Nass: how to stop Pristiq please

[Nass]

Hi. I am new to the website. 

 

I am seeking help of how to stop Pristiq. I was put on different anti depressants for the past few years since 2010 and I am sick of them I put on 40kgs and now I started taking Pristiq a year ago which was great BUT when I first starting taking it I lost weight I was like this is amazing but then the weight started to be back.

 

Now I am over these medications I want to be off them for good. I am reducing the dose from 100 mgs to a 50 mgs it was good then I started taking one tablet every second day ONLY last week it has been horrible. I am having headaches. Not being able to concentrate. And bodyachs.

 

Anyone has experience of the best way how to get off this horrible medication with minimum  side effects

[mammaP]

Hi Nass, welcome to SA.  Reducing the dose by 50% then every other day has sent you into withdrawal. You need to take the same dose every day to stabilise. When did you reduce to 50mg? The only way to get off these drugs is by tapering very slowly. Here at SA we recommend tapering no more than 10% of the CURRENT dose with at least 4 weeks between cuts. This allows the brain to adjust to the lower dose. It sneaks the drug away very slowly. Most people want to get off NOW but it can't be done without going into withdrawal. That is why doctors say they are needed for life, because patients end up having to go back on drugs. Going slowly means getting off and more important staying off.  Side effects tend to be dose related, and some people find the exess weight starts to drop off as the dose lowers.   We ask all our members to fill in their signature with drug and tapering history, this helps us to give the best advice because the information is at the bottom of each post.  You can find instructions here..  https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/?do=getNewComment

 

Tapering pristiq

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/876-tips-for-tapering-off-pristiq-desvenlafaxine/

 

Why taper 10% 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

 

 

[Nass]

Thank you so much. I was put on a 100mlg last year initially. Then I felt that I do not need that much the dr said if you are fine with the 50mlg then do it. So i started cutting the tables  on half which was great. For about 2 months. But now I decided that this medication is a killer after what I red about it. So I started to take 50mlg every other day the full tablet as I got the 50mlg script from my GP. But I noticed the minute I skipped a dose my head goes CRAZY with headaches and light head.  etc... 

 

So today I thought I should cut the 59mlg and instead of taking the 50mlg every other day I will take half a tablet every day. But my head is killing me. I really wanna be off these medications they toxic my brain 

[Songbird]

Hi Nass,

 

Please create a signature containing a summary of your med history, including all drugs, doses and dates (starting and stopping).  Your signature appears below every post you make, and helps us see your situation easily without having to read from the top every time.   You could look at my signature for an example.  Instructions for creating your signature are here: Please put your withdrawal history in your signature.  You can edit your signature here: edit your signature in Account Settings.

 

Reducing your dose by 50% is likely to cause severe withdrawal symptoms.  We recommend dose drops of no more than 10% and then waiting at least four weeks to stabilise before making any further drops.  See why taper by 10% of my dosage?