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Venlafaxine withdrawal ~ how do I get through it.....

Posted , 10 users are following.

lisa03229
lisa03229

Hallo I am in the midst of yet another attempt to stop taking Venlafaxine and I've had a complete meltdown this morning which has left me feeling very anxious. I have been on 150 mg for 6 years and I really don't want to take it any more. I feel abandoned by my GP and I've tried to reduce dose myself. It's been 3 days since I had 75mg and now I feel so anxious, angry, tearful and physically shaky. 

I am wondering if other people have experienced this when reducing or trying to stop?

To be honest I feel so helpless and I don't know what to do. 

I really would value insight from other people who have or are going through this....

1 like, 76 replies

76 Replies

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  • lucy159
    lucy159 lisa03229

    Posted

    Hello,

    I've read most of the replies on here but apologies if i repeat what others have said. Firstly, i agree that you may have reduced too quickly. I've tried reducing a couple of times before and failed both times as my body just couldnt handle the drop in drug amount. I'm now reducing really slowly - i've worked out it will take me a year or so...but it is going better so far - even though i'm reducing by 1/50th of 150g per reduction i still get withdrawals (sweating, nausia, headaches, manic days, depressed days), so it's clearly a very potent drug. I'm not doing this in conjunction with my GP as i find they don't understand my need to reduce so slowly...but...i am not advocating this as i'm sure a good gp would be a huge support. 

    I am also trying to eat really healthily and taking supplements including omega three oils. and drinking lots of water.

    The person who made the point about it maybe not being a great time to reduce if you are doing a new job in a psychiatric hospital makes a really good point. I don't need to be in the office every day which means i can be a bit flexible and sleep when i need to sleep - oh, and i let myself do this...so we've had some stunning days here but i didn't make myself feel guilty for literally sleeping right through them - yes, it's a shame to miss them, especially in winter but...there will be more and sleep is so important for you to feel better. I've never felt so tired as when coming off this drug.

    • lisa03229
      lisa03229 lucy159

      Posted

      Hallo Lucy, thank you for your reply & I am interested to read that you have been reducing ever so slowly. 

      I've contemplated asking my GP to sign me off but the stubborn part of me thinks I can just go ahead and do it (which I now know I can't just do) & I would worry about having the time off + the course I'm doing just now. Being a chronic worrier is not good...sad( 

      I need to learn not to worry so much....

    • lucy159
      lucy159 lisa03229

      Posted

      He...yes, learning to worry less is a big part of it...not least because chronic worry leads to depression!! I think if you need to sign yourself off...do it. You and your health are the most most most important thing...and being kind and compassionate to yourself - as you would be to a good friend or relative - is the best way to get your health on track. I was really ill when i was doing my masters...just intense study all the time and no fun...i now realise that was really bad for me and want to find a way to live where i can work reasonable hours and have a life too...it's kind of taught to us that to be successful is to have a great career but i think really success is about having a life you actually enjoy waking up for!!
    • lucy159
      lucy159 lisa03229

      Posted

      Look up 'mindbodygreen'   it's a website with lots of great articles on being healthy and happy - i re-read them all the time to remind myself of how i want to be smile
    • lisa03229
      lisa03229 lucy159

      Posted

      That sounds like a fab website Lucy! In my professional life I'm looking at care and support for people and yet I don't apply to myself! 
    • lucy159
      lucy159 lisa03229

      Posted

      It's definitely more easier to give the advice than to take it lol...i try and be kind to myself etc...but it's hard work!! Oh, one other thing that has helped me is not sticking to a rigid reduction schedule - in the past i was so desperate to get off venlafaxine that i did it as quick as possible. No i make sure i'm over the withdrawal effects and have a few days to enjoy feeling normal before reducing again. I also don't reduce when i know it's a busy time at work or in some other area of my life. So last week i had a presentation and waited until after that so that i know i'd feel ok doing it, instead of my scheduled day to reduce which was three days before the presentation.
    • lucy159
      lucy159

      Posted

      easier, not more easier(!!)...just seen so many other typos...clearly typing fast not my forte!
    • lisa03229
      lisa03229 lucy159

      Posted

       Life is so busy with home & work commitments...In a way focusing on work & my studies is good for me. But in amongst all the rushing around I need to slowly concentrate on reducing the dosage....
    • lucy159
      lucy159 lisa03229

      Posted

      That's a really good point, focussing on other things and keeping busy does stop you from self obsessing. 
    • lisa03229
      lisa03229 lucy159

      Posted

      It does....and going to work always (well mostly always) cheers me up....
    • amanda25783
      amanda25783 lucy159

      Posted

      Hi Lucy

      Oh dear - how right your are!

      What fabulous advice, and insight into a terrible disease.

      I think it is so very important to balance work with a decent quality of life, outside activities, relationships and so on.  Your masters reminds me of being a junior doctor in the eighties.  We worked 120 hours a week, and I don't believe that many of us got through that time unscathed by depression. 

      I am retired now, in my fifties, and I wonder what on earth it was all for.

      All that ambition counts for little after you finish working, but by then over half a life time has flown by, and there seems to be so much that has been lacking.  Including fun! 

      I love your comment that success is about having a life that you enjoy waking up for - so positive, and mature.  I hope that you are well now, and are able to do just that!

      Very best wishes

      M x

    • lucy159
      lucy159 amanda25783

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your lovely message smile At the moment i'm able to have a really balanced life - after spending my 20s thinking that i wasn't good enough and that career was the way to feel 'good enough' i finally realised that until you learn that you are good enough as you are, have nothing to prove, and deserve to be loved by yourself (in a non arrogant way lol!) you will always feel depressed as you always feel you are falling short of some ideal or other. I also think that i needed venlafacine to give me the mental space to be able to learn that, and the time to read all the things about self acceptance and authenticity that make me think that what caused my depression in the first place is maybe not a part of my mindset anymore. I think that by reducing slowly i stand a better chance of holding onto this mindset than if i was overwhelmed by withdrawal symptoms. 

      Thank you once again and best wishes,

      Lucy x

    • ncoules49
      ncoules49 lucy159

      Posted

      Omg Lucy . That is my life in a nutshell! Beautifully said!
  • ncoules49
    ncoules49 lisa03229

    Posted

    I was on 150 mg as well reduced 10% every 10 days. My husband helped me . I couldn't have done it without him. I cried uncontrollably,  brain zaps, stomach aches and everything was magnified 100%. It it very difficult. Get a family member Spouse or someone who will help you . And go thru all the crap you go thru. I have been off V for 2 weeks. Still have minor brain zaps and buzzing in my ears. I have lost my appetite. Which is good because I gained 40 lbs and used to sweat like a pig! I still have minor withdrawls. It suck but I am not going back!!!!! Keep at it . You can do it!!!
    • lisa03229
      lisa03229 ncoules49

      Posted

      That is great that you have slowly been reducing. It's a hard process but will be so worth it. I'm interested to read about the weight gain & sweats. Alas I have had both, although I've noticed since reducing to 75 mg sweating has reduced. 

      Well done with being off it! 

    • gillybean36
      gillybean36 lisa03229

      Posted

      My sweating has disappeared!!! Loving that I can actually walk upstairs without sweating, and not having the night sweats any more is even better!! Everytime I slept I woke up soaking, it was horrible! Plus I have eczema so it was making that worse, I was waking up soaking wet and itchy!!! Now I have no night sweats my eczema has really calmed down!
    • leanne61579
      leanne61579 gillybean36

      Posted

      My sweating is much less also and thought the drug was suppose to help me not to sweat  Anyway today is my very last pill at 37 mg and hoping I wont need to get any more.

       

    • ncoules49
      ncoules49 leanne61579

      Posted

      Don't be afraid to take 1/2 37 if you need to For another week or 2. Good job stay strong !
    • leanne61579
      leanne61579 gillybean36

      Posted

      Thanks to you both and here is hoping but if I need some more with less strength, my Dr will be more than willing to help me through it. I'm lucky to have a great Dr who understands this problem.
    • lisa03229
      lisa03229 gillybean36

      Posted

      Hallo, that's great the sweating has stopped!! Thankfully I have been less bothered with sweats. I was blaming sweats (especially at night) on my age ~ I'm 46...!! I don't know if it's a coincidence but I have really sore patches on my feet. Almost like a dermatitis or eczema. The itching has been awful today....At one point I had to take my shoes & socks off & pad about the office in my bare feet....Skin is still so itchy tonight....
    • gillybean36
      gillybean36 lisa03229

      Posted

      I had eczema anyway but whilst on venlafaxine it got really bad, I was covered in it and had to get steroid cream from docs, it's so much better since I stopped the tablets. I haven't heard anyone else with same problem but everyone's different I suppose 
    • lisa03229
      lisa03229 gillybean36

      Posted

      I've been bothered with dermatitis off & on for years (runs in both sides of my family) and these sore patches on my feet are so itchy. I'm desperately trying not to scratch but oh me it's hard not to...I have run out of steroid cream or would have applied that. One of my colleagues at work was a nurse & she said in the absence of steroid cream to try Canesten cream...am so desperate I will give it a go...
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