I've been on 75mg a day for about 10 months due to panic attacks, but it makes me feel unwell constantly, I decided to cut down but as soon as I missed a dose I just slept all day and missed another one, so I've just decided to go cold turkey, I'm on day 3 of no pills. So far, I've slept on and off, I'm just so tired, the brain zaps started on day 2, so I'm just wondering how long this is going to last for? I've looked through these forums and most people seem to be on higher doses and been on ven for a lot longer, does it make a difference to the withdrawal depending on dosage etc? Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!
I'm guessing the longer you're on them then the worse the withdrawals... I've been on them for 6 months but was on others for nearly 2 years before.
My symptoms have eased slightly (I'm on day 12 without Ven) but not that much. I still feel awful. Just stick with it and get it out of your system I'd say - maybe go back to your GP too.
Good luck!
Xxx
there isnt aneasy answerto this one. i have recently had to inrease my dose again and suffered the same side efects as when i irst started them!
Cold turkey is fairly drastic, maybe taking half a dose a while might help. be patient hun, i understand how much you want to get off them.keep going it'll be worth it bu dont damage your health in theocess.
good luck
Thanks for ur replies, fingers crossed and hopefully it won't be too long!!
Hi there I have been on 150mg of venlafaxine for about 8 years and decided lately that I would try to come off them very slowly went to the docs 5 weeks ago and he said we could try slowly I have dropped down to 75mg with no side affects I warned my husband about the aspects of coming off this med but he hasn't noticed anything so fingers crossed it's going okay been back to the docs this week and he's now asked me to take the meds every other day and see how I go, I know some people have had really bad side effects with this med but I wanted to say not everyone goes through this good luck everyone who are trying to come off their meds
kind regards sue
One month - still getting some brain feelings - like when I turn or look I get a blood rush sound in the ear, and brain doesn't know where i am.
It IS reducing. (or I'm getting used to it.)
Mate, it IS better to be off it!
Better a 'short term' hard hit than keeping meds and having long term reality withdrawl, or going slow and having a drawn out torture.
I have been on VF for 10 years and am now on the final stages of getting off them. I was on 225mg a day and am now on 37.5. I was a candidate for cold turkey and tried, for myself that was a bad decision zap city as well as losing it under the smallest stress. My doctor initially was not happy about me coming off VF in fact she seems to like the drug but I insisted that rather than treating my depression etc my feelings even for the good things seemed cloudy. I have got to 37.5 in 3 months and in 1 month time it will be 0, yes I am worried about side effects but am now increasing gradually on an SRI Citalopram as I understand stopping VF with no backup can put me at risk. As I said earlier I would rather have stopped there and then but my advice from personal experience is if you do not have an iron constitution use the gradual cut down with your doctors supervision, if they say they would rather keep you on VF insist that the cons outweigh the pros with VF if that is the case with you. I hope things go well for you and I hope sharing me personal experience helps you along the way to being VF free.
**in fact she seems to like the drug ** Money where her mouth is - tell HER to take it then. 
GLAD to see you have a backup tho.
Yeah I'm doing well.
I'm seeing a pattern where the VF solution is that the initial reaction to anything is slowed. This results in the *Losing under stress* bit.
Also note that when you reduce, I felt that the body is still shouting its emotions over VF but doesn't need to any more, hence the over reactions. Like shouting at a loud party just as the music stops.
Mate you get used to it, Tery Pratchett said if you name it you can defeat it (yeah It could be the wrong name, but ive still named it so _there_ :P )
I'm worried that the big issue here is the general public (ie press) reaction to things like this. If someone loses it say 1 out of ,000,000,000 people.
The press reports it.
Then your doctor feels it thier duty to report anyone attempting to come off any of their drugs.
The Workplace will also have an interest in keeping this so your job may be at risk if you DO tell them out of respect like I did, but also if you lie, will that be better?!?
Hmm how close to "1984" are we where we cannot stop someone shoving drugs at us.
I'm just determined to be off venlafaxine altogether, yes I'm getting brain zaps constantly, I'm tired and feel quite ill but I just keep focusing on being free of it. I wish it was citalopram I was coming off, I did that cold turkey and had no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever lol
No Idea what VF is, but someone on this site said it is worse than comming off drugs.
Hang in there All.
If you can put the side effects away somewhere in the brain.
Taste come back, feel I'm moving freer, not under water etc.
Pretend you are swimming toward the light, not sinking down.
Serious .. EVERYTHING is more positive.
Isn't VF venlafaxine?
Heh
Sorry..
I'm having an acrony anacron y m whatever day.
VF is venfax, what I MEANT to say was I don't know what is actually in it.
Could be seagull poop for all I know.. 
Oh right lol sorry brain zaps making me stupid!!
NOPE!!
YR not stoopid - VF juuussssttt deeellayyinggg thooorrrrtttssss!
It's awful coming off Ven - I just wish id known before I started taking them. I don't think I'd have ever agreed in the first place. I'd have just gone forward with therapy. It's so hard carrying on with life - my babies are probably wondering what on earths going in, my husband probably treading in eggshells, my mums getting greyer by the day as they're worried about me - all of which are added pressures - wish I could hibernate til this dibilitating drug is out of my system.
I'm seeing my psychiatrist tomorrow as he wanted to see me 2 weeks after being completely Ven free - hopefully he can reassure me?
I did read about 'the road back' might see if he's heard of it - ask if he recommends the natural supplements in that.
Hang in there everyone x
Whats keeping me going is looking forward to getting back into my old clothes since I've put on 2 stone lol
Hi gillybean I would not recomend going cold turkey. I was on 37.5 three times a day and went cold turkey as the meds were affecting my vision,terrible sweats,Insomnia and facial rashes. Opticians and Doctor told me i needed glasses which i bought £220. Stopped taking venlafaxine cold turkey had all the side affects brain freeze,Banging noises in head,Swishing gravel sensation in head and bouts of mania and confusion. This went on for several months and my Doctor would not believe it was anything to do with withdrawal symptoms. He has informed DVLA I have suffered a psychiatric illness and my driving licence has been revoked until i can show 3 months of mental stability.I am/was a Hgv driver thats why Dvla were informed. I do not need to wear glasses anymore since I stopped taking the med. I am 3 months off the stuff and feel fine now still get slight headaches. I am not trying to scare you but if I were you i would tapper off this drug very slowly. Hope you are ok and get off this drug safely
Hi Michael, I understand what ur saying but I've been cold turkey for 9 days now and will never go back to it. Glad to hear ur doing well now!
HI gillybean glad you are ok. drugs affect people in different ways hopefuly you will not have as bad a time as me coming off the stuff. hang on in there the affects dont last for ever. you can do it, good luck and stay well.
HI gillybean you will cop some stuff - anoyed at people ("If gilly was on the VF they would not have said that to me" comments..)
Intolerance - (I know i need to do xyz, so WHY did I only do z ?!?!? )
I think this is part of the slump after the hump, but like everything else, there are going to be ups and downs..
Spike Milligan said that the beautiful sunrise after recovery led him to do brilliant stuff.