coming off venlafaxine-a work in progress

[Coni]

I have decided after much soul searching to try and come off medication.
Ive been on one form of med or another for the last few years and have been on venlafaxine for about 15 months, with pregabalin added for the last 8 months approx.

Dont get me wrong I have found both to be very useful and have been feeling great now for some time.
However I have reached a point where the side effects are now out weighing the benefits for me.

For example, I feel good and want to be out there living my life, doing things, seeing friends, having hobbies etc, but the fact that I have gained weight and am still having terrible sweats means I am too embarrassed to do the things I want to do.

I have been trying to be more active but I am mortified when I find myseld drenched in sweat during any form of physical activity (even with the most minimal of efforts).
I cant bear the heat at work and am constantly making excuses to leave the room to try and cool down.

I look at myself and see a fat bloated person and dont like what I see. I am now the heaviest I have ever been.

So here goes.....I have contacted my GP and he has reduced the venlafaxine dose from 150mg to 75mg which I have taken for the last week (I was on 225mg previously but reduced because of the sweats).

So far so good. No real horrifying effects. Slight nausea and headache but thats all.

Yesterday I opened the capsule and tried to split the dose in half, and I have done the same again today.

I have noticed I feel a bit more emotionally labile and have found myself close to tears a couple of times out of the blue. This morning I did actually cry over a sad text I got, not something which would normally bother me but I blubbed like a baby! Or maybe I have got so used to feeling a bit numb emotionally that I've forgotten what sadness feels like!

And last night I was wide awake till about 4am then wakened again at 9am, even though I feel really tired.

Some threatening head zappy feelings starting to develop and a real weird feeling in my teeth which is hard to describe, sort of like I want to clench them.

All in all, nothing I didn't expect and bearable so far. From what I've read the difficult withdrawals start to be more evident the lower the dosage gets.

A bit worried that my method of dividing the capsule contents isn't exactly accurate but I didnt like to bother my GP again for a smaller dose.

Have managed to get the pregabalin down from 250mg daily to 150mg.

On the plus side the sweats have definitely improved and Ive lost a little bit of the weight I put on.

Sorry for the long post....I want to record how I feel so I can look back and see any differences/deterioration as I go along.

Also any tips/advice/others experiences would be great.

I will have no hesitation in restarting if I get to feel rubbish again and I know its not just transient withdrawal effects.

Hope everyones ok on this rainy sunday xx

Ps feel a bit guilty posting about coming off meds when maybe I should be encouraging others to persevere with their progress ON medication. Sorry about that

X

[spawn]

I hope everything goes well coni. Its good your keeping a record of your progress.

[Pipkin]

Hi Coni,

I think you're doing everything right in the way you're reducing the dose. I've been on venlafaxine before this time and have come off it ok. I can't say it's exactly pleasant but, if you can stick out the symptoms, they only last a week or two. I stupidly stopped cold turkey (against my GP's advice) because I'm always one to get things out of the way. I wouldn't recommend it though and I won't do it next time. The worst symptom for me was the feeling of pressure on my head and feeling quite dizzy. That lasted about a week.

I would settle at around the 37.5mg mark and then just go for it. With some determination, you can definitely do it.

Good luck

Pip x

[Coni]

Thanks guys for your encouragement....it really helps.

Pip I think that's what I'm going to do. I was thinking a week at 37.5mg, or do you think maybe longer? I think I'm going to feel some effects no matter what so I was thinking a week would maybe be long enough?

Have a real mix of emotions about this...a bit excited and a bit scared....but I know I don't want to be on medication forever so I have to try. And Im attending a weekly mindfulness group which has another seven weeks to go, so I kind of feel slightly more secure knowing I'm not completely on my own, so to speak.

Other than my GP I haven't told anyone else what I'm doing. None of my friends or colleagues know because I don't want them 'watching' me or attributing every little thing to my medication free state lol. I know they care but I just felt it might add to the pressure.

Anyway, watch this space....I'll keep you posted

X

[pinkdove]

hi coni ad good luck, i have been taking ven since fev this year i take 150mgxl, and the sweats and weight are a problem for me too, i do feel they have helped me a lot, but i am now thinking i would like to reduce my dose, i would like to eventually get down to 75mg daily, i will continue to read your posts with interest. take care and the best of luck xx

[spawn]

Coni i would say a week at 37.5mg would be 2 short, when i spoke to my doctor about coming off Ven etc, she said it would be over a couple months reducing the dose.

But i guess its up to how you feel?

[clio51]

coni

I think you may be coming down to soon, I am swapping over anti d's and my doc as told me to half my 20mg ie 10mg and take I of my new anti d at the same time for two weeks then start taking two equaling 75mg so i think from the dose you were on you may be coming down to fast. just be careful you dont want to go back to square one

[Coni]

Thanks pink, I know you suffer from the sweats etc as well. Its a real pain but for a long time the benefits outweighed the negatives. Now I feel things have swung the other way. I can only try lol!

Thanks clio and spawn, you may have a point there. I might phone my GP or psychiatrist for advice on how to proceed after this week. You're right I don't want to end up back at square one.....sometimes I just get so impatient.

Did the whole blubbing thing again earler....honestly I havent cried in what seems like forever and thats twice in one day! I feel like someones switched my emotions into hyperdrive!

Hope I can keep it in check at work tomorrow

Thanks again guys xx

[Coni]

Hi everyone,

Day 3 at 37.5mg(ish)......lol feel a bit like Big Brother saying that lol.

Well I think the withdrawal effects have hit now, I have felt absolutely rubbish today.

I actually feel unwell. My muscles are sore, my nerve endings feel like they are being zapped, my teeth feel weird and I have felt very very sick today.

I dont actually know if maybe I have a bug or something but it does seem like a huge coincidence.

The nausea is horrible. And I havent slept properly for about 4 nights. Tried to have a lie down after work today because I felt so rubbish but even though I felt really really tired I couldnt switch off.
And at work I felt like I had a head full of cotton wool....not good.

Am trying to keep in my mind this is only temporary (I hope), but I was so tempted to phone my psychiatrist today to see if theres an easier way.

It would be so easy to up the dose again and thats after only one day of feeling this rubbish. Except I can't cos I've already said I'm going to do this and I do want to, its just difficult when you still have to function at work and no one knows what you are doing.

Anyway tomorrows another day....heres to a nights sleep hopefully!

Hope everyones ok?

X

[spawn]

Stick with it Coni, welldone!
Hope 2moz is better for you!