Nimthiniel stopping venlafaxine

[Nimthiniel]

Hello, I am new here.

 

I registered on your forum because I have been recently trying to stop taking venlafaxine. I have been taking it for 2 years now - at first I have been taking Venlafaxine 75g XR (Extended Release) along with Zomiren (Alprazolam) - then I stopped taking Zomiren and kept taking Venlafaxine - when I told my doctor that I would like to limit my dosage, she told me to take the pill every second day. This is how I have been doing for over a year, but I have recently read in more than one place (this forum included) that this is very wrong for my brain, because after taking the pill I am calm and relaxed, but after the end of the second day I am anxious, nervous and usually (recently more often than not) experience nausea. This has really upset me, so I asked my doctor to prescribe me 37.5 Venlafaxine XR pills, but I still take them every second day. I am going to see another doctor for a consult, because I have no idea what to do next - I don't want to take the pill on every day, now when my body is more or less (recently less) fine with the way it is and taking the pill more often would mean I would get more of it in my body, making the withdrawal even harder... Any suggestions?

[Jemima]

Here is our topic on getting off of venlafaxine:

 

Tips For Tapering Off Effexor

 

Dosing every other day is definitely a bad idea. I think your best bet would be to take half the dose that you're now taking (which would be 18.75 mg., or 19 mg. to make figuring it out easier) and taking that daily. You can do this either by counting the beads in the XR capsules and taking half of them or by weighing the beads.

 

It would be helpful to know more about your drug history so when you have a chance, please add it to the signature area of your profile like so:

 

How To Add Your Drug History To Your Signature

 

Please, especially, tell us more about your Zomiren use - how much, how often, and how long has it been since you stopped taking it? It's possible that you may be experiencing withdrawal from that drug as well as the venlafaxine.

 

Welcome to the forum, Nimthiniel. You'll find lots of solid information here and gentle, friendly support.

[Nimthiniel]

Thank you for your quick reply! I have registered on some of the Polish psychology&psychiatrs forums, but there was no answer - and this forum is exactly what I was looking for.

 

I have added my drugs history to my signature - unfortunately I have taken it only for three months almost two years ago (along with Venlafaxine XR 75g) and I can't remember the dosage, but it wasn't very big, probably the mildest. I continued taking Venlafaxine - stopping taking Zomiren resulted in only few days of anxiety and sadness. It is probably worth to mention that I am and have been taking those pills due to anxiety, not depression.

 

I have opened the capsule and there are no beads, only one white pill. I have taken a picture, should I post it here?

 

I have switched from V XR 75g to V XR 37.5 only one week ago, so for at least a couple of weeks I don't want to confuse my body with changing it again, but, as I have stated before, I am going to see another doctor for a consult.

[mammaP]

Hi Nimthiniel, I too am coming off venlafaxine (effexor) and was told

to take one 75mg every other day for 3 weeks then reduce to 37.5 every other day

for 3 weeks and stop. Thankfully I ignored that and have been doing it on my own

by reducing the beads. I remember one brand having 2 pills inside the capsule,

seemed strange at the time but only had that brand once. Doctors always seem

to give the same advice, listen to what is advised here, it will conflict with

what doctors say but has been well researched. Sadly doctors just don't have the

time to do that kind of research and can only tell you what the drugs company have

said. They are the ones who should be researching how their drugs affect people

both on and off it but they don't seem to care!

[Nimthiniel]

Thank you, mammaP! Unfortunately I have been taking these pills without beads since two years and never have taken other venlafaxine, so I am not sure how to proceed here!

[mammaP]

I see what you mean, I just looked it up and it's extended

release so not sure how that works with breaking or crushing.

Someone will be along who knows what to do, maybe you'll

need to ask for a different brand. Sorry I'm not much help!

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Nimthiniel.

 

If you were taking 75mg every other day and recently switched to 37.5mg, if I were you, I'd take 37.5mg every day, preferably at the same time every day, to even out the amount of drug that's in your system.

 

You have been throwing your body into withdrawal every other day.

 

When did you change to 37.5mg?

[Nimthiniel]

Thank you! I have been taking the smaller dosage since the previous Tuesday (30th of April)

I like what you recommended me here! You think I can also use the 75g XR pills by taking outside one of the two white pills not to let these pills waste?

[Nimthiniel]

Won't switching from 37.5g every second day to every day additionally confuse my body and make coming off it harder?

[Altostrata]

No, your nervous system will do better with consistent dosing.If your 75mg capsules contain 2 tablets, you can take one of them for a 37.5mg dosage.Tapering below 37.5mg may be a challenge. Read http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/272-tips-for-tapering-off-effexor-and-effexor-xr-venlafaxine/Can you get the type of 37.5mg capsules with tiny beads inside?

[sonya]

Welcome Nim!

I'm coming off venlafaxine too!

This forum is a huge support.

[Nimthiniel]

Hello, thank you all for support and advice! From today I am going to take Venlafaxine 37.5g XR every day, not every second day

 

Altostrata, I will have to check which other Venlafaxine meds which I can get here in Poland have these beads - I have already started asking questions about that on some Polish forums and we will see.

[tezza]

Hi Nim,

 

Welcome to the group! This is the best place you could have ever found! SA has been a life-saver to me and many others who are struggling.

 

Alto gives the best advice you could hope for.

[Finn]

Hello! I'm another member who is trying to come off Effexor.

 

Doctors don't always give the right info when it comes to coming off; I was told to go down 37.5mg every two weeks and then just stop, which as others can advise, it isn't anywhere near that simple. Hopefully, you find the advice and support you need here!

[Nimthiniel]

Thank you so much for your support! I am taking Venlafaxine XR 37.5 every day now and feeling much more calm, no side effects, besides feeling a little blank. Seeing a new doctor on Thursday!

[Nimthiniel]

Hello again - I have been taking Venlafaxine XR 37.5 every second day and until the last couple of days it had been fine - I felt a lot better after taking Venlafaxine XR 37.5 comparing it to taking Venlafaxine XR 70 - much less drowsiness and the sense of everything being so soft and sort of blurred - not visually, but emotionally of course. Usually I am taking the pill around 10 am - sometimes I slipped and didn't remember about it till for example (or I simply got up later because of a weekend 12 pm or 1 pm - but then I took it and it was fine. But last Sunday I got up at 12 and didn't took the pill almost till 2 pm - and by then I was so naseous that I got really really upset. I took some Xydroxyzinum 10 to help with the nausea and it really worked - but for the next 4 days the problem has returned.

 

Additional information that could be really helpful: I drank a lot of alcohol on Friday and less alcohol on Saturday - usually the next day it resulted in the feeling of the drug being sort of "washed out" of my system and I was more anxious and jumpy. Nothing else happened - I still take the pill at 10 am (but I think about taking it earlier, because I get a little naseous before taking it), nothing really stressful is going on right now etc.

 

I am seeing my psychiatrist next week, but I wonder if anyone had something like that and could help me...

[Altostrata]

Please do not skip doses. This causes the blood level of the drug to go up and down and puts stress on your nervous system.

 

Drinking and recreational drugs also can make the stress on the nervous system worse.

 

Please be more systematic in your tapering. Read http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/272-tips-for-tapering-off-effexor-and-effexor-xr-venlafaxine/

[Lexy]

I'm also trying to get off Effexor. My doc also told me to go down by 25mg every week. I can't even cut a 1mg with out withdrawals! I've been on immediate release tablets and weigh them with digital jewelry scale. I break them in

Half and shave off a little. I take

12.5 mg at 8:30am

5.5mg at 11:00am,

12.5 mg at 3pm,

5.5mg at 8:00pm,

12.5mg at 9:30

 

Not sure if I should be cutting tablets in half, I just thought of doing this since in the beginning I

Had been on the extended release. Besides I wasn't getting any help from the doctor on how to wean off. So I just tried to

Take a little throughout the day. Do you think this is what's my withdrawals still?

[Nimthiniel]

I am not skipping the whole doses! Sometimes I just forget to take it at the same hour - today I took it right after getting up and I am just waiting to see if the nausea will come again. I just started to think about taking some capsules out of the pill every month or two, but then the nausea came and I didn't even had a chance to try it...

[Petunia]

 I just started to think about taking some capsules out of the pill every month or two, but then the nausea came and I didn't even had a chance to try it...

 

This would not be a good idea right now.  If I were you, I would make an effort to take your medication the same time every day and allow your nervous system to become stable again.  When your have been without symptoms again for 2 - 3 weeks, then consider making a cut.

 

Venlafaxine (Effexor) has a very short half life, this makes it even more important to take it at the same time every day in order to keep your nervous system stable.

[Nimthiniel]

Thank you very much, I will definitely try doing that!