Venlafaxine and trying to get off this awful drug!
Posted , 7 users are following.
I have been on various antidepressants over the past 10 years and recently I was put on 2 capsules of venlafaxine each day for just under a year. Stupidly I never queried the side effects or withdrawal effects. After experiencing some horrible side effects I have decided that I no longer wish to be on this awful drug. I have put on about 2 stone in weight, I am permanently tired as in I wake up more tired than when I was sleeping!!! It took me all my time to make lunch/supper for the kids, I have no desire at all for sex (very difficult for my husband....who is extremely understanding) and I basically became a ball of anxious paranoiathat was ready to just hibernate away from everything. I live in Spain and over here the doctors are not very understanding nor caring for mental health issues, so I feel I am fighting this alone. I have managed to ween myself down to one 75mg capsule a day and intend to do the same to get down to a 37.5mg capsule per day. However, I have read some awful horror stories about withdrawal ...I wish I could say the same for the good stories but there doesn't seem to be any out there. I know if I miss a tablet by night time I feel not there and get what I call 'the judders'.....severe flu like symptoms and also get brain zaps....all with just missing one dose. Please can anyone help me with coming off this. I have read that you need to cut tablets etc but mine are capsules with little balls in them so I can't do this. Please help! xxx
3 likes, 20 replies
pam97442 Spanishsarah
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Spanishsarah pam97442
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pam97442 Spanishsarah
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hiphi Spanishsarah
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I was on 75mg as well, and with the capsules. I slowly (very slowly) decreased the amounts in the capsules by opening them up and taking out the beads; every week a little more. Then closing up the capsule again and swallowing that.
When I was down to about 1/10th of a capsule I decided it was now or never, spoke with my hubby about the side effects of getting OFF the meds completely, and explained to the children what may be happening. May 17th, 2014 was my very last dose.... I haven't gone back, even once to "relieve the symptoms" because I felt it was a terrible step backward.
The recovery from the Ven is horrific. Especially Days 5, 6, & 7.
BUT, most of the symptoms had eased off by week 5 or 6. I am still struggling, though. I have mild paranoia and at times my relationship with my hubby was at a tipping point (we are relatively new to this relationship and still have lots to learn about each other besides the crap the withdrawal symptoms have created. It hasn't been easy on either one of us). I think if we can survive this, the rest of our lives will be a breeze.
I did not want the assistance of a medical professional for this either, I know they would just prescribe other forms of "numbness" by way of medications. Instead I am following a regiment of chiropractic care with Calcium/Magnesium, Pottasium, Omega 3-6-9, and a multivitamin. I can notice a huge difference in how I feel when I stopped taking these! I have since gone back on the minerals and vitamins at quite high doses. The other thing I used was Benadryl, this helped control the brain zaps, and allowed me to sleep (sort of) allbeit a "fake" sleep. Since the zaps are gone now, I no longer take them.
My dear, it will take patience, a LOT of patience to remove yourself from this poison forever remembering that you are in control of it, not the other way around. I am looking at using meditation techniques as well to help me get through the rest of the recovery.
I can only help you here by telling you you can overcome this, step by step and although it seems like you are going through hell, it's only that... going through it; not being a permanent resident there!! (HUGS))
I wish you all the strength you need!
~Hilda
Spanishsarah hiphi
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hiphi Spanishsarah
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For myself I have many things to overcome, this med was given only to cope, but I swear it did far more damage I'm my life than it did any good. .... The damage there is too much to wrote in a forum, I'll be writing a book on that when I get closer to my happy self. I'm still under a heavy cloud presently.
I just know it will get better, I have no doubt. Xoxo
hiphi Spanishsarah
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ross94426 Spanishsarah
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The more gradual the taper off the more likely you will get to zero and be ok, that was my experience anyways.
Good luck
Spanishsarah ross94426
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reasoning51 Spanishsarah
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Fortunately, i read elsewhere that if you take final pill then a course of low dose prozac for a week, then you will come off them with minimal effects. This actually did work for me, and because the long half-life of the prozac, there were no start up or withdrawl effects when i stopped them.
Ask your doctor about it, luckily mine knew about that method also
aby12276 Spanishsarah
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I can identify with all everything you have written. I came off Venlafaxine 15 days ago after being so tired of the side effects and wanting to start a family.
I can't say stopping was easy but I found a post written by someone else really useful.
Here is the post that got me through
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- I didn't manage the exercise each day but did and still am taking the vitamins and I feel this helped a lot (even if it was psychosomatic I felt a lot more in control). I couldn't stand caffeine or sugar when feeling at my worst anyway so I 've steered clear of any stimulants in foods and tried to eat naturally.
I started taking vitamins to help the withdrawal symptoms on Day 4 of withdrawal and I can't say 100% that it was the vitamins that improved how I felt but I'm really sure it did help. I was so close to taking my Ven tablets again that I had to flush them away so I had no option to start taking them again and I won't take them ever again.
I think stocking up and taking the vitamins and completely de-toxing my body really gave me a postive attitude to quitting and I felt more in control.
My doctor said there were no withdrawal symptoms and recommended I come off 225mg all at once ( I think this is madness and he is a fool) consequently I had to gradually reduce the tablets myself and went from 37.5mg to zero as like you I couldn't reduce the capsules anymore.
I can say that even though it was so hard, it is really worth it - I feel more like myself again, no more permanent drowsines and I feel like I have proper sleep without the awful night sweats.
These forums also helped so much as you can feel completely alone if you do not have supportive doctors, but keep that end goal in mind and the reasons you want it out of your body and you'll do it,
I wish you all the good luck in the world with this and don't hesitate to get in touch if you need to
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cathy1949 Spanishsarah
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vicki08466 Spanishsarah
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