N
notrealname
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 4, 2009
- Messages
- 766
Hello all,
New here. Just wanted to see if anyone else has suffered from the above and if they can offer me any advice! Here's the short-form of the story:
Until last month I was on Citalopram which they weaned me off (with the help of the wondrous Valium) in favour of Venlafaxine when I was finding it really difficult to cope. Now they have changed there minds. (When I say "they" I actually just mean my GP...). Having been diagnosed with anxiety and depression 8 years ago they now think I may be bipolar (though it would be cyclothymia or Bipolar II, not Bipolar I - the really serious one!). So they've told me to immediately discontinue Venlafaxine and go on Lamotrigine (anti-convulsant which is also a mood-stabiliser). But I wish they hadn't taken me off Venlafaxine so abruptly! I feel truly awful! I'm severely dizzy (whether sitting, standing, lying down), confused, disorientated, restless and agitated. I suffered a kind of bizarre delirium when I tried to sleep last night which was absolutely terrifying and I had to force myself to try to sleep tonight because I was so frightened it would happen to me again. Tried sleeping. Can't. And have lost my sleeping pills.
My question is this. Has anybody else had a tough time coming off Venlafaxine? And do you know how long this lasts? Also, do you have any advice on how I can lessen the symptoms? I was on 150mg a day for two weeks.
Cheers
New here. Just wanted to see if anyone else has suffered from the above and if they can offer me any advice! Here's the short-form of the story:
Until last month I was on Citalopram which they weaned me off (with the help of the wondrous Valium) in favour of Venlafaxine when I was finding it really difficult to cope. Now they have changed there minds. (When I say "they" I actually just mean my GP...). Having been diagnosed with anxiety and depression 8 years ago they now think I may be bipolar (though it would be cyclothymia or Bipolar II, not Bipolar I - the really serious one!). So they've told me to immediately discontinue Venlafaxine and go on Lamotrigine (anti-convulsant which is also a mood-stabiliser). But I wish they hadn't taken me off Venlafaxine so abruptly! I feel truly awful! I'm severely dizzy (whether sitting, standing, lying down), confused, disorientated, restless and agitated. I suffered a kind of bizarre delirium when I tried to sleep last night which was absolutely terrifying and I had to force myself to try to sleep tonight because I was so frightened it would happen to me again. Tried sleeping. Can't. And have lost my sleeping pills.
My question is this. Has anybody else had a tough time coming off Venlafaxine? And do you know how long this lasts? Also, do you have any advice on how I can lessen the symptoms? I was on 150mg a day for two weeks.
Cheers