Dawn2905: Venlafaxine withdrawal

[Dawn2905]

Hi there,  I have been on venlafaxine 75mg for one year. I hope to come off of these meds. Two weeks ago, I forgot my evening tablets 3 days in a row and thought it was maybe time to lower my dose. So for 2 weeks I have only taken 37.5mg. Does anyone have any support or advice on doing this please? I have had covid, so hard to tell exactly how I am feeling. I have good and bad days even on 75mg but because I have lowered my dose, when I have had a bad day or negative thoughts in the past two weeks - my mind goes straight to blaming it on the lowering of venlafaxine. I plan to stay on 37.5mg for at least 6 months and then would taper from this does VERY gradually. I have a lot of things changing in my life just now - career change (I have started teaching yin yoga) and planning to move from the UK to Spain. I worry that perhaps I go back onto the dose of 75mg and stick here until I have a more 'planned' and slower tapering? Or do I stay strong, remember that my mind is maybe playing tricks with me and be grateful for the 37.5mg dose and stick here for a while? Any help would be SO appreciated as I really don't know who else to turn to. 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  You have come to the right place.  

 

Can you please give us specific information in your signature about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise vertical list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Use this format:

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Etcetera

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work.  This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications, and why it's so important to taper slowly and carefully, and be very cautious about changing our doses: 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we generally taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the reduction becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

Tips for Tapering Venlafaxine

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

You did a 50% reduction, which is more than what we suggest.  It is likely that your symptoms are from doing this.  You could do one of two things, both of which should help lessen your symptoms.  

 

1) you could updose, but only partially.  This may help to lessen your symptoms.  If it were me, I would updose to 67.5 mg.  This is a 10% reduction from your original dose.  However, this would involve some extra work measuring an odd dosage.  The link above on tapering venlafaxine explains how to do this.  

 

2) you could updose back to your full dose of 75 mg., and then allow your system some time to stabilize from making the 50% reduction before attempting tapering again.  In the meantime, read the links I gave you, and get prepared to do your tapering.  

 

Whichever you decide, the sooner you do it, the better.  Updosing and reinstatements work better if done sooner rather than later.  Let us know what you decide to do, and good luck!   

[getofflex]

Also, if you have taken the drug twice a day in the past, you want to split your dose evenly, and still take it twice daily.  That is, if you decide to updose to 67.5, you would take 33.75 mg twice a day.   If you stay with the 37.5 mg dose, take 18.75 mg twice a day.