Withdrawal success!

I hope y'all won't consider me a quitter if I go back on a low dose of Zoloft after all this hell of coming off of Effexor.  I have just hit rock bottom and I don't think I'm safe being completely off of all drugs.  I tried, I really want to do this, but I can't. 

I just wanted to post on here to say, I've done it! Im completely off Venlafaxine and feel AWESOME! Its been a really difficult time coming off and even getting it out of my system but its now been about 2.5 months since my last tablet and I have no side effects anymore. I meditate daily, watch my sugar intake, excercise regularly including yoga and running. I no longer drink alcohol (this is a big factor for my depression I think) and have made some changes to my job and I now feel in control of my depression without drugs. I wanted to tthank everyone on here for supporting me when I was at my lowest and hopefully give hope to those who are also trying to get off it. It does take a while but you can do it. Thanks again x

The Vertigo is where the eyes are trying to follow something that isn't there?

and you get the "blood rush" shush shush shush shush in the ears?

I VERY GRATEFUL you posted this I stopped 10 days ago and for the same reason - why was I still on it when i only needed to get over the initial anguish of a breakup?

"I am seeing things though my own eyes." I imagined it like walking round with my head in an aquarium full of honey.

Fish oil has been mentioned before in this forum I think? I seem to see it as an aid for the brain to become more alert as to where it actually is instead of whee the tablet told it it was. So the brain is being helped to recover better.

Hello Sparklewhizz,

I have just read your post from 4 months ago and wondered how you are doing and are you taking any other ad.

Suki 

Hi all

I'm not sure who if anyone is still following this thread but I came accross it by googling Ventlafaxine withdrawal and oh my goodness reading the stories has made me feel normal!!! In the nicest possible way - seeing others experiencing the awful feelings I'm having has made me realise I'm not alone!

I started my journey last Tuesday of withdrawing from this evil drug, I was on 150mg and have been breaking my tablets in half since last Tuesday (21 July 15) I can't say I've had awful withdrawal as of yet, to be honest, brain zaps, feeling like I'm floating when I walk, vision problems, exessive sleeping have become the daily norm to me so I could well be having withdrawal effects but I feel so crappy on these bloody things I can't  tell any difference!

How is everyone doing since coming off these things? Do you ever feel like you're normal again....? I'm desperate for the vertigo to go, I've had this cronically since being on the tablets, its makes getting to and from work difficult travelling on the esculators on the london underground.

Also lastly, has anyone noticed the huge amount of weight they've put on taking these things has gone?  I'm desperately trying to loose the 30lbs I've put on since taking Ventlafaxine....

If I'd have known these tablets would cause so much trouble, I would never ever have taken them!

Katy xx

I know this is an old post but since I found this in sure others will come across this as well...

I too am a success story so far! I've been on Effexor for 1 1/2 years due to extremely depressed and god awful anxiety. I had to quit COLD TURKEY due to no insurance. It was hell for the first 4 to 5 days. I had brain zaps constantly and I would actually feel them all the way down my body to my toes. As a waitress this was very scary as I almost fell a few times. I experienced crying spells over anything for a few days and even though it's only been 3 weeks those crying spells has gotten less and I now have maybe a few seconds of BREIF brain zaps a day but nothing compared to what I was once experiencing. I guess right now I am however going through the phase of very short temper and a hot head at things that upset me. Very unlike me... But it's starting to not get as bad.

Overall after ready MANY message boards on the withdrawals of getting off Effexor I was very nervous about it.... But not everyone will have those very long and bad experiences that others have posted about their withdraws.

Best of wishes, stay happy, stay healthy, and make sure you take care of YOURSELF!!!

Sparklewhizz,

So glad you wrote this last year. Hope you are still off the drug.

I am doing my second try in 3 years at discontinuing Effexor. Could never get past the 75 to 37.5mg drop. But this time I took a medical leave to get through it with more weekly involvement / help from my wife and monitoring with the psychiatrist, a homeopathic texture of the drug, and the will to go the distance. I am wondering if you kept track of the parterns oSparklewhizz,

So glad you wrote this last year. Hope you are still off the drug.

I am doing my second try in 3 years at discontinuing Effexor. Could never get past the 75 to 37.5mg drop. But this time I took a medical leave to get through it with more weekly involvement / help from my wife and monitoring with the psychiatrist, a homeopathic texture of the drug, and the will to go the distance. I am wondering if you kept track of the parterns of the "brain zaps" or / and experienced it as a very high pitch, scratching sound that correlated with eye movement? I completed takeing my last 8mg capsules (the 37mg Venlafaxine Tabs broken down into pellets then poured back into the capsules). My psychiatrist taught me how to do this and we did 2 weeks at each level i.e. 1/2 full capsule in AM / PM, then 1/4 full capsulr AM / PM, then 1/8 full capsules AM, then stopped and just PM.

Now 4 days free of it.

The side effects are intense now. The internal, brain scratching zapping sensation is constant when I shift my eyes left to right. It's at its highest point when my brain is seeking the drug you the most. Of course I have the intense mood swings body aches insomnia and other fun stuff (sarcasim). f the "brain zaps" or / and experienced it as a very high pitch, scratching sound that correlated with eye movement? I completed takeing my last 8mg capsules (the 37mg Venlafaxine Tabs broken down into pellets then poured back into the capsules). My psychiatrist taught me how to do this and we did 2 weeks at each level i.e. 1/2 full capsule in AM / PM, then 1/4 full capsulr AM / PM, then 1/8 full capsules AM, then stopped and just PM.

Now 4 days free of it.

The side effects are intense now. The internal, brain scratching zapping sensation is constant when I shift my eyes left to right. It's at its highest point when my brain is seeking the drug you the most. Of course I have the intense mood swings body aches insomnia and other fun stuff (sarcasim).

Open to replies from anyone going through this

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