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Off venlafaxine for 3 weeks

Posted , 7 users are following.

kdb17
kdb17

I had been taking 75mg since January and switched to 37.5mg for 7 days starting June 24th and then went on to take it every other day until July 6th or 7th (can't remember which). Lately, I have been experiencing nausea everyday and get carsick if I am not the one driving. I have horrible headaches multiple times a day and I am extremely irritable all the time. Another thing I have noticed is my face is breaking out worse than I have ever had. I know that these are withdrawal symptoms but should I still be feeling this way after almost 3 weeks or could this be possible pregnancy symptoms? I am still on 150mg of bupropion twice a day. Not sure if that could have anything to do with it.

0 likes, 18 replies

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  • helen62899
    helen62899 kdb17

    Posted

    Hi.

    You shouldn't withdraw from Venlaflaxine so quick NOR should you take every other day. The half life is too short ( the time to drop to half the dose you take), like 12 hours! You are plunging yourself into withdrawl by missing days every day and mucking up your adjustment.

    Chop the tablets down and take less daily for a week, then reduce a bit more and so on. I got down to crumbs before I had nothing.

    Also if you're on extended release you CANNOT withdraw on it, You have to switch to normal release.

    Add in Benedryl (Acrivastine) 3 times a day n some Stugeron to help with the withdrawl.

    You should do a pregnancy test if you think you could be as you shouldn't be pregnant on Venlaflaxine.

    Good luck.

    • plainden
      plainden helen62899

      Posted

      Hi Helen,i too am coming off Venlafaxine as I am simply too sensitive too it.I am only on 37.5 -down from 75.I went cold turkey to get down to 37.5 (not a good idea)Anyway last fri I began to taper 10% -bought some scales and i am shaving off un-needed amount.Thing is today I fee AWFUL.Do u think it's withdrawal or is it too soon?Is 10% too much? I am ready for the long haul getting off ven.My wife starts chemo soon so i neede to be stable.I am also on Mirtazipine 15mg which I've not had any problem with at all.
    • helen62899
      helen62899 plainden

      Posted

      10% is 3. 75mg which doesn't seem huge but as you're only on a bit its still significant.

      Do 10% a week, not a day do you adjust and use the Benedryl and Stugeron to support you. My Psych was intrigued by it and never discouraged me but never incoraged it as I guess there's no credible science to back it up. It helped me and even as an inexpensive crutch i'd use it again to be Free of Ven!

    • laurence54964
      laurence54964 helen62899

      Posted

      Interesting what you say about ER forms. Could I ask why they give problems (I have a medical background). I tried to come off V, and then later learned about why it's so difficult (e.g. short half-life). One day hope to come off them (tho' if you belive the various causation theories of depression I may be in the biological/monoamine5HT-deficient group). So any info you can give would be interesting
    • helen62899
      helen62899 laurence54964

      Posted

      Hi

      my psych said I couldn't withdraw whilst on the ER version. I switched to ER quite early into taking Ven as i used to get daily withdrawl on yhe normal stuff which was not beneficial. I coped very well on the ER version and took 225mg daily with my main meal about 7. 30pm so i was sleepy for bed.

      Had horrific sweats on it, night and day, psychedelic dreams all the usua but I cud function and be a mum to my little boy.

      I now take duloxetine or cymbalta as i believed i was fixed and 6 months med free had an episode which signalled the statt of a new med journey. My Psych wudn't give me Ven as she uses it as a last resort. I did say i'D take it if I needed it no worries.

      Doing well on fuloxetine 90mg and saw psych last week n told her I feel better than i've done in 5 YEARS!

  • kdb17
    kdb17

    Posted

    Thanks. My doctor was the one who told me to taper off in that way so that is why I did it. I really didn't know much about the withdrawal until now as I hadn't experienced any side effects when starting so I didn't bring it up when he suggested tapering off like so.

    After being off it for 3 weeks now should I go back to taking it to taper off slower or is it almost out of my system?

    • mike12345
      mike12345 kdb17

      Posted

      After three weeks without taking any it will be out of your system. Your withdrawal symptoms should ease off. I get dizzy if I go a day without it but I tapered down to zero three years ago. I am back on it though now and have been for over a year.
    • helen62899
      helen62899 kdb17

      Posted

      Hi. I think the fact your doctor told you to do this is added proof GPs know nothing about antidepressant meds. My GP told me strange things about my meds and luckily I listened only to my Psych, a person who understood the hell of venlafkaxine withdrawal. Without her i'd have ended up in a hospital as I was told allsorts when struggling like to take diazepam, stop it completely etc... it'd screwed me up.

      The day on, day off taper applies to longer half life meds like Prozac, NOT venlaflaxine. Cut venlaflaxine down slowly slowly, quite literally.

      Get the Benedryl acrivastine not one a day version to help or a cold n flu med as the active ingredient mimics the effect of Ven on the brain. STUGERON helps with the sickness.

      Good luck.

    • kdb17
      kdb17 helen62899

      Posted

      I agree! i am not seeing a psych but for now on I will be sure to research all antidepressants my doctor puts me on before starting them. I will definately try stugeron. The nausea is unbearable!

      Thanks.

  • ellebi
    ellebi kdb17

    Posted

    Im 3 weeks off them yesterday and still not really right, worst drug and worst withdrawal ever!
    • helen62899
      helen62899 ellebi

      Posted

      Be strong and take Bendryl acrivastine 3-4 times per day to help you. Don't rush the withdrawal. I dropped tiny bits weekly when I got to 37. 5mg and less as the percentage drop became more. I withdrew from 225mg (and swapped from XR version) in just over 3 months. I had bad days 3 days after a drop, shivers, muscle pain, cramps, sickness, anger, crying, screaming, fright, you name it.

      Keep warm, have paracetamol for the cramps, stay hydrated as I dehydrated at one point when I just went to bed and eat carbs.

      You can do it but don't be afraid to slow the withdrawal and hold a reduction dose for a week or two if needed.

      Helen

    • ellebi
      ellebi helen62899

      Posted

      @helen62899 I just googled Benedryl acrivastine, its a hayfever tablet?!! How does this help the side effects of withdrawal??
    • helen62899
      helen62899 ellebi

      Posted

      Hi ya. I don't know the exact nature of how it works suffice to say it mimics the way venlaflaxine works on the brain. The stuff called pseudoephedrine in cold and flu meds does the same thing and I got some cheap cold n flu stuff from home bargains but I found if I took it near bedtime I was awake and restless.
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