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When do withdrawal symptoms start?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Cleora3
Cleora3

Do they start when you begin reduction or not till you stop it completely?

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest Cleora3

    Posted

    I was on the tablet form of the drug, so took it twice a day. Over a number of years I reduced my venlafaxine dose from 375 mg to 0 mg, never reducing by more than 75mg in any one year and leaving years between further reductions because I wanted to be sure that the depression wouldn't come back. What I did was to take it down 37.5 mg one day and then another 37.5 mg a week to a fortnight later because I could never get on with an unbalanced dose during the day - the side effects fluctuated during the day due to the short half life. I never had much trouble with it. Then about a month ago I stopped the final 37.5mg tablet and got the brain zaps and 'flu-like symptoms, nausea and so on - if I had been in employment (currently a full-time mum) I would have needed time off work then. It was quite a shock because I hadn't had any real problems with the other reductions. This is why I've been having a look at this site! Now about 4 weeks later, I feel fine and the depression doesn't seem to be coming back - but time will tell on that one. So from my limited experience, beware of coming off the last tablet. I was taking venlafaxine for 19.5 years for all the right reasons and it suited me very well. What I wouldn't do it take different doses of it on different days to taper down because the half-life is so short, that I wouldn't get any break from side-effects of going on and off the drug. Hope this helps.
    • Cleora3
      Cleora3 Guest

      Posted

      I only took 75mg for two weeks then 37.5mg for last five days. Stopping completely today. I have only just started a new job so worried how I'm going to react. Despite not being on it long I have had a very tough time with it. Plus there is a big family party this weekend that I really would like to go to as been ill so long
    • Guest
      Guest Cleora3

      Posted

      I'm sorry I can't help on this one, because I was on venlafaxine for years, but I'm guessing that your body is a bit confused at the moment. Good luck at work.
  • ian25191
    ian25191 Cleora3

    Posted

    Hi.

    The last time i tried to come off from 225mg i cut down too much to 150mg and the side effects started almost immediatly. I had horrible sweats, a heavy pressure in my head, disturbed sleep and tingling in my hands so i went back on 225 and next day all had gone and i felt better but defeated.

    I am now happy in all aspects of my life, nice job, no financial worries, good wife family and friends and must come of this because i need to sleep too much and have gained weight probably because i am too tired to excercise which was fine when i was ill.

    My Doctor seems to think that is all ok as i'm living a near normal life now but i want to push on and do more as i'm only 50.

    so maybe someone on here can advise us both on what the first steps in reduction should be.

    Ian

    • Guest
      Guest ian25191

      Posted

      Hmm that doesn't sound nice. How long did you give yourself before going back up again? I think the worst effects are in the first 2 or 3 days.

      If you are on the controlled release it might be worth switching one of your capsules for two 37.5mg tablets. I think that this will give you a lower average dose per day and be absorbed at a different rate, but would mean that you can come off 37.5mg at a go instead of 75mg.  

      Also the generic tablets have a line in them so you could get a pill cutter to split them so you could reduce by as little as 18.75mg at a time. Good luck.

    • ian25191
      ian25191 Guest

      Posted

      Hi.

      Thankyou for your reply.

      I gave it 7 days before upping it as could stand it no longer. But i will try your method, thankyou.

      Its a shame that the Doctors who readily put us all on these things are so reluctant to get us off them. I am confident that my illness will not return as i now know what caused it and can face up to it.

    • Guest
      Guest ian25191

      Posted

      Well, I was under a consultant for many years and using all sorts of things that didn't work. One advantage is that you learn tricks that your average gp hasn't thought of. Also different people react in different ways. I never switched to the controlled release (except briefly for the morning dose to help with morning sickness during pregnancy)  because by the time it was generic, I was looking to come off it and noticed that you had to come down in large lumps. There are plenty of pet theories for coming off the drug- some suggest taking grains out of the controlled release capsules to reduce, but I think that gives you an unreliable dose - medics don't seem to recommend it. Actually, come to think of it, it was a gp who looked at me when I said I was going to come off the last tablet and said to get a pill cutter. I thought the rest of the reductions were ok so I'd just do it. In retrospect, I should have got the pill cutter... but I was in a position where I could just pretend I had flu for a few days.
  • anne240
    anne240 Cleora3

    Posted

    You should not get withdrawal symptoms at all if you do it slowly and with care.  There is no reason at all you should get any withdrawals.  I took 10 months to withdraw.  I know what it feels like to withdraw suddenly.  Please be assured that there is no reason at all to get any withdrawals.  Just do it really SLOWLY.  Most people do it too fast and that is why they get withdrawals.  If you stop it completely then, yes you will get withdrawals straight away.  If you do it slowly like I did then you will sail through the withdrawing process and feel just fine. 
    • Cleora3
      Cleora3 anne240

      Posted

      Thank you Anne I only took it for two weeks that it was cut in half for five days and stopped today so I am wondering when I will start to feel the withdrawals. I'm currently nauseous, with diarrhoea, feel terrified and crying a lot. As I have been like this for months without the crying not sure if it's getting worse from withdrawal or just because
    • Guest
      Guest Cleora3

      Posted

      For me the nausea and diarrohea stopped within a day or two. Hang in there.
    • Cleora3
      Cleora3 Guest

      Posted

      Thank you I've had it for four months that's why they are stopping all medication. As it's been chopped and changed so much they want to see if it stops if medication does though it seems to be getting worse
    • anne240
      anne240 Cleora3

      Posted

      Oh I see you have already stopped it.  Then you are now in withdrawal.  It could go on for a couple of weeks, maybe less.  It sounds like you still have depression and withdrawals as well. 
  • helen10754
    helen10754 Cleora3

    Posted

    Hi I think it's different for each person. Personally mine was straight away but others seem to do ok
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