chat with your GP or Pharmacist?

    Kind regards

    Michelle

    :D

  • 2014January
    2014January

    Posted

    Hi michelle281 & mark1985

    Your description of Venalafaxine withdrawal is so accurate & familiar to me & you are not alone - there are many recent posts (my own included) on the thread 'Coming off Venlafaxine' where you will see that the symptoms of withdrawal are in fact very common.

    I'm day 41 post Venlafaxine & still suffering the awful effects of withdrawal although they are subsiding.

    Regards :-)

  • Shamrock89
    Shamrock89

    Posted

    I have been on 75 mg for about 5 months. Finally I had enough with the side effects, and although I felt better (as in I wasn't depressed all the time) I felt worse with all the side effects. I went to the prescriber, and the plan he set me on was a 2 month weaning. I went from the 75 to 37.5, and will be on this for a month. The next month he's got me on 25 for 2 weeks, then break those tabs in half for 12.5. I've been good so far, and haven't missed the heavier dose. I truly noticed a hard core drop when I went off it cold turkey. Get with your GP or whoever, and get a slower drop off, this might help.

    Hope it helps

  • mark1985
    mark1985

    Posted

    So I couldn't get an appointment to see my GP, I self reduced my pills to 1x 75MG every other day and

    that curbed the withdrawal symptoms enough to continue living life normally. Once I ran out I

    was still un-able to see my doctor. I had 3/4 days of terrible brain zaps and feeling awful

    however I learned making sure I got plenty of sleep and made sure I had lots to eat seemed to

    combat the energy reduction. The brain zaps do get easier as now I hardly notice them. The key

    was staying focused on something - So I've been working out loads and also found meditation

    really helpful. You WILL get through it.

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