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Help for venlifaxine withdrawals

Posted , 7 users are following.

sandra1165
sandra1165

Hi,

I thought I would post this for anyone who is coming off ven that isn't in capsule form. I was on the tabs for 2 years and then my doc told me that I should have only been on them for a year. Anyway, he told me to start coming off the gradually which I did. The withdrawals were horrendous and varied. I came on this forum for help after considering suicide. I found someone who had tried Benadryl hay fever relief tablets with Which helped the withdrawals because historically it came from a similar family. I tried them and have never looked back. I would recommend trying these as they stopped me doing something that I now consider unthinkable. It helps insomnia and calms the brain zaps. It is not addictive, but initially I took it regularly twice a day and reduced it to one then none. There is no adverse affect from coming off them. I stayed on them for 4 weeks tailing off towards the end. Hopefully this will give the hope to others that I found.

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • lisa03229
    lisa03229 sandra1165

    Posted

    Hallo Sandra, that is really useful information & good to know that something helps with the terrible withdrawals...I've reduced my dose by half ~ down to a 75mg tablet daily & I really want to keep going and slowly reduce until I get off the medication completely. It's so difficult for people who haven't been on Venlafaxine to understand. I disclosed to someone recently about me having been on it for 6 years (without any close monitoring from GP) & it was like I was some kind of failure! He had no insight or cared one bit about the withdrawals.

    Anyway, well done to you for coming off them & belated happy new year. Here's to a good 2015! 

    • sandra1165
      sandra1165 lisa03229

      Posted

      Hi Lisa,

      I understand about talking to people who havnt been on ven or about the withdrawals. My husband couldn't come to terms with my depression or the fact that I was on medication. When I was coming off ven, I couldn't talk to him or anyone about withdrawals for fear of what they may think. 

      I was on 225mg for the two years. I was ok when I got down to one tablet. It was when I stopped all together that I had withdrawals. Everyone is different when it comes to withdrawals and I wish you well in coming off all together Lisa. 

      Happy new year to you and all the best for 2015. 

    • lisa03229
      lisa03229 sandra1165

      Posted

      Thank you Sandra ~ here's hoping we all have a good 2015! I always feel very reflective and quite down at the end of the year but I had a wonderful Hogmany & it's really lifted my spirits. My goals this year are to completely stop taking Venlafaxine & lose weight. Have put on far too much these last few years & it's not good, so time to change that....

      Take care.

    • anne240
      anne240 lisa03229

      Posted

      i went from capsules to tablets, and that way I could cut them into smaller and smaller doses.  I got a pill cutter on line, and gradually went from whole tablets to 3/4, to 1/2, to 1/4, to 1/8th, and it

      took a long time, but I did not get any withdrawals doing it this way.  Been off Venlafaxine for over a year now, and that is great because I was on anti depressants for over 20 years and Venlafaxine for 9 years. 

      I have read on this forum and others that people felt Benadryl was helpful during withdrawals.  Never tried it myself.  I am on Omega3, VitaminB complex, Cod Liver Oil, VitaminD, Multi vitamins and minerals and magnesium.  Just going to start 5HPT.  I think supplements help a lot. 

      Happy New Year

      So glad other people are managing to withdraw too. 

  • patricia17763
    patricia17763 sandra1165

    Posted

    I am I taking Venlafazine 75 mg, did you do well on it, I have been on it for 5 weeks and do not feel any better on it, how long does it take to work?

    Thanks for your tip for withdrawal from it

    what were you taking it for?

    • sandra1165
      sandra1165 patricia17763

      Posted

      Hi Patricia,

      I was on 225mg for clinical depression. It took about 6 weeks before I felt any benefit. It did help me and I'm glad I went on it, but I wasn't told about the side effects or withdrawals when you come off it. 

    • anne240
      anne240 patricia17763

      Posted

      In my case, after two weeks on 75mg my doctor increased it to 150mg, and I did really well on that dosage.  Perhaps you need yours increased.  Bear in mind anti depressants can take up to 8 weeks to have any effect.  If it does not work at that dosage after that time, perhaps you should see doctor about having dosage increased.

      Give it a bit more time, and see how you go.

    • ncoules49
      ncoules49 sandra1165

      Posted

      I feel so fortunate that my husband was there for me and did all of the research and reduced the beads 10% every 1-14 days. I am so happy that I was able to reduce until I was off . Still have some ups and downs. Effexor helped me through some very difficult times in my life where my anxiety paralyzed me. I am at a different time in my life and don't think I need anti depressants any more and chose to deal with my problems on my own. With he help of my therapist. I just wish I had known what I was in for whe I went off them. No time is a good time.  tho I felt like going back on them I'm so glad that I was able to push through and have been off of them since October 14th 2014. Keep plugging along as my husband reminded me so many times it is the withdrawals from the drug not you! Oh we have our ups and downs but things are getting better ever day!

      Keep up the good work . It is so good to hear how well everyone is doing!! 

      Keep up with the posts I really like hearing from all of you!

  • simon3164
    simon3164 sandra1165

    Posted

    Just to add for others info if you are on the extended release, before starting reduction it help to change from extended release to the standard VF then start to drop the dose under your doctors supervision.  Myself now 5 weeks off and no withdrawl, but still using omega 3 for long term benefits.
    • anne240
      anne240 simon3164

      Posted

      I went onto tablets so I could cut them up and reduce gradually.  Like you, I had no withdrawal symptoms. 
    • ncoules49
      ncoules49 simon3164

      Posted

      My doctor kept telling me it wasn't a good time To off the Effexor menopause this that blah blah blah! I did it myself and she was surprised that I had withdrawls. Research yourself and be your own advocate. My dr did prescribe Xanax. Which helped , but now I still have 1/2 prescription left and don't need it anymore. Everyone was freaking and thought I would get addicted. What they don't get is I don't want to take anything! I take omega 3 d3  and b complex. Keep up the good work . It feels so good to be off of it doesn't it. Keep up the good work and posting on this site! We can all do it. There are ups and downs but keep pushin!!
  • jaye76671
    jaye76671 sandra1165

    Posted

    How long and wat withdrawels did u get
    • anne240
      anne240 jaye76671

      Posted

      Jaye I did not get any withdrawals at all because I took 10 months to come off Venlafaxine.  If you do it really slowly like I did you will not get withdrawals, I promise.  I quit cold turkey once before, so know what withdrawals feel like.  Most people seem to come off it too quickly and that is why they get withdrawals.  It can be withdrawn from without any of those withdrawals people get.
    • sandra1165
      sandra1165 jaye76671

      Posted

      Hi,

      I started taking Benadryl the morning of finding out about them after being up all night. Later that evening, I was able to sleep and the brain zaps had calmed. I believe that they saved me. I realise that they may not work for everyone, but if it helps one other person than myself, then it's worth putting out there.

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