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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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  • manny89031
    manny89031 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Hey, name is Manny.. from the states.  Just wanted to add in my experience.  Wasn't on a high dose of Venoflaxine.  I was only on 37.5mg for just about 2 years. I had a rough patch in my life and it helped.  I just decided to get off them.  Jumped off cold turkey.  It's been 5 days of no Venoflaxine, and i never missed one dose.  Only thing I'm having so far is moments of dizzyness.  Last maybe 5-10 mins at a time through the day.  A little pressure in my head and eyes.  I'm sleeping fine, no zaps, or any other problems so far.  Keeping a positive outlook, sticking to my weigh lifting and eating right.  Hopefully continues to keep going well.  Will keep posting as time goes on.  We are here for each other right?  smile   Thanks
  • nikki1963
    nikki1963 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Hello THIS IS TO ANYBODY on this sight. I'm new to this so please help me out in any way..I'm on VENLAFAXINE 150mg and I'm trying to come off it. I'm really not using it for depression but for been in my 50s for monopolize, all the night sweats and what comes with been a woman in changes..I tried skiping a days dose or two but then I feel like I'm been shocked through my whole body almost every minute..it's scarry feeling like I'm going to have a heart attac. And..I'm a chef working all kinds for hours and on my feet And when it hits me I feel like I'm going to faint. I saw my doc and told her what was going on so she put me on zanix and herd all the bad story's from friends "don't take it" so I'm back to square one again. So I'm still on my 150mg a day..HELP..PLEASE.thank you for reading this
    • midgeo8
      midgeo8 nikki1963

      Posted

      Hi Nikki1963. Just take it one step at a time. I used to be on 150mg for the last 4yrs. I  took myself down to 37.5 slow release. Let your body get used to it then half it again. I found that the drug really helped me, bit its a sh*t to come off. I look forward to the day i am totally free of it. Good luck and hang in there.  
  • julie56224
    julie56224 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Do NOT alternate your medication, don't take it every other da, it is just confusing your brain. Get your doctor to lower the dosage until you reach the smallest available. I have been using a pill

    Cutter to reduce further, I have just taken my last quarter tablet,

    From tomorrow I'm off at last. One tip I have picked up is to use allergy tablets to combat side effects. It really works! I have been using the Boots anti histamines and it has been wonderful, the side effects have been minimal :-)

    • thinkingpositiv
      thinkingpositiv julie56224

      Posted

      I going to try this. Last night I took a Boots sleepexe to try and get a decent sleep. They are antihistamines too and at least in the short trem I did get a bit of relief 

       

  • bernadine69275
    bernadine69275 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    The same as you it's saved my life a couple of times. Everyone seems to be against this drug and wish they never took it but if I wasn't put on it I wouldn't be here. We just have to deal with the withdrawals as hard as they are. There is a light at the end of the tunnel 
  • laura43429
    laura43429 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Hi everyone who has been suffering horrendously by these drugs:

    Report your withdrawal symptoms and adverse reactions through the correct channels. Officials need to know so doctors are forced to be more careful and inform you when prescribing:

    UK:

    https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

    Rest of Europe:

    http://www.adrreports.eu/en/report_side_effect.html

  • damian310
    damian310 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    hi ive decided to come off venlafaxine, ive been on it for probably over a year. ive been icreased all the way up to 325mg with very little improvement. ive dropped 25mg and plan to lower in small decreasements over time. i had missed a few lately and had a bad turn yesterday that gives me some horrible sensations, strange muscle pains and agitation but all over in a day, and it did make me panic and feel sick but that didnt last long thank god. 
  • louise79427
    louise79427 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Hi

    I am also withdrawing from venalafaxine and I got cyclone hydrochloride anti sickness tablets and they have helped with the side effects slot! No brain zaps, nausea etc

    • louise79427
      louise79427

      Posted

      That's cyclizine hydrochloride
  • louise79427
    louise79427 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    Hi

    I got cyclizine hydrochloride anti sickness pills from the doctor and they have really helped with side effects.

    Lou x

  • sara72221
    sara72221 talulabelle1982

    Posted

    I've been on venlafaxine 37.5mg twice a day for a year,two weeks ago i started to come of them as planning on having a baby, I've never felt so alone as come of them the side effects ate nasty headache, feeling sick, fuzzy in the head losing my balance, dropping things n losing my temper, I cry every day for no reason, and I don't know how long this will last I feel like giving up as I'm upsetting everyone I live with.
    • pooja7
      pooja7 sara72221

      Posted

      Hi dear,

      I took help of homeopathy to negate the withdrawal symptoms ..brain zaps, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and many more others. I wld say it will make the bumpy road smooth. So in case u r interested I can send u the medicines names. I don't think u require prescription there like here in India. Good luck!

    • Dani21397
      Dani21397 sara72221

      Posted

      Hi,

      I've just come across this page and it's made me realise how evil these tablets really are!!

      I started taking setraline for about 6 months but my doctors swapped me to venlaxafin because he thought the sertraline was causing my upset stomach, it wasn't until tests were done to realise I actually have celiac disease that's why I was unwell!

      I started taking 37.5mg of venlaxafin daily and then he wanted to up my dose to twice a day but luckily I kept forgetting to take the second one (thank god) and been told my my consultant at the hospital to Come off them completely now.

      I went back to my gp who is an absolute ignorant fool with no compassion whatsoever (which is the last thing you want) and he's told me to take one tablet every other day for 2 weeks and then one every 3 days for 2 weeks.

      I am now on day 7 and the days I don't take the tablets I have never felt so unwell!!! I took a tablet last night but I still feel so anxious today and sick and just jumpy about everything it's awful!! The days I don't take the tablets are just disgusting! I have the worse anxiety, sickness, bad tummy and it's as if I'm not with it at all! I go to work and everything is a blur! I get what people meen about brain zaps it's like you lose focus its so weird but my moods are really affecting my family aswell as I just lash out or cry constantly it's so horrible I wish my doctor told me about these horrible tablets and warned me sad I would not recommend these to anybody they shouldn't be allowed!!!! I'm really nervous coming up to Christmas and having to travel to see family my stomach is in a knot thinking about it! I want to know how long it will be until I start feeling better again?!! Anyone that can help me?? It's honestly been the worst week of my life sad

    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 Dani21397

      Posted

      Oh Dani, that is terrible what your GP did to you!  Never ever is it recommended that you alternate days with tapering ven, or any other SSRI/SNRI!  Ven has a very short half life, about 15 hours, so every day that you don't take it causes withdrawal, and then when you do take it your brain thinks yes, I've got my fix!  Your system is in chaos.  Unfortunately, getting off of them quickly will not cause recovery to go quickly; you are set up for a world of hurt with protracted withdrawal. Furthermore, I assume these are not the extended release tabs, so taking them once a day causes inter-dose withdrawal!

      It is much better to take the same dose every day, just a smaller one.  I would recommend going back to 37.5 mg/day, spitting the tablet in two and taking AM/PM.  After you get stabilized, allow yourself to settle at that dose ideally for a couple of weeks. 

      The tapering "authorities" recommend a 10% taper per 3-4 weeks.  I know that sounds like forever.  You may be able to start with 20% and see how that feels for a few weeks.  Do NOT make another cut if you are still unsettled in any way!

      Check to see if you can get a liquid version from your doctor so that you can measure your dose by syringe, much easier to cut off 20% from the total.  So if 5 ml has 37.5 mg, then you would take 4 ml/day, 2 ml AM and 2 ml PM.  Let's start with that.

      If you can't get the liquid from him, try this.  If you can get a syringe from the pharmacy (ideally 10 ml), put the tablet inside the syringe and then suck up water to equal 10 ml.  Squirt the water into a small mixing container and dump the tablet in with it.  Mix until the tablet is dissolved. Then, suck up 4.5 ml for AM.  Save the rest for taking the other 4.5 ml PM.  I know this all sounds insane but you want to be off this for conception, and if you go more haphazardly you will likely end up badly off and still on ven months from now.

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