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