If you think you can wean off it because you feel ok. It means it is working.
this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2023
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Antidepressant Meds
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I've been on SNRI's for a decade +. Venlafaxine, the worst of the bunch. They "work" in that I can feel barely able to live as opposed to definitely wanting to off myself daily. But they disabled my dick and flatten any kind of peak-ey emotions as well, including riding a rollercoaster. If I forget even a single dose - BANG, brain zaps for 12 hours. Good luck falling asleep.
I don't know whether to be thankful they exist or to be sorry I got on them and have to live life like some sort of half-human in the meantime.
Thank you for sharing your honest experience.
There was a time I was really considering SSRI's. Mostly for anxiety related issues. But I heard about problems with those kinds of meds similar to what you described.
I've been able to find my own methods to deal with anxiety. Glad I never got on SSRI's as I'm not sure I would have been able to get off them.
I have been on Venlafaxine for almost a decade as well. I'm now on a low dose (37.5mg daily) and I function well on it. I don't feel flattened. But oh, fuck those brainzaps. I want to quit but I'm a bit anxious to.
I'm on 37.5mg Venlafaxine for the second time--tried Zoloft for a bit in between. What's wicked weird is that the first time I was on Venlafaxine I got brain zaps from missing a dose. This time I don't and I kind of miss the built-in kick in the pants to take my meds.
When I got off Venlafaxine XR the first time, I weaned myself off very slowly. At first, I counted down the tiny pellets in the capsules, then I got a medication scale. I was able to avoid brain zaps.
What do the brain zaps feel like it, I was on it for years at max dose (for Canada anyway) and I don't think I ever felt anything like a brain zap. Sleep problems yes, but I also stopped cold turkey one day and had no negative effects
It's like tiny electric shocks in your head. I mostly feel it in my gums and eyes. It's not painful but very irritating, and it gets my anxiety up.
I always describe the brain zaps like this:
You know how it feels to take a rubber balloon and rub it against your hair? That staticy feeling? It's like that, except inside your skull.
Edit: For me, it wasn't painful. Just very wrong and bad and a sensory nope-nope-nope. It went away within maybe 15 minutes of taking my meds.
Wait, after reading this thread, I feel like I got a lot of brain zaps, but for me they are not unpleasant. For me they are actually somewhat good feeling of relaxation. But maybe its just me. Also as a sidenote, did venlafaxine really helped you? I got it for 1 month, then my doctor cancelled it, saying that it was not having intended effect on me
Venlafaxine did help. The first time I was on it, I remember walking down the sidewalk and just doing of double-take of "oh, this feeling. I think I'm happy. This is what 'happy' feels like. Weird."
I haven't had anything so flagrant this time (and the flavor of stress I'm under is different), but I think it helps with my anxiety.
I'm in this picture and I don't like it.
I was on 150mg of Zoloft. Ended up running out before I could get a new prescription. The withdrawal symptoms were horrible. Now I'm on 20mg of Prozac and 30mg of Buspirone Hcl. All I can say for sure is I'm actually getting some sleep now.
I mean great you found something that works well for your case. A friend of mine is on SSRIs for his depression since years and still has to take neuroleptics from time to time for his panic attacks.
I guess he'd also like to cut down the SSRIs due to the side effects (mostly loss of libido bothers him I think) but I don't think that's an actual option given his condition.
Anyhow, from a quick glance, 50mg/day seems to be the standard dose here, which you seem to surpass
That’s withdrawal. Now you’ll always be on it. Kaching!
This fear has kept me depressed and anxious my whole entire life. 😀 But I'm pretty much at the end of my rope now, so hopefully I can force myself to see a doctor and get some of these addictive pills.
"Oh no, I'm addicted to being able to function!"
Remember that you should never feel guilty about using meds as they are intended to be used. Dependence ≠ addiction.
Guilt about that kept me from getting medicated for my own issues, but when I finally found what worked for me, I genuinely wept. "Is this what 'normal' people feel like? Able to function? Quiet thoughts? Not overwhelmed by pure, constant anxiety?"
Does it kinda suck to think that I may have to take it indefinitely? Yeah. Sure. But it's much better than being stuck in my own head and paralyzed by my own stupid brain.
Love yourself and do what's best for you, meds or not.
My diabetic friend is totally addicted to his insulin injections. We're thinking of staging an intervention.
Make sure you flush his stash first, and stand strong when he says he needs it to live.
One thing at a time. I hope you can find some peace. Know that you're not alone in this wild ride.
Yeah, I was pretty much at the stage of end it, or try SSRIs. That was 10 years ago, and you can see what happened!
Take the pills that will help you now and worry about withdrawal later.
You do not become addicted any more than a diabetic is addicted to insulin. You become dependent. It is a very big difference in that you do not long for more or have up your dose to have the same effect. Unlike xanax, valium that'll get you in a bad place very quickly if you do not monitor yourself.
Dont expect euforia. They also take weeks for full effect and you won't even notice it untill one day you realize you haven't felt bad for a while, that's them.
Bad withdrawal from stepping the dose down slightly sounds unlikely.
But it's true though.
I tapered escitalopram down following my dr's instructions, in part 3 of my "no more meds" push a couple of years ago. Worst taper of the three, and one of the other two was lorazepam.
Had to stretch the taper schedule out to six months and take tiny steps down and still dealt with terrible brain zaps and intermittent panic attacks throughout the six months and for a month or so after.
I'm "better now" and much more present in my day to day life but without the meds there's no safety net so I work out often, practice mindful meditation and breathing exercises, and have a "moderate" drinking problem.
🤷♂️
Is cannabis legal where you live? It might be a good substitute for the "moderate" alcohol.
It's legal, I just don't react to it well. I've tried for several years. Different strains, different potencies. So, I moderate. It's not a perfect solution, but what is?
Depending on the drug, you can do it in a week, or a few years.
Yes, paxil took me 6 months in flue like symptoms with daily vomiting. Doctors and manuals say 2 weeks, users experience is very different.