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venlafaxine withdrawal- please help!!

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tg
tg

Hi there, ive just joined on here to get some advice and support... i was prescribed venlafaxine xl (modified release) 10 yrs ago for severe depression after my daughter was born, over the years this has been increased to 225mg a day. My partner and i want to have another baby and was aware of the effects venlafaxine has or could have on a unborn child so i went to my psychiatrist to ask for there help to come off it, they drew up a plan where i would gradually reduce my amount by 37.5mg each week. This was 6 wks or so ago and am now on day two of no venlafaxine what so ever.... but im suffering really bad withdrawal symptoms.... excruciating headaches, shaking and shivering, nausa. This evening i had a major breakdown and couldnt stop crying. I had to be prescribed diazepam! I feel worse as each day goes by, dont think i can do this for much longer if this carries on.... i really want to get off this drug but i dont know how long the withdrawal will last and when ill start to feel better, does anyone have any ideas??

I feel like im in living hell at the moment...i have been feeling so bad that ive been house bound now since i started this regeime, i just need to know when its goin to end.

13 likes, 509 replies

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  • tunamancali
    tunamancali tg

    Posted

    Ok, I'm here not to tell you any horrible stories. I have been on Venlafaxine HCL ER 150 MG CAP for about 8 years. I read all these horrible stories. This is a very bad drug. Dr's don't explain side effects, and my bad was that I didn't ask any questions. I saw in one of these sites that there was like 500 little beads inside those capsules. So one day after my marriage / job had gone down the drain, I desided I was going to make a effort to get off this. Especially when i was told without my insurance it would cost like $250 for a 3 month supply. I started taking the small beads out, like 15 for the first 2 weeks and so on. Till i started to see there wasn't very many beads left in caps. I can tell you that that made me count them. There was only like 150-155 little beads in every cap. I started getting off them a little over a month ago, and now I'm down to only taking 25 MG a day. Sure there were little side effects for me, but minor. I know I will be totally off this bad drug soon. Man, and I got to say I've got my sex drive back again ! This med will be a thing of my past very soon. I know everyones body is different. But I'm here to tell you, YOU CAN DO IT, AND YOU CAN AND WILL GET YOUR LIFE BACK. Yes, I am a strong Christian, and I truely know that only thru GOD was it possible to get off these pills. Believe me I was on my knee's telling God, you know how much I want to get off med's. Well foulks, I feel SO much better now. I sleep good, and I have my sex drive back. This Venlafaxine mad my personality so much worse. I am a happy person again. I joke around like I used to...

    If anyone wants to contact me, do. I am a positive person. You CAN do it..

    Chris

    • Abuelita
      Abuelita tunamancali

      Posted

      Yes, it can be done!

      On day 6 and feeling better everyday!

      Thank you all for your participation in this VERY supportive conversation. It has made a tremendous difference in my personal journey!

    • michael_37726
      michael_37726 tunamancali

      Posted

      Hi

      I have been trying to get off venalfaxine for about 3 months and have got down to 37mg from 275mg but been hanging on to the 37mg for the past 4 weeks I decided to stop taking anymore today and see how it goes, I have been through hell getting down to the 37mg so am worried as to how I will feel now not taking any. I believe in God and pray all the time for help with this as I'm so desperate to get off these awful drugs, I have tryed all kinds of antidepressants over the last 30 years and I'm now convinced they have only made things worse so I want to try other ways to deal with it from now on. To be honest I would rather just have the depression and anxiety to deal with and not have all the side effects of antidepressants to deal with as well. All the mess have done is turn me into a useless zombie with no quality of life whatsoever. Reading you post has given me some hope so I thank you for that.

  • tunamancali
    tunamancali tg

    Posted

    My reply doesn't seem to want to go to the correct responce area. Believe me, I still have an aching in my body, especially in knee area. Get headaches / some nights only sleep a couple hours at a time. If it was too easy you woudn't learn anything fom it. You must listen to your body / there are going to be times when you can't move the process along as quickly as you wish too. I take Ibuprofen PM for when i get those headaches. I believe the worst thing you can do is try to come off them too fast. Very Important to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Sure sometimes I see my hand start doing some shaking... I don't sweat for no reason anymore, like I used to. Hey I've been on this drug for at least 8 years. The side effects of coming off it aren't nearly as bad as I had thought. Everyones body is different. When you feel some of those effects coming on from decreasing the dosege, just know, and tell yourself you will ride it out. Because it will pass. Even though at the time it sure doesn't feel like it.... Later on in the evening, I think back and say to myself that feeling that I had earlier is gone now. You must trust that God will help you through this. If it was real easy, you wouldn't have learned anything from it.

    God Bless you all,

    Chris

    p.s. - I know God had me go through this for a reason / and my reason is to help others get through it

  • sandra1165
    sandra1165 tg

    Posted

    Hi,

    I'm not sure if you've heard that Benadryl can help with some of the withdrawals. I was on 225 of ven for 2 years and was told to come off gradually over 3 weeks. I was going through hell and checked the internet for help. I found this forum and read about others who had tried Benadryl and benefitted from it.  I hope this helps. Be strong. Hang in there. It does get better. 

  • tunamancali
    tunamancali tg

    Posted

    I do take Benadryl / Melatonin before going to bed. I also take Omega-3 and Iron everday. I also take mulivitiamns everyday. Thats is part of my normal intake. Its the Diphenhydramine HCI in Benadryl that you need. Can get the diphenhydramine anywhere for cheap. I purchase 325 tablets at CVS. But can get on ebay alot cheaper. Omega-3 is cheap also. Actually sometimes I forget to even take that stuff. I know I'm real close to totally coming off Venlafaxine. I will not need to renew my prescription. That was actually my goal. And I know I will have plenty of Venlafaxine left in bottle after I done with them. My goal is by the end of September to be done with them. I just open a capsule and down 25 of those little beads. I will take even fewer in a few more days, till I'm down to zero
  • amanda77263
    amanda77263 tg

    Posted

    Hi, I'm so relieved to read all these messages as I'm sat here shivering with brain zaps continuous.

    I slowly withdrew over past few months and stopped all together on Tuesday,  each day is getting worse 

    I'm going to try the Benadryly anything is worth a try aa I'm not going back on them ever. The half life is so short you will have withdrawal effects even if you miss one dose 

    It makes me wonder what the hell this drug has done to my brain 

    Good luck and best wishes 

    Mand 

  • daveTTT
    daveTTT tg

    Posted

    Hi TG,

    I know exactly how you are feeling, exactly! I took my last Ven. on 16/07/2014 and it was hellish, I thought I'll never get through this, but I knew somewhere that I wanted my life back. After a very difficult 2 months and help from freinds and professionals I have made it. I feel alive again!!!

    Please, please perceiver, it's worth it in the end.

    The very best of luck,  DaveTTT.

     

    • amanda77263
      amanda77263 daveTTT

      Posted

      Well done Dave are you saying it took two months for withdrawal symptoms to stop or for you to start feeling better 
  • daveTTT
    daveTTT tg

    Posted

    Hi tg,

    Both, the only symptoms I occasionall get is a slight anxiety which I am taking Diazapam for with my GP's blessing, otherwise home and dry and much happier.

    Hang in, it's worth it!!

    All the best DaveTTT.

     

  • tunamancali
    tunamancali tg

    Posted

    To be honest, I don't reay know what brain zaps are. But my experience getting off Venlafaxine has been alot easier than it first started out. At first I thought i would just go every other day without taking a capsule. I think at one time I thought I would just not take anymore. Thats when I realized you can't just stop taking them. I was getting real dizzy / felt like I was in a different world / had headache / insomina.... Last night I only took 20 little beads. I could probably completely stop right now. But I don't want to bring on any un-needed side effects. I'm back to feeling normal. I think I forgot what normal was. I'm a big time practical joker again. Thank GOD ..if I can do it, anyone can / or I would sure like to help : )
  • susan95391
    susan95391 tg

    Posted

    Hi Sandra,

    Thank you, thank you so much for posting this honest account of your horrendous withdrawal from Venlafaxine.  It has given me hope!!  

    I have been on Venlafaxine for 14 yrs and I suppose I didn't really like the side effects but didn't have the courage to change it.  I was diagnosed with invasivebreas

    • susan95391
      susan95391

      Posted

      Sorry, pressed wrong key!!

      so when I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, went through chemo, radio, and hormone suppressive tablets my Venlafaxine was increased from 150mg to 300mg to help me cope.  I muddled through the nightmare and had an ok period but then it just didn't seem to work!  I took the decision to try and come off this horrendous medication and have been reducing dosage very slowly since March and have had all the horrendous classic withdrawal symptoms.  I was then told by my new psychiatrist ( last one retired) that I had to stop my 37.5 dosage now and change onto trazadone.  That was 10 days ago and I just don't think I can live like this anymore??  The dizziness and brain zaps are so awful combined with sleep deprivation and the nightmares when you are sleeping, so I've now purchased Benadryl in the hope that this will help.  I don't feel sorry for myself as I have 4 lovely children and 6 adorable grandchildren, however I feel time is running out and simply want a bit of happiness in my life.

      Can you please tell me realistically how long this dreadful situation, acute symptoms might go on for as I like to be active but am housebound at the moment due to dizziness and unable to stand up properly nor drive.  Thank you so much for listening, I now realize that this is what happens with withdrawal and that it's not a secondary brain tumor, that has given me hope and some comfort in this dreadful illness which is depression.

      kind regards, Susan.

    • sandra1165
      sandra1165 susan95391

      Posted

      Hi, i am so glad if even one person has found comfort or support in any of my posts. I am very gratefull to everyone who posts their experiences because I think, in some small way you all saved me from a now unthinkable fate. Thank you. 
    • sandra1165
      sandra1165 susan95391

      Posted

      Hi Susan, everyone is different, but for me, it started slowly a few hours after taking my first Benadryl.  I felt a bit less anxious and was able to sleep a bit better that night. The brain Zapps were a little less too.  I just thought about how I felt that day and I felt better that day because of Benadryl. It gradually got better from there.
    • susan95391
      susan95391 sandra1165

      Posted

      Hi Sandra,

      Thank you for such a quick reply!!  I am hanging in by the skin of my teeth, had 2x Benadryl and although the edge is off the dizziness it is still there as are the brain zaps.  My way of coping with my depression is gardening, looking after my allotment and generally working hard.  I also spend a lot of time with my grandchildren so really have been stripped of all my coping mechanisms, but am encouraged that it will get better as this is tortuous.  You have offered me hope and I am very grateful, thank you so much.x

      )

    • sandra1165
      sandra1165 susan95391

      Posted

      Hi Susan. I'm glad I could help. I'm on my iPad so I know when an email comes through and can reply quickly. It sounds like your at the beginning of a positive road to recovery. I try and stay positive by meditating and focusing on my family and dogs. I call my oldest dog my wee saviuor because he stayed by my side throughout my last episode. 
    • susan95391
      susan95391 sandra1165

      Posted

      Hi again, I hope I'm not disturbing you at this time but wonder if the Benadryl which I got contains the active ingredient acrivastine whereas the one you have used contained diphenhydramine.  I don't know if this is the correct medication and if you bought it on the internet?  When you are able to rely I'd be grateful and I won't disturb you again tonight,

      thanks again, Susan, x

    • sandra1165
      sandra1165 susan95391

      Posted

      Hi Susan,

      The benedryl I took had acrivastine. I already had them in the house for allergies. I bought them from my local chemist. Hope this helps and that you are feeling better. 

      Sandra x

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