Quote Originally Posted by Strat60 View Post
Hi all,
to NMP,

I’m trying to come of off Venlafaxine 225, as it isn’t working anymore, I have dropped 37.5 tablet for two weeks, I’m going to drop by another 37.5 tomorrow, my Doc wants me to get to 150mg p, then he says he will give me something to take with the 150 Ven.
If it isn't working then there is no point in adding something in the vain hope the combo will somehow improve things by synergy. It rarely works and what mostly happens is more and more meds are thrown into the mix with little improvement and potentially significant psychological and physical harm. Polypharmacy is a growing scourge in the psych field, imo. Venlafaxine isn't that great a med anyway, imo. Was it the first antidepressant (AD) prescribed, or did you arrive at it after others tried didn't work?

The trouble is he doesn’t know enough about these meds, he rang a colleague while I was there & asked him. Since reading this forum I have discovered meds I have NEVER heard of, so I’m bloody sure he hasn’t.
Sigh! Then maybe he should have referred you to a psychiatrist...or his colleague!

Where can I find out about these meds to pass on to my Doc.
He should have access to a lot more information than you could provide. The thing to know about venlafaxine is that while some can weaning off it without significant issues most find the process very difficult. The problem is its very short half-life - 3-7 hours. The much better option is switching to fluoxetine (Prozac) which has a very long half-life, up to 6 days for the parent compound and up to 16 days for its active metabolite which actually does most of the work, and either weaning of it, or if it proves effective remaining on it. NICE says switching directly from venlafaxine to fluoxetine is okay (see also NHS guidance - PDF)), I think a cross-taper is the better option, but either way I'd be more confident if you had a GP who knew what he was doing.

With the tapering off I’m not really suffering, just a bit of anxiety which comes on every morning between 6am & 6.30 am. I have no strength or energy I feel like I’m fading away.
Then you're doing better than most. Have you been taking venlafaxine for anxiety, depression, or both?