Squiwell: trying to taper desvenlafaxine / Pristiq

[Squiwell]

I was started on antidepressants way back in early 2009. Initially I was on Sertraline (Zoloft). I can't remember the dose. I was switched over to Venlafaxine (Effexor) after about a year. A year or two later I was switched to Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) at 100mg. I have been on this drug ever since (around 10 years). I tried stopping cold turkey about 6 or 7 years ago and it was such a terrible experience that it dissuaded me from trying to get off for many years.

 

My life is generally in a much better place at the moment, and I find the side-effects of desvenlafaxine very annoying (constant tiredness, dry mouth, sweating etc.), so I have decided to try and taper off this drug again. In July of 2022 I dropped from 100mg to 50mg. The first month of this was pretty rough, but I recovered quickly, and after 3 months I felt great (and had fewer side-effects from the drug).

 

Unfortunately, where I am (Australia), the 25mg dose is unavailable. I therefore decided to try a custom-compounding pharmacy. I got my 50mg made up as 4x12.5mg doses. I decided to try taking the full 50mg per day in this form to see how I tolerated this formulation before trying to taper further. Unfortunately, I did not tolerate this formulation well at all. I have had pretty bad withdrawal symptoms. I also experience what I suspect to be dose dumping about 30 minutes after taking each tablet (I would feel a kind of hot flush). I have decided to switch back to the 50mg tablets while I investigate other options. I will probably try other custom compounding pharmacies before giving up on the compounding strategy.

[manymoretodays]

Hi there Squiwell and welcome aboard!  Another Aussie.  Cool.

 

We go with a harm reduction approach to getting off the psychoactive drugs.  And this link explains that further:

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?(just click on the underlined passage to get to the links, and then scroll up if need be to the first post)

 

I think you may have did the right thing updosing when WD symptoms hit, although, you may have gone too high with the updose......or like you thought the formulation wasn't agreeing with you. 

When do you take the Pristique each day?  The time?

Have your symptoms now improved since you've stabilized the dose of Pristiq at 50 mg?  Or have they reduced?

 

Tips for tapering off Pristiq(desvenlafafaxine)

 

More about WD(withdrawal) should it occur, and the potential physiology underlying:

Brain Remodelling

What is withdrawal syndrome.

The windows and waves pattern of withdrawal

 

Dr.Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

When we take medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made.  The CNS likes stability. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil).

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

This is your introduction/journal page where you have now introduced yourself to the community, you can ask questions here regarding your tapering, give updates, communicate with us here, and just keep a record of your journey.

 

Good job on your signature. 

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

moderator manymoretodays(mmt)

[ChessieCat]

Hi,

 

You asked me in a PM about compounding pharmacists in Australia.

 

Make sure that you get a few quotes.  The prices can vary a lot.  If you have any issues, please PM me and I will see if I can help.

 

You will need to get the slow release formula added and also divide your dose and take it twice a day because once crushed the tablets no longer cover 24 hours and you can experience interdose withdrawal.  It is possible to mix the contents of a capsule in water to make a liquid.  In the Tips for Tapering Pristiq topic I have posted about how to do this here and this post.

 

Here is SA's topic:

 

getting-compound-custom-dosages-at-compounding-pharmacies-us-uk-canada-and-elsewhere

 

Here is the link to the Find a Compounder; you will need to change the country to Australia:

 

https://www.pccarx.com.au/Resources/FindACompounder

 

And one of the other staff has used this one which will send by mail:

 

Ian Owles

Australia Online Compounding Chemist

http://www.australiancompoundingchemist.com.au

10 Kosciusko Crescent

Southport, QLD 4215

07 3040 1960

0422 64 3378