Stopped Taking My Meds After Four Years. Some Questions

[ThatGuy]

I've been on Venlafaxine or Efexor, whatever it's called for around four years.

Over the last month or so I've been really thinking about coming off them as they really aren't doing anything for me now. I'm a lot better aswell due to exercise and drastically changing my diet. I also have a few issues that have been with me for a while, like an unexplained arm rash, constipation, dry eyes and dry lips amoung other things.

I've tried a lot of things trying to work out what causes some of these things, but nothing makes them better.

For some reason I never questioned it could be my meds. But the more I thought about it the more I realised it could be as I never remember having these issues when not on any meds.

Anyway, what I've done is started to go "cold turkey" so to speak. I haven't taken my meds for about five days.

I know it's not ideal but my withdrawel symptoms are almost non-existent as I've never had issues withdrawing from things before no matter how strong.

I'm wondering how dangerous this is though. Although I feel no symptoms I don't have a clue what could be going on inside.

Could I do some permanent damage 8O Or something...

 

[dottie]

i don't think going cold turkey is very smart. you need to talk to your psychiatrist about weening yourself off of them. why haven't you talked to your psychiatrist about this? these pills are prescribed and not over the counter for a reason.

 

[Danfalc22]

Yeah dottie is right you really shouldnt just stop them like that,your better tapering yaself off them slowly.Ive stopped meds before cold turkey style because i didnt think they were helping and its made me worse even tho i didnt realise it at the time.

meds like anti depressants take a long time to get into your system and work... but on the flip slide they kinda take along time to get out aswell... i cant remember the official term but they stay in your system a while even after you stop taking them so it might be weeks before you get proper withdrawal effects.

Try not to worry too much tho i dont think you will of caused yourself any permanent damage,you might just find your mood drops and your sleep might get iffy.

 

[ThatGuy]

Yeah, I notice my sleep is affected slightly, but my mood has stayed the same so far.

You may be right though, I may only start getting big withdrawel symptoms a couple of weeks down the line or something. I know I can handle it though and I can't see them being bad anyway.

i don't think going cold turkey is very smart. you need to talk to your psychiatrist about weening yourself off of them. why haven't you talked to your psychiatrist about this? these pills are prescribed and not over the counter for a reason.

I don't have a psychiatrist anymore. I don't need one of those. I've had four and none made a difference. Any changes to me have been a result of reading about anxiety, doing some group therapy classes and being healthier lifestyle wise.

I could go to my doctor but I'm thinking why? I know what he's going to say; "we'll lower your dosage to half for a week, then half it again the next week then maybe reduce them a bit more the next week". All in all if I did it that way it would be another month and a half maybe more before I'm finally off them. Why wait that long if you don't need to?

It's done that way as most people won't be able to handle the side effects so making the weening off process slow makes it easier. But my side effects are minimal and as long as I'm not going to do permanent physical damage from withdrawing so suddenly it won't be an issue.

 

[dottie]

Yeah, I notice my sleep is affected slightly, but my mood has stayed the same so far.

You may be right though, I may only start getting big withdrawel symptoms a couple of weeks down the line or something. I know I can handle it though and I can't see them being bad anyway.

i don't think going cold turkey is very smart. you need to talk to your psychiatrist about weening yourself off of them. why haven't you talked to your psychiatrist about this? these pills are prescribed and not over the counter for a reason.

I don't have a psychiatrist anymore. I don't need one of those. I've had four and none made a difference. Any changes to me have been a result of reading about anxiety, doing some group therapy classes and being healthier lifestyle wise.

I could go to my doctor but I'm thinking why? I know what he's going to say; "we'll lower your dosage to half for a week, then half it again the next week then maybe reduce them a bit more the next week". All in all if I did it that way it would be another month and a half maybe more before I'm finally off them. Why wait that long if you don't need to?

It's done that way as most people won't be able to handle the side effects so making the weening off process slow makes it easier. But my side effects are minimal and as long as I'm not going to do permanent physical damage from withdrawing so suddenly it won't be an issue.

you can tell yourself you can handle it but it's still not smart. how do you get prescriptions without seeing a psychiatrist?

 

[ThatGuy]

Through the doctor. Psychiatrists don't prescibe pills. The doctors the one who writes the prescription.

 

[kernal]

rash, constipation, dry mouth - all side effects of venlafaxine.
You're right about the tapering though- it's about being able to handle the withdrawal symptoms...also include dry mouth and anxiety, among others if you want to take that risk. I guess you wouldn't know if increased anxiety is because of withdrawal or if it really was helping.

I'm curious what drastic dietary changes help - I haven't tried that angle.

 

[ThatGuy]

Well, it's mostly just the usual recommended diet changes. Those being:

I stopped touching anything with caffeine.

Sugar is seen as a treat. I will touch it once a week at most.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are never skipped and always contain a specific ratio: one third carbohydrates (brown rice or potatoes usually), one third protein (chicken fillet, fish or any other meat) and one part vitamins (vegetables).

I use mixed frozen vegetables as preparing vegetables daily is annoying and frozen ones take like four minutes to microwave and their done. And I use frozen chicken fillets as they take like half an hour in the oven so preparing a healthy meal isn't time consuming like people think.

On top of them I take fish oil supplements, specifically these ones as they contain Omega 3, 6 and 9, most just contain one of those:

Omega 369

Also these:

StarFlower Oil

And these as their main purpose it to activily treat mental and physical problems in the body. It's natural medicine so no side effects:

Rhodiola Rosea

If fish oil tablets and Rhodiola Rosea were given to people with depression and anxiety instead of the usual medication I truly believe way more people would be better. They put most drugs to shame.