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Anyone withdrawn without horrific issues?

Posted , 8 users are following.

Cleora3
Cleora3

Please tell me not everyone goes through hell coming off this?

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • julie25229
    julie25229 Cleora3

    Posted

    Yes we all do, unless your some sort of a super-humane.

    Its a nightmare, but if you are interested in ways that will make it a little easier i can share my experience with you if you want.

    Julie

    • sarah20344
      sarah20344 julie25229

      Posted

      Hi Julie im coming off it was at 225mg reduced by 37.5mg every other day now by 37.5mg every day and then in a month will decrease again 37.5mg every other day for a month. I have been on them for over 20 years and they not working anymore but IVE read so much about withdrawals I am ok but taking it day by day, problem is can not go on another until im totally off it and at this rate it is Gonna take quite some time, however I no that the slower the better I have depressive disorder and BPD, I am still on my mood stabilisers. I am interested in any advice or info U have. Thanks x
    • julie25229
      julie25229 sarah20344

      Posted

      One thing i know for sure, is to NEVER just stop taking effexor completly.

      You should ween yourself off VERY slowly. I have been on effexor for about 5 years now and i am slowly decreasing my dosages every 4 weeks by 10%. I virtually have no side effects. Since effexor only comes in certain dosages such as 37, 75, 150...... this is how i did it.

      For example from 150 to 75 is waaaay to much of a jump you should only decrease at the most 10% every 4 weeks. I found a compounding pharmacist and he specialized in making the exact dosages that you require. I was on 75mg then i went down to 65, 55, 45, 35 and so on.

      To me this is the ONLY way of doing it right with little side effects. The taking out beads in the capsules is the WORST think you can do because the pharmacist told me that not 1 bead is the same in the capsules, this is like yo yo ing with your brain/nerves. Never do this. Another bad thing is to take 1 capsule one day and not the next, again this is like yo yo ing with your brain/nerves, you will get really bad side effects with these 2 methods. Honestly doctors have no clue what we go thru coming off of these so i did my own extensive research and found out the best way that worked for me. I am not saying you won't get any side effects cause you will, but i was still able to go to work every day and function with my normal daily routine. Hope this helps someone. One more thing, to find a 'Compounding Pharmacist in your location, type in key words in to google like "componding pharmacist' with your state and city.

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    • julie25229
      julie25229 Cleora3

      Posted

      Hello Cleora

      One thing i know for sure, is to NEVER just stop taking effexor completly.

      You should ween yourself off VERY slowly. I have been on effexor for about 5 years now and i am slowly decreasing my dosages every 4 weeks by 10%. I virtually have no side effects. Since effexor only comes in certain dosages such as 37, 75, 150...... this is how i did it.

      For example from 150 to 75 is waaaay to much of a jump you should only decrease at the most 10% every 4 weeks. I found a compounding pharmacist and he specialized in making the exact dosages that you require. I was on 75mg then i went down to 65, 55, 45, 35 and so on.

      To me this is the ONLY way of doing it right with little side effects. The taking out beads in the capsules is the WORST think you can do because the pharmacist told me that not 1 bead is the same in the capsules, this is like yo yo ing with your brain/nerves. Never do this. Another bad thing is to take 1 capsule one day and not the next, again this is like yo yo ing with your brain/nerves, you will get really bad side effects with these 2 methods. Honestly doctors have no clue what we go thru coming off of these so i did my own extensive research and found out the best way that worked for me. I am not saying you won't get any side effects cause you will, but i was still able to go to work every day and function with my normal daily routine. Hope this helps someone. One more thing, to find a 'Compounding Pharmacist in your location, type in key words in to google like "componding pharmacist' with your state and city.

      0 votes Report Share Reply

  • jaxie42
    jaxie42 Cleora3

    Posted

    Hey Cleora. I didn't have a bad time coming off venlafaxine, but I persuaded my doctor to put me on fluoxetine when I was down to 37.5mg of venlafaxine a day. Yes, I still had a slight muzzy head for a week, but I was still able to work and function well.

    I wish you luck xx

  • elaine92718
    elaine92718 Cleora3

    Posted

    No. IV you withdraw slowly, and I mean slowly it's fine. For example a 150mg per day dose takes approx 6/8 months
    • anne240
      anne240 elaine92718

      Posted

      Someone who agrees with me.  Seems doctors advise people to withdraw much too quickly.  Did you withdraw over months like me.  I got no withdrawals doing it over months.  Lots of people here are given bad advice it would seem to me.  Shame doctors are not more helpful about withdrawing.
  • anne240
    anne240 Cleora3

    Posted

    Lots of people report bad withdrawals, and that is because they withdrew too fast.  I have done it both ways.  It took me 10 months to withdraw, and that was 18 months ago, and I am doing well.  I had no withdrawals because I reduced the dose very very slowly.  I don't think it matters how long it takes.  I am sorry you are having problems.

    Please slow down with your withdrawal.  Take your time and reduce gradually over months,m like I did.  I am a small old lady, not a big strong person, but I managed.  Hope that helps. 

  • gail_77
    gail_77 Cleora3

    Posted

    I was on Venlafaxine 300mg for about 7 years and before that was taking Seroxat. I stopped taking Venlafaxine because it just wasn't working. I cut down over three days to nothing and then started Mirtazapine 15 mg but only took it for 2 weeks and told my GP I wanted to stop all meds entirely, thinking I would need to gradually cut down. He told me to just stop taking Mirtazapine and although it would be 'tough going" he thought I should be ok. So I did. I've been off meds for about 6 weeks now and am amazed that I haven't suffered terrible withdrawals! I cry a lot, feel extremely emotional and have aches and pains all over my body. But so far, so good! To be honest I'm gob smacked as I seriously thought I'd end up back on them and have to cut down very slowly ( as I had to with Serixat). I'm not advising that anyone should simply stop taking their meds but all I can say is that we must all be different and need to do what's best for us personally. I have started taking St John's Wart so whether that is helping I'm not sure. I'm eating healthy and generally trying to keep well now. This is my experience anyway. Good luck and feel free to contact me if you need to. 
    • gail_77
      gail_77

      Posted

      ps. Just wanted to clarify that I did this with the support of my GP. 
  • manny89031
    manny89031 Cleora3

    Posted

    I didn't have all the bad side effects when I got off this medication.  All I had was bouts of dizzyness or vertical that would hit me through out the day.  That lasted for about a week.  I've been fine since.
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