I have been on 150 mg for about 18 months. Although it has helped my anxiety and depression to a degree, it has completely destroyed my libido and ability to orgasm which is putting a strain on my relationship, so I have to get off it. After doing a bit of reading on withdrawals and the experiences of others, I became extremely anxious (and I'm still taking the stuff at the moment), I can't believe I was given this medication without even a mention of how horrific it is to stop. I am so scared to stop taking it that I couldn't sleep properly last night and I had a panic attack this morning and couldn't go to school (I guess it doesn't work so well after all). The zaps and stuff I get when I forget just one day are unbearable. I have just started studying and I can't afford to be sick and I just feel trapped and I wish all the stupid doctors were forced to dose up and then withdraw from this stuff, maybe then it wouldn't be handed out so liberally. Anyway, you're post gave me a little hope. I am going to try your method, but also use 5-htp when coming off the prozac, and try to do some exercise, drink lots of water, eat healthy etc. Anyway, wish me luck.
Hi & thanks Leon. ( erm 6 years on & you are still being read - Champion !)
I have been on wait for it ... 300mg for 5 years without questioning my need for it ,until recently when I moved 10 hrs away from my shrink,
Same as all of you down to 75 mg & then the nightmare began .
This post helped , both my husband & myself just to understand .
I found it 4 days ago
Just to know I wasnt the only one & could kick it was great . My clever hubbie had all the natural ingredients at hand . I am on my 4th day now .
His neck rubs ,holding hands & complete support was great .
Get your partners or friends to read this too , so they understand what it is your going through is my only "add to" advice ( that & buy your fav lolly or treat to pop in your mouth when you need - I used rock candy )
Thanks to the chicken soup guy too - that was a great idea . I made an MSG based wonton soup . Remember MSG is approved by the heart foundation & the only real allergy sufferers are those who can't eat tomatoes or were breast fed ( there is more MSG in breast milk than 1 chinese meal ) get over the myths & no ,dont lecture me on MSG , either go with it , or ignore me .
Good luck to everyone else .
I have been on Venlafaxine for a few years now. I was on 150 mg. I did great on it. Had no bad side effects to my knowledge, except that maybe my constant fatigue was part of that. However, I had had fatigue prior to starting Venlafaxine. My doctor wanted to taper me off of it to try the new MAOI patch called Emsam. Went to 75 mg for a week and was fine. Then she wanted me to be on 75 mg for a week with the patch. Did fine on that as well. Then went to just the patch no Venlafaxine. First day was fine except for funny feeling in my head. Second day extremely irritable in the morning and a bit manic, then felt like I had the flu, nausea, headache, felt feverish, very achy. Third day, all hell broke lose and I thought I was going to end up in the psychiatric ward at the hospital. Could not go to work, couldn't talk to anyone without crying, had disassociative episodes, only time I felt half way okay was when I closed my eyes or slept.
My doctor who is a psychiatrist and not a GP, did not prepare me for this, she only said I might experience a feeling like my brain was lagging behind my eyes. I wasn't too concerned about it because I have never had withdrawal symptoms on any medication before.
So on day 3, I desperately tried to get ahold of her because I thought it was a result of this new Emsam patch. So, I wanted badly to take it off. I had no idea that withdrawal off of Venlafaxine was so horrible. She prescribed 37.5 mg. I took that but still didn't feel right and told her I wanted to take the patch off. She told me I could, I took the patch off, slept for two hours and felt much better. Still thinking that it was the Emsam patch that caused all the havoc, I went to her the following day to discuss what to do going forward. That's when she told me she believed all these side effects were due to withdrawing off the Venlafaxine! I have been on other antidepressants over the past 10 years and never had any problems going off of any of them until now. Had I known what hell this could be, I would never have started taking this medicine. I have been on 37.5 mg for a week now. I can function normally on this dose, however I feel nauseous off and on, a little fluish and sometimes feel like throwing up. I am glad to see the posts about B complex and Omega 3 helping because I already take those but will probably increase the Omega 3. And I'm curious about Prozac possibly helping. But, I am very fearful of tapering off any more than I have. I can't afford to miss work for this. She wanted me to try going to every other day. I decided on the weekend that I would try that but that if I started feeling sick and crazy, I would take a dose. I tried on two different days and couldn't make it thru half of the day before I needed to take it again. I am trying to get in to another doctor for a second opinion. Now that I know the way I was feeling is due to the Venlafaxine, I have to get off this medication! And I don't trust my doctor now about going on the Emsam patch.
I'm hoping and praying that I can get completely off this with little to none of the bad symptoms and no lingering symptoms.
Keep moving forward. I believe my nightmare ended after 10 days. Take omega 3,6,9 fish oil. About 4 capsules everyday. Email me anyone who needs support with this horrible drug.
***post is edited by moderator *** private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use
I'm on day 5 of my own withdrawal and didn't check into the side effects of quitting "cold turkey" before doing so last weekend. I had been on 300mg/day for the past 8 months and cut back to 150mg/day about 4 weeks ago. The lack of sex drive and constipation were the catalysts for my decision to quit. I didn't notice any effects until the first night of skipping the 150mg dose. I was staying at my sister-in-law's house for Easter weekend and couldn't fall asleep. Throughout the night I was having night sweats and at one point got out of bed to see a figure outside the second floor window (the hallucinations). I had no idea that I was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. I spent Easter Sunday in a daze and drove the 2.5 hours home feeling spacey and experiencing the brain zaps. It was worse on day 3 and that's when I went online to find out what a nasty time everyone has trying to quit Effexor.
I inadvertently helped myself by starting a regimin of 1200mg DHA fish oil, full spectrum vitamin B, magnesium, L-carnitine, and glycerophosphocholine about 5 weeks prior to quitting after attending a wellness seminar on brain health. I was happy to see that these are the same supplements that have helped others and I credit them for my ability to go from 150mg to nothing (so far). I have had tinnitus for many years but the ringing is much louder now and would say that I feel like I have mild flu-like symptoms. I'm very sensitive to sharp noises at the moment and have decided to take a sick week to work from home to avoid snapping at my office-mates. My sister-in-law also helped (again inadvertently) by giving me a multiday supply of magnesium malate chealate to help with constipation. As it turns out, I saw another recommendation to take malic acid to reduce severity of symptoms and the malate is a form of malic acid.
As for sleep, I've been taking benadryl along with a liquid melatonin (designed for fast absorption by putting drops under the tongue) and have been sleeping soundly except for the vivid dreams.
My resolve to quit hasn't wavered and I've decided to ride out the symptoms, which do seem to be lessening a bit. We've had several days of stormy weather in Austin and the crazy temp and pressure swings are certainly not helping. I'm hoping for some sunshine and the opportunity to be outside for a few hours tomorrow.
Oops: regimen...my bad :-/
Hey Sunshine, I hope things are going better for you now? Getting some sleep?
I am just coming away from Effexor withdrawal. Down to a brain swirl or two a day. It took about 2 days to really get thru the horribles - vomiting, etc. Another week to get past the frequent headaches, constant noise inside my head when my eyes moved (very strange), frequent vertigo, brain zaps, and nausea. Scary to realize you are an addict to a prescription. I didn't realize this until I skipped a couple days on Effexor. I was taking Effexor for relief of menopausal symptoms. Once I came to the realization I was addicted, I vowed to go script free for withdrawal or relief. I started taking Omega 3 from cold water fish (immediate relief from swirls and zaps). I saw many had recommended Benadryl for nausea. I had Dramamine on hand, but wanted to stay away from OTC and remain homeopathic if possible. Peppermints! Wonderful relief from the nausea. Peppermint tea too relieved nausea and just put me in a more positive frame of mind. Good luck to you!
I have been on Effexor for about 12 years!!! I NEED TO GET OFF THIS MEDICATION, but I am scared to death of the side effects. If I miss one day, I am experiencing all the withdrawal symptoms all of you have mentioned. And that's just ONE day without the meds. I'm looking for the easier, softer way. My doctor, of 12 years has moved his practice 1200 miles away, I have no health insurance and I would feel more comfortable doing this withdrawal under a doctor's supervision. Has anyone used a physician to withdrawal, with success?
***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use
Glenn