I was prescribed venlafaxine for depression, started with 75mg and ended to 378mg/day also on Ritalin 60mg/day for short term memory and concentration deficits. I ended up to do not remember and recognize my son in law messages !!! My psychiatrist easily said me " she cannot do anything about my memory " after putting me on there strong medication over 7 years.
I started to get rid of these medications month ago, if I am right! I have read your comments about the side effects which has helped me a lot but I could find something about the odd feelings that I feel in my brain, like frequency of some sort of waves in my brain, never the less, now, it's a forth day of being free of Venlafaxine and Ritalin.
I will be following your progress with interest. I have just dropped from 75 ven to 37.5. I am exhausted, never felt a tiredness like this! Dizziness and to my amazement blood shot eyes! I am thinking of just stopping as if I am going through this anyway how much worse can it get! Sorry I can't help you with your query but please update your withdrawal experience. Hope it goes smoothly for you. Wishing you every success ♥♥
I am so glad to hear you, as, it is very hard to go through alone. My refill is ready already, but, my body tells me, never touch this pills again!
I am reading all the comments, as, it makes me feel, I am not alone, and most of the symptom are normal.
It looks, this awful brain wave or vibration sequences gets lesser than thelast 4-5 days ago (I hope 🤞. I am surprised how to got a short naps, 30 minutes, without noticing these brain vibrations. Still have severe nausea and feeling vomiting which cannot remember if it is normal. Gravol Gingember has been very helpful. I was not able to go to workplace today and not sure if I will be able to work on Monday. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist on Jan 31, hopefully, get an idea about that, but, do not let them to involve me any antidepressants again.
I will update my journey for you and people who are interested on.
I'm sorry you have had these bad experiences. The feelings in your brain are commonly known as brain zapps. There doesn't seem to be a medical term for it, probably because the symptoms are not easily described and certainly not investigated by medics. Brain zaps could be happening because youve withdrawn very fast.
Regarding discontinuation of your venlafaxine, you may be in for a difficult time as you've reduced very fast. Some people take 2 years or more to come off them. It is recommended to reduce very slowly. You were on a very high dose. (I don't know about the Ritalin). I'm reducing my Venlafaxine by 12.5mg every 2-3 weeks. I was on 225mg I'm now down to 162.5mg, I started before Christmas. I take the capsules, they contain tiny tablets, each are 12.5mg.
Hi Please go very slowly when tappering off medications - my husband was taken off Venflafaxine cold turkey by our GP (only on it for 7 weeks) as he started to have slurred speech. Scans proved it wasnt a stroke but speech is now non existant . Was then put on Pregabalin which stopped his walking as well ! Seems a huge coincidence that this has happened to him after these drugs but Neurologist is testing for MND Good luck but please go slowly.
Oh Janet I'm so sorry for you and your husband I do hope he is well soon. You are right about slow withdrawal. GPs don't seem to have a clue with psychiatric meds. My GP recommended halving it, I soon became ill. Thankfully I went back on the previous dose and recovered. I'm now reducing very slowly. I had no GP guidance this time, I opened the capsules I take and worked the reductions out myself.
Thx Catherine for the information. I am so sorry to hear about your husband .
Brain Zapps! Actually it's a good phrase for this feelings. I started to reduce the Ven by 150mg/day and truly I have been in a very tough times, .Yesterday I could sleep for a while( because I woke up and reviewed my dream) but had a very bad dull pain on my back between the shoulders, a little bit scary, got angery easily, started walking back and forth, talking loudly for awhile till 6am.
Today, i woke up at 10:30 am, I felt much better, less nausea, still feeling vomiting, so couldn't take breakfast. I took my thyroid pill which was forgotten for Two day!!! Surprisingly, I stared to work at home, cook something and took two pills melatonin(OTC) at 8pm but still awake.
Hi, sorry to hear about ur husband. Actually, I got a very bad pain on my back b/w shoulders which I don't know why I got that! pain was dull and just at section didn't radiate to over my hand or chest.
I am going to see a psychiatrist very soon, to know, how long it takes, I come back to my normal life! Now, I think it's a week or maybe 5 days that I am free of those two strong pills. In overall, today was a little bit better.
Good time Lorraine. Thank you for following up. No coughs, but still have nausea, headache, tiredness. Got a dull pain between my shoulders at back but gone when I woke up. Today felt better.
forgot to mention about insomnia and brain zapps along nausea, headache, feeling vomiting, tiredness, sometimes feeling exhausted and crying a little bit.
Sorry for this fragmented notes ( concentration problem that I am in).
Now, I rememberd, I started the same way you started by reducing that tiny tabs but not sure, per day or per week, but I remember I faced some side effects that scared me but didn't stop me.
I needed and need to be free of these strong pills.
It's far from easy isn't it! I am now bon day 2 of no ven and like you no sleep last night! Retching so hard I may require tener lady at this rate lol. Dizziness I'm also with you big time. I did get triple strength omega and B complex and a multivit yesterday as this combo is meant to really help withdrawal. Look forward to your update ♥♥♥
Sorry didn't see this message before my last message. Shel I am with you 100%. I want to tough this out now and the violent retching is scary but determination wins the day! I think we know when enough is enough. ♥
oh yes, it's very tough times. I think we are very strong and braves ladies however.😊I started getting nightmares( I am diagnosed with PTSD already) again 😔😔 this is what I really don't like to go through it again. my son-in-law who is a wonderful neurologist, advised me take ven 37mg in combination of Alprazolam 0.25 mg twice a day immediately and not to stop the medication all the sudden because I will face all the problems
again in the future. So, I took venlafaxine 78mg in combination of
Alprazolam and slept for 7 hours, no nightmare. Well, I started my day, with
no feeling vomiting, headache, nausea, ... what else??? Cannot remember!
Never the less, I have had and have too very much in my plate and my son in law believes I need to take some medications but in a reasonable dosages.
at the end, after 5-6 day or a week of no pills at all, I had still, nausea, headache, brain zapps, tiredness, and most awful feeling vomiting and insomnia and excessive saliva.
You know Lorraine, I just want to get free of these pills, but, after getting nightmares again, I am a little bit scared! about the cost I have to paid! I have had an experience of an arranged marriage, living with my ex for 24 years full filled with all kind of torturing, getting Cancer and going through all the treatment alone, being away from my only child for 12 years, PTSD, living life on my feet without any emotional support are some of in my plate!
With this brilliant history 😇 can I have a happy life without these pills! I am not confident after getting the nightmares again.
I have started this journey to get a peaceful life, no lack of concentration and forgetfulness, and as a consequence, getting stress and anxiety, regardless of taking depression medication. I have my goal ahead " no more lack of concentration and forgetfulness" , happy and peaceful life, I keep trying to get it for next 6 months.
You have been through so much. Please tell me your not still in that awful marriage. Importantly I hope you are now all clear of cancer. I think you need to be kind to yourself and your body. If you are getting dreadful nightmares maybe reinstate a tiny amount of ven eg 12.5 to see if it takes the edge off. Then stabilise and then reduce a fraction each time. My capsules held 6 mini tablets each one being 12.5. See how you go but don't distress your body and brain necessarily. You can still quit but in a way that is kinder to you.
I'm in bed retching away and hoping I will get some sleep today.
Stomach is also bad! Going to see how I go tomorrow. I do understand when you say about getting clarity of mind and being at peace. We will get there. What plans have you got to make your life better? You deserve happiness and health and certainly to be treated with love and respect. We are on this planet for such a short time, it's important that you find peace and a good quality of life. I will certainly add you to my prayers and I hope tomorrow will be kinder to you xxxx
Just seen your message but only after I had already replied to you. I am pleased for you and will do the same if I carry on having retched symptoms! By the way all the same withdrawals as you mentioned. Keep me posted Shel and thinking of you x
fortunately I am not in that awful marriage but the consequences of that still are and believe always will!
I am a Cancer free and living my new life with the consequences of the strong chemotherapey; , short term memory and concentration problem. I couldn't work as a full time nurse, but, I managed to work as foot care nurse which requires less concentration and memorizing materials.
Today, I had less nausea, feeling vomiting, brain zapps, or tiredness. Is that is because I had ven 75mg in combination of 0.25 mg Alprezolarm? Have no idea! The energy level was better because I could go for shopping!
But the freedom and peace which I felt during the last 5 days, it's gone.
Cannot explain how but it's a sort of feeling that you don't need to prove because you experience that. 😔 I thank you vey much for adding me to your prayers and your kindness never be forgotten dear.