venlafaxine withdrawal- please help!!

Hi Steve3. You are having a really rough time and it sounds like you feel a bit abandoned by your GP. Of course GPs are jack of all trades and are great for diagnosing and prescribing but then need back up from specialists when things are trickier. Pretty much anyone that has come off Venlafaxine will say the same thing - go VERY slowly!! I went down in 37.5mg steps every 3 weeks and that was manageable. The final drop was still a week or two of feeling really rough but was alright. If you are going back on ecitalopram it is still worth remembering that venlafaxine will drop down VERY fast in your blood (it has an unusually short half life) but the ecitalopram will kick in very slowly so you may get a bit of a time without much in your system at all. I saw my GP every week when cutting down to make sure I had good support just in case. If you were admitted under section then I guess someone is properly looking out for you?? Night sweats are better than being crazy so just cut down the venlafaxine ever so slowly and try not to be impatient with the side effects. Please please keep seeing your doctor or psychiatrist through this - they do know how to keep us safe when we are at our craziest! Good luck Steve3 and take care.

Thanks Rachthemidwif your support has been really helpful i

Hi I have been on Venlafaxine for approx. 15 years I tried through out those years to tell my doctor I was having bad reactions to them but he didn't believe me . Now whether I take them or not I have all the horrible symptoms . In the USA there are quite a few legal cases going through about the manufactures non disclosure of some of the problems that could occur now it is also known to cause birth defects . I have had my life ruined by the evil evil drug and would love to take them to court for what it as done to me .

hi ive only just joined this forum as I need help ive been taking venaflaxine for months now possibly a year I was on a dose of 225mg slow release until last week ive come right down to 75mg im finding im a lot more tearful and have been very very low in my mood so ive been back to my doctor and he has now provided me with 37.5 mg of venaflaxine told me to take them for one week and then I have to have a break of nothing for one week and then he has prescribed citalopram 10mg and see how I go im feeling very alone in this process my husband is amazing and is there for me like my security blanket but its so hard

I feel awful im unable to concentrate I feel so weak and shaky im crying what seems like all the time I feel anxious and nothing I do is calming me down im sleeping ok if anything im sleeping a lot longer but im dreading waking up the thought of day to day is too much im also feeling very sick find myself gagging a lot

is there anyone out there that may be able to help is this normal should I start the citalopram ????? I would be so thankful if anyone cohld help

Hi there Rachel I have also been on this journey and i still am i went from 150 slow release down to 112 mg slow release and having the same problems .I had to have a night in psychiatric ward i was that messed up . you should not go down in dose by that much all at once i would say 37.5 mg at time over many more weeks .Also you can take the citalapram whilst you are on 37.5 mg venlafaxine without having a week off this was told to me by the psychiatrist at the hospital i attended . I have decided not to go back on to citalapram as it just made me worse last time and it was suggested by GP to try fluoxetine as this is very similar to venlafaxine . I also have been on the venlafaxine for about a year now .Today as i write this reply to you i feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel . The reason I had to reduce my meds was because of high BP and being on Ramipril for that made me even more manic .Hope this helps Rachel

Regards Steve

Hi again all,

I'm very lucky in that I have a doctor who listens to me and allows me to take part in my own healthcare. She had heard various negative stories about coming off venlafaxine but didn't understand the severity of withdrawal symptoms in some individuals until she'd listened to my account of trying to get off 37.5mg BID just before Christmas. I'm now on 18.75mg BID to which she's added in 20mg fluoxetine once daily - the idea being that the fluoxetine takes care of some of the nastier side effects of the venlafaxine withdrawal so I can taper that down further and completely stop - then have a more pleasant withdrawal from the fluoxetine.

I'll let you know how I get on...

Xx

I found the day by day diary really helpful. I previously posted over Christmas - I was started on Venlafaxine in March last year after 15 years on Sertraline. I took the 150 mg slow release until around October, then went onto 2 x 75mg daily. I constantly felt ill - headaches, no appetite and high blood pressure. I took Zopiclone to get to sleep. I badgered my doctor as I felt 'something wasn't right' and was that the best my physical health would get after a major breakdown. In November, my blood pressure was so high, the doctor realised that the venlafaxine didn't suit and I would be tapered off, with a substitute of Mirtazapine ready and waiting. I tapered slowly and took my final 37.5 dose on Christmas day - there followed most of the withdrawal effects reported and, coupled with the stress of Christmas, I had a rough ride. However, a visit to the psychiatrist assured me this would pass and for the time being I should start on a low dose of mirtazapine. I can now report that after a first dopy night on mirtazapine, I feel so much better. I'm off sleeping tablets now and no need for the Lorazepam I had to take whilst withdrawing. My blood pressure is now back to normal so all I can say is try and keep going with the withdrawal if Venlafaxine isn't the 'right one' for you. Susie

I'm now a week into 20mg fluoxitine once a day + half a 37.5mg ven twice a day (7+ years of brain fug on 225mg ven and I want it out of my system for good!). I've been cutting down little by little for over a year but finding this last little bit really quite horrible - hence the addition of the fluoxitine.

My doctor advised me that it can take two weeks for the fluoxitine to get into my system so I'm not planning on cutting down the ven for another week. I've had a filthy cold/chest infection so I'm not sure what symptoms I can ascribe to which but certainly no appetite, sweats, mild brain zaps, anxiety, massive periods of deep sleep and a general disinterest in life feature strongly.

The forum is hugely helpful, without being able to see that others are going through the same as me I'm sure I will have lost my mind by now.

Well its been a week now since I cut down from 112mg xl venlafaxine and feeling better by the day off to Gp tomorrow to see about lowering down to 37.5mg xl

Hi steve3 i,ve finally come off venaflaxine it was probably the worst week of my life i went so low and life was unbearable at times i felt so physically ill i thought it would never end then i read somewhere that benadryl the allergy tablet one a day saved me it sounds crazy i know but apparently there's something in the ingredients that is similar to venaflaxine so your body still thinks its getting it with in about a day or two i was completely different still very shaky but not half as bad as before im now completely off venaflaxine and feeling so much better im on citalopram 10mg a day and im a completely different person hope this helps you i would recommend trying it to anyone it helped me xx

Hi, i was given venlafaxine over 2 years ago, and was started off on this drug because i was suffereing from severe depression and PTSD( which i now have learned, was not a condition that i should have been prescribed venlafaxine for!). The reason for putting me on this drug was because they had tried me on other anti depressants and couldnt find one that did not give me severe side effects.

I started on the 75mg dose( tablet) but this made me really sick and dizzy for days on end, and was unbearable. Revisit to the docs and she changed the dose to 150mgs of slow release capsules, and as soon as i started taking these, the sickness went and i picked up a bit.

I noticed from almost the first day, that i started to get these "electrical impulses" in my head, making me feel unbalanced and slow to react. This was quite a scary episode to experience, coupled with dis orientation, dizzy spells and tiredness. Thse feeling went after a few days, and i felt "normal" again, but slightly lifted.

What i did not spot, from the very beginning really, was that i was becoming emotionless, not being able to care one way or the other about peoples situations etc. It was getting worse. To most people, the idea that a pill can give you the " couldnt care less" attitude or feeling like all problems were able to go whizzing over your head and not get depressed about it, would be ideal.

But when you start to consider, that your relationships, family life and sense of humour are dissapearing rapidly, without your apparent interest in any of it, then it becomes very important and quite damaging.

I have been on this drug for 2 years, and my life has slid down the toilet ever since, and the fact that it didnt seem to matter to me one way or the other, was even more worrying.

It all came to a head a few weeks ago, my whole life was about to go orbital, and luckily i was still able to see this was a crucial point.

I have always been the kind of person who doesnt like to rely on drugs to prop me up, and i appreciate that some people do need this, or go under, but it was very reluctant in my case.

Ive seen death and dead bodies in my life, through my career choices, and had near death experience myself, and consider myself a spiritual person, which, if you think about it, is something of a contradiction, because we dont really believe in man made drugs interfereing with our soul or spirit.

I have read and understood all the bad effects of reducing the dose of this dangerous drug, gradually, and also seen and experienced the effects of sudden withdrawal from it, i tried this last year but only got to day 2 before being violently sick and distant, so i went back to the damn stuff.

However, knowing what to expect from sudden withdrawal, and its possible symptoms, i decided 6 days ago, to just get on and get the crap out of my system for good.

Now i am not saying this is the best method for everyone, because it clearly isnt, BUT, anyone who knows me, will tell you, when i am determined to do something like this, i will give it 100% and put up with the bad effects in order to get my OWN life back and not a drug induced one and a potentially severely damaging one at that.

So, ive kept this record of my withdrawal from day 1, and hope it might help others who can be strong enough and determined enough to get clean asap.

Slow release venlafaxine capsules are harder to get off, simply because they are in your system every minute of the day, right up till the next capsule, therefore a sudden stop makes it possible for the withdrawal symptoms to start on your system right from the word go.

I was taking mine when i woke up in the morning, with my breakfast.

Day 1.

No effects noticed at first, then by midday, was feeling a little nauseous, and slight headaches.

That night was a little restless, but nothing major to worry about.

Day 2.

Sickness and diahorhoria, severe headaches, tiredness, dizzyness and feelings of being distant. Sickness was bearable, and i used Gavisgon to help, and stopped drinking or using milk or milk products, and was eating a poached egg on toast for breakfast, and small light snacks during the day. by midday the "head zapps" electrical charges in my head, were starting, like a static shock when you touch a car bodywork, intermittently, and giving me the feeling of instability.

These got worse during the day, and the headaches worsened.

By bed time i was feeling less sickness, but everything else was heightened and more frequent.

Sleep was filled with strange dreams and feelings of unreality, so vivid that it could almost be actually happening.

Irritable sleep pattern and sweats.

Day 3.

Sickness feeling in the stomach had almost gone completely, was soaked in sweat from the night tremors and higher body temperature.

Was able to get into the shower, but the changing electricalimpulses in my head were getting worse, making me feel very unbalanced and my surroundings seemed to either feel like they were spinning, or in slow motion.

Found it hard to keep my legs still, nerves were on edge, dry mouth and mettalic taste. I have to wear glasses to read, and putting them on made me feel worse! so i declined in wearing them at all while going through this.

By midday i was stabilising concerning the sickness and headaches, both these symptoms were mild and bearable.

Sticking to non dairy products, and found all the foods that were seratonin boosters helped. IE: chicken, turkey, pulses, bananas, etc, all taken in small light meals throughout the day.

The worst feelings are the sudden emotional feelings that come rushing back into your system, i was feeling like bursting into tears for the simplest reason, whheras in contrast, before i started the withdrawal, nothing made me feel like this, not even when i attended a funeral.

This is NOTHING to worry about, it doesnt mean you are going crazy or breaking down, its just your body's reaction to getting this awaful drug out of your system and being a normal feeling emotional human being again.

By nightime i was apprehensive about going to bed. Couldnt get comfortable, headaches returned, due i think mainly to the extra heat my body was producing. The strange dreams returned, so vivid! i guess theres a positive to these dreams, they would make good scripts for a movie or book!.

I am making light of it, but shouldnt, just trying to help you understand that this is something that happens through withdrawal.

Sweats and tremors all night.

Day 4.

No sickness after breakfast( poached egg on toast), but the electrical discharges in the head are increased, vertigo feelings, light headaches, but these were alleviated with ibruprofen and paracetemol.

Not able to concentrate on much, memory seemed to be getting better, and the emotional state was increasing, was crying for no apparent reason, but the worst feelings are still the unconnected feeling of being distant and the continued "zapping" in the head.

I believe this is an adjustment the brain is making, now that the venlafaxine isnt acting as an ihibitor.

Its concerning, but i dont feel like its life threatening etc, so can acept that it wont be for much longer.

Generally throughout the day its been mild, making sure i wasnt making any quick movements, or going outside the house. The instability would make me unsafe, so i just tried to relax and keep calm.

Apart from these constant episodes of dizzyness and zapping, and the light tinnitus in the ears, i found it was bearable, especially as the sickness had stopped completely.

Same eating programme, light snacks small and often to keep the seratonin levels operating.

Bedtime and the sweats were getting bad around midnight, headaches were bad too. I found that sitting up slightly to sleep helped the headaches, but the sweats were worse. The strange dreams are just as weird and vivid.

During the night i had difficulty with getting a breath, felt like my heart had stopped and i suddenly got jump started and it shook me up a bit. Headache was severe.

Slept in late due to the headaches, but once up and managed a shower, i had a light breakfast and the ibruprofen and the headache went.

Zapps in the head are slightly better, not as strong or frequent. Still feeling very emotional, tired, but feeling more positive now. Quick movements of the head are still producing these feelings of unbalance and dizzyness, but it IS easier.

Concentration isnt good, irritable and feeling distant, but none of these feelings are seriously bad, and i can cope with them.

So now its 3pm on a sunday, and so far i feel like i have reached the top of the hill.

If it is helping anyone, then i will keep this diary up until i feel i am back to being a normal human being again.

Venlafaxine is the worst drug i could imagine anyone could take for depression, and i would advise ANYONE to seek an alternative rather than take a chance on this very damaging drug.

Diazepam(vallium) was handed out like smarties in the early days, as was prozac, and now look at the damaged people out there as a result of that. The same is happening with this awful, far too easily prescribed emotion killing drug.

laurie.

Hello. I have just come accross this site and am feeling relieved that all this is normal. My psychiatrist didn't mention anything about withdrawal smptoms as he was intending to keep me on venlafaxine indefinately! I have decided to come off it because I am fed up with it and think I will be better off without it. I was started on 75mg and wacked straight up to 225mg. I have suffered with depression since I was 12 for various reasons and got to a point where Iwas desperate for help even if it meant taking drugs. This is not the first a-d i've tried but I think it might be the last. I agree it is impossible to get any other kind of help on the NHS. I can no longer afford therapy as I had to leave my job, which I loved, because my boss said I was too miserable. As I have no job, have left destructive relationship and, due to social anxiety have no friends, I am completely alone. I am taking the withdrawal slowly, dropping 37.5mg every 4 weeks. I have not been too bad up until now, but I'm on 75mg now and everythings started at once. I can't stop crying, I ache all over and my head has gone off on it's own joy-ride. I have always had very vivid dreams which are now getting quite disturbing. I can cope with all this knowing that when it's done, I won't have to be reliant on drugs anymore. My witrhdrawal was advised against considering the state I was in beforehand but I don't want to take them anymore. The thing that has helped me more than any therapy or drugs was getting a dog. He's a retired greyhound and I can say watching a greyhound sleep is more relaxing than anything else I've tried. He's not particularly loyal but he knows when I need a cuddle and it's nice to have someone around who is pleased to see me and he makes sure I get up in the morning. I'm off now to take him for a walk and will get some Benadryl on the way back. Fingers crossed they help.

Hello again. My pharmacist refused to give me Benadryl because it can cause hallucinations in people who already have vivid dreams. Won't be trying that then.

I have recently retired from over 30 years as a Clinical Psychotherapist. I would like to bring something up-to-date regarding the myth of Diazepam. It is NOT addicitve. It can lead to 'dependence' which is not the same as addiction. The problem is that it does not cure anxiety, it merely fixes it. When patients withdraw from diaxepam, unless some other intervention has made inroads into the base anxiety (counselling or psychotherapy) then they simply experience all their symptoms again because they don't have the drug to overcome the symtoms. As these are pretty horrific they go back onto the drug. Despite manufacturers warnings about dependence, many patients are on long-term use of diazepam because they have intractable amxiety. They are no more actually 'dependent' on it than than, for example, taking Lithium for schizophrenic psychosis. People are on this for life to control their symptoms - only in that sense are they 'dependent'. Long-term use of Diazepam has not indicated any particular increase in the requested dosage of the drug once appropriate titration has been established. The obvious exception is in alcoholics and other people with addicitve personailty disorders. Othrewise it is overprescribing that is the real culprit in 'addiction' to this drug.

Diazepam is, in fact, very effective in the short term at low dosages for mitigating the withdrawal effects of Venlafazine. Make sure that you consult your doctor or psychiatrist on this, but I think you will find the a daily dose of 5mg will help greatly. They may make you feel sleepy at first (in which case the standard precautions should be undertaken) and you may find that they give you a pleasant, slightly woozy feeling also at first. If you are not the sort of person to become hooked on this there should be no problem. If you find you are - go back to your medical practitioner and get your underlying addiction problems sorted out!

Francis Boyle Director of the National Association of Counsellors, Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists.

Thank you Francis. I found Lorazepam helpful whilst I was withdrawing and took it for about a week at a low dose. The minute I felt better I stopped both the Lorazepam and the Zopiclone I had been taking for about 6 months to enable me to sleep with the Venlafaxine.