VENLAFAXINE WITHDRAWAL
Posted , 6 users are following.
I'm finding it difficult to understand Why a GP or any other Health Person (!!) would tell ANYONE.. to reduce Venlafaxine quickly !! Sorry but this makes me So Angry!! That drug could be so dangerous to reduce more than a few mgs for at least a couple of Months.. not 37 mgs a week !!! I know how bad it can be Having forgotten to take it a few times over all the years I've been taking it.. I know I'm repeating myself.. Again!! But don't reduce Venlafaxine by any more than a very small amount over many months.. Especially if you are taking it for depression.. too dangerous! I'd like to come off completely.. but I'm too scared now because of the withdrawal
1 like, 14 replies
gemhen13 irene55873
Posted
I totally agree!
irene55873 gemhen13
Posted
Agreed ! The way that anti depressants are prescribed is So ***** !!! 3 times I've thought I was going Crazy or something when I forgot them.. and so did a lot of people I know that haven't been on any Anti depressants.. made my life HELL and I'm still not "out of the woods" with that either..
nigel45109 irene55873
Posted
you sometimes can reduce quickly if you are going onto something else, but not if you are coming off anto deps altogether. you want 4 weeks in between each reduction at least, if you are coming off completely.
irene55873 nigel45109
Posted
Hi, Nigel, I want to come off completely.. but I can't just now as I'm afraid to.. I'm not going back to GP as they've not a clue.. so I'm staying on it for now.. My experience with Venlafaxine has been very bad when I forgot to take it.. but at least I've reduced to half of what I was on. I don't want to take anymore antidepressants after these.. reason I started on them was because of workplace bullying. I'm out of that now but I didn't know how difficult it would be to stop Venlafaxine..I learned the hard way when I forgot to take it and didn't realise that I'd not been taking it.. sounds daft but if you forget..you forget.. I just want off it and think I need longer to achieve it.. thanks
nigel45109 irene55873
Posted
yes, the majority of gps, and pyscs, have no idea how difficult it is to start and come of anti deps. you could tell your dr youve changed your mind, you dont want to come off, so you keep getting pescriptions, and come off yourself much much more slowly, or you can switch to prozac for a few months, then come off that, as its the easiest anti dep to come off.
kerrimac nigel45109
Posted
Yes after trying to come off ven slowly and not succeeding, my husband tried doing it by changing to prozac and it was easy. He hasn't looked back since. However, it was very hard to convince his doctor to change the prescription.
cheryl06744 kerrimac
Posted
did you say your husband changed over to prozac from ven and was then able to get off completely?
ive been doing an ultra slow taper from ven for two years now on what other sites suggest and still having to endure withdrawal symptoms despite my slow approach.
cheryl06744 irene55873
Posted
Doctors who dont have personal experiences with these meds have no F#%ken clue or they wouldnt be prescribing them so freely. They consult text books or the pharmaceutical rep versus the laymans experience. Which unfortunately for those of us that suffer any horrendous side effects they can only look at us and scratch their heads. I do hope that one day soon all these online discussions go mainstream and the entire medical field will be more sensitive and cautious in prescribing, monitoring and advising on tapering methods.
irene55873 cheryl06744
Posted
Exactly Cheryl!! Venlafaxine.. Well.. I have been on other Anti deps before but none have been this horrendous to reduce.. I feel it's worse than the reason I was given them in the first place.. I seriously feel that the Psychiatrist that prescribed it just wanted to me out to reduce the waiting time.. because I recall that the waiting room was Full and even the staff didn't know who was there or why..!! Best of luck to you
Guest irene55873
Posted
i so agree with all of you about the medical profession. MY GP is not on board with my wd and she told me directly i will never be able to get off. fortunately I'm determined to continue. my pharmacist has been very helpful with my schedule and my counsellor is totally with me on this. it is not easy and never expected it to be but your mind goes places that are difficult to navigate. im on my first week 3 days off after months of preparing and emotions run high, sleeping is impossible on off days but i persevere because i know i can handle it. im in a very happy place, 2 years in retirement, living in the country and friends rallying for me. i understand that if my quality of life is compromised, i will stay on my lowest dose.
irene55873 Guest
Posted
Hi Pauline, so glad you have support.. you are very lucky. I'm on the lowest dose I dare at the moment.. too many things getting in the way of reducing anymore just now. GP's just don't understand all the complications of much these days.. I know in my surgery that a lot work elsewhere so are only part time GP. Glad you're in a better place right now.. I'll have to wait a bit before I try to reduce further. best wishes
Guest irene55873
Posted
hi irene, its definitely not the journey we planned thats for sure. ive been hitting bumps too, had a horrible episode today, usually after my no pill day...your mind goes into a loop and i ended up going for a walk in the wee hours this morning. i will need to slow it down a bit. my poor hubby though has to watch me go thru this! i hope you get to good place too.
irene55873 Guest
Posted
hi Pauline, it's really scarey isn't it.. I thought I was doing ok reducing it then other things cause problems.. in life.. that's what scared me the most.. I was fine at first.. then there would be an upset in my life and that's the Problem with this drug.. I've looked back at the times I forgot to take it and It's Always when then there's been some sort of unexpected Upset.. or change.. in life.. that's when I'd forget and not realise.. Hope you're ok.. I really think venlafaxine is a nightmare drug .. oh if I'd only known but I didn't.. before Google etc.. take care you can get in touch if you want any time. I just don't get Email alerts .. so I need to check it a lot .. best wishes to you..
Guest irene55873
Posted
i know i was misdiagnosed by a dr in a rush to fix my menopause. he should have told me it was temporary....every time i wanted to come off it, a new dr would up my dose....why i listened? why wouldnt i right? it certainly is a freakn nightmare. i had no idea those brain zaps were from forgetting a pill....took me awhile to figure it out. they became more frequent for me and so annoying especially too much coffee, wine or just tired. im wondering if ringing in my ears is a symptom too! dreams became very anxious and downright scary, waking up in a sweat. and this is all on the drug so you're right, sick on this drug is real. i honestly cant wait to feel the whole of me, everything!
i understand what youre going thru irene, the timing of things affecting you. my life has had to slow down to a crawl since this wean because of that too so i hope things get better for you. take care and stay in touch.