Matty101: Venlafaxine withdrawal hell

[Matty101]

I have just hit 3 weeks of being venlafaxine free and I’m wondering how long these withdrawals will continue. I seem to be passed the brain zaps but the last few days I have become more anxious and go from feeling sick to having terrible ibs and headaches. I was on venlafaxine for over 7 and did tapper down and I’m still taking 200mg of trazodone.

i thought I’d be through this by Christmas but I’m not so sure now. 

 

Any help from heros that’s have got off this poison would help me so much.

Edited December 23, 2017 by Altostrata
added screen name to title

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Matty.

 

How much venlafaxine were you on, how did you taper off?

 

How long have you been taking 200mg trazodone? Why are you taking it? It's a large dosage, were you taking a lower amount and ramped up?

 

Are you taking any other drugs?

 

What do you mean by IBS? Do your symptoms occur at any particular time of day? If so, when and which symptoms?

[Matty101]

Hi ya,

 

I was on 150mg if venlafaxine for about 7 years, I tapered down to 75mg about a year ago, my psychiatrist suggested taking 100mg of trazodone to help me as they are easier to come off and I was having trouble sleeping while I was getting off the venlafaxine.

At the beginning April I dropped down to 37.5 mg without much of a problem, I stayed on that dose for a few months.

I have gradually reduced the venlafaxine dose since then an have been free if it since then.

 

The main problems started a few days after I stopped, I had the normal withdrawal that most people on this site have spoken about but because my mood dropped so low my doctor told me to increase the trazodone by 50mg every 3 days until I was taking 250mg. I have dropped the dose down to 200mg as I was like the walking dead...

 

The problems with my stomuch gets worse in the afternoon but at the moment it’s as soon as I eat. 

 

I have diazepam for the anxiety but I have taken them for a while.

 

Sorry if I’m a bit rambling but my brain feels a bit foggy.

 

thanks for your help

 

Matt

 

 

 

[Downbutnotout]

Did you have any eye twitching on the trazadone. My doc did want me to use trazadone but I chickened out when my eye started twitching. So If didn’t help your depression? 

 

i added back on Effexor after getting off it. 

 

NOw im  scared if all these antidepressants. It’s sad I’ve gotten very hyper to all of them but my depression is horrible. 

[Altostrata]

Do you have any venlafaxine left? Is it capsules filled with tiny beads?

 

What are your gut symptoms?

 

We haven't seen trazodone compensate for withdrawal syndrome, usually it's prescribed at lower dosages for sleep.

 

Trazodone may be causing unpleasant symptoms during the day. It generates a metabolite called mCPP that may be causing your gut symptoms. See Tips for tapering off trazodone (Desyrel)

[Matty101]

No, I threw the venlafaxine away after 2 weeks of stopping as I didn’t want the temptation of giving up and starting to take them again.

the withdrawal from them was hell but I’m now unsure if the symptoms I have are withdrawal or side affects of the trazodone....

 

the main gut symptoms are diarrhoea, constant ache after food, bloating and nausea.

 

I did think the trazodone could be causing the gut issues as it ties in with the time I’ve been taking it.

I did tried a test yesterday, I started to have bad stomach ache about 4pm after eating so I tried taking a 50mg of the trazodone to see if it would improve or worsen the gut symptoms, it did seem to help... so I’m more confused now.

 

I am definitely going to taper of trazodone in the new year