Unintended venlafaxine withdrawal :(

[EdwiniasRevenge]

I'm on venlafaxine.

I know withdrawal is reported as hell on earth.

I ran out of my prescription over the weekend (thought I had another packet. I'm only on 75mg xl daily.

I took my last tablet at 5am Saturday morning.

I had none Sunday
I had none yesterday.
I took one at 3pm today.

I feel shite today. Very light headed. Very headachy. Very spaced out. Very shaky. Hot and cold..

How long will this last given that I have now taken my next dose.

I need to drive tomorrow and I haven't even contemplated it today.

I

[MrsLettuce]

I've had this happen too - it's truly awful. I find things usually improve pretty quickly after the second or 3rd does. You can take them at a minimum interval of 12 hours to build the levels in your system back up, that really, really helps. It's important that you work those 2 missed does back in.

Hope you feel better really soon.

[anchovies]

I am on 225mg and once accidently stopped taking them (dh had mistakenly filled the box thingy with penicillin...) and so know just how horrific you are feeling right now! I went to the doctors who diagnosed labyrinthitis I was being sick and couldn't stay up straight. I was so relieved to take a tablet! For me I feel better literally a couple of hours after taking a dose, fingers crossed it's the same for you. Pretty sure you will be fine tomorrow :)

[MrsLettuce]

Were you given the same advice as me about needing to work the missed does back in, anchovies? They were quite definite about if but I have wondered.

[anchovies]

No, no mention, just told to carry on taking from then on? Not sure what the official advice is though. Withdrawal makes me wonder how the hell I will ever come off them though!

[MrsLettuce]

Interesting that. Best consult the instructions in the box then, hadn't I

WRT withdrawal. I've heard that it's not uncommon to be prescribed an SSRI to start at around the same time as starting to withdraw from the venlafaxine. One then stops the SSRI when all is settled. Apparently that makes the venlafaxine withdrawal much less awful and SSRI withdrawal isn't bad compared to venlafaxine. Apparently heh.

[delusionsofadequacy]

No help for this time but if you run out again and you use a regular pharmacy that's open at the weekend you can get an emergency supply to carry you over to your next prescription. A lot of out of hours gps will do you a supply as well if your pharmacy is shut. If all else fails go to any pharmacy with the old (but recent) box with your name on and explain what has happened, they are allowed to give up to a week as an emergency. You may have to pay cost price for the meds but better than withdrawal!

[EdwiniasRevenge]

Thankyou.

I just feel so shite. I've just eaten and feel worse.

I did know that SSRIs could be used to help combate intended withdrawal, and if they aren't prescribed to help I have a stash left over from before I started venlafaxine.

[EdwiniasRevenge]

The fog is starting to lift thank god.

Thanks for the reassurance.

[anchovies]

Phew! Hope you're feeling good as new this morning!

[EdwiniasRevenge]

MUCH better.

Still a bit wishy washy tummy.

But my head feels much better.

[MrsLettuce]

Thank goodness!