My Venlafaxine withdrawal diary

[TheOrigRights]

Someone (I'll tag you in the other thread!) asked if I would be willing to keep a diary as I taper off Venlafaxine with the aim of coming off entirely.

I'm happy to do so and think it will be useful for me, too.

Been on venlafaxine 150mg modified release for a few years.

Month 1 - changed from modified release 150mg to 2 x immediate release 75mg just to get used to 2 smaller doses.

Month 2 - 75mg in the morning and 37.5mg at night
This is where I am now. I've been a bit muddled, partly because I was issued with 56 x 75mg and 56 x 37.5mg with instructions to take 1 each morning and night, and what with everything and 37.5 being a STUPID number to work with in your head, I didn't work out that this would be an increase. Twit.
I'm not sure how many tablets I have left, but I'll see where I am when all the 75mg ones have gone.

Month 3 (ish) - 37.5mg in the morning and 37.5mg at night.

Month 4 (ish) - 37.5mg in the morning

Month 5 (ish) - nothing!

So far I can report only some brain zaps and some fuzziness.
When getting used to taking 2 doses a day I did forget to take the morning one a few times, and only remembered when I started to feel zappy, by which time it was too close to the night time dose to take it.

Mood wise I can report no change. Unlike others I can't say it saved my life. I can't say it didn't. I just don't know.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I just wanted to ask if you were told to reduce? I was on 75mg a day when pregnant with my now 18 year old. Doctor told me benefit outweighed risks. He came out fine, well more than fine.

300mg to 75mg seems like such a huge decrease. I would be wary of cutting down so much, so quickly. I don't think it will be great for your mental health. The side effects will be likely to be awful and trigger worse anxiety. Obviously if you have had medical advice to do what you are doing then ignore me, but to me that sounds brutal.

Fwiw I have been on 37.5mg for years. I can't seem to come off if without suffering. Maybe it's psychological but I feel so ill if I miss a dose.

If I have said anything insensitive please forgive me. Once again, I'm so sorry for what you are going through. Lots of love and please rest and take care of yourself. Xx

@RicherThanYew

I hope nobody minds if I join. One week and 2 days ago I self reduced my venlafaxine from 300mg to 37.5 twice a day because I found out I was pregnant. I started miscarrying yesterday but I'm going ahead with weaning myself off completely because I don't want to have to worry about coming off them one day down the line. I'm dizzy, nauseous, I'm having brain zaps and it feels hellish but definitely better than the first 4 days. My OCD is back with a vengeance but I'll deal with that in time. Can I ask if anyone is planning to take a different med or just quitting anti depressants entirely?

I'm so sorry to read this. My first advice would be to speak to your GP and get some support for yourself. You shouldn't be doing this alone. I believe there are ADs which are compatible with pregnancy.

I can totally understand you wanting to come off, but would urge you to go back up for a bit and do it more gradually. Be kind to yourself.
I came off a different AD cold turkey and it was like I was trying to punish myself. It didn't help me in the long term.

I am aiming to come off entirely as I feel I no longer need them. I am keeping an open mind in case I find this is not the case.

@dane8

All sounds promising so far

God you won’t miss it again will you !
That’s my fear, I religiously take mine between 10.30-10.45 as I’m scared stiff of that happening

Can you explain the head buzz anymore?

glad your Hol is fab and your enjoying it again being happy

What dose you on now, can’t remember?

I probably will miss it again until normal routine of school and work returns.

You know that feeling when you put your tongue on a battery (a low volt one!), a head buzz is that sort of feeling, but in your head. I feel a bit disorientated. It's not that unpleasant, and knowing what it is helps.

I am on 75mg in the morning and 37.5mg at night.

Ty both for your kind messages. I have finally stabilised at 37 5mg twice a day and I won't be decreasing without my GP giving me the green light.
I had convinced myself that my miscarriage was caused by the Venlafaxine because I read the warnings etc on the box and assumed that the meds must have been the cause, I've been overly harsh on myself it seems. You probably won't realise just how helpful you have both been, I feel able to seek out my gp and counsellor for support so ty

You're welcome and so glad to have made a difference. I have 2 children. The first pregnancy I took venlafaxine throughout. He was born exactly on time at 11 pounds and I had no complications in the pregnancy whatsoever. He has been the easiest child to parent albeit lazy! Second child no venlafaxine or any drug in pregnancy, I had a slightly complicated pregnancy and he's been more challenging to parent.

I had a third pregnancy - again no drugs and I had a miscarriage.

I know my experiences are anecdotal but I just wanted to reassure you that your miscarriage really won't be linked to the medication. I hope you are feeling ok. Withdrawal from meds and coping with miscarriage is a lot all at once. Sounds like you have good support in place.

Hello,

Checking in.

I am doing OK.
Still taking 75mg in the morning and 37.5mg at bed time.
I've been waiting for life to settle before I drop the morning one to 37.5mg; I suspect I might notice that drop.

We're back from holiday, back to school, back to more normal exercise routine, back to being really able to focus on my work etc so maybe I'll give it a shot on Monday.

There's no hurry. If it takes a year then so be it.

@RicherThanYew how are you feeling now?

Hi @TheOrigRights, I'm feeling stable ty I'm down to one pill a day of 37.5mg, only trouble is I don't know how to taper off from there I can't sleep worth a fig though. How are you getting on?

I'm so glad you're feeling more stable.

I'm afraid I can't help you with the last taper bit.

PP's have mentioned opening capsules and taking individual beads.

I'm on tablets not capsules so that wouldn't work for me atm, but maybe I will talk to my GP about that when I get to that stage.

So, today is my first day of 37.5mg in the morning and 37.5mg at night (from 75mg and 37.5mg). I'm nervous. There have been occasions when I've forgotten to take the morning dose and I've only remembered when I've felt zappy later in the day.

Now I've consciously lowered the dose I'm nervous as I'm 'waiting' for side effects.

I guess I can take another 37.5mg later in the day if I feel grotty.

I did get buzzy and felt a bit lousy this evening, but felt much better after a hard session at running club and have felt great all evening (post exercise high).

Buzzy and a bit faint this evening. It's like I can feel my pulse in my brain and when I turn my head it sort of 'activates' the zaps. I can tolerate it though, and importantly emotionally I feel fine.

I am starting to look forward to things, to feel the joy in life.

TheOrigRights
How you doing now ? You sound young ? Running club

@Yankee63

TheOrigRights How you doing now ? You sound young ? Running club

Thank you for asking. I'm doing OK. I've been on 37.5mg morning and evening for some time now. I do still get 'the buzz' but it seems to be limited to a specific time in the evening. It's the period in between DS getting to bed and me having time to think while I potter about getting on with my evening housework/jobs before a bit of down time.

I guess it's because I've changed gear. I can manage it.

I've run out of 37.5mg tablets so am cutting 75mg ones with my pill cutter, but they seem to crumble rather than cut neatly (they don't have a line in them). It means I'm wasting about 1/2 a tablet twice a day because I don't want to take crumbs.

I think I will cut down my night time one next, maybe after 4 weeks of this dosage. I think will coincide with me finishing the 75mg packs I have so I can then discuss with my GP how to take lower than 37.5 mg without cutting tablets. Do GPs advise cutting capsules open? I wouldn't have thought so.

I am 51, so not so young. I am a keen and competitive runner and love my running club.

@TheOrigRights You sound like you're doing well. I'm almost certain that a GP would be absolutely horrified at the idea of cutting capsules up I'm still on 37.5mg and the head buzzes have completely stopped so I'm somewhat loathe to cut further down and risk them returning.

TheOrigRights Your 37.5 and 75 are less than your two 75mg tabs so you are on the right track.

I don't understand why you were not put on XR 75mg as they are easier to tolerate.

I think you might end up in trouble when you try 37.5mg in the morning and nothing at night. If you are taking immediate release you are going to go into interdose withdrawal.

Venlafaxine is horrible to come off. I ended up almost hospitalised when I tried to wean off too quickly and then was prescribed liquid and took over 2 years to come off it painfully slowly.

Please listen to you body when you are coming off this horrible drug. If your withdrawals are severe then slow down or hold your dose for longer. Small drops are better than larger ones too, at one point I was cutting by 5% a month as I got closer to 0.

@Gingerkittykat

TheOrigRights Your 37.5 and 75 are less than your two 75mg tabs so you are on the right track.

I don't understand why you were not put on XR 75mg as they are easier to tolerate.

I think you might end up in trouble when you try 37.5mg in the morning and nothing at night. If you are taking immediate release you are going to go into interdose withdrawal.

Venlafaxine is horrible to come off. I ended up almost hospitalised when I tried to wean off too quickly and then was prescribed liquid and took over 2 years to come off it painfully slowly.

Please listen to you body when you are coming off this horrible drug. If your withdrawals are severe then slow down or hold your dose for longer. Small drops are better than larger ones too, at one point I was cutting by 5% a month as I got closer to 0.

I was on the XR for the entire time before I started my withdrawal.

GP suggested moving to immediate release to see how I tolerated it, and if I was OK to then start reducing.

Two doses of 75mg in a day is the same overall dose but would enable my body to get used to immediate release, which it did.

I could be wrong but I imagine 37.5mg whether immediate or extended release once a day isn't going to make a great deal of difference.

Yes, I am anxious about only having one 37.5mg dose a day, that's why I'm taking it very slowly and will be willing to go back to two of 37.5mg if need be.

I am listening to my body. I have not had severe withdrawal symptoms to date. My exercise seems to help a lot.

Do you feel more stressed at those times
Tea, ds bed and house jobs ?
Just a thought

I’d love to be able to run, when I see people out I think “ wish I could do that.
But
I suffer from heel pain in both feet, plus am know 64. But if I didn’t have the pain I’d defo give it a go
As I could run the adrenaline out off my system lol

@Yankee63

Do you feel more stressed at those times Tea, ds bed and house jobs ? Just a thought

I’d love to be able to run, when I see people out I think “ wish I could do that.
But
I suffer from heel pain in both feet, plus am know 64. But if I didn’t have the pain I’d defo give it a go
As I could run the adrenaline out off my system lol

I think it's the opposite of being stressed - it's when I'm 'off duty' and have space to think and know demands on my time for the rest of the evening are dictated by me. The brain's a bit funny like that isn't it - you deal with something and it's like there's more room for other stuff. I shall however NOT overthink it - no good comes of this!

I regularly thank my lucky stars that I love running. It has been very, very important to me in different ways.

Heel pain is indeed a barrier, being 64 isn't! Do you have a different sport or activity that you love?

Checking in. I think I have adjusted to 37.5mg morning and night so can probably reduce a bit more soon.

I haven't had so many buzzy episodes. I have increased my exercise, and do need to keep an eye on that because in case it becomes a compulsion.

How are the rest of Team V Withdrawal?

Hey great news
They do venlafaxine in liquid form you know for when you get to going down from 37.5mg
Because 37.5mg to nothing is going to be hell in earth (maybe you might be ok, you seem to be coping ok dropping)
You will have to be really assertive with your gp thou as it expensive, think about £90 bottle but don’t know how much is in the bottle

The bottle of velafaxine liquid is 100ml and the strength is 75mg per 5ml.

You would get 25 37.5mg does from that bottle.

You can split the 37.5mg tablets, I went onto liquid at half a tablet because there was no way I could do that drop to 0.

I would personally not reduce it any further till the brain zaps are completely gone. I started off wanting to reduce quickly but ended up always giving my brain a week or two free of symptoms before doing a further drop.

I was refused liquid venlafaxine and liquid pregablin so I mixed the tablets with water. The prega was powder inside a capsule so easy. The 37.5 vens I had were a hard tablet so I crushed the tablet into powder using 2 soup spoons.

Add the powder to 100 mls water and stir until completely dissolved. Using a plastic syringe, suck up 95mls of liquid and drink it. Reduce the amount of liquid you drink, I did it weekly and reduced by 5ml each reduction. At the end I did it by 1mls - get a couple of different sized syringes! Just take it as fast or slow as you fancy.

I had barely any zaps or symptoms - I think the worst thing was crushing the tablets in the morning (when I'm grumpy) and all the fiddling.

Good luck! I had my last ml last Christmas Eve. You might feel a bit funny for a while afterwards but you will bounce back once you readjust xx

Thanks all. I have just put in a medication request with the GP, asking how to reduce down from 37.5mg.
Let's see what he says.

I have been on 37.5mg for years. I feel awful when I try to reduce it. The gps seem to imply they think it is psychosomatic and not possible on such a low dose but we all know that's crap.

Reading this thread is making me want to try again.

My capsule has 3 tablets inside it. I have tried to cut them up but I can't seem to get the balance right. I cannot stand the nausea, zaps and dizziness

Well it might not be a therapeutic dose at 37.5mg but even in my limited and non medically trained experience it certainly does have a physiological effect.

So far my GP has been very wise and helpful so I really hope he has some good suggestions for coming off completely.

I haven't had any nausea thankfully, but zaps, buzzes and some dizziness for sure, though the latter could be down to other factors.