Venlafaxine rant

That's awful I only tried once to cut down and within a day I wanted to die Prob a combination of withdrawal and having been on them over 20 years I just hope this new combination with the quetapeine works becoz the only other option is to come off them too and Start a new antidepressant, problem then is I will hAv to come off the quetapeine too. sounds so awful it's a shame they don't tell us more about the side affects and withdrawals and I no they don't get it my doctor said I could not possibly feel anything after lowering my dose and so quickly I no it is then becoz wen IVE been too depressed to get out IVE run out and hAv had the awful withdrawals U describe luckily once I got then U was fine but that was only becoz I took a double dose which I no I shouldn't do but couldbt bare IT. I really hope this ends quickly im not sure how long it takes to get a drug out UR system completely but I no I could never do wot UR doing so well done I no my mum was given diazepam to help come off but then that is also v addictive and another problem. It's so nice to spk to other ppl who actually understand and not make me feel worse

Hi Sarah, 

just wanted to check in. I'm still having withdrawal symptoms. Shaking like an alcoholic in withdrawal, anxiety, nausea. 

My doctor was absolutely clueless about the topic. He didn't even know withdrawal exists. I feel like I am doing his homework: 

Sending him articles and telling him what to do. 

I came across a site called survivingantidepressants . com. 

They explain very well how the withdrawal works and how to survive it: 

1. Tapering super slowly seems to be everything, also to prevent long term withdrawal symptoms. Check out the site, it's very interesting. 

Your doctor has no clue if he tells you you shouldn't feel any withdrawal. Venlafaxine disappears from the body so fast that you can get withdrawal symptoms within half an hour of missing a dose. 

@Sarah: If you ever want to come off, make sure that your doctor understands the withdrawal and supports you in your plan. There's nothing worse than clueless doctors. They'll diagnose you with all kinds of stuff because they don't recognize withdrawal and then put even more drugs into your system. 

The best way is to never reduce more than 10% of your dose, even if you have to open the Venlafex XL pill and take out a counted number of beads. 

One important thing I learned during this experience is: We have to stand up for ourselves, be a pain in the ass for doctors. We have to research in the web. We have to annoy them until they support us. If they don't, we need to find another doctor. 

It's hard, but there's no way around it.... 

Stay strong, 

Laura

 

Hi laura!That's interesting to hear about the short half life. I take two 75mg XL venlafaxine at night and one first thing in the morning. Sometimes I'm half asleep and forget to take the one in the morning, and don't notice until I go to bed at night and find the pill still sitting on the cabinet! But they are the XL variety, which spreads it out. And I make sure I don't miss 2 days in a row.

Hi Pixie, 

if you're taking it two times a day, you're probably fine because you still have some venlafaxine in your system from the last dose. Plus you have the XL tablet which releases the ingredient slower. 

From what I have read so far, people seem to get in trouble if they go more than 25h without a dose and it doesn't seem to happen for all people. Somehow some people seem to be more prone to get these symptoms than others. 

I personally started to feel really bad two days after stopping, with the worst symptoms on day 3 and 4.

There's an article about the withdrawal in one of my earlier replies in this discussion. 

Cheers, 

Laura

Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the link as it is already linked further up on this page.

Thanks I just don't see why he is adding more medication that is supposed to work well with the Venflaxatine wen they R clearly not and have not been working for a very long time. I am now having to reduce the extra medication to get off as im a zombie im Defo telling him I want off Venflaxatine slowly and a new antidepressant failing that I am actually thinking of getting put into a detox programme or residence to get off all my meds and c how I am Becoz IVE been on so many tablets for so long and to b honest i would like to c how I am on none I no this is a big risk but IVE always taken my meds and yes they worked in the beginning but not for a long time now. It's so hit and miss with medication and with BPD there is no set pill and I am managing the other areas, it's the depression that is awful I just want to get up in the morning and b able to function. I don't no but this new doctor is better. It is terrible UR doctor has no clue that's the problem we assume they no Wots best for us I put my mental health in the hands of my old doc for 20 years now retired and I'm only just realising she had no bloody clue! The fact she kept my diagnosis from ME for over 10 years and refusing to even consider reviewing my medication, makes me feel robbed of my life especially since my diagnosis did help ME improve greatly. I just need to find the strength again I feel like I've given up fighting becoz everytime I get well I hit rock bottom so I think in a way im staying here where I am so miserable but I no where I am. Sorry for going on and thank you.

Hi all, I've just stumbled on this thread and would like to offer some support if I can............ I was on Venlafexine the highest dose for 8years following the death of my son - My GP had tried me on other antidepressants before this - all no use - Venlafexine saved my life yes initially I had awful side effects but gradually they became less and less............... After 8years ( GP did tell me that I would probably have to take them all my life ) I suddenly woke up one morning thinking I was living in "cotton wool" and it was time to wean these tablets off! So with my GP's help I slowly slowly reduced the dose - even cutting the capsules up and reducing the powder inside the capsule - so slow......... took me months and months - but hey! I did it  Its been 2 years since I weaned myself off them & feel alive again don't get me wrong there were times when I wondered what on earth I was doing! Since this I have had depressive periods when I have come close to asking my GP to put me back on this drug................... It really helped me at a time I needed it the most - everyone is different & what suits one person doesn't always suit the next - I just wanted to share my positive experience with Venlafexine...............stay positive everyone - there is light at the end of the tunnel - it just takes time......

Finally! A Venlafaxine sucess story! 

Thanks so much for posting this! It's so good to know that this drug isn't only a big lie and disaster. And it's also very good to hear that there's some GPs out there who actually know what they're doing. 

That restores my trust in medical professionals a little bit. 

Sorry to hear about your son! There's no words for how awful that must be. So glad you survived this! 

 

Wot is the highest dose my doctor did say he could put them up but I just think if they not working wot the point I was always on 150mg then wen my son went into care I was out up to 225mg I just really wonder how would I feel drug free IVE been on meds since 16 then was just 20mg x3 a day for bulimia but venflaxatine did work great for years no doubt about and I had bad periods but weeks or month not 3 years IVE literally been in a dark dark place the last 3 years hiding away from the world my therapist said punishing myself as I don't feel I deserve a life without my children. I also no I need to giv myself a good kick up the arse IVE just lost the fight ive always been a fighter always channeled the pain into my exercise used it to drive me but I feel my tank is empty. I just don't seem to b able to get out of this negative thinking in my own head, just get up and on with it! The only time iI have any motivation is web my kids R here so I no I can but wen I wake up alone I just can't snap out of it I no this sounds pathetic

Glad this has helped Laura

Yep I'm a survivor

Life can be s**t but when we fall down we have to get up again! Life is for living  

Hey Sarah give me 10mins and I'll pm you

hi laura i know how you are feeling , i have been on venlx for ten years but it has stoped working , i started to reduse my dose 6 months ago from 150mg down to 37.5 , about amonth ago i started to reduce this by half , it has been hell , with in 2 days noises in my head extreme sweating headaches , feeling sick , loss of appetite  feeling of wanting to cry , sadness  low moods , 24 hours aday  no matter what i try it just isnt getting any better , my gp wants me to try citoprolam but i cant take it with venlx so i have to stop , i wake in the morning wishing it was night again so that i can go back to sleep anything so that i dont have to suffer this withdrawel , there is just no end to it , i know people and myself have had help from this drug and all is well when your on it but no one should have to go through this when coming of , the company that make this drug should be made to pay help people come of , i hope you find relief soon as do i . take care  

Hi Terry,

thanks for your reply. I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through. The drug companies, in my opinon,  get away with murder because of manipulated clinical trials and the methodical deception of doctors.

The only way we can try and make an impact is to report the severity of our side effects through the official systems (yellow card scheme in the UK). The leaflet always says the withdrawals to be "mild to moderate", which is a plain lie.

Are you sure you want to go through the horror of weaning down Venlafaxine and then go on another antidepressant? You may have to repeat the weaning process afterwards with Citalopram. 

Since I am living this horror, I have done a lot of research into how these ADs change our brains for the worse. Your brain reptors downregulate. The longer you're on drugs, the less likely it is that they'll upregulate again.

If taken for long years, this drugs can make potentially permanent changes to your brain, leading to something called "tardive dysphoria", which is a chronic, antidepressant induced depression with no escape.

If you're feeling so bad, would you consider weaning slower? It's not good for your poor brain to be put thorugh such stress if it doesn't have to be.

For me, there was no option because I can't seem to tolerate antidepressants.

All the best,

Laura

 

I am on 225 mg of venlafaxine daily and like  15 other pills for lots of stuff. I went on three years ago and dose went up to what is current.

Well then different doctor put me on some stop addiction drug to stop eating so much. All hell broke loose in my body. I am like 1m 86 so six feet 2 inches and US pounds of 330. Strong as an ox but I got p*ssed at Ikea and damn near was ready to explode on a guy who poked his finger in my chest and called me a liar about whee a dispaly was to open. He worked there . I am a disabled US vet and now 71 years old but still force to be dealt with. So the point is the drugs crossed in me and I was  not a nice guy. The addiction pill was stopped and my ven dose went up. I have sever deression and anixety, there is no magic pill, just some help. good luck with urs 

thanks for your reply laura , i have been suffering with the anxiety for twenty years , but i cant tolerate the venalaxafine the side efects are horrendous , but coming of them is horrendous , a no win situation , the  side efects far outway my depression  , i agree with you the manafactures have no clue about withdrawel and how it makes peoples lifes hell , the fact that people think they have to take them for life is frightening , i know some people wil have to be , but anti depressants are there to make people feel better until they are well enough to try with out them , not keep them on them for life as to avoid nasty side efects like venalaxafine . how can anyone say to us the withdrawes are so bad so your better of staying on them ! when i was on 225mg on venalaxafine i felt as bad as i do now on 37mg , but the doctor kept telling me it wasnt the meds it was my anxiety and depression causing me to feel so bad , i will look up the yellow card form as i believe this drug has made the last 3 years of my life a living hell and they need to do something to help sufferers

I couldn't agree more Terry. These drugs do so much harm to some people. They seem to be helping a few, but the damage that is done is incredible. There are so many horror stories out there from people who were bedbound for a year after stopping Venlafaxine.

It's incredible. And the worst: Doctors don't acknowledge the issue and blame all the symptoms on the patient.