Venlafaxine withdrawal

Hi Betsy.

I believe its protracted withdrawal syndrome and for the last week out of the blue, I have been hit with depression. I got so bad my partner rung my case manager who came around home to see me. It was super frustrating as she just doesn't understand it and prescribed me seroquel which just knocks me out completely the next day even on the smaller dose. I have already told her this but she wont listen. I am taking 40mg prozac and thought maybe I should go up to a higher dose and she just swept that under the carpet. I'm so confused as to what to do as everyone makes me feel like Im making it up as there is such a lack of knowledge about it here and instead of getting support, the professionals go against me.

Oh dear, you are on your way to polydrugging for withdrawal symptoms!  Seroquel is an antipsychotic.  You actually do have a choice as to whether to put these drugs in your body.  Prescribing is what these people know.  How did you come to be on the Prozac, too?  Prozac can be a bridge drug to help one get OFF Effexor, but isn't very good at stopping WD from Effexor.  How long have you been on the Prozac?

The best cure for Effexor withdrawal is a very small dose of Effexor, like 1-2 mg even, a couple of beads.  Better the devil you know than the one you don't, but now you're on Prozac...even still, rather than Seroquel, it would be better to try a couple of beads of Effexor to see if you can tolerate it, see if it reduces the severity of withdrawal. 

Your nervous system has become highly sensitized due to the Effexor CT, and any other drug that is taken in its wake can cause an adverse reaction.  Taking the full starting dose of ANY drug can make you feel much worse.

Jojo, so you are two months out from Effexor and how long on Prozac?

There definitely is but sometimes it gets so super hard, its hard to see it. I think the sites like this are a god send as it is the only place people understand!

No don't worry it doesn't. It get's easier as time goes on so hang in there. Your brain obviously isn't coping with the fast taper. See if you ate able to go back on a bit more and come off more slowly as it will make all the difference. My taper was over two weeks and it just about killed me. No one should ever have to go through what you are and what I have. I wasn't allowed any more ven so it was a nightmare but I made it through. Only trouble now is I have been hit with depression even though I am on prozac. They are called protracted withdrawl symotoms which is awful but I have to put up with until my brain returns to normal, whenever that will be!!!

It's been horrific, I feel so sad for my lovely partner he has put up with so much. Did you try the Prozac bridge people talk about? I didn't get on well with that either. Big hugs, have you tried another ssri?i would not recommend citalopram! I don't want to try ven again I'd rather sit it out however horrible. I have been really irrationally angry today,going to try the doc again for more diazepam it seems to calm me a bit.xxxxxx

I feel so sad for my lovely partner too but we are so lucky we have them!! The only way I made it through the first two weeks was with seroquel which was only 25mg. I was prescribed that to help me sleep ages ago and used it to knock myself out as that was the inly way I could cope. My partner had to work and do everything that I would usually do for the two kids. When I did wake up He had to feed me as my brain wouldnt connect with my hands. I also had migraines around the clock for two weeks. Thank goodness for ibprofen too. You just do what you have to do to get through. At one stage I just couldn't do it anymore (2nd attempt), so My partner took me to the hospital in the evening. I ended up coming home at 1am without the psychiatrists even seeing me when they told me they would. All I can say is hold on, talk about it as much as you can to whoever will listen. Support is so important. I wanted to do the prozac bridge but the doctor wouldn't let me. I had to start two days after I stopped the venlafaxine. I do believe the prozac works however it is taking longer than usual but as long as it is, that's what matters. Its just time which we all don't seem to have much of these days. I know how awful it is and I know you won't ferl yourself right now but trust me you will feel better. Keep talking to me if it helps you to feel better!! I so feel your pain x

I also take diazapam too. It helps a little.

Thank you I really appreciate your kind words! It's nice to speak to someone that's been through it. Support is definitely important!😊 I'm lucky I'm off work at the moment but I will be going back at the end of the month so hopefully it passes by then! My partner is very patient luckily, I just don't want to push him away because he suffers from time to time with depression too.xxxx

That's ok. Glad I could help. I hope that it does pass by the end of the month for you but don't be disheartened if it doesn't as it can take quite a bit of time for the brain to return to normal again. Being at work will be a great distraction and keeping busy is what they recommend for withdrawels. My partner is verg patient too and also suffers depression from time to time. He is taking citalopram which seems to work for him. You won't push him away, if anything it will bring you closer together as it has done our family.

Yes I think work will help, interaction with other people too I don't see too many people and feel a bit isolated. Fingers crossed, that great it brought you closer!😊I hated citalopram, made me yawn CONSTANTLY haha such a weird symtom!😂So when are you doing the next step down in your meds?xx

I feel isolated too sometimes as we only moved from Auckland to Tauranga a year ago and I still can't settle. I'm the only one who can't! That certainly doesn't help with the situation either. I have already come right off Venlafaxine on the 13th April and now on 40mg prozac and I'm just going to keep taking that and hopefully things will improve until I see the psychiatrist in three weeks. How about you?

I hope you get settled that's great you're off ven, Prozac is good I was on that for a while, wish I had went on it again, put a few pounds on with it but would rather that than the weight with ven!🙈 Xxxxx

Thanks. Yeah, I've heard loads of people have gained unwanted weight with ven. I coudn't stand how temperamental it was. If I had a few drinks I would have the feeling of a bad hangover for three days. I also got very irritable, had a really bad short term memory and just felt like someone elses brain was in my head. The only thing I did like and miss is that it gave me a lot of energy. I'm happy and relieved that I am over the worst of it and that I feel much like myself again but I don't like how I constantly feel flat and that I still don't feel that my brain is fully healed. Anyway maybe you could go back on to prozac. I think it has the least side effects.

Yes definitely alcohol affects me more quickly, but been drinking quite a bit had cravings for it!😳 The memory thing I get 100% it's so frustrating, been getting quite angry about it at times because it's so frustrating! I'm going to see if I can sit it out Without anything, venlafaxine has scared me off anything else!🙈Xxx

Fair enough, I don't blame you at all. I wish I was able to go without but I would probably fall apart. How long have you been off it for?