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Venlafaxine Withdrawal

Posted , 5 users are following.

Charl98
Charl98

Hi, 

Sorry, I know from Google that there are a LOT of posts about this but I can't find any with this specific question. 

My Doctor rapidly took me off venlafaxine 7 weeks ago now. After 1 week, I went on to promethazine to aid with the dizziness etc. At week 6, I stopped it (prescription ran out) and I have found some days I am ok with no dizziness and other days I feel as dizzy and off balance as I did in the beginning of what was basically cold turkey. 

Has anyone been through similar after 7 weeks off? When did it finally go? 

I'm starting to struggle because it is unpredictable and I have a toddler so needing to actually lie down to stop the dizziness isn't great. 

I'm really worried that this has sparked something off in my body and isn't going to go away. It's an awful feeling. 

Any experienced of this?! 

Thanks x

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • Anne1968
    Anne1968 Charl98

    Posted

    I'm coming off ven at a rate of 75mg per week and will take my last one this Thursday. I'm having the dizziness and vertigo feeling. I bought some travel sickness pills today which seem to be helping a bit. Just be kind to yourself as it won't last forever. I was also on Mirtazapine and am staying on that for now so that may be helping a bit

    • Venny
      Venny Anne1968

      Posted

      Anne why are you withdrawing so quickly by such large doses?
    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 Venny

      Posted

      I'm following my psychiatrists instructions, I've increased my mirtazapine to 30mg and I think the plan is to continue on these. Had to call in sick to work today as I was throwing up in the night

    • Venny
      Venny Anne1968

      Posted

      Oh I see,maybe because you are on something else as well ,I hope you feel better soon,I'm doing it very slowly but I'm not on anything else.

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 Venny

      Posted

      2 years ago I was taken off 150mg in a week and was so ill. I think the zaps are easing a bit and I've got a week off work so I can just die on my bed!

    • Pixiel0tta
      Pixiel0tta Venny

      Posted

      Venny.

      Can you put how you are weaning yourself off, and how you are doing with the weaning off.

      Thanks.

  • julia23547
    julia23547 Charl98

    Posted

    Will go away Charl, but I would just mention it to your GP about the symptoms...I so understand that awful feeling, I am currently on week 2without Venlafaxine. I wish GPs would listen and taper slowly, this is not a drug to just stop taking. Good luck with it.
  • Venny
    Venny Charl98

    Posted

    I don't understand why GPs are taking people off it so quickly and why people are cutting down by such large doses.You should go back and explain that you want to taper off much more slowly.I am on75mg and my Dr said I could have a 37.5 capsule but I said no that is too much to cut down by so I am taking out one tablet from the capsule until after Christmas then IL take another out for another couple of months etc until I can have a 37.5 capsule then IL do the same again,it's essential this drug is tapered off very slowly,I know people are desperate to get off it but doing it this way will reduce withdrawal

    • julia23547
      julia23547 Venny

      Posted

      Absolutely agree with you...My GP did not have a clue about the withdrawal symptoms on the drug, he simply said ‘most people manage to get off this drug Just fine’...It kind of implied that I was a minority, therefore to be dismissed.

      its all about the tapering. I have been cold turkey on this drug, and was ill. Very ill. And was placed on it again a year or so later as it had ‘worked so well’ before. I’m much more informed now...I would campaign to have this awful drug removed but I see that’s already happened....and failed. 

  • Charl98
    Charl98

    Posted

    Thank you for all your replies.

    It is so frustrating the lack of knowledge GP's and medical professionals have about this awful drug and how to come off it. The only person who seemed to get how horrendous it was for me was a Doctor I saw in a&e who had recently done training and said he remembered this to be a particularly violent drug to come off. Unfortunately I was there after self harming, which I believe was a direct result of my venlafaxine withdrawal as I just could not cope. 

    I'm on week 7 now so they won't put me back on it. Even at the end of week 1 they said "you've done one week already, it will be fine".

    Worst thing is, it wasn't my GP who took me off this. My temporary psychiatrist did. My normal one understood venlafaxine and taped me very slowly from 375 to 150 but then the temp psych took me from 150 to 0 in get this - 7 days, Including me having an operation. His reasoning? "I can recover from both the operation and venlafaxine withdrawal". Thanks mate!! 

    I think I'll just keep taking the promethazine for now and try coming off it now and again. 

    However will chat to GP just to make sure nothing else going on. 

    Thanks again smile 

    • Pixiel0tta
      Pixiel0tta Charl98

      Posted

      Hi charl98.

      My heart goes out to you with what you had to go through.

      How the hell do these eejets pass their exams???

      Just remember to keep taking your time coming of the Venlafaxi, slowly slowly.

      I'm in a similar situation.

      I wish you the best of luck!

      Mind yourself.

  • Anne1968
    Anne1968 Charl98

    Posted

    I'd like to put these doctors on ven for a month , take them away then say 'oh it's just mild discontinuation' it's bloody withdrawal and it's nasty!

    • julia23547
      julia23547 Anne1968

      Posted

      😂😂😂😂😂Im not a vindictive person by any means...but this made me laugh. I bet there are no Drs taking this drug. 

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 julia23547

      Posted

      I've gone from 75mg to zero and having to do a 12 hour shift. I'm extremely vindictive today 😂

    • julia23547
      julia23547 Anne1968

      Posted

      Glad I am not working with you today Anne 😂😂😂😂

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