Help ... Coming off venlafaxine

[Mark84]

Hi, I hope I am posting this in the right place.

I have been on venlafaxine for some years now approx 6 years. Recently I found the side effects were outweighing the benefits (if any) . My psychiatrist agreed hat a change might be beneficial, I have tried coming off venlafaxine before and gave up as the side effects were horrendous . This time I am down dosing from 150mg to 75mg and also taking fluoxetine 20mg every second day eventually switching to it.

I am only 4 days into this change and I feel so awful it's hard to put it into words. My thoughts are all over the place. Suicidal thoughts are regular to try and escape the feeling. Agitated with people around me , basically housebound even more than usual. Nightmares when I sleep . There doesn't seem to be any time of peace or escape. Physically ; heart thumping , sweating , tired, headaches , weak , loss of appetite.

I really don't want to give in to it and start taking the venlafaxine fully again as I think I need this change but I am really struggling to deal with these withdrawal and changing feelings . Some people say it takes months ,

Is there anyone that can make me feel positive about this ?

I have been set tasks by my psychologist every week and I can't even do them ie outdoor exposure work with these feelings as it was the psychiatrist that changed it . I am scared of not doing the nessesary psychology work and ultimately loosing that service as it was 7 months waiting time .

I can't put it into words enough so anyone close to me can understand .
I feel exhausted.

Any help / advice , or experiences would be greatly appreciated at this time .

Many thanks for listening.

 

[katya]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Please don't worry; you're just in a transition stage between drugs and that can make you feel temporarily worse. This will pass. I'm on fluoxetine and it made me worse at the beginning, but it's really good for me now, actually - it just lessens all the really intense feelings of sadness and lets you focus more on things. It's quite mellow and comforting.

This will pass; just keep in close contact with your GP/psychiatrist so they can monitor any new developments and decide on the best course of treatment for you. There are better times ahead.

 

[Christobel]

What you are going through sounds horrendous. As you are also introducing the fluoxetine, it is difficult to tell which medication is causing the problem.

I have been able to come off Venlafaxine. I was on 150 mg, and got my pharmacist to convert them to 37.5 mg tablets. I then cut these in half and reduced by a half every two weeks.

Hope this helps.

 

[Haley]

Dear Mark84,
Yes, people don't know what it is like to pull oneself off these drugs. It is the most uncomfortable thing in the world to do. I had to get off depakote after five years and it made all my muscles painful. Extremely painful. I am not familiar with the drug you were on but withdrawl is withdrawl. Here's what I did to help myself. I kept my GOAL in mind all the time. I had a calendar and marked off the days. It took a week. And another time when I quit sleeping pills that made me non functional, I had to wait ten days to be able to sleep again. These are NOT fun recreational drugs. These are hard core drugs. I had to remind myself WHY I was quitting the drug, going over the logical thought process that led to that decision, and again I had to keep my GOAL in mind. I went through withdrawl many times, too many times. I hate to think of people going through it. What is the regular name of the new drug you are being switched onto?? Yes, med changes are totally disruptive to our lives. It's like you throw away those days. They are the worst sick days ever. I hope you can get on the right meds and stay on them and be stable and no more of this torture.

 

[MarlieeB]

I hope that everything calms down for you soon x

 

[SarahD]

Venlafaxine withdrawal can be awful. Fluoxetine is often prescribed because it helps with the withdrawal.

When I came off venlafaxine I came down gradually and didn't have withdrawal symptoms until I stopped it altogether. I was on another antidepressant at the time and I think this helped up to that point but when I stopped altogether I was very unwell for a bit over a week, with all sorts of symptoms. After that it wasn't too bad except I had headshocks for a few months, but these were not as severe right the way through. They started bad but then were more mild.

Venlafaxine didn't help me and I was determined to get off it and just decided however bad it was I would put up with it. It was very bad. How bad it is varies, as others have said, some people have no withdrawal effects.

Wish you well, Sarah

 

[Mark84]

Wow I didnt expect so many and positive replies ! Thank you !

Well after my post earlier today I went to the hospital as I was really needing reassurance that the feelings I was getting were "normal" . The psychiatrist was surprised when I said that my regular psychiatrist or gp didn't explain that these effects could happen . I am pretty sure it's because I have reduced the venlafaxine as Appleseed to starting the fluoxetine . I was told to take diazepam through this difficult time short term . Basically I can relate to every comment / reply made on here . The venlafaxine made me dull, numb and generally in a daze for a few years .... But it was making me stable so people or gp were not keen on changing . Now I want to change as the dullness is making things difficult as regards to the motivation required to go forward with my psychology appointments and progress. I fully believe that cognitive work will help me more than anything else and want to commit fully to it . Also the fluoxetine is one of the few I have not been on and I am keen to try it because of that and the fact it's a bit softer for withdrawal etc.
I'm feeling lost but one of the comments above Haley said they focused on the goal . That is exactly what I need to here . I need to look past this time and try and be positive for what the future holds even though at is extremely hard when at a daily low.

Thank you so much for the replies and I will be sure to update as time goes on as You guys have really helped sharing your experiences .

One more question ; has anyone experimented with taking here tablets at night or in the morning ? I'm taking at night but was advised today to try in the morning ?

Thanks again
Mark ��

 

[orla1]

Hi Mark,
I have recently came off Venlafaxine and I wanted to try share my own experience as much as possible because I know what it's like to search the internet for helpful advice!

So I was on 112mg Venlafaxine for a year and a half then I started to feel withdrawal symptoms even though there was no changes in my life etc. I put it down to my body becoming too used to the drug after a year and a half so my doctor put me on 150mg prolonged release venlafaxine. I had been having thoughts about coming off venlafaxine much the same as you I felt the negatives outweighed the positives. A major factor for me was memory loss,now I have researched this and there's limited medical publishings of this issue however I recall finding one report by a psychologist stating that the SNRI's (venlafaxine)was bound to have a negative effect on long term brain functions such as memory and emotional processing because simply put it blocks regular dopamine levels. I wish I had this report to share but unfortunately not!

So I then searched the forums and discovered this was a fairly common complaint that memory loss could occur especially after prolonged periods of time.

I had experienced severe withdrawal symptoms in the past and would walk into things, the horrible "brain zaps",dizziness, nausea the lot! So needless to say I was terrified.

I started by taking one 12mg tablet out of the 150mg capsules per week,but not strictly it was just when I felt strong enough to lower the dose again. From 150mg down to 112mg I felt no withdrawal as I was only on 150 for 3 months or so.
When I got down to the 60 mark I could feel slight withdrawals however because I was lowering at 12mg a time I would let my body get used to each dose before I would lower it again.

When I went down to 48mg (12x4's) this is when it affected me the most emotionally, I had bad shakes,rapid breathing and was very angry which isnt my nature but I was in a complete rage.This was severe for a day then I upped the dose by 12 the next day and came down to 48mg the day after that. I think when you get over that bridge of emotion and not give in and take loads of tablets but at the same time do what your body is feeling like and dont put too much pressure on yourself.

when I came down to 24 I could feel brain zaps but was fine emotionally not much teariness.

I got to 12 last week and I halved the tablets as much as possible just so I could go as low with them. Today is the first day without any in my system and I have mild nausea and mild brain zaps.

The whole thing took about 2-3months but I have a reason for wanting to come off them so quick.
Without these drugs I would probably not be here but I think when you do feel strong enough it's best to get off them,I cant describe the numbness they made me feel towards people its not worth it just for a few sick weeks/months.

I think cold turkey is just putting pressure on yourself and it doesnt get you off them any quicker so I do think the tapering method works best.

What surprised me the most is I think I got off lightly with these! Probably because I was only on them for 2 years.

Also I used to take one in the morning then one in the evening because I would go into emotional turmoil in the evenings but it didnt make a difference so I just took them all in the morning plus it messes you up if you miss the timing by an hour.




Wil keep updated

 

[Mark84]

Afew months later I'm safely clear of venlafaxine for some time . I am still struggling with daily life but I feel a lot more alert and able to perform not being on venlafaxine . I'm glad I didn't give in and carried on with it . Horrible as it is anyone reading this ; stick with it the withdrawals will eventually go .

 

[Nikita]

Yes,I was much more alive when I stopped the venlafaxine,I got my emotions back too,I was pleased about it.I was fortunate because I didn't get any withdrawals too.I am glad you feel better Mark.Nikitax

 

[MarlieeB]

Glad it seems to of worked out for you xxx

 

[Paytek]

I was prescribed Venlafaxine for Gen anxiety.

I started zoning out while eating and forgetting many things.

When I went to my Doc, he upped the script..

I tried going cold turkey and I was so dizzy and had to use the bathroom every 5 minutes. I felt like I was dying.

Later, I tried going down by small increments each week. Finally, I did come off and I'm off of it to this day.

Mind you, I still have anxiety.

 

[Mark84]

I was prescribed Venlafaxine for Gen anxiety.

I started zoning out while eating and forgetting many things.

When I went to my Doc, he upped the script..

I tried going cold turkey and I was so dizzy and had to use the bathroom every 5 minutes. I felt like I was dying.

Later, I tried going down by small increments each week. Finally, I did come off and I'm off of it to this day.

Mind you, I still have anxiety.

I was very similar to your feelings as is loads of others ! It's horrible and almost like torture .

I too still have anxiety and depression and on tablets . The tablets I am on now don't have any side effects so I have peice of mind that I won't experience those feelings with these . ( quotiapine and Pregabalin )