How to get off venlafaxine?

Treatment and medication
1

I had another account on this site but for some reason it got deactivated and I could no longer access it. I have been on venlafaxine 75mg for nearly 2 months now and to tell you the truth I wish I never went near the stuff. I kept hearing from my doctors and other people to keep persevering with it and that's what I did. But I am still experencing bad anxiety and depression and I think some of the anxiety and depression is coming from the side effects of the venlafaxine. The side effects I think I am experencing from the venlafaxine after being on it nearly 2 months are confusion, sexual side effects, tiredness, sore teeth, struggling to pee and just all round feeling strange and not my self. I am still having a panic attack going out in public and that is after being on venlafaxine 75mg for nearly 2 months. Surely that can not be right? I just feel I have gave the venlafaxine a long enough shot now? and can not see myself getting much better on it? I sometimes have good days but most days are filled with bad confusion anxiety and depression. I sometimes had good days when I was not even on anti depressants. I am so desperate to get off this venlafaxine 75mg that I feel like just going cold turkey and no longer taking it? Do you think that would be that much a problem after only being on it for nearly 2 months? I was thinking about just not taking it and then if I feel bad I will take a 37.5mg capsule and then just slowly try to wean off from there? I also hear omega 3 fish oil helps with the withdrawal? But come on seriously it seems quite dangerous if I am going to be expernicng serious withdrawal and I have only been taking the stuff for just under 2 months? 

Any help and advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

2

I was taking 150mg of Effexor (venaflaxine) for over 10 years.  I had NO side effects whatsoever.  It is not an SSRI.  Don't ever take Zoloft or any SSRI drug.  Coming off that was pure HELL.  It did turn my life around mentally, but there were so many physical side effects it just wasn't worth it.  Effexor was a piece of cake.  I was able to just stop it and went on a new anti-depressant.

3

Hi,William, sorry you are going through such a rotten time with this medication. I was prescribed 75mg Venlafaxine when I got a serious problem with depression three years ago due to some serious life events which caused me to lose my sense of happiness and stop eating properly.I also attended a phased group session for five weeks whilst taking the medication.(talking therapy) I certainly got over my depression and having just recently withdrawn which has caused side-effects too.these are known to affect sexual matters and I had bladder control problems too.I think the benefits outweigh the side-effects but it is a choice for each one to make All the best!

4

I had been on prozac for years in the past and that actually helped me a lot. But it also caused unwanted side effects. Well this is day one of just not taking my venlafaxine. Wish me luck. I just hope I do not suffer any withdrawals.

5

I am sorry you have went through problems with depression. It is such an unnecessary thing that no one should have to go through in life. Being on the venlafaxine is causing me very bad sexual side effects. It's basically like being robbed of sexual functioning. I do not find this acceptable and would actually say this could cause me depression. I am on day one of just not taking my venlafaxine. I just hope I do not get any bad withdrawal effects. Wish me luck.

6

good luck William. I hope things work out.

7

Thank you Cheryl

8

Hi,

I'm sorry that you're feeling your medication isn't workingsad

After many different types of antidepressant I was prescribed venlafaxine. At first the side effects were awful, if I didn't take immediately before food at the same time each day I'd be sick, throwing up style so keep an eye on that.

Also, if it wasn't taken at a similar time each day I would begin to feel flu like symptoms, shaking, being sick, wooziness and severe anxiety.

I am now coming off the tablets and am on half a 37.5 tablet. It is incredibly difficult, to the point where after about 36 hours I begin to feel woozy, sick, can't lift my head, get absolutely furious and irritable until the next tablet has taken. I'm weaning slowly off and trying to get balanced, but it really is not easy.

I would strongly advise you not to go cold turkey

Best wishes x

9

I had been taking the venlafaxine for just under 2 months and seen very little improvement, If any. I actually believe the venlafaxine was causing me a confusion type feeling that was actually making me anxious. Well I am on day 2 off just not taking my venlafaxine and I must admit I am certainly feeling it a bit. Last night I struggled to fall asleep and eventually when I did manage to fall asleep it was 8 in the morning and I slept until 4 in the afternoon. I also experencied some very unpleasant dreams. Almost nightmares you could say. But I did expereince very strange dreams on the venlafaxine as it was anyway. Today I am getting a sore head and feel a little dizzy. I also feel a bit sick and have an unwell type feeling. I also have just recently noticed the ever so slight zap type feeling in my head. It isn't too severe at the moment but I have noticed it come and go a few times. If I move my eyes back and forth it does it worse. I'd say I also have been ever so slightly more down and worried than before. All in all I think at this present moment I can handle these withdrawal effects. But If it does get worse and I feel like I can not handle it I am going to take a 37.5mg capsule.

Thank you x

10

I am certainly feeling a good bit worse than what I felt like yesterday and this is the second day of not taking the venlafaxine.

11

I totally get where you're coming from. The venlafaxine made me feel like I wasn't here if that makes sense?

The eye movement thing too... like it aches so terribly when you move them? Even sometimes like you can't look up or side to side.

Also I have seen a lot of people experiencing the brain zaps, I have not. Definitely a withdrawal symptom it seems.

At the moment I feel just strange, I almost don't trust what will come out of my mouth or how I'll react- do you feel this too? I am trying to push the distance between half tablets as long as possible but take it once the symptoms are getting too much sad

I think it's terrible that vulnerable people are on this drug and struggling both on it and withdrawing sad

12

I think it made me confused and I got the exact same thing when I moved my eyes it ached and I had blurred vision. I just felt that after being on it for nearly 2 months and not feeling any better and with all the side effects I was experencing I just felt that there was no point continuing to take it. I have been on a few different ssri anti depressants in the past and none of them seemed to have as many side effects as what venlafaxine has had for me. But every serotonergic anti depressant I have been on have caused me a particular side effect the entire time I took the drugs which is usually what leads me to quitting taking them. I am going through the withdrawal of venlafaxine the now and I am struggling to sleep, I am getting brain zaps now and again and I feel unwell like I have a virus. I just hope these withdrawal effect pass soon and don't get any worse. 

13

You'll have to endure some withdrawal symptoms for a little while as you stopped at 75mg. I would have suggested to drop to 37.5mg at the very least. But you'll be fine. Just note it's temporary.

14

Yeah I get what you're saying. I'd suggest even cutting them in half or something and having one when you feel like it's too much.

As Cheryl06744 says the withdrawal effects are temporary but I've seen people with them for 2-3 months after! So maybe best to come off slower to ease the effects

15

There is so much written about venlafaxine and it's withdrawal. I was on it for 12 years. And felt good. 2x75 I was on

I knew about withdrawal difficulties. When (for a complicated reason), I was taken off it and replaced with fluoxetine, I had a terrifying decline into deep depression. Was it the withdrawal (over 3 or 4 weeks),was it fluoxetine bit working or a fluoxetine side effect, or what. I work in science and medicine, and know a bit about psychotropic drugs, do I try to be objective about it all.

I went back on venlafaxine, and what do u know, I'm getting back out of the deep depression. Conclude what u want from that, about venlafaxine is for me (we all have our own individual pharmacology ,- I.e. how we individually handle and respond to drugs).

Oh yes, I meant to say, on lay sites, like this, you'll read a lot if stories about venlafaxine withdrawal, and how u must reduce the dose very very slowly. The medical profession just buys into the 3 or 4 week regimen of withdrawal. It may well be that some individuals , like myself, have much harder withdrawals. The doc who prescribed me fluoxetine didn't acknowledge this as possible (buying into the argument that as lay internet sites contain a lot of rubbish, then ALL of it is rubbish).

I agree they (and the forums) are often not the best places to go for help when one is ill, but there are ways of using them in a helpful way.

Dir me, venlafaxine gas helped me a lot for a long time. It tho does have unacknowledged withdrawal difficulties.

By the way, 2willuamm,it seems that if a drug is showing no signs at all of working after 4 to 8 works then give up on it. Your doctor, if they're any good, should be monitoring how u r .

16

I have been taking it for 4 years. I started off on 75mg and increased to 150mg. I tried a few anti depressants and it did help me eventually, motivated but still agitated which settled.

I have currently cut from 150 mg to 75mg over 3 weeks by going from 150mg to 137.5mg, essentially 25 percent less. Now I'm on 50 percent less is 75mg for another 3weeks, the half again till I'm no longer taking it. I have been fine so far!

Obviously the longer you take it the more emotionally reinforced it will be so I guess will be harder, say being on it for 2 yrs, as opposed to 2 months. I would nip it in the bud if it seriously disagrees with you as it sounds it does. Maybe your GP can advise on alternative?

17

I can somewhat relate to that, so far, anyway. I started off on 75mg and increased to 150mg. I tried a few anti depressants and it did help me eventually, motivated but still agitated which settled.

I have currently cut from 150 mg to 75mg over 3 weeks by going from 150mg to 137.5mg, essentially 25 percent less. Now I'm on 50 percent less is 75mg for another 3weeks, the half again till I'm no longer taking it. I have been fine so far!