i have been on ventlafaxine for 2 years now at 75mgs i have just started coming off them this last 6 weeks.
god have i suffered,i have brain zaps,loss of balance.headaches,cant get out of bed some days.
i should have never been put on them,what am i a guinea pig???
they are a awful.
i am 2 weeks away from being free from them and cant wait.i cant sleep and when i do i have nightmares.
please dont take this medication
Hi Julie
Just take it very slowly even if it means breaking tablets in half and if possible qarters, slowly reduce to the lowesr dose possible. Next take an even lower dose the next week
Third week only take your lowest dose every other day.
Hope this helps you more in the coping with side effects, which shouldn;t be as obvious to you but rather more mild withdrawals.
Good luck
melbix
I am just about to start my withdrawal from these tablets. My dr has prescribed me 35.5mg, I am currently on 75mg but the slow release.
Im quite scared about coming off these as I have heard such awful things.
Does anyone know the difference between the slow release (75mg) and the normal ones (35.5)
The slow release are released slowly into the system and the tablets are released very fast, having more side effects and a shorter half life. It is more difficult to tolerate the tablets than the slow release capsules. Unfortunately in the UK the slow release only come in 75mg. In the US they come in 37.5mg capsules, so I guess the only way you can come down from 75mg slow release is to switch to the lower dose tablets.
Couldn't agree more - I personally believe the horrific side effects (before I even thought about coming off them) far out way the benefit, I've never felt so unmovitated, unhappy, angry, fat and bloated in my whole life! I had more energy when I was depressed!!!!
I've started my withdrawal process and tonight pick up my new 37.5mg prescription, I'm absolutley terrified, I went from 150mg to 75mg with no problems but I hear the horror starts when you get down to the 37.5mg tablets 
as scared as I am, I am absolultey determined to come off these evil things, I want to start living a normal life again and would LOVE to go to sleep and not have terrifying nightmare that cause me to sweat like I've slept in a sauna all night!