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Venlafaxin 150mg going cold turkey

Posted , 4 users are following.

Strifer
Strifer

Heya, I have never written something like this before but I have read a few of the other venlafaxin cold turkey posts and thought I would share my experience. Please bear with me as I may not be the best at writing this.

I decided to stop taking ven 3 days ago and without consulting a doctor or checking up on the possible withdrawal symptoms. So my post is for those that believed they could do it on their own :p or anyone else this may help. A quick back story first though, I'm 26 male and been on 150mg ven for 2 years. I decided to stop taking ven because I felt like they were not helping with my depression and anxiety anymore, I thought I was feeling good enough to come of them. I have been on citalopram also in the past but didn't feel like they were helping me. Ven has been a great pill for me, and I was lucky to not have suffered many of the side effects (hence the reason I think I can do this)

But believe me when I say I have never experienced withdrawal symptoms like this before, I've never done drugs but to me I imagine this is what that feels like when you go cold turkey. I never imagined or even thought it would be difficult to come of ven, but that just shows my naivity and immaturity... But OK, here is my diary on how I have been feeling so far, I will try to keep posting with updates as the days progress.

Day 1: everything appears to be Okie, I usually take my ven in the morning and it's evening now but I'm feeling Okie.

Day 2: slept well, had a strange dream but can't remember what it was about but I don't dream that much.

Day 3: OK things are much different now. Couldn't sleep until about 5am, I feel strange, it's a feeling like I'm not awake, I feel like I'm in a dream. I have pins and needles in my fingers and my feet and my lips and my head feels weird.

Day 4: I still can't sleep, I still have pins and needles, my eyes feel weird when I close them. But I think the worst part is when I finally do sleep, I wake up after about 30 mins terrified because I had had a nightmare. I'm feeling really emotional, if I'm watching TV and a happy or sad thing happens on it I feel really emotional about it. I don't no why that is... Starting to think I shouldn't have done this. But I won't give up.

2 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Koolredd
    Koolredd Strifer

    Posted

    Everyone is different when it comes to take medicine and what they take and what they have been diagnosed with. I can say for myself when I just randomly stopped taking my medicine I felt it & my depression started worsening and I got more angry quicker to where I couldn't control it.. Maybe it's because I was younger (got diagnosed at13 stopped taking my medicine at 16-17) in now 20 . And to this day my boyfriend and my father tell me there is a HUGE difference from when I'm taking the medicine and when I'm not .. And sad to say it's just better when I take it the doctor wouldn't have prescribed me it if they didn't think I need it ..

    You on the other hand seem like a different case ..

    What are these nightmares about ? Did you decide to consult your doctor into why you stopped taking your medicine ?

    Or you will just continue doing what you're doing ..

    Why are you up so late ? Nightmare? Or work or something. ?

    I hope all goes good with you.. If it gets too bad I think you should really go back on your medicine ..

  • el_shiz
    el_shiz Strifer

    Posted

    Ven was horrendous to come off, even in controlled methods, not like cold turkey. I gradually reduced 75mg/week down to 37.5g, then half a pill a day, then stopped and even still get terrible withdrawls for a week or so. Would def not reccomend going cold turkey
  • Digsby
    Digsby Strifer

    Posted

    Hi,

    I remember coming off Ven (225mg) last Christmas Eve. I had been on them for 2 months and the side effects made my depression much worse. I took the decision to come off quickly so that I could get myself "clean" and start something else as soon as possible as I knew I still needed some kind of medication. My psychiatrist wasn't listening to me when I told him the side effects were unbearable (he must have thought I was exaggerating but I wasn't!) I certainly wouldn't recommend the "cold turkey" approach and the longer it has been in your system, the harder the body may react to its sudden withdrawal. Do you have the support of close family and friends around you. I chose the holiday period to come off this med (I managed to enjoy last Christmas but had a hellish week of brain zaps straight after). Hopefully, you have given yourself some space to ride out the withdrawal symptoms. Take care & let us know how you get on. If things get too much, don't hesitate to seek medical aid and don't worry about their judgement of you: it's your body and you are in control of what happens to it. Good luck buddy. Take it gently and be strong.

    Digsby

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