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coming off venlafaxine after taking it for 15 years

Posted , 7 users are following.

theresa34462
theresa34462

i finished my last tablet about 5 days ago after weening off then i stared to get a wooshing in my ears aslight headache and i keep crying and im convinced im going to die, is this normal or have i something else wrong with me, im so scared please help.

1 like, 45 replies

45 Replies

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  • dave13717
    dave13717 theresa34462

    Posted

    It does get better. I had the ear whooshing - you are the only other person I have seen mention it. Any head movement resulted in a strange noise and sensation. The Benadryl tip worked for me but it is only US Benadryl. Over here in the UK it is the over the counter Nytol. Lessened the problems for me althought it does make you a bit tired.

    Stick with it - it does get better and I feel much better now I am fully off it.

    • hiphi
      hiphi dave13717

      Posted

      Yes, Dave the whooshing came with the brain zaps, vertigo and other crazy sensations. I would get tingling in my face and even on my tongue, much like when I've had an anaphylactic episode. Everyone is so different in what we feel, and if I had to list all the symptoms/sensations I'm sure anyone else would think I'm dreaming them up. 

      How long did it take for you to get off of Ven? and are you free of all of the withdrawal symptoms now?

    • dave13717
      dave13717 hiphi

      Posted

      Didn't seem to take me that long to get off TBH. Maybe I was just lucky but I seem to be free of all the withdrawal symptoms now. The first two to three weeks were worst and then it just seemed to ease off. Still feel a bit low now and then but nowhere near as bad as I was on either of the tablets (Sertraline + Ven). Sertraline kept me awake for nearly 3 days solid and turned me into a jittery zombie as well as feeling and being sick. Ven wasn't as bad but made me feel bad enough that I wanted out. Tiredness was the big killer for me. The main part of my depression symptoms was feeling tired and listless and sleeping too much and Ven made this worse. I was off work for 6 weeks after a foot op and would sleep to 9 and want to go back to sleep at 10.

      I certainly don't want to put people off taking AD as they affect different people different ways. But when they disagree with you, boy do they disagree with you.

      Uniquely for me, Caffeine has helped. I cut it out 10 or so years ago when I cut out all potential migraine triggers but starting to have it again has helped with my tiredness and kept me off AD for a couple of months so far. I still feel down at times - bizarrely at weekends when I'm not working is worst - but I can get through the working week and have enough get up and go to start exercising more and try and get better the natural way.

      Good luck and best wishes to everyone trying to get off this drug which, although it helps a lot of people, can be evil if it doesn't like you.

    • totallytiffy1
      totallytiffy1 dave13717

      Posted

      Hi. I was on this when it first came out, going of paxil to effexor. 75mg worked well, but Dr. Suggested a new drug just released and switched and good quality functioning for over 15 years.yes the new ones are brutal coming off. Or as you said if they don't agree you sure get sick. Aren't you taking anything now? Just curious. Wish you well.
    • jpm
      jpm dave13717

      Posted

      Is Benedryl not a sleeping pill and does it not lose it efficacy after a while?
    • hiphi
      hiphi jpm

      Posted

      Benadryl is a medication we use in North America for allergic reactions, but I believe it also has ingredients similar to Nytol which is used for sleeping. Are you familiar with that one?  
    • daveTTT
      daveTTT hiphi

      Posted

      Hi all,

      I've been prescribed 15mg of Zopiclone nightly and is the ONLY way I ger any sleep. Hope that was of any use.

      DaveTTT

       

    • hiphi
      hiphi jpm

      Posted

      As for the effectiveness wearing off I only used it when things were rough, for the first few weeks. Then I slowly stopped taking it too, mostly because by all accounts I would rather teach my brain to relax and sleep by meditation than medication. So I don't really know if it stops working 
    • hiphi
      hiphi daveTTT

      Posted

      I've been researching other forms of healing, finding that the meditation approach is attractive, non invasive, and free. Free is good, but like anything worthwhile it takes time and effort. 

      When I started using the Benadryl, it was to calm the brain zaps, but yes, it did help me sleep as well. 

    • jpm
      jpm hiphi

      Posted

      Yes Nytol is a sleeping tablet but loses its efficacy after a couple of weeks. I use Melatonin if I can't sleep. It is quick acting and comes in 1mg tablets. but I have found that the less of this the better so I only take 200-300ugrams. That is enough for a good nights sleep.
  • ross94426
    ross94426 theresa34462

    Posted

    Hi guys

    Long time ex-venlafaxine recipient here. I was on and off it many times over 6 years, and the only way I found to avoid withdrawal was by opening the extended release capsule and gradually removing one or two of the 'beads' each day, then resealing the caplet and taking.

    The main cause of withdrawal is the fact you take a big drop down from one dose to the next rather than making it gradual. Gradually removing the beads lets you control this and give you a super smooth taper off.

    When fully off it, if withdrawal symptoms popped up I would take a caplet with a few beads in until the symptoms subsided as needed. Eventually you go back to normal. For me this was the best way of avoiding withdrawal and I know it doesn't have to be hell.

    Hope this helps some of you guys.

    • theresa34462
      theresa34462 ross94426

      Posted

      Ross my tablets weren't capsules they were hard tablets otherwise I would have done the same thing you did x
  • totallytiffy1
    totallytiffy1 theresa34462

    Posted

    Hello. Congratulations first of all. Its brutal. Swishy head, tremors, shakes,stomach,dizzy.sick.been through this 27 years going off and on. People don't realize how difficult and don't get it. People miss work, put friends on hold, etc. You will get through it just keep life quiet and simple until this is over like walk or eat your lunch in park, animals etc.are you going on something else or is this it? I was on this when it was approved and going of was a nightmare. But I did it and hung on, don't know how because its emotionally and physically exhausting. You need a trip or vacation afterwards. Let me know how your doing. I'm waiting to go on fetzima. Its like cymbalta and effexor. Good for anxiety.
    • theresa34462
      theresa34462 totallytiffy1

      Posted

      Totally agree no one undestands what its like I never dreamt it would be this bad and im now scared to try anything else x
    • totallytiffy1
      totallytiffy1 theresa34462

      Posted

      I do agree and understand, after three ER visits in a month in scared going on a new drug this week, but I love life and want to feel good again and I'm a people person. What's the worst really?? I end up in ER until I get straightened out again. Iam so med sensitive. Good luck to everyone going through this nightmare.
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