Venlafaxine withdrawal troubles...advice needed

[MollyBunn]

Well I have been on venlafaxine for nearly 3 years 75mg with about a month on 150mg but I had too many issues on that dose so I went back down to 75 mg. In January I made the decision to start to wean off and very successfully got down to 37.5 then halved that...then I tried half a tablet every other day. No chance...brain zaps..ringing in the ears..blurred vision. So I took a quarter every day...stabilised..then tried again to leave out a day...symptoms back again. Went to the GP....who told me that they are NOT addictive and that I need to take ownership of the problem..( first time I had been for help in 3 years apart from to say I wanted to come off) . Now I am down to nibbling a few grains of a tablet ( one lasts me a week) but if I don't take that I can't sleep, brain zaps..all the usual.
Can anyone advise as i am totally at a loss as to what to do..scared to just stop as the symptoms are unbearable...I can't even go one day without the evil stuff.

[Pipkin]

Hi Molly,

I've been through this twice and on both occasions, I just bit the bullet and stopped (against doctor's advice, I didn't taper - I was on 75mg a day). I know it's not easy but I figured that I just had to put up with it and the sooner I stopped, the sooner I'd feel better. The first 3 days were the worst and then it got better over the next 4 days or so and then I was back to normal.

I'm sorry I can't offer you any better news but I think that's the only way. Your GP could help out with short-term anxiety meds if it's too bad and I also read that some GPs replace with another AD with a longer half life for a week or so. I can't really comment on that - it's just what I've read.

Good luck. I know it's pretty awful but it doesn't last long.

Pip x

[MollyBunn]

Thanks for replying! My GP is not being all that helpful to be honest.. I am almost scared to ask after last time! I might try just stopping but I get so far and give in to the symptoms...they are so horrible...

[bottleblond]

Hi Molly

I'm on those meds too and if i miss a dose, i get all those symptoms. I don't think they are an easy med to come off to be honest and your doc was mean saying that to you.

Lisa

[Pipkin]

I know the symptoms are awful but they won't really do you any harm. It really will get better within the week.

As you're now on such an incredibly low dose, do you think some of it could be psychological? I'm not saying it is but it's maybe a possibility, particularly as you've been taking them for quite a while.

Pip x

---------- Post added at 20:58 ---------- Previous post was at 20:47 ----------

Btw, Lisa's right. Venlafaxine is known to be particularly difficult to come off due to its short half-life x

[MollyBunn]

Hi guys..no it isn't psychological.. I had a long conversation with the lovely Hilda from CITA.
She told me that a lady she had dealt with was counting grains from a capsule and still couldn't come off them. But I have religiously tried to do it the correct way and no joy. However I decided that come what may Tuesday was my last dose and it's Friday and I am still here!! I have a muzzy head, brain zaps, tinnitus , food cravings for sweets and horrible nausea but I am determined to get through it..
I've been advised to start 5 HTP. I will see how that goes!

[Pipkin]

Well done Molly. If you've got this far, you're over the worst.

Let us know how you get on, I'd be really interested to know.

Pip x

[MollyBunn]

Well...I carried on despite the symptoms but tried some advice I found elsewhere on the Internet I took 100mg of 5HTP every 4 hours during the day. I found the symptoms, though they did not completely subside , did actually ease each time I took a 5HTP tablet. It took about 40 mins or so to work.
I am now taking 2x 100mg tablets upon waking an then 100mg at lunch time and 100 mg before bed.. That is working like s charm and the symptoms gave all but gone. If I miss the 5HTP tablet though they reappear, though not nearly as bad as before. I am gong to continue the 5HTP I was advised to stay on them by Hilda at CITA..as well as being a mood enhancer they do seem to help me sleep, I have also found they suppress my carb cravings substantially. So what's not to like!!!
I do think venlafaxine is one of the hardest antidepressants to withdraw from but the benefits do outweigh the downside...it was great for getting me back from the dark side!
So on balance, now I know that withdrawal is possible I would use them again if I had to.
So far, so good!

[Pipkin]

Hi Molly,

Thanks for keeping us up to date. It's great to hear you're now off them successfully and the tip about 5HTP is one I'll remember.

As I've come off this before and am currently back on it, I complete agree about the benefits outweighing the downsides - I had no hesitation restarting as they really help me.

When my time comes to withdraw later in the year, I may well be contacting you for some tips, if you don't mind.

Take care

Pip xx

[Lizziesaurus]

That's great to hear, I too suffered badly and had to taper off from 37.5mg, I went cold turkey from 75mg first and almost took my own life I couldnt bare it. Luckily boots gave me an emergency prescription that day thank god. Still I eventually came off and to went onto 5-htp, I don't take it anymore as I made an effort to get better without any meds but they did work a charm :) I'd definitely go back to them first before anything prescribed from my doctor.

[MollyBunn]

The thing is that I think the trick is to take it very slow. What helped me in the end was that I started taking the tiny bit of my tablet in the evening one day that way I could get brought the whole of the day the next day without taking any. Then I would take it the next morning ..go through till the next evening ..and so I was then going a day and a half. I did this for a couple of weeks and then tweaked it till I could go 2 days...then I stopped totally..and went straight on to 100 mg 5htp every 4 hours. That did help the brain zaps etc. Now I take 1 morning noon and evening but tonight I have cut the last one in half as I think 100mg gives me nightmares...
Feeling great so far though.
I agree that having done this once I would not be scared to take them again as thy definitely helped me get better.