Venlafaxine withdrawal

Hi hun. I've just joined this forum to ask advice about coming off venlafaxine. I saw you post and wondered how you're doing now, seeing as your original post was 7 or so weeks ago

hello guys! only just joining this forum, really hope for some feedback! I went on venlafaxine 5 years ago 300mg a day, tapered down to 150 3 years ago, then 75mg, then 37.5 and up until Monday was on half that! as you will all know, cutting the tablet itself anymore than this is impossible! as I wasn't feeling depressed I decided to stop taking the last dose of 18 point something as me and my hubby really want a baby! i'm so nearly there and the withdrawal is awful! dizziness, spinning, tremors, sickness, irritability, the list goes on! I don't feel depressed so I am satisfied my mind is ready to live without them but my body isn't having any of it! id really like some advice! anyone have any suggestions as to how I can ease this? or how likely this is to going to last? i'm so close to cracking it but i'm that close to going to the doctor and I know they are just going to say stick it out, go back on them or prescribe me diazepam! please help xxxxx

Hi monita. I know some have suggested going on Prozac for the final stage, and I know that's safe to take while pregnant as I did it! Other than that, I can't be of any help. I'm on day two of reducing rom 150mg to 75mg!

thanks very much for taking the time to reply! I heard that is an option too! I have woke up today irritable but not sick dizzy or shaky! please god let this b the end of it! I hope your going to be ok too! that's quite a reduction there! keep busy! exercise if you can and keep up the good work!

Hey monita. So glad to hear that you're doing ok. Keep going, you're so nearly there! I'm doing ok, felt a little disorientated when I got up, but my mind already feels sharper and I feel much less achy. My mood is good, and I know I'll be busy with a 5 & 6 year old running around! As for exercise, that's been a big issue before. I had an eating disorder and was over exercising. That was 3 1/2 years ago. I'm ok now, but stopped exercising fully two weeks ago because my body just hurts. I'm looking to start Pilates when my children go back to school in September. Take care

I have been on Efexor xxl then venlafaxine for 18 years, after post natal depression after reading everybodys feed back for the first time I want to get off them. even after missing a day I get the brain fizzers, thought I was the only person who experienced these and thought I was crazy,I have now go the courage to visit my GP and move on. would appreciate any feed back

I have been on Efexor xxl then venlafaxine for 18 years, after post natal depression after reading everybodys feed back for the first time I want to get off them. even after missing a day I get the brain fizzers, thought I was the only person who experienced these and thought I was crazy,I have now go the courage to visit my GP and move on. would appreciate any feed back

Hi yvonne118

I started to get mild brain zaps yesterday evening, but not bad enough to stop me sleeping. I'm on plain old venlafaxine, not the m/r. I could be wrong, but I think I remember others saying on other threads that it's harder to come off the m/r for some reason, so maybe it's worth asking to change to start with.

When are you seeing your GP?

hi Yvonne and jaxie! thanks for the feedback! thanks for the support guys, knowing other people understand is getting me through the day! today hasn't been perfect but I feel I am getting there! I just wanted to say to u jaxie that the zaps I can really relate too! I used to take my tabs in the morning and if I ever forgot it by one o'clock the zapping would start and I would realise I forgot to take it! the difference now is although I have been off it 5 days the zaps still come at the same time! there isn't really a way around it other than sticking it out! b prepared that as low as you get the dose down too it could still happen! Yvonne its very interesting you say you say you developed an eating disorder a few years ago, I really think there is a link there. when I first went on it I dropped from 9 1/2 stone to 7 1/2 stone within weeks, was exercising 2 hours plus a day, the doctor was very concerned and urged me to change ways or I may have been admitted for an eating disorder too! at 5ft 8 tall my bmi went down to like 17 and a size 10-12 to an 8 it was cause for concern, I hope you have got to a healthy size? I exercise 5 times a wk for an hour now, I switch between swimming, cycling and walks on my lunch break! it really helps but I can see why you would worry that getting back into exercise might trigger the disorder again. pilates sounds a great idea though! go for it, it may help you relax! I am now back to 9 1/2 stone, spot on bmi for my height and ready for babies! the fact that my now husband is half Italian and all he does is eat got me back to where I am supposed to be! lol! things that have helped me are; taking 2 kalms tablets in the morn, sucking sugar free polo's when the anxiety and jitters kick in and having a berrocca fizzy vitamin drink pm to give you a bit more energy! hope that helps! we are all doing well xxxxxx

hi lucy, I just saw your post, seems we are in a similar boat! except my tummy is better and not as poorly as what you are going through! I think the best thing for you to do hun is see your doctor, the blood in the stools could be something separate to the venlafaxine and shouldn't be ignored! about 3 years ago I had a spell of bleeding also but tests revealed all was fine! I admire you dropping from such a high dose and going cold turkey! your braver than me! keep up the good work!

Hi monita. So glad to hear you're doing so well!. Yes, I've found having the support of you all and hearing how you're doing etc. is rally helping an encouraging me.

It was me that was talking about ED's. It initially started when I was 17, about a year after my sister died. It was my cry for help, because I had no support from anyone. I was supposed to support my parents ad stay strong because they'd lost a daughter, I'd 'only' lost my sister. My parents still deny I even had an ED, say they don't remember me losing weight! As you can tell, their denial still angers me greatly! Anyway, loads has happened to keep the old depression around over the years, but the last patch of ED was triggered by the death of my eldest brother in law 3 years ago. We were close to him, and his death was sudden. I'd already started to lose the excess baby weight after having my daughter 18 months previous, and just continued. I wasn't taking anti depressants on either occasion. I'd not long stopped taking Prozac with the last patch. Now I'm a healthy weight, about 9st, and have given up worrying about it!

Start taking folic acid monita!!! :D I'm really excited for you, and hope you're as lucky as we were. We got married, went on honeymoon, and two weeks later, I found out that I was pregnant! By our 2nd wedding anniversary, I was 8 months pregnant again!

ahh, thanks for the reply! that's awful that you lost your sister so young, families can be so selfish sometimes! I appreciate your mum and dad lost their daughter but the fact they didn't see how badly it was affecting you and they could have lost you too is terrible. very sad you lost your brother in law too, think they will be 'looking down' very proud of you right now knowing your reducing them! 9 stone is a good weight so well done! how spooky is this though, as I feel iv progressed I took my first folic acid today! im sure some other type of exercise can take my mind off it!

We'll have stay in touch, l love hearing about pregnancies! :D

That IS spooky. How long have you been married?

thanks a lot! wishing you all the best too! been married 2 years in October! we ran away to Gretna Green! it was amazing day! very romantic!

Aww, how lovely! Ours wasn't a huge wedding, about 75 guests in total. Registry office wedding followed by a lovely reception. Perfect day for us!

How're you doing today? I'm feeling quite headachey, but very positive, knowing that each day that passes brings me a day closer to stopping the venlafaxine :D