Venflaxaine Drs appointment

It is awful indeed especially when it states in the leaflet not to suddenly stop taking, but luckily I have a spare box indoors to try & taper myself of off. I have written in to my GP and requested a lower dose to taper of with, and explained that you can't just 'stop' the medication 

Hi Sarah24378 I've chose to come of this Venflaxaine 75mg after a little over 4 months due to suffering at least 15 different side effects, I'm even suffering severe headaches on just One a day.

Hi Pamela 70087 thankyou very much for such kind words. I eventually received the lower dose of 37.5mg today what I'll do is take the first of the lowest dose tonight, I should be fine as for the past few weeks I've been taking 1/2 a 75mg a night anyways. 

I would suggest although I'm not a professional to taper down slowely of course to 150mg a day or night which ever you do, and see how you go over several days. If you are fine try continuing another several days, then every other day, if you at any time can't drop go back up a dose again. Goodluck & do keep us updated.

Dear Christina, thank you for your advice. I take my tablets at night, and last night I only took 150mg. I was very apprehensive about how it would affect me today, I did not experience any withdrawal so far, just the usual zaps and sweating at night, which I already have. These tablets are slow release so I am not sure whether I will start to experience withdrawal tomorrow, or next day. If I do, I shall go back to 225 and taper really slowly by 10% for a week and see how I go. It is not a nice place to be, so much anxiety about it all, and of course I still struggling with anxiety and depression. I am so glad that you have now got the 37.5mg tablet. I am never sure whether you can cut the slow release ones down, whether you can only cut the immediate release ones down. Are you on slow release tablets? Now that you have got to a much lower dose, I would stay on those for a good while and then reduce by the 10% method. When I came of Citalopram, it was the last little dose of 2.5mg from a dose of 30mg  that I struggled with, even though I took 6 months to do it!  I wish I had stayed on the dose of 2.5mg a few months before I reduced again! then I  would not have had the horrendous withdrawal. My doctor would not give me liquid, said that was just for children! He did not have a clue and he said that 2.5mg was a homeopathic dose, what? This is what we have to put up with. I hope it all goes really well for you. I will let you know how I get on, still apprehensive, .

Hi Pamela 70087 I'm so glad to hear that you are doing well so far, well done. Although I'm not a professional I'm any way, but if you find that you are having any serious issues tapering I would see the GP but if they are copable with then yes go back up to the previous 225mg dosage and, come down slowely by 10%. Tbh I haven't got a clue if mine are slow release or extended it just says Venlafaxine 37.5mg on the box 😐 

Yes I'll certainly be staying at this dosage for a month or so unless stated in any other way by the doctor. What I am experiencing on this so far is chest pains, so I'll see how that panes out for at least another 72hrs or so and if I'm still concerned being chest pain, then I'll take the medication with me to A&E department despite there under pressure it's near the heart!!! Where I'm sure there'll give me an ECG to just check me out.

Dear Christina, I hope the chest pains clear up, but you are wise to get it investigated if you still have them, even if the A&E is under pressure, it would not be sensible not to go. A quick ECG would put your mind at rest. It could be just the meds but you want to be reassured. You have done so well to come down to 37.5mg. What was the highest dose that you were on? I think mine is too high, and today I did start to feel some (what I think is withdrawal). Definitely did not feel right, more anxious and tearful. I don't want it to get any worse, so I am going to go back up to 225mg and then start to reduce by 10%. I shall phone my psych. on Monday for advice, as I have also had dreadful constipation on this.medicine and I don't think it is suiting me. Did you start reducing by 10% from the very start of tapering? I have phoned before for advice and it has taken a week for her to get back to me. I must admit I am a little frightened at the moment. I just want to get back to 150mg and stay on that for a couple of months before tapering 10% of that. The slower the better, but the constipation is causing a problem. I am finding breathing in 4 and breathing out 6 is helping with the anxiety, but it is not easy. I really do hope your chest pains subside as you settle on to the 37.5mg. It is not an easy time for you.

Hi Pamela 70087.

Well today the chest pains have filled down somewhat thank god, but if they go back up I'd certainly being going to the A&E yes indeed. 

Being on this message for a short time the GP started me on 150mg a day, and that's when I had immediate side effects tbh on with you, increased anxiety, increased depression and paranoia I started getting & the constipation myself is still an issue! I'd highly advice you see your practitioner for Lactose to help with that. I started tapering at 1/2 a tablet a time not a full tablet. Like if your on 225mg for example try taking half a tablet less per night and stay at that for a couple of weeks (a good few) then knock of the next half and stay at that for a good few weeks. 

I'm feeling a little better actually on the 37.5mg but it is causing alot of sleeping in issues where I'm knock waking to rather late! May I ask do the phycatrists actually prescribe medication even on the very first visit please ? As I'm still awaiting some form of a letter 

Dear Christina I am glad to hear your chest pains are not so bad now, but you are sensible to keep an eye on them. I really hope that it is just a withdrawal symptom from decreasing your dose. I think you are at the stage where you really need to decrease you dose really slowly now, even if it take months or more, from my understanding that coming of the smallest dose is  where the withdrawal symptoms can be awful and cause the most problem. It certainly was the case for me on citalopram, I did really well tapering until I was on the tiniest little bit of a dose, I just stopped that, and the withdrawal really kicked in (after 6 months of tapering) and I was unwell for months. Don't rush it. .It is most usual that when you first visit a psychiatrist they prescribe medication. That is my understanding of it. I have also attached something I found on the internet https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Taking-Effexor which I found helpful. I am still on my 225mg at the moment and the higher dose is causing me more anxiety and a horrible feeling in my chest. I have not as yet phoned my psychiatrist but will do tomorrow.  I could do with sharing the above link with others who are trying to taper. Or just gone on to it.  I have a long way to go still. I might have to change my slow release tablets for immediate release tablets before I can start tapering. Will see what the psychiatrist says on the phone.  .