Stopping venlaflaxine ... Tips

Was on citalopram for 5 years until Dec ... Following a difficult divorce (18yr relationship and 3 children together). Felt that it wasn't working and gp commenced venlaflaxine  in January 7mg then 150mg. I seemed to have a huge high March time then crashed VERY low ... Suciidal - out of character and scary! 

Genuinely since stopping them I feel like a huge weight has gone and instead of existing I am living ...

its early days and I am under no illusions about needing to perhaps recommence on some type of med however I am trying a different approach. 

Good food choices

light exercise ie. Walk around park

music

not sleeping in day (hard habit to break!)

getting up at same time every day  (6.30)

And embarking  on some strategies to let stuff go and live in present rather than past. 

??

Hi Vicki you sound so positive & organised weldone ????????

It's an illusion ?? 

Thank you ... It's been a long time coming but I need to move forward and be more proactive ??Xx

Wonderful post Vicki ? you are an inspiration. Please let me know how things are going. I find myself frequently questioning would I be better off without ven eg more energy and clarity of mind. I'm now over a year on various ADs and perhaps it's time to try a new approach!

Thanks for your great post ?

Aw thank you ! 

I think it's good to share and having read lots of forum posts / communities i wanted to give a slightly more "hopeful" perspective..

these drugs are prescribed for anxiety and depression so those of us reading it naturally will be traumatised by all the bad stuff! ??

I hope that it helps even one person to see that there is hope of some sort... 

I want to reiterate again I am only in week 4 of drug free so who knows ?! 

However a new approach is helping so far ????????

we are always so hard on ourselves to be perfect, better, more positive, calmer, prettier - it's crushing our minds ??

I am trying out the " u are good enough as u are" approach ??.... 

Xx

Wow four weeks in! You have done brilliantly ?

you have certainly helped me and I'm sure your reassurance has given us all hope for a better tomorrow ???

It worked for me. I had been telling gp and psych team that my extreme low I believed was because of ven... Never felt suicidal before (was previously on citalopram for 5 yrs)... 

No one really listened (maybe understandably as I was telling them this at time I was feeling worst!)

So just did it without discussing with gp/psych team. Met cpn nurse last week who commented how much better I seemed - so I then told them about stoppage. 

You need to be in a place where u are able to handle a week or 2 of feeling beyond yucky and hopefully despite falling out with some peeps u have some one to support you?

x 

Hi Vicki

I think my husband is finding it extremely difficult to live under the same roof. My poor children are silently suffering too.

Wish i could magic myself away to a yoga / health retreat somewhere and then go cold turkey. I even rang a rehab to see how much it would cost. Completely out of the question!

If and when I do it I will post my progress.

Big hug x

It's flipping hard for those around u to understand & support you...

especially men as they are "programmed" to fix and not hugely emotional beings !

there needs to be an understanding that it isn't your fault you aren't feeling sad on purpose and that you would love to feel better!

it will take time and a big ole soul search of what things you can affect and control / change 

xxx hang in there xxx

I feel like I wish I had a step by step programme to follow.

It's so difficult when you still need to run the house etc. And the pretend face is really hard.

This is the only forum that has kept me on an even keel. Listening to others experiences good and bad.

I'm going to start a diary. List my feelings and emotions. And my symptoms of reducing the meds. My husband can read it too if he likes. I think he's beyond any hope for me now.

My children are what get me up in the mornings. Never know what the day will bring. Exhaustion or energy.

Keep smiling as they say xx

Create create your own programme 

I have a little book... Write what I eat, feel, walk sleep in it ...

shaun can write in it too and at the back I have started a list of "triggers" that make me feel worse 

such as feeling inadequate/not good enough .... 

I know I need to address what has got me to lack in self belief and confidence historically so diarising it will help..

dont let him give up hope!

dont give up on yourself xxx 

Hi Sara, have been reading the posts between u and vicki and i just wanted to add something for you that might help/encourage you.

I have been through it too-obvisiously being on this forum!!, haha. From September last year my rollercoaster ride started with ven when my doctor increased my dose from 112.5mg to 150mg, oh boy, i stuck it for 6 wks hoping i would 'even out', never happened and i couldnt handle it any longer-suicidial thoughts, very bad depression etc etc.., the unwanted thoughts were the worst!!! So dropped down again to 112.5mg, through all the same symptoms all over again. Had also felt for a long time on ven that i 'couldnt feel, no emotions' which i hated. Then my mum passed away in january (shock to us all, not ecpected, had all thought she'd make a full recovery). I did cry-briefly-but the right feelings weren't there for the loss of my mum. So i decided to reduce again to try and regain feelings and emotions in my life. Dropped to 75mg, i cant do smaller reductions as i am on the tablets and dont come in smaller doses than 37.5 mg (though i do intend to cut in half when i drop again). I went through all the same withdrawals yet again, i can honestly say it was the worst 8 months of my life.

The point i came on to tell you (i got way lead waffling!!, lol) was during my last reduction i kept a daily diary of my withdrawal symptoms, how i was feeling emotionally. It really did help!!, its hard to remember when ur going thru it of how u felt a day or so ago with all thats going on and i know at times i felt i wasnt making progress, even the feeling of going backwards sometimes!!

Anyway i have waffled on enough, i wish u every success on ur journey of the hell we know of reducing/coming off ven. You can do it, keep the diary, it really does help.

Best of wishes to you, stay strong,

Angela, xx.

Hi Angela.

Thank you for your message of support. Very blessed.

Firstly I'm so sorry for the loss of your mum. And there's me blaming mine for most things.

Well I bought myself a nice new diary. As of today I shall be writing everything in it.

It's strange you talking about lack of emotion because my husband says I have none. Maybe I'm no longer the person I thought I was. Sometimes I think to myself 'should I be crying now?!' I often feel very little empathy. But on the days I feel despair I cry endlessly.

So I now have my little book with it's nice new cover and im going to obliterate it with all my thoughts and emotions. See if I can make sense of it at a later date.

Vicky suggested I make my own program ie. Foods I eat. Sleep pattern. Trigger points.

Sounds positive I think.

I've a feeling I may declutter more than is necessary. I'm already rubbing people out of my life that drain my energy.

Positive vibes coming your way ????

"I've a feeling I may declutter more than is necessary. I'm already rubbing people out of my life that drain my energy."

No such thing as over de-cluttering, especially with the parasites who drain what little energy and "you" that you have in a given day.  I swear some folk use us to feel important.

I'm loving the detailed withdrawal diary idea.  I'm going to start one tonight.  I have 8.5 yrs on 225mg with 7.5yrs on 3g l-tryptophan to boost the uptake.  I started reducing all my meds in January, and dropped to 150 ven on Wednesday, Thursday my daughter got taken into hospital in dka (she's fine now) but I didn't take my ven in the rush to get her in, Today it was 11.30am before my husband brough my meds in, my face was tingling, my brain was whipping in and out my ear, bugs were crawling on the surface of my brain, so let's see what tomorrow brings. Fingers crossed my brain stays in my head tomorrow.

 

Hi Phyllis

I'm glad your daughter is alright. We forget about our wellbeing when it comes to our children. But I realise without us being well ourselves we can't do our best for them. Without the meds it's hard to function properly when in times of required strength. It's amazing how quickly one little tablet can make us feel better.

I'm staying put on the 75-60mg Ven for a bit longer. I was certainly dropping too quickly. I need to stabilise a while.

I wish you the very best ??

Yesterday I drank less coffee and more water. Went for a walk. Wrote in my diary. Haha

Today I had a little energy. Used it on tidying the house... never looks as though I've touched it!

Now I've packed in my job I might just find the time to rid the clutter too.

Tidying the house... I remember when I had energy and inclination to do that.  I'm doing the less caffeine and more water too although that went out the window in hospital.  Her diabetic consultant was asking about her blood levels, ratios and ketone doses, all things I can normally rattle off, I'm sure he thought I was on a different planet when I was trying to a timeline for her deterioration.  Never mind.  Onwards and upwards.  I've had enough of today so we're heading to bed.  Tomorrow awaits.  Good luck on packing in the job.  I'm not brave enough to go down that road.

Tidying the house... I remember when I had energy and inclination to do that.  I'm doing the less caffeine and more water too although that went out the window in hospital.  Her diabetic consultant was asking about her blood levels, ratios and ketone doses, all things I can normally rattle off, I'm sure he thought I was on a different planet when I was trying to a timeline for her deterioration.  Never mind.  Onwards and upwards.  I've had enough of today so we're heading to bed.  Tomorrow awaits.  Good luck on packing in the job.  I'm not brave enough to go down that road.

Tidying the house... I remember when I had energy and inclination to do that.  I'm doing the less caffeine and more water too although that went out the window in hospital.  Her diabetic consultant was asking about her blood levels, ratios and ketone doses, all things I can normally rattle off, I'm sure he thought I was on a different planet when I was trying to a timeline for her deterioration.  Never mind.  Onwards and upwards.  I've had enough of today so we're heading to bed.  Tomorrow awaits.  Good luck on packing in the job.  I'm not brave enough to go down that road.

It doesn't matter because the Dr will know what a supportive mum you are.

Like you say it's another day tomorrow and right now it's sleep you need.

God bless x