Reducing my dosage.....
Posted , 5 users are following.
This is the first time I've ever written on a forum. I have been on Venlafaxine for 5yrs and my dosage has been 300mg of the slow release daily.
Over the past 6-8mths I have been struggling. I have noticed my signs of depression coming back but have tried to get on with things as best I can. I made the decision to look into reducing my tablets with the intention of coming off them and starting something else. I have been reading all the discussions on here and I felt the same, it seemed like it had "stopped working".
I went to the doctors 2wks ago and told her that I was struggling & I felt the tablet wasn't working anymore. What horrified me was that she wanted me to reduce from 300mg to a week of alternating between 300 & 150mgs and the next week all at 150. I came home stressed & upset. I looked on here about withdrawl and how you should gradually reduce. I called the doctor the next day and to cut a long story short she asked me what dosage I wanted to reduce to and that she would see me in 2wks. Apparently "no one really suffers with withdrawl!!"
My first week I went to 262.5mg daily and the start of this week I started on 225mg.
I have been on auto pilot at work. Yesterday I just broke down. Crying, shaking, feeling flat, wanting to just go home and lock myself away.
So the situation I am in now is going back to the doctors tomorrow. I honestly don't know what to do about work. I am trying my best but everything is getting on top of me...
1 like, 8 replies
j17344 sazzalT
Posted
sazzalT j17344
Posted
I've been back to the doctors and she was a bit more understanding. She did tell me I can't start another tablet till I'm on a much lower dosage. Not sure if this is right as I seem to be the one telling her about things like withdrawl side effects and reducing slowly.
Thanks so much for your reply. It's nice to know there are other people out there going through the same thing. Looking for that light at the end of the tunnel.
Keep in touch & good luck with everything
Sara x
j17344 sazzalT
Posted
I'm glad your doctor is being more understanding but make sure you do what you think is right. You know yourself better than anyone and you're obviously more educated on the topic.
As far as adding Prozac, it has enabled me to go from 225 mg to 75 mg with no symptoms. However, I've read that Prozac can also have a withdrawal syndrome so maybe I'm just going from one bad situation to another.
This summer I plan on trying to further reduce my dose. I'm waiting for 37.5 mg cpasules to come in the mail and I'm going to start there. If that works out, I will start reducing in much smaller amounts.
I'll be happy to keep in touch and you are definitely not alone. Good luck to you too
Jessica
thinkingpositiv sazzalT
Posted
sazzalT thinkingpositiv
Posted
I've been back to the doctor and decided to stay on the 225mg till I see her again in 2 weeks.
I've also made the decision to be signed off from work. I need to think about myself which isn't like me. I always put everyone else first.
Thank you for getting in touch. Good luck with everything.
Sara x
Jan808 sazzalT
Posted
SaxxalIT, Good for you to do your research! Have you come across the 10% taper once a month method? or the Prozac bridge?
When I was a my lowest, I had a friend remind me that I was my job to take care of "me". I had to make self care number one. Some doctors just don't get it and you may need to find support elsewhere. Like here
Best of Luck,
Keep us posted,
Jan
sazzalT Jan808
Posted
I really appreciate your message.
I've been back to the doctors and she was a bit more understanding with me.
I've decided to take some time off work. She has given me a 2wk sick note initially as I'm going back to see her. I'm sticking at 225mg till I go back.
She has told me I can't start another tablet till I am on a much lower dosage than I'm on at the moment. But that makes me feel quite vunerable.
It's lovely you getting in touch. Also knowing I'm not the only one going through this.
Keep in touch & thanks again
Sara x
Purpledobermann sazzalT
Posted