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coming off venlafaxine?

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talulabelle1982
talulabelle1982

I have been taking venlafaxine for over 7 years and can admit that it saved my life a few times in the early stages. I have tried to come off them numerous times,during the past 3 years but have failed every time. The gp honestly dosent know how to help, cut down slowly, miss every other dose...I've tried everything. The side effects of withdrawal are horrendous...shaking, sweating, panic attacks, sickness, violent outbursts, suicidal thoughts. Ive read all the horror stories and truly feel sorry for anyone who has ever taken ven. I'm desperate to quit them but it seems impossible. Any advice would be much appreciated!

13 likes, 362 replies

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  • psychochief
    psychochief

    Posted

    hiya tatula :O)

    im afraid coming off venlafaxine is really bad news :O(

    i accelerated the process by doing it in half the time the psychiatrist suggested, one of the problems is

    that venlafaxine only has a 24 hour half life, if youve missed a daily dose of time release caps, withdrawl

    can begin after 24 hours O_O

    all you can do is take it a day at a time, as quick as you can, the withdrawl becomes a lot easier the

    longer you go, sorry i couldnt be more positive, but good luck, hang on in there its worth it in the end :O)

    Ken~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    • nicoletta40420
      nicoletta40420 psychochief

      Posted

      Hi Psychochief,

      your message made me feel really positive! How long roughly did you have the side effects for?

      I was reducing the ven for 1month and have been off it for 2 months now. I can feel the side effects getting less servere but I still don't feel like myself at all. Initially I had panic attacks which have stopped thank god! but I still have head aches, feel tired all the time and am really irritable. If I had some sort of end goal in sight I think I'd feel a lot more positive. To be honest I was expecting to feel better by now, it's been two months!! Please do let me know how long it took for you to get over your withdrawal. Thank you!!

    • rob18613
      rob18613 nicoletta40420

      Posted

      Hi I am maybe a month further on than you and unfortunately I still have the effects you do. It's getting milder but I am often easily tearful at anything emotional-embarrassing at times!! So I am like you, don't know when I will become totally "normal"  However, I don't feel the dispair I use to before being on Ven which is a huge plus. Hope things ease for you soon.
    • Hiness58
      Hiness58 rob18613

      Posted

      I'm in the US.   Coming off this drug is really tough.  Good thing is I am working from home right now, so no one is really exposed to my nuttiness.  I'm having horrible hot flashes and soooo queasy!  I was on 37.5 for about 3 weeks as I was tapering down and then went to every other day.  I was feeling pretty good so I decided not to take it at all.  Proabably a big mistake.  Got really sick, but I want this stuff OUT of my system.  I hope that it doesn't keep dragging on like everyone is saying.  Doctors should warn us of the side effects if we ever want to get off this drug. 
    • Help_Needed
      Help_Needed nicoletta40420

      Posted

      Hi Nicoletta

      i have been off Venoflaxine for 5 days having weened off from 225mg daily for years.  Currently feeling absolutely dreadful in a parallel universe.  How are you feeling now and how long did/is the process taking?

    • On_the_edge
      On_the_edge Help_Needed

      Posted

      Hi 

      Been on Venlafaxine 225mg for 8 years as just couldnt cope after losing mum and dad to cancer.  Lost count the number of times visited my GP due to insomnia, asked her 3 wks ago would it be due to the Venlafaxine, to which she replied, oh yes it could be as that isn't a good anti-depressant if you have sleeping problems, I despair.  Anyway the long and short of it is, I have been reducing the tabs by 75mg a week, been getting a great sleep at nights, and feel happier within myself.  This is day one without any tablets and feel so nauseous, shivery, it's awful.

       

    • Hiness58
      Hiness58 On_the_edge

      Posted

      Hey, I'm on my 30th day of being completely off of the Venlafaxine.  If you read soem of the post you'll see that a lot of us are having a very tough time coming off of it.  I was so nauseous, itchy etc.  It does get better.  But just make sure you don't come off of it too fast.  You were on a pretty high dose before you started coming off.  Good luck!!!
    • Sukiwarrior
      Sukiwarrior On_the_edge

      Posted

      Hello

      i just read your post from 3 months ago and wondered how you are doing and are you taking an alternative Ssri ?

      Suki 

    • catherine55994
      catherine55994 On_the_edge

      Posted

      Hi On the Edge,

      I've just read your post romantic a year ago but your history on Venlafaxine seems closest to mine so I'd really like to know how you got on with coming off it. I've been on the drug for about 15 yrs, taking 225mg for about 4 yrs. Did you open the capsules and count grains? I really want to come off them but GPs have no idea other than the standard half the dose and keep halving. I'm also on Mirtazapine. Apparently the two combined were known as the california cocktail! I'm not sure if they still prescribe the two together. I'm weening of the Mirtazapine at present and have got down to 15mg. I won't be reducing further for a while but if you have any tips re the Venlafaxine I'd be very grateful.

      I hope this message gets to you.

      Take care.

    • catherine55994
      catherine55994

      Posted

      Oh dash auto correct strikes again, I meant from not romantic. . Sorry!!
    • MelisaD
      MelisaD catherine55994

      Posted

      Yes people do actually remove grains from the caps as they begin the tapering process. You can start with removing 5 grains per pill and take for a week and see how you feel. The next week remove 10 grains per pill and take for one week and so forth. If you find that titrating down in one week is too fast, wait two weeks, or you can lessen the amount of grains that you remove each week/every other week.

      Once you get down to 25 mg, that will be in the form of a pill. After taking 25 mg for however long, you will then use a pill cutter to cut it into halves and then into quarters and eventually you will be able to fully wean off.

      Look into the "Prozac bridge". Prozac is prescribed to alleviate symptoms of withdrawal from other anti depressants, which may help towards the end (25 mg), if needed. To wean off of Prozac is very easy and there are very minimal effects.

      I am literally giving you my personal experience of what I endured and how I tapered myself off of Effexor. Ironically, I'm back on the med now because it works the best for me, but if I ever want to come off, I definitely know how!

      Good luck!!!

    • trish94518
      trish94518 Help_Needed

      Posted

      Hey how have you been coping with your side effects? What type of effects are you having ? It's about my 6th day off venla as well. I'm having migraines l dizzyness shortness of breath lack of energy nausea hot flashes body temperature rises .. and horrible jitters :-(

    • sheena13163
      sheena13163 catherine55994

      Posted

      Hi Catherine I hope you see this, was just scrolling through the posts on reducing venlafaxine, and your situation is a lot like mine - I'm on mirtazapine too. The California cocktail, eh?! Been on venl. For 6yrs and take 300mg, reducing just seems like an impossibility, but the more I read about these drugs the more worried I get. I'm 65 now and have physical health problems too. Am also trying to give up Diazepam so that has to be the first step. I'd be really interested to know how you're doing. Thanks. Sheena

    • sheena13163
      sheena13163 catherine55994

      Posted

      Hi Catherine I hope you see this, was just scrolling through the posts on reducing venlafaxine, and your situation is a lot like mine - I'm on mirtazapine too. The California cocktail, eh?! Been on venl. For 6yrs and take 300mg, reducing just seems like an impossibility, but the more I read about these drugs the more worried I get. I'm 65 now and have physical health problems too. Am also trying to give up Diazepam so that has to be the first step. I'd be really interested to know how you're doing. Thanks. Sheena

    • vivian14331
      vivian14331 dolores10636

      Posted

      hello dolores

      How do I ween 37.5 with75mg to only one pill?   not these two together ...I feel these together are too much for me.

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