coming off venlafaxine?

Hi there everyone. I have been on venlafaxine for around 9 years and antidepressants for just on 12 years. I have been slowly coming off venlafaxine and feel dreadful. I am just so tired all the time. The first week was shocking. I had the brain zaps that happened even if I wasnt doing anything and my moods were very short tempered. I didnt like it at all. The second week wasnt too bad and still had the brain zaps and just tired as buggery. I was taking 2 75mg tabs in the morning and have done a month of taking one 75mg tab. Now on my first week of 37.5mg and feeling worse than I did the last few weeks. So lethargic and by the time I have done a mornings work I have no energy and could just go to sleep. This is the worst drug I have ever been on as if you miss one the brain zaps kick in. My doctor didnt tell me any of the side effects about coming off it but also none of the side effects of being on it either. Over the years I have been taking it my skin is shocking. I get itches and there is no bite or anything there and the skin peels off and once looking up side effects one of them was skin irritations!!! I dont know weather its been better being on them or coming off them but I am going to persivere coming off them as apart from all the side effects feel better within myself. Will keep you posted.

Hi everyone I am slowly tapering off venlafaxine I am currently on 75mg slow release capsule I read about reducing the beads inside the capsules week by week, so I opened up one of my capsules to find it had 2 37.5g tablets inside so I decided to cut 5% of 1 tablet for 2 weeks then 10% the next 2 weeks and so on till I am off altogether I am now on day 11 and besides a little insomnia and a little lightheaded for the first few hours in the morning I am coping okay I am still able to work, so fingers crossed I will keep you posted on how I go

I have been taking venlafaxine for over 10 years now and was told by my doctor to come off them slowly, from 300 mg to 150 then to 75 then 37.5 tablet for two weeks then nothing, I have now been off them for 9 days and I still get the pins and needles, my head feels dizzy all the time but does ease off, you have to bare with it it does get better I promise, I have never had to come off something with such bad side effects, don't be freaked out by the symptoms when reducing the dose as I said it will get bette.

Hello, It's been far too long since I have posted on here. I finally got of the venlafaxine.

It took me around 8 weeks to feel normal again the 1st 2 weeks were really bad I was basically a bed bound junkie coming off heroin. I was being sick all the time it was really bad. But after that the days stared to get better as the withdrawal symptoms started to leave me up until week 4 the brain zaps were constant I knew I was gunna get them every day. But from week 5 onwards I was noticing that I didn't get them till late afternoon then it went o every other day and so on.

It has been over 3 month now and I am finally back to how I used to be. I got myself a good job on a customer service helpdesk talking to people everyday I never thought I'd be able to do that again so I'm really proud of myself. I still get a brain zap a fortnight but I'm not too concerned about that the main thing is I'm now better

I know allot of you guys don't have the support I have but just be positive there are loads of videos on YouTube that really help a swell. So good luck ......

There is light at the end of the tunnel x

i typed in "side affects of coming off venlafxine" and found this site i have been coming off the drug now for just under 2wks and i am finding it the worst time of my life sweats sickness and i dont know wot to do i really dont want to go bk on them but i dont think i can handle this anymore i was on 150mg a day i am now down to 37.5mg as i had to brake it down over 4 days each !!!!!!!!!!!! am sick in the mornings dizzy i feel as if am in a car or a boat most the time . can any1 help on tips on how to control the side affects as am very close to going bk on them

Hiya is anyone on venla xl hrt and trazadone..my life is not my own anymore.i am obeyin the need for these.hate the withdrawal process..gave in and went back on venla..seriously feel it has aged me!!!the highs r followed by extreme tiredness and anfd u constantly talk to myself which is very exsausting!!!!i am only 39!!!surgical menopause hasnt helped but i feel i have a big fight on my hands to become me..the real me..not the venla me!!! help :O

Hi I have been on Venlafaxine for over 6 years was on 300mg for many of those years, I became pregnant and cut down to 45mg over a period of time. My daughter is now 10 mnths old and have come off them completely, it was extremely difficult more difficult than the doctors will let you know I had brain zaps mood swings, very very tired couldnt sleep and to make things worse my daughter was teething, no wonder my husband took his time to come home from work! I was very close to just going back on the Ven when I went back to the doctors to discuss this first, the doctor prescribed me Zoplicone which is a sleeping tablet, i took them thinking it would only help with the sleeping side of the problem but to my surprise over the next week my brain zaps got less and less and thank god for that too!! So for me Zoplicone is the way to go, and if your really ready to come off them don't give up hang in there it does get better.

Hi i have Bipolar/manic depression as it used to be called any way been on venlafaxine for 10yrs

now still battling with my highs and lows.Tried to get help and was given mood stabilizers which made me

feel even worse,that was3 yrs ago and recently saw a psychiatrist and he suggested to come off the

venlafaxine and to try Quetiapine,I have seen the severe side effects of this drug also .It seems that there is no help with Bipolar only just to live with it.

Hello

New to this and not used forums before - everything you guys have written is so helpful to me - THANK YOU. I have been unable to express how I feel to my husband and showing him the links has really helped him to understand. I thought I was going insane coming off this drug. Cutting down slowly - hope to be fully off in two weeks. Night sweats are so much better already but I am anxious - so anxious.

Ven really, really helped me when i was really bad and although I am forgetful, a bit numbed and nauseous on it that is better than what might have been otherwise. But I want to come off for a number of reasons.

I am scared of what life will be like without ven. How is it/how has it been for people? I am really scared of how I can be but I would so like to be without drugs. Any thoughts? it's like on the drugs I can 'act' or go along with things for a while - like at work or getting out and doing something but without them...what happens if i can't act - can't do anything...I am scared of what my life will become...what have you guys put in place to help you when you come off ven???

Thank you

Hello

New to this and not used forums before - everything you guys have written is so helpful to me - THANK YOU. I have been unable to express how I feel to my husband and showing him the links has really helped him to understand. I thought I was going insane coming off this drug. Cutting down slowly - hope to be fully off in two weeks. Night sweats are so much better already but I am anxious - so anxious.

Ven really, really helped me when i was really bad and although I am forgetful, a bit numbed and nauseous on it that is better than what might have been otherwise. But I want to come off for a number of reasons.

I am scared of what life will be like without ven. How is it/how has it been for people? I am really scared of how I can be but I would so like to be without drugs. Any thoughts? it's like on the drugs I can 'act' or go along with things for a while - like at work or getting out and doing something but without them...what happens if i can't act - can't do anything...I am scared of what my life will become...what have you guys put in place to help you when you come off ven???

Thank you

hii to each and all co venliflexinors. i am from india and and happy to find out that this forum exists especially nothing such exists in your country, this is the first time i am onto any kind of forum. i am 30, on this evil ssri 300 mg and on mood stablizer for over last five years and still i cant say i am all ok, infact i dont know what being ok means.. i was onto these drugs after since my marriage, i am so scattered and my life has come to halt, i dont know who i am. i am not able to decide whether i have to be in this relationship or walk out!! i want to get rid of this slow poison. please help!! i m sure i a m not alone!!

ps: oops mistake .. in our country*

Ah it's such a relief to see this withdrawal is 'normal'. Is this a reaction to venlafaxine withdrawal or any type of drug withdrawal? (Not having anything to compare it to!) BTW anti-depressants have been such a life saver for me all those years ago. Time to see if my life skills now support a healthy brain. if not - shrug - it's like having eg faulty ovaries or whatever i.e. body doesn't know how to function properly. I have no pride, I want a life to live fully! (sigh, makes me tearful - week 2 of no drug, having ramped down a bit too quickly, in hindsight I ought to have taken doctor advice not just thought I knew what 'slow' meant...) SO looking forward to being able to sleep without anxiety - really thought I was losing it but luckily docs confirmed this reaction is 'normal' for withdrawal. Funny this brain misfunction, was meaning to call someone at work but I accidentally just rang myself! ooops! lets try that again Oh and even though it's early days - its easing, really it's getting better every day. thankfully. Must still sound a bit weird to my frinds cos they check on me which is really honouring. kia kaha everyone,also check out "chocolate mindfulness" I'm told its good...and daily walks in the sunshine are as good as a low dose, how cool is that!

Hi all my fellow sufferers, I became apathetic esp' about weight gain and drinking while taking ven'. I also had the problem of not wanting to get out of bed in the mornings. I have been withdrawing now for a week and last night was the worst I have felt, extreme pressure in my head (not exactly a headache) with a buzzing sound, inability to focus my concentration on any work issues (at certain times as if it happens in an episode), extreme nausea, angry outbursts during the head pressure stages, and my thoughts are speeding through my head when I should be sleeping.

I'm sure most of these symptoms will dissolve over time, waiting and praying for then, but I want to share with you what I did about the nonexistent sleep as this method seemed to work. I downloaded on my iPad a 'brainwaves' app that through headphones you listen to certain tones like alpha & theta brainwave tones with some relaxation music together. I have been setting this to 'deep sleep' and getting round 8 hours of sleep broken only once or twice when you get used to having the headphones on & listening to the tones. The app I bought for $2-99 which I think is a cheap fix esp' as it worked quite well.

Hubby uses it for his headaches now as well (he prob got them from me! right?) lol oh the app! and don't set the bugger to lucid dreaming just yet as you will be wide awake after each dream! But this is prob the only thing keeping me sane at the moment.

Good luck to all and greetings from Australia......will post how long it takes me to feel substantially better but still trying to be positive at this stage