Venlafaxine Worry

[sine57]

Hi, I wonder if anyone could help. I am becoming increasingly worried about the length of time I have been continuously taking Venlafaxine. I was first prescribed this in 1996 and have been on it ever since - for 17 years.

I have looked everywhere on the Net but just cannot find anyone who has been on for this length of time. Anyone familiar with trying to come off this drug will know the unbearable symptoms it creates (brain zaps, nausea, tremor, sweating etc etc) but this morning, I was just 3 hours late in taking it and I started the awful headache that usually happens at the beginning of withdrawal.

I really just would like to know if anyone out there has a similar history. By the way, I take 225mgs per day.

Thanks.

[Emphyrio]

Welcome to nomorepanic :) hopefully this thread will be moved to the venlafaxine thread and you may get some more answers.

I don't know about venlafaxine, but people have taken SSRI meds for over 20 years. Are you looking to come off them out of interest?

[sine57]

Hi, I posted the same message on the venlafaxine part too. I didn't know that people have been on these kind of pills for as long as 20 years. That's a relief to know, in a way.

I have just been taking these pills without question. But I have had the odd episodes of depression despite this. The latest is the longest - from February this year to about now. Ive been feeling a little it better just lately, and it seems that whenever that happens, I get the feeling that I should investigate what exactly my medication is doing. There are so many horror stories on the web. In some cases, venlafaxine has stopped working but you still have to stay on it because of the debilitating withdrawal.

That's where I am now.