coming off venlafaxine?

Yesterday, ended up being one of the best days I have in a while. Dressed, hair, make-up. Went out of the house and even exercised. Sore from the exercise today, still in PJ's!! Still only taking 37.5 once a day. Have an appointment next week with the Dr. Hopefully, I can wean more next week. What is Gaba?? Never heard of it before. and I might try the melatonin, but sometimes I feel hungover the next morning from it.

Gaba is a naturally occurring compound in the body and supplementing it with a Gaba product from the health food store helps with the anxiety. I found it made a difference for me on day 4 and 5 in particular. I also used it with the extreme anxiety I got going up to the 225mg dose 8 months ago and had not problems with it. I agree with the "hungover" feeling sometimes with the melatonin. Not sure why it only happens sometimes though.

Well done ! Each day gets better, I have exercised over 10 hours since coming off, still keep getting chronic headaches which are driving me insane, also get tearful over stupid things, but feel "alive".

Hang in there everyone.

Teri1968 - Do you still have brain Zaps?? I totally understand the feeling 'alive" thing, I've accomplished so much this week, Now that my head feels clearer. How strange for me to have let so many things slide or forget.

Judy1959 - I will let you know how it goes with the gaba. If I wasn't anxious, I think I would be off of this sooner.

hi Vicki, never really had the brain zaps, well I may have done but unaware of what they are!

I am the same, I feel I have lived in a haze for years and years and now feel clear, the tearfulness is hormonal this week but can deal with that.

Now to give up the chocolate and cakes!

Day 13 @ Venlafaxine free world :-

Move my eyes ... Zap/buzz buzz all over my body & down to soles of feet

Heart thumps then zap, buzz - radiating outwards through torso & into toes, tingle/pins & needles

Less hotness, chills, clammy, sweating, wobbliness, nausea....I think I'm on my way back :-)

Ok, So I've been on Ven since late last summer, started on 37.5 then bumped up to 75... after reading some of these where people are on upwards of 300, I feel good for myself. Unfortunately I'm sick and tired of the side effects. For me I started out feeling like I was tripping for a couple of days. I can't complain that the Ven didn't fix my mood, I really found that things I was depressed about were gone, but I know good and well that I'm still depressed, just have my chemicals adjusted. The long term effects are starting to get annoying. I have uncontrollable belching (yuck) and my libido is pretty much in the tank. I eat way too much. On the good side I generally sleep like a baby since all the anxiety I was having prior is gone. So this weekend I missed a dose on Saturday and Sunday, now it's Monday and I haven't taken my 75 yet, and am really starting to feel it. As I walk around, I really feel light headed, like I'm tripping again... It's a nuts feeling, but I really don't want to be on this stuff anymore. I've not shared this with my shrink or the prescriber, they seem to think that I should stay on it for another 6-8 months... I fear that the longer I'm on it, the harder it will be to get off, and I certainly don't want to get the dose upped any. How long will these withdrawal symptons hang around. Last night I had some crazy dreams, and night sweats in a bad way. I'm a bit nervous going into tonight, after reading the bulk of this forum.

So I weaned off the Effexor slowly and have been totally off for about 1 week now. I feel HORRIBLE. The

"zaps" and dizziness is overwhelming. I cant drive, I'm nauseas, and feel as though I will NEVER get better. I can't stand this. How long will this take. I'm a nurse and I'm struggling to concentrate. The only time I feel better is if I'm completely still laying down. I had my first actual meal for the first time in 3 days. I don't know what to do and I'm angry I was never warned about this.

Hi niki, been reading some posts on here and someone mentioned taking Benadryl to help combat the withdrawal symptoms, hope this helps, I too am on ven and been on them for many years, tried to come off before, but the dr advised me not too so one day I will, but not at the moment, good luck with your battle to come off these awful meds.

Hello, first time on ANY forum, been taking venlafaxine for two years this month, January...doctor prescribed to me for perimenopause, was turning 40 that February. Anyway, started with 37.5mg, for week, then up to 75mg.

Still taking 75mg...I want off this stuff...I feel like my feelings and emotions are numb, Ive put on weight, I just

want me back...reading all these posts, I am scared to even attempt to come off it...what kind of med is this

that will do this sort of thing to you?

Hi 2014january,

I'm thinking of you as I know your going thru a tough time right now.

I'm feeling quite ok mentally - still cry at the drop of a hat tho, had a day last week where I just couldn't face going into work! Every sad song on the radio brings tears to my eyes! It doesn't help that my great uncle has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with secondaries in the liver & another uncle died before Xmas! (Yes he is in his eighties but i don't want to lose him very sad)

I met a man yesterday on the job who is a psychic reader and he told me some stuff that has been happening in my life and gave me some pointers on how to fix it, uncanny how he knew.

I'm just keeping my chin up I think, I want this life to change for my family and I!

I think I'm coping ok!!! It's hard to tell when sad times/life keeps going on around you!

This forum's been a great therapeutic tool as well, can't say thanks enough to everyone for their posts, its truly helped me.

I'm just living day to day & trying to find joy in the good things around me! Trying to block people who want to throw a spanner in the works!

So far so good

Headache's and small zaps with going down to 18.75. Just took 18.75 more. I guess this will be a slower process that I thought. Mood has been better not as sad. But can't even focus enough to post.

Melatonin has helped with sleep.

I have been taking venlefaxine for 10 years... I've tried to come off them before but mistook the withdrawal symptoms for the depression returning and went back onto them. I have decided that I am tired of being numb and although I don't miss the lows I do want some highs back so attempting to give them up. My GP has suggested spacing them, ie today I took one 25 hours after the last tomorrow I will leave it 26 and so on..... Just wondered if anyone has successfully managed to come off them this way, which I reckon will take weeks , or if I'd be better to just bite the bullet and stop ???

I wrote early in this post, but now have an update.. I was on some form of medication for depression for the past 45 Years..Last spring after 15 years of Venlefaxine, I weaned myself from 300 mg to zero. I dropped 37.5 mg per month. I had always missed a dose somewhere along the line so also knew that withdrawal would be rough but I was surprised. On Dec. 13 I took my last dose. It is now six weeks or so and the Physical withdrawal is long over, no more headaches, sweats, dullness of wit and brain. But the Emotional withdrawal is going to take some time. I sense for me that the emotional roller coaster will smooth out in about 3 months time. I have to be veryt aware of what i am Reacting to. I am teary, angry, assertive, aggressive, happy, sad, lovey dovey and whatever in a matter of minutes, and so I journal, and try and keep busy and be aware of my feelings. The bright side is that a new world has reopened again, the dullness is lifting day by day, fresh things to see, I am hungry, i am going to bed and sleeping at a regular !! time, I am excited to get up and start my day, I am dealing with my life. I have had to create a bit more structure as well. I am pushing forward as hard as it may be some days. This has been a freedom of mind and body that I have only dremed of before and is now a reality. I have to learn to cope with my own shit without that chemical..I have no magic for anyone but me, and i am aware that there may come a day that I may have to return on medication, but my darkest days taking this drug, are no match for the brightness of my future, as long as I keep a most positive attitude...