Withdrawal

I've been on Venlafaxine on varying doses since a breakdown at the end of 2000, at the height I was on 375mg per day, and now am down to 37.5 twice a day. During that time I have put on 5 stone and every pound off is a fight. I am desperate to come off this drug, and in the past have got down to 37.5mg once a day, but find I get progressively manic - both extremes, so go back to twice a day.

Hi, I have put on about 1 and a half stone since being on the tablets. I desperatly want to come off them because I'm sick of putting on weight. But I know that the withdrawals are terrible when coming off them. Has anyone else had bad withdrawals?

[quote:26e1c99fa8=\"Just Sam \"]Hi, I have put on about 1 and a half stone since being on the tablets. I desperatly want to come off them because I'm sick of putting on weight. But I know that the withdrawals are terrible when coming off them. Has anyone else had bad withdrawals?[/quote:26e1c99fa8]

Same here I get the most apalling head shocks and stuff within 5 hours if I miss my usual dose, I too have become a bloater on the stuff. I feel trapped.

Relieved to read that others are experiencing the same as me! Have been on 125mg Vena for over a year now.

Spoke to my GP about the weight gain and told me it was unlikely to be Vena. Regarding the head shocks, I can't believe that I have such a withdrawal so soon even if I am a couple of hours late taking it.

I am planning on going to my GP in the next few days to discuss coming off them. The side effects are so horrible I am struggling to function lately as I am so drowsy.

So watch this space

Down the road, (somewhat), on this issue.

Been taking Ven for several years and trying to come off it.

There are lots of good web articles on anti-deps withdrawal.

I have come down from 250mg daily to 37.5mg every 48 hrs and have suffered the nausea, brain shocks, vertigo, headaches etc.

I think the key point for me has been the need for managed, gradual reduction. If you simply try to stop taking Ven, the side effects are likely to knock you flat. They certainly did me - they can be terrifying.

Dose reduction takes time and it is still uncomfortable but crucially, manageable.

The side effects do gradually reduce. My weight hasn't changed but I never eat much, take regular exercise and have been a veggie for decades, (not that I am promoting vegetarianism, just passing on the facts.

The main lessons for me?

1. Decide in your own mind whether you still need the medication.

2. Read up on the expected side effects so that you know what to expect.

3. Talk to your doctor and politely but firmly tell them that you you want a reduction regime.

4. Get smaller doses, don't simply try to break up a 250mg tablet. You can't control the dose.

5. Be prepared for discomfort. 'No pain no gain', is a cliche but unfortunately true.

6. Log your experiences so that you can discuss, regularly, with your doctor, what the effects are.

7. Most importantly listen to your doctor, follow their advice and if your reduction causes unexpected symptoms or severe mood swings, get back to your doctor!

Further to the above.

My doctor continually queries my weight, (asking if I'm losing weight), duringthe reduction process, so doctors [u:b06c8ebd85]are[/u:b06c8ebd85] aware of the weight gain / loss implications of Venlf.

Well I'm on day 3 of no venlafaxine at all. I've been on the XL version for nearly 3 years now on doses up to 225mg. And I can't sleep.

Not because I can't actually sleep, but because within 5 minutes of going to sleep I'll be scared awake by a wierd sort of nightmare that is just a feeling of falling into a void.

And tonight it seems complicated by the \"zaps\". That removes any remaining sleepiness.

The \"zinging\" I'm getting whenever my eyes do more than a saccade movement isn't really helping matters either.

But on the plus side, my mood is better than it's been in a while. :? I just hope that's not just a false euphoria caused by the withdrawal.

:? ive been taking venlafaxine at 75mgs for about 6 months now and previous to that i never really agreed with taking medication. I suffer from PTSD and severe depression and was getting virtually no support from mental health. I arranged for my own counselling and was on a waiting list to start CAT therapy, so my GP referred me to the local psychiatrist, who prescribed the venlafaxine. The reasoning was that i had to be in a more receptive mood for the pschotherapy to be helpful.

Reluctantly i started taking the stuff. Initially i suffered all the symptoms, headaches, sickness, head zapps, tinitus and dizziness, as well as being bloated and loads of wind. Contrary to the advice from the GP and the enclosed leaflet in the box, these side effects never really passed, but just subsided a little. Every day since first taking these pills, ive woke up sick and headachey, and have been taking the pills in the mornings as told by my GP.

Ive been going to CAT therapy every week now, and have a better support system in place and so i decided on sunday, that i want this crap out of my system.

Ive not taken the venlafaine now since sunday, and i know what everyone says about coming off gradually, or speaking to the gp first, but i am a stubborn person, and when i make up my mind, then thats it. military training i guess!. Anyway, ive been getting really sick, dizy spells, vertigo and the head shocks very frequently, been sick a few times and feel confused etc, everything you know is associated with withdrawal, is happening. Yes its horrible, the nightmares are too, but if you know that these are symptoms of the drug withdrawal, then i am able to just about accept it and deal with it.

In my mind, its better than the foreseeable future relying on this awful drug. A crutch i do not want or need. The important thing is to have support and care around you and dont try and do it on your own.

I dont know how long its going to take to get it out of my system, but im not giving up and letting a drug rule my life any longer.

I am keeping a journal as best i can, the confusion is the worse thing, but i will write here and let you know how its going.

Good luck to everyone who sticks with it!

laurie

Yes I'm on my 7th day of dropping 37.5 mill from the maximum amount of 375 mill a day, so what's that I'm on about 343 mill a day now, be the 8th day tommorow, headaches yep I get once a day but 2 paracetamols sorts that out.  Hard running about 20 miles a week, 5 miles a day, 4 times a week.  I'm a Blackbelt in martial arts so I'm used to enduring hard training.  Also for withdrawls, we'll i'm a recovered alcoholic in recovery nearly 16 years so i know all about withdrawls, booze being the worst if not one of the worst in DT's.   Hallucinations, voices, mania, paranoia, dizziness etc.  So I find the withdrawl from Venlafaxine minor compared to alcohol withdrawl.  That doesn't mean I like the venlafaxine withdrawl mind.   I'm just doing it by dropping by 37.5 milograms every month,  I aint in no rush, should take me about 9 months I think, but no rush, bit by bit.  Till hopefully i get to zero and free from it, or just remain on about 50 mill a day at a reasonable level.  Hard exercis has always been the Guvnor for me over the years coming off anything, but I know that not everyone can do that, we're all different, if any sod needs my support as a fellow liver and not sufferer wiv mental illness please don't be afraid to ask.  As I said I "live wiv mental illness and don't suffer wiv it."  "The Dark Gift" I call it.  And gifts even when their bad can be used for our own benefit and positivity.  Alex.