Stopping venlaflaxine ... Tips

Posted , 8 users are following.

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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  • Posted

    Today I dropped from 225mg to 150mg after 8.5 years on 225mg with 7 years taking l-tryptophan 3g per day to boost it.  I have gained 6 stone since starting and after a year of serious calorie counting and exercise enough's enough. I've dropped so many meds this year this is the only thing left. A GP told me depression has peaks and troughs whether you're medicated or not.  So surely something has to give.

    • Posted

      Bless u! Flipping well done ... Totally worth it ... Lots of luck ????stay strong with it smile

    • Posted

      Hello again.  Are you folks in England? If not, what country are you from? You are talking about "stones" and Vicki said "flipping" well done.  I am in America and that is not an America expression and we don't say stones...Just curious???????   Thanks....Jackie  xx

       

    • Posted

      I thought so...Seems like many of you are in the UK.  What is a stone by the way?  Is it the same as a pound?

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