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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

362 Replies

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  • chad1973
    chad1973

    Posted

    I second that Pamkirbs!! Omega 3 supplimentation has saved me from experiencing the terrible effects you described. Anyone suffering with this should at least give it a try, the worst that can happen is that you get some good vitamins in you! Come on, just try it. wink
    • hiphi
      hiphi chad1973

      Posted

      Chad, this advice is perfect cool. I've been on Omega 3-6-9's for a few months as I was weening to 1/10th of a 75mg capsule, now I'm off completely for nearly 6 days. You can find my posts on my day-to-day at the end of the lists of entries. I am also on Calcium / Magnesium as this is known to help calm nervousness and tension, as well as using a daily multi-vitamin, chiropractic care and Benadryl for the brain zaps.

      I also believe that making the side-effects known to people will hopefully decrease the usage of these horrific drugs. 

      I am hoping you are well.  

    • froggy2
      froggy2 hiphi

      Posted

      Hi Awl

      After stuffing around with varying the dose, I have gone cold turkey. Wo hoo..

      I'm someone that tries to analyse what is happening; doing the Terry Pratchett thing of if I can name it, I can defeat it., so heres hope someone can get something out of this. please bear with the tec speak.

      I also get "shush" sound in the ear if I missed two days of 150mg. - does this description sound like the "brain zap?"

      If I move my awareness, from TV to entrance door, I get the disorientation / dizzy / shush sound. My eyes try to follow the direction it thinks my head is going to compensate, but end up going like a dizzy person flicking slightly.

      The other movement reaction is almost like I turn head and brain stays in the initial position then the zaps/ shush is it re-aligning itself to the new head position??

      If so, then I wonder if VenFax slows the initial input into the brain? (1st impressions)

      I believe DR Winston mentioned that the short term memory is the first part of access of outside influences an emotional person acts direct from this part. Then "when they have time to think about it," it goes to another part.

      That would explain why the run/flight/fight/cry comes before anything.. for us its stronger.

      VenFax's job could be to slow this reaction down so it is run into the more thinking part.

      1. less emotion, 2. BUT also the brain would have to push harder to get the messages into the emotional part of the mind.

      3. VenFax says taking more risks is a side effect. This would make sense as I don't have the 'pit in the stomach' telling you not to poke the tiger/cross the busy road, because the signal is delayed.

      Now that I've gone turkey, it could mean that its like a loud stereo suddenly being turned off at a party when you are shouting loudly to the person next to you. There is a period of continued shouting until the brain realises that it should be a lot quieter.

      This would explain everyone’s descriptions including the nervousness / tension etc. The brain is having an oh sh*te moment, where it has to adjust to not pumping the more important stuff through at 300%.

      I find that I am tearing up listening to Phil Collins, my clothes that didn't wash were consigned to the pool, and I’m annoyingly happy at work. Typical short term memory reaction stuff, but way over the top - especially about being happy at work smile

      SO from a lot of topic comments, Omega assists - I used to use it to assist my learning - I'm wondering if it is actually "Awareness" that it affects, so it would greatly assist in recovery as the brain can learn faster that the music volume is down and to learn what 'normal' now is.

      Talking about normal, this discussion has helped me look at the reaction and go well, this is normal, I'm not mental, and It *will* go away.

      What IS mental is that I have been on 3l Coca Cola a day since 2000 and only have coffee / tea as a change – I don’t drink water, so I may have additional side effects, but so far, only the ‘normal’ ones, without the stools.

  • sally87
    sally87

    Posted

    Thanks for the recommendation Pam and Chad. I do take 1 Omega 3 in the morning but am taking a 2nd one at night.

    I had a breakthrough moment yesterday. After a particularly nasty couple of waves I had a long window from late afternoon and all through the evening when I felt progressively better so I think things are beginning to settle down thank goodness

    Will keep you posted!

  • sally87
    sally87

    Posted

    Unfortunately the window was short lived and the nasty vicious withdrawals are back with a vengeance.

    My doctor tapered me off the drug from 150mg to 0mg over a period of 4 months. Obviously there is no way I would go back on it but I wondered if anyone knows whether this was too quick and perhaps I should have done the bead counting thing over a year or so? Is this why I'm having such a terrible withdrawal do you think ?

    Thanks

  • pooja7
    pooja7

    Posted

    Hi everybody,

    This is pooja from India (Delhi), I m on this OD drug 300 mg for almost 6 years and plus 40mg anti anxiety drugs!! I am planning to wean off 75 mg per week starting from today.. But i am really wondering how I sha'll do without them, once I was without them for a day so have a little withdrawal experience and know what to expect!! It's kinda challenge to yourself.. kind of taboo here in India to be on these antidepressants so not much support all these years and now so taking virtual help from here!! Hope wld able to sail through it. Wish me luck.. Need them badly... Will update the forum!! Fingers crossed!

  • chad1973
    chad1973

    Posted

    Pooja,

    I predict that you may not get strong symptoms until you get down to the very low dosges. I surely wouldn't go from 75 to 0 though. wean from there as well. maybe half the dose each week. The effects can be pretty tough even with slow decrease. And youve probably already read about the Omega 3 recommendation. It really works for many. Good luck Pooja.

  • pooja7
    pooja7

    Posted

    Chad,

    Thanx for the wishes!! I was taking Amway salmon omega one cap. a day on and off for all these years, but I will try to increase the amount as u suggested. It should help as its a brain food!...so Ist day ends with 75 mg less ie. 225mg for the day. Drowsy, dizzy, pain in brain vertex ,behind the ear in the head and nape of the neck!! I am planning to take some homeopathy help without which it seems to be next to impossible! Will surely update with the experience by the God's grace!!

  • Watermelon
    Watermelon talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Hello everyone, have to say this forum is a big help and reading through all your experiences has been informative and helpful, good job you beautiful bunch of people!

    I'm on day 2 of coming of 75 Effexor XR cold turkey and it seems to be going ok, occasional brain zaps and a wee bit of vertigo but on the whole it seems to be going welll and my mood isn't too bad, in fact it's quite nice to feel emotional over certain things rather then dull and muted...

    Slightly worried that it's all going to go downhill from here though, any tips on coping would be helpful! 

     

    • hiphi
      hiphi Watermelon

      Posted

      How are  you doing now? I'm convinced that going off the Effexor cold turkey would be even more hell than slowly weening off. I so hope you are ok!! Please repost soon if you are able to
    • andrew531
      andrew531 hiphi

      Posted

      Hello hiphi and watermelon. I have to wonder whether cold turkey or weaning is better. I used to be on Klonapin, a few years back and it eventually had me so messed up that I was ready to end it all. I quit that one cold turkey as a last effort to save my own life. It worked. 3 days later, I was back to normal.

      I stopped my VenFlax, cold turkey, a couple of weeks ago. I'm experiencing the side effects I've read about here. The most frustrating, for me, are brain fog, vertigo and clumsiness. They are frustrating to me and quickly get me agitated and irritable, or anxious. It's like being locked in a box, underwater, and being able to see the key on the outside of the box... do I suffocate or drown? I feel trapped in a body that has the eye hand coordination of a 3 year old.

      I don't think that there's any turning back. I can't start up again, just to wean off. I think that it is a highly underestimated drug and very strong. Going back and weaning would only postpone the same symptoms.

      I am thinking a cleaner diet, detox from diet toxins and getting more activity. Is anyone else on this forum low on the activity scale? I am wondering if exercise will stimulate good hormones that normally keep bad one in check.

      Walking or running, on a path, from myself, beats trying to outrun a bullet that starts out just millimeters from your head.

  • lorraine19296
    lorraine19296 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Hi Talulabelle,

    I hope you are now off this horrific drug. Although you posted this 2 years ago, I had to reply and I hope others read it. I totally agree with what you said regarding the great difficulty in coming off this drug. I tried various ways of coming off venlafaxine. I was told by a psychiatrist to take it for ayear to get me over a dreadful feeling of despair. If I only knew what this drug does I wouldn't have took it. Febuary 2011 I was given it, and I a took the last bit yesterday, April 2014.

    I took the last quater of 37.5mg on April 17th 2014. I am on the internet at this time because I am having side effects from withdrawing from this small amount. It's unbelievable this drug is given out by GP's and psychiatrists. All the evidence they have through this website and people saying to their gp's about the side effects from withdrawring. I have had ringing in my ears, severe hedaches, col/flu like symptoms, feeling angry, anxious, unable to sleep, sweating. difficulty breathing through my nose!

    I have unfortunately been in the grip of psychiatry and their false labelling, dishing out mind altering drugs for 30 years; having been labelled with postnatal depression at the age of 22, then they changed their mind labelling me manic depressive. For 20 years I was told take lithium 800mg after a while prozac was added. The lies they told me were that I needed lithium as I had a chemical imbalance and would need to take the drugs for life; and added, that it was similar to people who have heart problems, on tablets for life. When I went to the pharmacy, they were concerned that I was taking this mixture. Though it still went on.  I had to endure terrible side effects from lithium. It was difficult coming off. Psychiatry make you reliant on the drugs, make you believe you have a 'disorder'. It is all lies. Withdrawal from lithium gives a person side effects of 'manic' behaviour, the very thing they falsely label you with.

     I am writing a book at the moment which will hopefully enlighten people to the barbaric treatment of individuals.

    I have only survived through sheer dertimination and inner strength from within and my belief in God. A few people have helped me.  

    Peter Breggin was right when he said 'Your drug may be your problem' and 'Toxic Psychiatry'. Two books that people need to read.

    I do hope you are off Venlafaxine. It's difficult but you can do it. It needs to be done very slowly at your own pace. I recommend that when withdrawring from Venlafaxine , people see their GP and let them know.

    Take care

     

    • hiphi
      hiphi lorraine19296

      Posted

      Good evening, Lorraine, I would love to read the book you are putting together. I will be doing the same when I am back to thinking clearly, I am in my 6th day off Venlafaxine. I've been posting about my day-to-day struggles and challenges, but also (hopefully) giving hope to people that with holistic and natural programs they can have an easier go. I am truly convinced that it's helping. 

      Please tell me how things are going for you now, and I would love to connect with you!

    • froggy2
      froggy2 lorraine19296

      Posted

      "The lies they told me were that I needed lithium as I had a chemical imbalance and would need to take the drugs for life;"

      All, INTERESTING comment isn't this?

      I was also told that the drugs are for life.. (I'm from Australia so its not a medical board descision)

      - Also for me at age 46 cholesterol has gone up, with the issue of the lifetime dose of STATINS knocking.

      So I assume from this country commonality that some drugs companies are globally selling drugs for consumption, and not to fix health.

      I can only hope that it doesn't get to the situation where a Commonwealth Government employee like me doesn't have to keep my job by having to 'listen' to doctors and psychs, as I know from experience, that a 15 min forced consultation does not decide anyones issues, especially if they are going to 'reccommend' lifetime drugs.

  • rob18613
    rob18613 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Hi talula , hope you don't mind me asking but are you still trying to come off?? I have been on ven for approx 20 yrs and now off it. However, after 6 weeks now feel very low again and  feel very emotional. Wondering if I need to go back on. Although reading others comments makes me feel not alone. 
    • hiphi
      hiphi rob18613

      Posted

      Hi rob18613, how are you feeling now, one month after this post? Did you go back on? You are certainly not alone!!! Please read my posts, I've only begun this horrifying journey to freedom, but I know it always comes with a cost. Hoping you are doing well smile 
    • froggy2
      froggy2 rob18613

      Posted

      Have a quick look at my post - I THINK the over emotion is just the brain shouting when it doesn't need to. You not crazy

      HTH

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