Success with venlafaxine withdrawal
Posted , 77 users are following.
Hi guys,
After 6 long years on venlafaxine, I have finally gotten off the drug. I don't know if this will be of any use to anyone, but I wanted to share some hopeful words and tips for anyone trying to come off of this nasty medication. I should clarify, however, that I am not angry for having been put on this medication, as I am sure it saved my life. That being said, 6 years, 225mg/day and an additional 20kg later (!!! just awful !!!) I am so glad to be Effexor free.
The details:
I was taking Effexor XR and had been on my maximum dose for 3.5 years. Prior to that I was on 150mg for about 2 years. I took 3 x 75mg capsules every morning as a once a day dose. Taking three tablets was initially to save money (for some reason it was cheaper here in Australia to do it that way) but it ended up having the extra bonus of making withdrawal easier.
What worked for me may not work for everyone, but this is the approach my GP and I came up with. Most was my own plan, based on what I found worked, but my GP gave me the initial "tablet dropping" idea and trusted me to take it slowly, listen to my body and see her as needed. It worked very, very well, with minimal side effects. If it helps even one of you it will be worth having posted this.
First things first:
1. Make sure you are taking care of yourself and are in a good place emotionally before even contemplating withdrawal.
2. You are going to need supportive people around you- I don't know if I could have done it without my boyfriend. Tell your family/friends AND DOCTOR what you are doing. This is crucial. You may also want to tell someone you trust at work what is going on, so they know why you may seem a little dazed every so often.
3. Make sure you are eating really well. I switched to a vegan diet about half way through and, although this is not for everyone, this made withdrawal so much easier. I am sure the huge amounts of vegetables made a difference. I especially noticed that days when I ate lots of sea vegetables I coped best with symptoms, so consider working them into your normal diet.
4. Take a multivitamin and drink lots of water. At least 2 litres a day. This will help minimise the horrible nausea you will probably experience.
5. Drink ginger tea/use ginger. This is also for the nausea and I found it was essential in the days after stopping completely. It really does help. I also wondered if some people might find a prescription for maxalon or stemetil helpful, as the nausea and dizziness was the worst for me.
6. Get lots of sleep. I mean heaps of it. Anyone who has withdrawn from this med (or even skipped a dose!) knows how tired you will get.
Now the tablet reduction:
I started by reducing my total weekly dose by 1 tablet per week (taking 2 tabs one day and 3 every other day) for a few weeks. This sounds like nothing, but even this produced quite bad side effects at first (teariness, exhaustion, dizziness and nausea). Only when I was comfortable (ie no side effects) with this dose regimen did I move on.
Then, I took 2 tabs instead of 3 on two days a week for a few weeks until I was comfortable (making sure to space the 2 tablet days out, eg Sat and Wed). Then I got into the habit of taking tablets as follows. I made sure to plan/write all of this down on our calender beforehand, to use as a guide and make sure I didn't mess it up:
3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2 etc for about 3 to 4 weeks
Then:
3, 3, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 2, 2 etc for about another 3 weeks to month.
Then:
3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, etc for about a month. Then when I got to 2 tablets (150mg) a day on every day of the week I rested on that for quite a while (mostly as I was nervous about going too fast). Then, I did a pretty much similar thing to get down to one tablet a day. Then the same to get to 37.5 mg. I actually stopped pretty abruptly from the 37.5 mg stage, as I felt entirely ready. After that I had about 5 days of feeling pretty crappy, with symptoms as above, then I started getting better. Day 3 with no drugs was the worst for me.
So, in the end, it took me about 8 months to go from 225 to nothing. I know that seems an eternity, but I think that is why I coped so well. Five days after dropping from 37.5mg to nothing, I had almost no symptoms. Seven days later I had none. Even if you take nothing else from this, please know that it is possible to get off of this nasty drug BUT you must be careful, listen to your body, do it with support from those around you and in communication with your GP.
Good luck to all of you
xx
17 likes, 204 replies
Whatamess oz82
Posted
Thanks for sharing Oz & well done for finally getting off Venlafaxine.
i started my withdrawal 5 weeks ago (from 300mg down to 262.5mg) & so far I haven’t been aware of any noticeable side effects. However, I have the added problem of currently having no medical supervision - although the withdrawal began with the support of my GP (things have since happened which have led to me making a formal complaint against my surgery - but not against the GP who was helping me - & I’m in a situation where I have no GP at all at the moment). I also live on my own & my few friends are not aware of either of the above situations, so as usual I feel very alone as I try to reduce my dosage.
Keep_trying Whatamess
Posted
Hi, I found your post very interesting - and im so pleased for you that you have not been aware of any withdrawal side effects from the reduced dose. I too, should like to reduce the dose I take to the lowest I
could manage on. Its unfortuanate that you havent got the support of the Surgery at the moment. Would
you perhaps to able to get advise from your local Mind, regards the dose reduction, as I think its essential
to manage that side of the medication well. If you suffer from depression , as I have it can feel very -
isolating even if you are a sociable person. I read the oz82 post a few months back, wasnt it very well
presented, i'd love to know how the person is doing.
Keep posting, I dont do that enough, but it is helpful when I come on here, as so many people are in the same position. Good luck,
Whatamess Keep_trying
Posted
Hello & thanks for your reply. I will stay on the dose I am currently taking until such time as I am allowed to see my GP again. I often look on the Mind, Rethink or Sane websites for advice & information relating to various aspects of mental health, & I suspect that if I contacted them about my attempt at withdrawing from 300mg they would have to tell me to see a GP!
I hope you find the strength to start a gradual reduction of your dosage & that you do not suffer any ill effects. Good luck!
Keep_trying Whatamess
Posted
you as I know what hard work it is just getting through each day.
Thanks for your kind thoughts when its my turn to reduce venlafaxine, no doubt in time I will post again if I think my experience can help. Its all about learning what works for the individual I believe and considering whether to share that experience negative or positive. Things are opening up about depression now..... there is such a lot of pressure put on the G.P.s that it cant be easy for the follow ups. as sometime they are just not as experienced as a community psychiatrist would be I think in lowering the doses. Although of course there is guidelines for them to follow. The important thing is getting a professional to really listen and guide you. Time is limited, and so like you said looking further afield for support Mind etc. can help and for me taking a lot of personal responsibility when I feel better in myself is impowering as long as I realise its just part of the picture. Ive learnt to accept a little bit more help now, as I was always so independent.... its just adjusting to life and being a little bit humble and grateful for the good things in my life...........
All the best.
p.s. this morning the news is full on the debate on anti depressants or not. I read this stuff on line and try to make my own mind up based on a mixture of views.........and take it from there and I make notes. There is such a lot to Metal health, as people suffer for all sorts of reasons. Support is really good if you are in a place to receive it.........for me some isolation helps at times of real stress then I like to throw myself into life again. ..........ill shut up now ha ha
Whatamess Keep_trying
Posted
Sorry for delay in replying. Hope you are ok at the moment.
i am still on the same reduced dosage, still with no noticeable side effects, but I have to go to my GP surgery in around 2 weeks to get my next prescription - I am now only allowed to see one of the GPs (who I have never consulted before about my mental health, so I hope he will be understanding & supportive).
I heard the various debates on the radio recently about mental health & was pleased that the presenter was talking about it in a serious & caring way. I still think that too many people - who are fortunate not to have experienced any mental health difficulties - think of it as just feeling temporarily sad. One of the few “friends” I have doesn’t understand the problems I have & if she does try to be supportive (which is rare) invariably says ‘I don’t know what to say’.
Have you given any more thought to trying to reduce your own dosage?
Hope you have a good week, take care
Keep_trying Whatamess
Posted
I am pleased that you have got back to the surgery - I should hope that even although it is a different doctor which I know can be daunting, that in time you will be able to have a good relationship. It does take time so be patient with yourself - and build on that.
I have made an appointment towards the end of the month - and will discuss reducing the dose too.
I will hope to listen to the pros and cons, but still want to come down .
Regards you friend, I think this can be very common if someone has no experience personally or hasnt seen depression in their family. It helps if they listen with interest without putting too much on them
to understand. Then they might just see it an article or on a t.v. documentary, and they sometimes butld a picture up, and have empathy...... but anyway sometimes its nice to get away from the subject to
and I think as long as you concentrate on yourself and focus when feeling better, thats the important thing. Because no matter from which angle it comes - at the end of the day we are the ones that have to cope with our lives.
It is very hard, but other people have other stuff going on that we dont always know about.
Your have a good week to, all the best
Amyro09 oz82
Posted
Thank you so much for this! I was on 112.5 mg for 3 years. Several months ago, I weaned down to 75mg, and just recently started weaning down more by taking 75mg & 37.5 mg alternatingly each day. I’m now trying to go to just 37.5mg. I’m on day 3 of that, and while I do have symptoms, they’re not unbearable. Thank you for your testimonial, it gives me a lot of hope!
Keep_trying Amyro09
Posted
shirley85047 oz82
Posted
Shel18 oz82
Posted
Hi,
I don't even know if you're going to get this, as your post is 6 years old.
I've been on Effexor for a couple years, and trying to get off it. I feel too horrible, but I see that's par for the course for this drug. I'm not clear on how to got off it. You mentioned that you were on capsules, but then you call them tablets...so I'm not sure if it's the same as what I'm taking. I was taking 150mg every day, and my doc told me to reduce to 75 for about a month and then 37.5 I think that may be too quick as per everyone else's comments. I'm trying to understand how you weaned yourself off, but I'm not clear on how you did it. You said you reduced one tablet per week, but you never said what the mg. of each tab or capsule were.
I would love to hear back from you.
Keep_trying Shel18
Posted
I noticed you post and would just like to say that I too along with others have been inspired with the post
from oz82. In answer to your question about being weaned off any medication...From what I understand
it is essential that this is done carefully. If you feel as though it is happening too fast , then I would suggest you stay put on the dose you are on - or discuss it with the doctor to change it back to a dose where you
are not experiencing too many , if you are, withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and the like, these should be listed on the medication information leaflet hopefully.
Then when you are ready move on a step further....
In answer to the dose os82, was on , regarding this lowering. I dont think this matters. Its just about what ever dose you are on, that the reduction is done with a lot of thought gone into it, and hopefully with consultation with a health professional.
I too hope to reduce a medication I take, and have learnt only recently about how to reduce and that slowly seems to get the best results.
Hope this helps,
Emirray oz82
Posted
I’m having horrible symptoms, the zaps, funny appetites, insomnia, sweats, severe anxiety leaving the house, ocd to the point I bawl my eyes out, I’m so angry, my emotions are just in turmoil I’m crying then I shout and I feel such rage because I can’t do normal things, I feel so depressed I’m crying all the time I don’t feel myself and it’s making me so upset. I just want this madness to end this is honestly the worst thing for me to have ever experienced and I just need to know when it will go away. Please help me because I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel I feel like I’m lost in a massive darkness and I’ve lost who I am due to the withdrawal.
lynn67615 Emirray
Posted
m89928 Emirray
Posted
Have you read the posts that people have made with regard to withdrawing from this drug slowly? Please do so. Unfortunately it is very very difficult to go off this drug cold turkey. I took over 1 year to wean off of 75 mg by removing the beads within the capsule, and still had some (although not severe) withdrawal symptoms! It is a very powerful drug and not weaning off slowly will just likely result in you reinstating your dosage. Unfortunately it is necessary to reduce in very tiny increments, sometimes as small as one mg or two, depending on how long you have taken it. The good news is, it can be done, and I have been off this drug and all other prescription drugs for almost three years. Good luck and please read carefully and inform yourself of this process. Take care!
lynn67615 m89928
Posted
Hi, I am starting to ween from 75XL tomorrow. I took 20 beads out from a total bead count of 82. This will be halfway between 75 & 37.5. I think i’ll Be fine because I am cross tapering to Lexapro and have been on 10 mg of that for 2 weeks. Been on venlafaxine for 5 months now my highest dose being 112.5 it just didn’t work work. Any ideas
Emirray m89928
Posted
I’ve been on other things in the past but never something so strong I didn’t realise just how bad this drug was! If I knew I never would have started! It’s caused a lot of issues for me such as ibs sweats insomnia etc. I’ve gained a bit of weight despite a good lifestyle eating and exercise but I just assumed I said yes to chocolate and sugar in my tea too often 😂
I’d put myself back up on them but I feel like this is Day 4 i need to carry on and be strong. I never give up and am a fighter I just need some reassurance that I won’t feel this bad for too long. The odd side effect I don’t mind but this is something else!
On the plus I’m going to see a kitty that I’m hoping to adopt tomorrow !
m89928 lynn67615
Posted
Hi,
You probably won't know until you give it a try and see how you feel. I felt okay reducing from 75 to 37.5, but then once at 37.5 I had to go much slower. I reduced by two beads a week. So, week one, took 35 total beads, week two, 33 total beads, week three, 31 total etc. Until I got to 10 mg, then I just removed one bead a week. A slow reduction, and I still had side effects, though not unbearable. Also, I did each reduction on Saturday (I worked M-F) so that the initial reduction effects were felt on days that I was not working. As some other individuals have written, Omega 3 vitamins, and avoiding foods with sugar seems to help lessen the agitation you may feel when reducing. You may not need to reduce quite as slowly since you are bridging to another drug, but you won't know until you try. Also, even after I was off Effexor entirely, I still had anxiety, agitation, anger and depression (beyond that which I'd experienced when I started taking it) and that took another 6 months to dissipate. Unfortunately this is a drug that is really difficult to get out of your system but hopefully it will go fairly smoothly for you. Hang in there. Good luck!