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Venlafaxine withdrawal - there is hope!

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annasch
annasch

I've previously posted on another discussion thread about coming off venlafaxine - I was about to take the plunge myself - but rather than re-post on that thread I thought I'd start a new one to give my account of my experience and I hope a chance of light at the end of that awful tunnel for others.

Diagnosed with clinical depression many years ago most of my adult life has been spent on one or another SSRI - finally arriving at venlafaxine ten years ago as nothing much else was helping. At this time my mood was scraping the bottom of the barrel - emotionally I was empty & swung between desolate and merely oppresively sad.

I can't completely right off vnlfx - it did lift me initially and give me motivation, but unfortunately over the years the efficacy weakened and therefore the dose I was taking increased - until at the beginning of 2012 I was on 300mg daily.

As I progressed through last year it became obvious that not only was vnlfx not helping me in anyway, it was also producing some alarming side effects - these had crept in slowly over the years and I had been so caught up with my mental health I hadn't noticed. Forgetting a dose resulted in the most debilitating nausea, dry mouth and brain zaps - I began to fear going away and forgetting my medication or not being abe to get to the pharmacy for a prescription and running out. All the time I continued presenting myself as a contented, together, capable professional woman, and as any of us who suffer mental illness know, this 24/7 act is absolutely exhausting. By the autumn of this year I was sleeping in huge chunks. The sedative effect of the drug combined with being asleep being an excellent way of hiding from my problems, I found it all to easy to succumb to sleep. I'd sleep for ten hours solid at night, then wake for a few hours in the morning, feel sleepy and give in - only to wake again briefly during the evening before the cycle began again. Luckily working a shift pattern as well meant I could get away with this, but my non-working hours were spent asleep & hiding from the world.

I don't know why the lightening bolt hit, but once day I became aware that this was no quality of life & went to see my GP about withdrawal from vnlfx. I must emphasise here that my GP has been wonderful during the entire time I have known her, and I'm aware that I'm lucky to be in this situation. She was aware of anecdotal evidence of vnlfx withdrawal syndrome and we made a plan for a very slow dose decrease - suffering such marked side effects when late taking my meds meant that we were expecting a tough ride.

I cannot emphasise too much just how important it is to go slowly slowly slowy, and to reduce your dosages by tiny amounts. Each time I cut down too quickly, or reduced the dose too quickly I'd be pole-axed by side effects and mental disturbance. A couple of times I did think about giving up, and remaining on vnlfx for life - but the thought of returning to that hideous emotional no-man's land was enough to motivate me to pick up & go back to the previous 'good' dose again & persevere. The key stage was probably getting down to a quarter of a 37.5mg tablet (told you the dose reduction needs to be minute!) and then my doctor adding in fluoxetine 20mg for two weeks before I took the plunge and took my last ever dose of vnflx. That was over six weeks ago and the relief I feel now is immeasurable. I now have clarity of thought and emotion to the extent that I can't ever remember having before. Don't get me wrong, I'm still clinically depressed, there is no magic wand, but I feel just like I have been released from venlafaxine taking my mind prisoner. I don' t think that unless you have experienced this drug first hand you can possibly imagine just how much it really ***ks with your mind - absolutely terrifying.

Key to my success has been managing to find a therapist that by some fluke I have a superb connection with and weekly sessions with her have been more valuable to me than any drug ever has. I expect to be seeing her for a very long time to come - to reiterate i'm by no means 'cured' but am happy at last to be back in control of my mind.

Happy to pass on further details of what worked for me on my withdrawal - I kept a diary, helps you have faith to get through the bad days - but please don't expect miracles, I know that just because it's worked for me it may not suit anyone else.

But - please do have hope! I was one of the many in despair on here a few months back not ever being able to see a way to get free of this hideous drug, but I've done it, so it can be done

xxxx

14 likes, 115 replies

115 Replies

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  • brid08779
    brid08779 annasch

    Posted

    Hi annasch

    COULD u please tell me if you felt emotionally numb on efexor and while reducing I'm down from 375 to 150 and still feel no emotions just dead inside and also v bad memory problems

  • Sunvally59
    Sunvally59 annasch

    Posted

    Hi

    I accidentally ran out of venlafaxine on Thursday eve and thought nothing of it. It was Easter long w/e. I take 150 mg at night. On Sat night I had a dreadful vivid nightmare but put it down to a TC prog. Terrible insomnia tho. Sunday felt OK til night, but then insomnia, stance headache I couldn't shift, a bit of nausea, much increased restless leg. Monday got up feeling really 'odd'. But had promised to go out. Felt really sick before eating, felt better briefly after eating but by the afternoon thought I was definitely going to vomit but somehow held off. Thought I had a bug. Restless leg increased into jerks, insomnia, cold sweat, followed by hot sweats, muscle aching in my hip an d thigh, frightening brief vivid dreams, unbearable dry mouth. Drinking loads of water, couldn't settle. Electric popping in my head every so often. Then googled venlafaxine withdrawal and the penny dropped. Need to get off this horrible drug, it doesn't help me anyway.

    Do I continue cold turkey or go back to see GP? Been on it around 5 yrs at dif doses.

    Feel really unwell again today.

    Help please

    • Purpledobermann
      Purpledobermann Sunvally59

      Posted

      Please see your GP. Quitting cold turkey is not a great idea with venlafaxine (or any medication in this class). You could end up more messed up than you were initially and that would be a shame and also potentially dangerous. If you want to wean off ask your prescribing doctor for a plan. The actual withdrawal is very unpleasent as you found out. But the rebound effects that come later are the really dangerous ones. I was also on 150. The one time i played it smart and just quit, about 2-3 months later i was psychotic....I was seeing cats everywhere :D considering that i was initially taking it for simple GAD...I was not impressed and very angry at myself. I have since then (once all my symptoms were cured and i was stable for 2 years, weaned off venlafaxine over 2 years time frame! Very slowly. about three to 4 months between reductions. Had virtually no issues coming off at all this way. Can be done a little faster depending on circumstances and whether it is being replaced by something. Good luck.
    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 Purpledobermann

      Posted

      Hi

      Thank you for your advice.  I listened and I went to my GP.

      By that time I was in so much pain and despair I knew I was not strong enough to go cold turkey any further.

      My GP was so lovely, kind and supportive.

      She has outlined a reduction programme that takes 12 weeks and from everything I have read on here I am a bit worried.

      Basically I will go from 150 to 0 in 12 weeks but she did say if I had any problems to talk to her.

      I am more worried reading your experience about rebound.

      But you were spot on with going back to the GP for which I am seriously grateful.

      Thank you x

  • Jojocull
    Jojocull annasch

    Posted

    I
    • Jojocull
      Jojocull

      Posted

      I totally agree with you. I have always taken Prozac in the past and when I moved cities I got extremely depressed and this doctor was against me taking Prozac so she gave me Venlafaxine. I had to go to hospital as they took me down off it too fast and the second time I had to go to a retreat for two days because if s very distressing situation our landlord created. I noticed when u was taking Prozac in the past I was able to cope better with stressful situations. I've finally realised after going through sheer hell that Venlafaxine, although it got me to a stable place for a little while, it isn't for me. Now I'm on my third day of going from 150mg to 37 and it's really tough especially when I have two young kids. I cannot believe how a drug can play around with your mind so intensely and for that reason I feel it should not be allowed on the market at all. Anyway I can't wait until it is out of my system completely and I can live a normal life again with just the Prozac. It just feels so bad at the moment that I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel!
    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 Jojocull

      Posted

      Poor you, it is so hard dealing with depression and trying to cope with life.

      I too swapped from Prozac to venlafaxine and I have been so shocked at the way the drug harms you. Mentally and physically.

      I too am reducing from 150 but down to nothing. Then I will decide how I feel and like you I suspect I will go back to Prozac.

      Good luck and keep safe.

  • jennifer318
    jennifer318 annasch

    Posted

    Thanks for posting your experiences with getting off Venlafaxine. I have been doing the same thing, sleeping all of the time, withdrawing from the world, etc. Journaling is a great idea! I will start doing that as I am beginning to titrate off this drug. I hope that you continue to embrace life!
  • Jojocull
    Jojocull annasch

    Posted

    Hi annasch,

    Your story is very similar to mine but I haven't been blessed with good doctors or good psychiatric help.

    I am have gone through two weeks of tapering from 150mg to 0. I have a high sensitivity to medicine so the withdrawels have been nothing short of pure and utter hell for me. ( the only way I have coped is to take seroquel around the clock so that I'm not awake to stand the symptoms).

    Today is the first day of taking nothing and it feels so strange to do that after being on these nasty pills for 6 months.

    I am so desperate to feel normal again and continue my life as I have two young children and a partner who is carrying the load whilst I'm doing this. Do you know if now that I have stopped, will I continue to get withdrawels for a while until my brain Recalibrates? I have set up a question on this site but no one is replying! Any info would be immensely appreciated.

    Thanks so much

    Jo

    • a-jay
      a-jay Jojocull

      Posted

      Hi Jo, how are you doing now?

      I think you will probably have found that there are still withdrawal effects.  I'm on day 14 off Venlafaxine but I came off quite steeply so have probably suffered more than I could have if I had taken everyone else's advice and gone slower.

      What has helped me is tracking how I have felt each day.  I started keeping a log of things and lately rating the severity of things 0-5.  That's now given me a very visual picture that things are getting better - sometimes that's hard to see or beleive when you are stuck in the thick of it.

      I came off this medication years ago after 8 years on it but have found it more difficult this time for some reason.

      Hope you are doing better.

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull a-jay

      Posted

      Hi A-jay. Thanks for asking how I am! Its nice that someone is in a similar situation to me. I have been off it now since April 13th and am going through that stage now of complete tiredness. It's just a phase of withdrawal and hopefully it won't last long. I'm wandering what's next! The week before last I cried so much for no reason, I felt so low and then that passed after three days thank goodness and then I slept about 17 hours out of one day twice! This weekend I havn't slept as much as the kids and my partner are home and I have managed to cope a little better. It's Monday morning and I'm back in bed though! What I believe has helped as I am recovering is fish oil. (Apparently that helps with the inflammation of the brain), and a good vitamin B. If you haven't got any get some. Fish oil capsules are cheap! Drink loads of water too. Anyway I still find I get confused and my brains not up to speed yet, I'm still exhausted and very anxious. I have 2mg diazepam for that but it makes me sleepier. Tomorrow I am seeing a senior psychiatrist which I have waited ages to see (they are free here) and it will be interesting to see what they say. When I spoke to them last time I was suicudal and they refused to reinstate me on Venlafaxine. Keep in touch though and stay strong, we can do this!! smile
    • a-jay
      a-jay Jojocull

      Posted

      Good to hear your finding a way through it.  I've always taken Omega 3,6,9 capsules but have upped the dose a bit whilst going through this.

      Today I felt more like myself than ever before since this all started for me.  I woke up groggy again and very tired but my body felt ok for the first time in a long time.  I checked my pulse and it was 58, where it should be (has been in the 70s and 80s upon waking recently).

      This is day 16 off Venlafaxine.  The foggy head, electrical shocks, pains, chest pains, indigestion, waking up shaking inside and tiredness have all lessened to an extent.

      Still have indigestion (ridiculous burping), skin roasting but body temp checks out ok.  The heart rate is still a concern, abnormally high for me (GP won't listen, says its in the normal range).  Haven't had my blood pressure checked since last week so just hoping that is coming down as I've never had that in my 38 years.

      The crying has been bad.  I can be pretty empathetic at the best (worst?) of times but recently I can barely watch things or think about things without it coming on.

      Just hoping today's improvements are a positive sign.

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull a-jay

      Posted

      Hi A-jay,

      I'm really glad you are feeling a little more human today and that your symptoms have lessened aswell.

      Hopefully your blood pressure will come down. I can't understand why your doctor won't listen, that's not good. It's too important for them not to.

      Don't worry to much about the crying as I went through that for three days and believe me it just dissapears. I know we are all different but it shouldn't last long.

      Today I woke up as normal and got the kids ready for school, had some breakfast and then went straight back to bed. I still can't drive them to school. Anyway Slept from 10.30 until 7am and I feel like I've taken a sleeping pill right now. I'm so utterly tired it's horrible. I know it's part of the withdrawal process but I don't know how long I can put up with it for. I still have the other symptoms of slowed thinking and terrible anxiety too.

      This morning I'm seing a senior psychiatrist so I'm thinking they will just keep me going as I am, I'm not sure what they can do really. A group on Facebook all think I should be reinstated on Venlafaxine and taper much slowly. I don't want to go back on that however I don't want to feel like this either.

      Talk soon.

      Jo

    • Sunvally59
      Sunvally59 Jojocull

      Posted

      Hi Jo,

      How are you?

      Just catching up today after a busy time.

      I am now down to 75mgs of Ven daily,

      It has taken 7 weeks to come down from 150.

      Now I am on the journey to zero Ven.

      Initially after stopping suddenly I had severe reactions but this slow decrease has enabled me to cope much better, I introduced Prozac to help and that did ease the symptoms.

      In fact I feel much better, taking each step slowly is helping me to manage the horrible side effects.

      I know and understand your desire to be free of this vile medication but the pain and distress you are going through is not worth it.

      Consider going back and reducing slowly and allow yourself to mentally and physically adjust before going to the next step.

      What is 14 weeks compared to the rest of your life? For your family?

      life is precious- for you and your kids.

      I know I have another 7 weeks plus of gently coming off Ven but that is now 7 weeks less than it was before!

      Good luck - strength xx

    • Jojocull
      Jojocull Sunvally59

      Posted

      Hi, (so sorry I don't know your name)

      Nice to hear from you. I'm so glad your doing better, that's great news. I'm also glad the prozac is helping.

      I just returned from seeing a senior psychiatrist and he said I could give you a small amount of Venlafaxine but he said it will just delay the inevitable and I think he's right. I'm going to continue on the 40mg of prozac and although it's still hard going, I will keep going knowing it will get better in time.

      Today I feel like I have taken a sleeping pill. I feel so groggy and I cant shake the feeling it's awful. I feel once the tiredness goes away I will just about be back to normal.

      I was in a group on Facebook for Venlafaxine withdrawels (run by Americans) but I ended up quitting as everthing I said the administrators always corrected me and I felt undermined and unsupported so I much prefer this site.

      Keep in touch

      Jo x

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