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Stopping venlaflaxine ... Tips

Posted , 8 users are following.

vicki38219
vicki38219

Hi... I just wanted to give some tips if you are planning to stop this med.. The side effects of coming off are rubbish ... However I found stopping completely rather than reducing dose worked best for me.

l recently stopped taking this med and went cold turkey. 

HOWEVER I researched and took omega supplements , magnesium, and a multi vit daily from day 1 of stopping.  

I also made sure I ate lots of nuts, protein, bananas, salmon and made sure I drank 8 glasses water minimum a day. I stopped caffeine and alcohol for the initial 2 weeks when withdraw symptoms were worst.

The tingling "zaps" we're still pretty bad for the first week - I kept a diary of moods, zaps, headaches etc so that I could see if it got better. 

Went out for a walk at least once a day & listened to music at home when not working (made an upbeat playlist that was singalong worthy!).

i told only a few important folk in my life so that they could support me if needed... 

I am now on week 4 and honestly only have 1 or 2 zappy weird moments a day. 

I am sleeping better, less anxious and feel better than I can remember. 

Sweating excessively has stopped, thinking is clearer and overall I feel much better off this drug. May not be the way forward for everyone, but honestly I don't feel this med helped me. It made my moods more extreme - highs higher but then lows became suicidal lows rather than curl up in a ball and cry lows....

I would recommend the supplements of omega 3,6,9 and take 4-6 tabs a day. 

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3 likes, 45 replies

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  • Drdepression
    Drdepression vicki38219

    Posted

    nice to hear your success, for how long you took venlafaxine before stopping it?
    • vicki38219
      vicki38219 Drdepression

      Posted

      6 months ... So not that long which may have made it easier for me ...

      was on citalopram for 5 yrs before 😬

  • Luccia5
    Luccia5 vicki38219

    Posted

    Fantastic. I am so pleased for you. I have taken 4 Effexors 37.5 in the last 6 weeks and this is the first time I have gone nearly 2 weeks without. I am feeling so much better and am not counting the days. I still carry one in my purse just in case which gives me comfort - I did this when I stopped smoking 30 years ago. I always had a packet of ciggies in the house but never used them. I could not have done it without all the info and advice from this chat room. Stories like yours are inspiring and shows it can be done. 
  • jacqueline69942
    jacqueline69942 vicki38219

    Posted

    Thanks Vicki, your post made me feel a little better.  In reading some of these posts, it seemed like the withdrawals were just horrible..Crying, numbness, brain zaps, thoughts of suicide, extremly depressed,  bad headaches and worst of all nausea...You are the only one so far who seems to be okay with stopping.  I feel fine on the drug. It has helped me immensely, my only problem is the sweating.
    • vicki38219
      vicki38219 jacqueline69942

      Posted

      Honestly the sweating is horrendous isn't it? I work as a midwife on a delivery suite and seriously dripping forehead sweat onto a new baby whilst helping them feed is NOT cool!!

      It was one of my reasons for initially stopping...

      perhaps I was in the right place to stop ... And I had only been on them 7 months who knows?

      I do know that you are right there are lots of posts that high light the awful stuff ... & yeah withdrawing sucked but it was bound to .. 

      I think stopping needs to be coupled with really good robust self care and planning, rather than without proper thought ??

      It is a drug that has its place and many benefit from it and it enables peeps to get through the day ... 

      I just hope that when the time is right they have the confidence in themselves to stop and succeed ??

      So pleased to hear it's helping you ?? X

  • betsy0603
    betsy0603 vicki38219

    Posted

    I am rooting for you that the worst is over, but there is still the potential for you to experience a delayed reaction, maybe a couple of months out or more, of severe depression and anxiety, of an intensity for which you have never seen the likes, complete with sudden waking in the night with fear, doom and dread....I truly hope it doesn't happen to you, but I wanted to forewarn you because it is another wave of withdrawal, yet everyone seems to think they have relapsed and they go back on an AD.  

    If it happens, know that it is another wave of withdrawal and it will end.  I've been through it and didn't realize it was withdrawal because I didn't have any brain zaps or other physical symptoms and the onset was so late, I simply didn't know.  But all my research since going back on found that this is a common occurrence and it is even documented in the withdrawal "communities" and by doctors who acknowledge protracted withdrawal syndrome.

    Many people can come off cold turkey and not have such a horrific experience, so I am hoping you are one of them.  

    Cheers!

    • vicki38219
      vicki38219 betsy0603

      Posted

      Thanks for the warning ????.... 

      I am being pretty savvy and having weekly counselling sessions & my hubby and best friend are on "watch for relapse/ mood changes " duty!

      so will take on board what u say...

      i think I naturally swing from highs to lows so just need to learn to manage them ... 

      The suicidal low I had in May was a massively traumatic time for my family & me leading to me researching this drug in great depth too ?? I cannot believe anything would come my way that feels worse than that (I hope!!)

      fingers crossed eh? 

      Thanks for your message ??

       

    • jacqueline69942
      jacqueline69942 betsy0603

      Posted

      I went on the drug because of the feeling of doom and gloom and I was afraid of everything.  I was fine until menopause, then I got crazy....I told the doctor and he sent me to a shrink and he put me on Ven.  Now all the doom and gloom and fear is gone.  I am "normal" again and can do many things again without being scared and I am never depressed anymore.  That is why I want to stay on it, because it helped me immensely....But I want to go off of it due to the awful sweating...It is embarrassing and very annoying...People are freezing and I don't even own a sweater or coat because I never need one...Now I don't know what to do.  I don't want the doom and gloom and fear to come back if I stop..

    • lorraine52317
      lorraine52317 jacqueline69942

      Posted

      Hi Jacqueline

      I think you are wise to keep on ven for a while. Like you it has really made me so much better, but I'm still so forgetful and dont seem to have that clarity of mind, plus extremely sweaty! My dose was increased and wow the sweating was worse! So dropped back down to 75. It's a tricky one! But like you I am fairly certain it's too early for me to come off it. I'm on month five, how about you?

    • jacqueline69942
      jacqueline69942 lorraine52317

      Posted

      I have been on it for almost 14 years!  OMG....Do you think that maybe if I asked my doctor to put me on a different anti-depressant, one that does not make you sweat, that would eliminate the withdrawal symptoms?  And most importantly, the sweating...Something like Wellbutrin or Celexa?
    • jacqueline69942
      jacqueline69942 lorraine52317

      Posted

      I forgot to mention that I am also extremely forgetful. I just assumed it was age...I am 67. Did not know that forgetfulness is a side effect of Ven....
    • lorraine52317
      lorraine52317 jacqueline69942

      Posted

      Hi Jacqueline

      67 is still very young ? I'm 56 but having depression for over a year has certainly aged me! At least I m functioning quite well on ven but still a bit of a weirdo in the mornings! I'm from UK and still haven't adapted to metric weights, so I too say stones and pounds lol!

      Are you doing well on ven? Guess my chemist is with all the deodorant I'm buying lol!???

    • lorraine52317
      lorraine52317 jacqueline69942

      Posted

      Hi Jacqueline

      That's a tricky question as changing ADs come with 'the unknown' eg. How will our bodies react, is it compatible with us. Prior to vent I was on celexa and remained bed bound for six months! I was so ill, the gp would keep increasing dose and I would get so ill each time. After looking like a skeleton (unable to eat on celexa) my doctor changed me to mirtazipine instantly i felt some relief. My depression seemed to lift but after a few months, I became bloated, sluggish and still spent time isolating. Then ven was added and I have been climbing in health rapidly. I was told to stop mirtazipine and now just on ven. I wonder if the doc know a cure for chemically induced sweating! I will try and find out xxxx

    • jacqueline69942
      jacqueline69942 lorraine52317

      Posted

      I am doing fine on Ven...I have no problem with it.  My depression and anxiety is all gone..My only complaint is the constant sweating...My whole body sweats.. My clothes and hair get wet from all the sweating.  It is really unbearable.  I asked my doctor and he said the only thing I can do is come off of Ven...which I am afraid to do...Such a dilema...I think I will ask him about switching AD.  I would certainly like if I was unable to eat. Maybe I should try Celexa. Ha Ha  I could lose some weight. Ven has put pounds on me. The only problem I have been reading about Ven is the horrible withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop taking them..

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