day 3 of venlafexine withdrawal. .am in hell. can anyone tell me when the worst is over?

[withdrawalhell]

I have been on this drug for 2 years...have been withdrawing very very slowly under doctor instructions for last 4mths. It has been awful.

I took my last tablet 4 days ago and am now on day 3 of no dose. I am in hell. Sick as a dog, naseous,ddizzy, twitching, night terrors, sweating, crying. Can't think straight, clumsy. I can't function. I am off work, can barely speak to kids cos my nerves are in tatters and can't speak.

I desperately need to know if this will pass. The Internet is saying this stage might last 4 weeks!! I cannot do 4 weeks like this.

Can anyone help?

No, I apologise again.

and just for the record that wasn't what I meant at all, Kotinka.

withdrawalhell were you not offered some different strengths to taper down gradually? I would have thought that 37.5 ->0 is a massive drop.

I hope it gets better very soon for you.

Sounds grim. I'm on sertraline and would like to get off it but am stuck at 50mg. Can't seem to wean down even in tiny increments.

So here I am, taking them month after month. I don't feel depressed or anxious any more, but maybe the dose I'm on is what's keeping me stable, who knows.

Still really bad..spent a lot of time for in bed..quite a bit of crying. ..However I also got dressed and went out of house and did school pick up. .I couldn't have done that on Monday so little steps! Desperately trying to think positive.

Hope you're doing OK, withdrawalhell

As an aside, I don't live in the UK and I must say I'm surprised at how often GPs appear to prescribe Venlafaxine there. It's notoriously hard to come off. Where I live it's not commonly prescribed at all, even in a psych hospital.
There's a lot of research done on withdrawal from SNRIs such as Effexor, Paxil and Cymbalta, the consensus is that SSRIs such as citalopram, fluoxetine and sertraline aren't as brutal to taper from due to their longer half-life.

Having been there, done that, had to be prescribed an antipsychotic to negate the side effects of an SSRI, admitted to hospital thanks to complete breakdown due to SSRI, I would rather try anything on this earth than take them again.
I know they work for many people but for many others they're a disaster.

Well done, withdrawalhell. Another day ticked off.

Day 5 - bit better. Very dizzy..keep crying at news and literally anything on tv..adverts etc

God this is exhausting. I am going to keep posting in case this helps anyone else

Well done and keep going, it does get better soon.

Morning, withdrawalhell. Fancy a ?

Day 6 - not as emotional. .have been upright all day..done school pick up and tesco.
Feel very dizzy and like I have been shot by a tranquilizer dart!
Not cried..not been to bed
I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel today!

I'm glad you're starting to improve. I've also been on several ADs and venlafaxine is the only one I found so awful to come off. It was a few years back so I don't remember how long it took to feel better again, but you must be through the worst now!

Oh well done on getting a shop in, as well as school run!

Wow Tesco on day 6? You've got me impressed withdrawal! No seriously that's amazing - I struggle with Tesco's in fact insert any supermarket on most days and certainly couldn't have entertained it at all on day 6! Great job, keep it up!

Hang in there love. It's so hard, but you're doing super well.

Day 7 and day 8 - horrendous tiredness. .can't think straight.BIt weepy, bit angry..no real reason why. Dizzy and tired is the worst symptoms at moment. Also having hot and cold flushes.

However, def out the other side. .having waves of feeling 'ok' which is such a relief. .they don't last long..maybe 30mins
but feel good

Exercise, benadryl ?? And ibuprofen helping a lot.

Along with hero husband and amazing parents!

Oh well done. Keep going keep going!

That light? It's the end of the tunnel!

Some more and sympathy.

Hope all is still going well? Keep posting as I'm on this drug 150mg and thinking sometime of coming of it(aghhh) she says.

Wel done for doing the school run and telco wow excellent the dizziness frightens me!!

The Benadryl I read is very good when coming off can't remember where I read it think it's incase you get the flu like symptoms which happens sometimes for some people as were all different with meds.

Excellent you have family support because with heightened anxiety we do cry,snap up/down for no reason so it great when people understand that's it's not your fault your feeling shit!! We just want to feel good and well.

How's your sleep? Through all this, or are you normally a good sleeper?

My sleep is terrible. However I really struggle to get to sleep at the best of times. I am so so tired but can't get to sleep. I have tried nytol a couple of times in desperation which has helped a bit.

The exercise helps and gives some relief, however I am well used to exercise as I compete at a county level in my sport so exercise is a huge part of my life. I think if you weren't used to exercising it would be very hard to motivate yourself to do it BUT if you get to this end point I think even a walk round block or gentle bike ride will give some relief. It's those magic endorphins!