Weaning Off Pristiq For Good (Page 20)

I just wanted to tell all of you trying to get off pristiq, its possible. I was on pristiq for severe panic attacks for 6 months. It saved my life. It gave me a chance to slow down my career, gave me a huge wakeup call. This drug put a cloud over my brain. I was not my happy, fun loving self. I was like a step ford wife. You can't wean off this pill. I was on 50 mg. I did every other day for a month. Every third day for two weeks then cold turkey. It really was not so bad. I layer on my couch for three days, cried a bit and watched movies. I'm happily on all holistic medications, no longer a slave to Pristiq. If I can beat anxiety, anyone can. My biggest advice.. Exercise. Next, surround yourself with positive people. Three, talk out your problems. Good luck.

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Everyone is different, I'm sure. I'm a broken record about acupuncture. It was a great relief for my daughter. Look for one that specializes in withdrawal. Look for one that has great reviews. Do you have someone that can research it for you? Your symptoms are exactly what my daughter had. Exercise is very helpful. You would find a lot of helpful suggestions reading the past posts. You will be free of it!!! God bless!

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Plus I would like to add, is that I know take St Johns Wort for natural way to help my anxiety. It really seems to be helping.

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Hi! I am in the same position - trying to wean off slowly! I am going every 48 hours for one week and then about every 50+ the week afte then dropping to the 50mg everyday to stabilise. I'm exhausted today, I needed to read that people make it through this. I just want to be drug free and zap fog free so we can try for a baby in the future. Honestly they didn't say how bad it was going to be - but it's good to see someone else use the same
Method and come out the other side!

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You will do it Katherine!!! Just be kind to yourself during this time. Read these posts for help and encouragement. God bless!

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Taking 100mg of Pristiq. Want to get off it completely. Have horrible side effects of insomnia, nausea, in a fog all day, weakness, dizziness, etc. How do I taper off????

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Hi Karen. I've been off of 50 mg pristiq since January 2015 after being on it 4 1/2 years. It can be done. Read posts from the past. I would start by doing 100 mg one day 50 mg the next for a week then take 50mg a day for a week. Then cut that in half to have 25 mg a day for a week then cut it cold turkey. If you feel you can go faster than that go for it. You will feel like s*** for 4 -5 weeks. But it gets better. You have to keep telling yourself that it is temporary. Vigorous exercises help. If you can afford it see a hypnotherapist to help with symptoms of anxiety or depression that may creep back. Just commit to doing it and you will. But anxiety and depression don't magically go away. Get help from a therapist, read some Eckart Tolle books to help you to focus on the now and not the past or future where depression and anxiety live. You can do it. Peace!

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I highly recommend you read the posts here. There is a lot of information. My daughter was helped by seeing an acupuncturist. Good luck and God bless. You'll get there!

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Hello Everyone,

Thank you for putting up your information about Pristiq, I have been on 50mg for about a year and a half and recently upped my dose to 100mg, but to be honest, I am so very very tired, lethargic and struggle with staying awake and remembering things..... I do not feel I need to be on Pristiq anymore, as I am trying alternative methods to dealing with Anxiety, I was wondering if anyone else experienced extreme tiredness from Pristiq and how you feel now after weaning off Pristiq all together?

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My daughter was extremely fatigued. I wish you well on your journey to health! God bless

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Hi!
I am on day 4 the brain zaps are overwhelming, the urge to cry and be angry at the same time, I am sick of feeling this way... I hate my body because of the 25 lbs I still have to loose because I can't seem to be able to loose it even though I try to eat healthy and exercise, forget about exercising now with this brain zaps and constant dizziness, if anyone can shed some light on how long am I going to have to go through this and if anyone has had any succes on loosing weight after weaning off this horrible medication

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Took Pristiq since 2009. My dose when deciding to discontinue was 200. I am in week 6 of titrating down. Two ER trips so far and have been very sick. Flu-like symptoms, triggering of all my neurological problems worse than ever before. Getting worse the lower the dose gets, 25mg now. 3 more days and I am off the med but dreading what is going to happen to my body. I can do only the basics like using the bathroom and eating. It is affecting my vision negatively, blurry and double vision with horrific headaches. After 7 years on this stuff, it quite working long ago and my new insurance will not pay for it or any of the new anti-depressants. I am basically in bed because my balance makes me such a fall risk. I wish I knew when my body will adjust and if there are any ways to treat the symptoms of discontinuation. Was put on Elavil 25mg at bedtime, it does nothing. No doctor seems to know how to treat the problems caused by the discontinuation. So for now, it is pain meds and valium.

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I really recommend reading through the lengthy comment history of this post. So much help, hope, inspiration to be found. You will get through it. I also just saw Adrian posted a bit ago...I hope she is doing well.

My daughter found acupuncture to be amazing. Find a clinic near you that has good reviews and specializes in drug recovery. They also have many community accupuncture clinics that are more affordable. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers...your struggle is very real and intense! You will get through it!

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Hello,

I'm not sure if anyone is active on this site now, but I'm hoping so.

I have been on 100 mg of Pristiq for about 3 years. Initially it helped me through a nearly suicidal stage in my adult life. The results were never miraculous - it just seemed to numb me enough to the emotional pain that I could get through my days.

But three years later, I've become completely apathetic. I don't feel extreme joy like I used to. Little things that used to make me get out of bed, like my morning cup of coffee in the sunshine or a night out with friends, did nothing for me. I look forward to almost nothing. Granted, I've had a very hard last 5 years - a divorce, severe financial problems, a loss of good friends. But I just can't help shake the idea that it's not just depression anymore - it's the medication.

I don't really cry much. I don't feel my soul anymore. Music, which used to be something I counted on to uplift me, does nothing for me.

I used to be a very loving, doting, intimate and soulful person and I'm not anymore. I am not suicidal, but I'm really just passing through my life now.

I want to see if being off anti-depressants (I'm on Pristiq and Lamictal now) will help me find my old self again. I miss that person very much. I have always had depression - but episodic. In between, I'd feel lots of energy, excitement, motivation and just general happiness. I worry that it's not the medication's fault - that I'm just not who I used to be anymore. But I feel like I have to find out if going off these medicines will help me find me again.

Has anyone had a positive experience going off? Did anyone feel a lack of motivation such that nothing in the world could cause them to DO things?

I am reading such horror stories of going off Pristiq and I know they are true because just missing a day here or there caused me to feel like my life was ending.

I think I am hoping for positive stories about how going off this medication helped in the long run. Any stories would be so appreciated.

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Everyone has a different journey, I'm sure you know. I know that my daughter has mentioned that maybe some of her personality that pristiq subdued, were actually good things. She is working on forgiving/accepting herself and others. I think it's cool that you recognize you use to enjoy simple things. You still have it...I know you'll enjoy you coffee and sunshine again!

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I was on Pristiq for anxiety for 2.5yrs. I tried weaning off after I'd been taking it for about 18mths, but found the anxiety got the better of me. I spoke with my doctor, telling her that I had decided to try going off it(because I'd forgotten to take it for three days and hadn't noticed any withdrawals at all) but that the anxiety came back after about 3 weeks of taking one tablet every second day. She suggested that I just take it during the week and maybe see how I went missing Wednesdays/gradually build up the Pristiq-free days. So for 12 mths I only took it Monday to Friday, but I was really slack remembering to take it during the week too (forgetting at least one/two days out of five some times). Finally, I took one on Xmas day and haven't had one since. I've been feeling great- had some stressful relationship stuff going on over the last 6 weeks or so which has caused a bit of anxiety, but I've been able to manage it. 2.5mths now Pristiq free!!!
I think my transition off Pristiq has been so easy because I've done a lot of hard work- meditating, mindfulness, better diet, protecting my sleep, aromatherapy etc, but mostly I put it down to exercise. Initially, about 14 months ago, I started going to the gym, and seeing a personal trainer once a week. Then I started bootcamp once a week and weight training with a personal trainer once a week. About 12 months ago I started going to bootcamp twice a week and I weight train (powerlifting) 3 days a week (1 session a week with a PT). I definitely notice an increase in my anxiety levels if I skip a work out. For me, exercise really has been the best medicine!

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Read your post. I've been on Pristiq since January. Anxiety started immediately. Was put on Klonopin. I can't sleep and have gained weight. I'm trying to wean myself off of it. Anxious, headache and irritable. Appreciate hearing your experience.

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I stooped Pristiq cold turkey a couple of weeks ago. It was great until the 5th day when I began to experience brain zaps. The zaps scared me so much that I took a whole pill. My RX is 100 mg. I skipped the next day and then took 1/3 of a tablet the next night
That was on Sunday. I felt good on Monday and horrible on tuesday, like I had the flu. I stuck it out with just 1/3 of a pill at night. On Wednesday I felt better no more brain zaps just had some brain fog. Again took 1/3 of a pill last night, woke up today and feel somewhat "normal." I plan tho take 1/4 of a pill starting Saturday and continue to just slowly decrease the mg until I'm only needing a nibble before stopping completely. I have had no issues cutting the pills even though it is not recommended. The half life of a cut pristiq is about 11 hours. Just wanted to share what I feel has been a successful weening process. Oh by the way I have been using pristiq for two years at 100 mg daily for anxiety disorder.

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WEAN SLOWLY OFF PRISTIQ BY CUTTING THEM.
There is no issue with cutting them. Reduce the dosage slowly - take half for a month, then a quarter for another month. Then stop. You need to give your body time to adjust to having less of the drug in your system. I did it this way and barely noticed anything. Before this I tried cold Turkey twice and felt horribly ill both times. I also tried taking it every other day but when I tried to go lower than that I experienced gastric and severe flu-like symptoms. Cutting them is the best option. Don't worry about the package insert saying not to cut them - this has led to a lot of people being afraid to do that in order to get off them which is a terrible shame because it is the best way and results in the least discomfort.
Wishing all the best.

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i have been on pristiq for 4 weeks and want desperately to stop taking them . i stopped 2 days ago and im having serious nausea and headaches, is this normal

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Yes, it's normal..good luck to you, you will find much information in the conversation here. I always push exercise, good food and acupuncture. Helped my daughter.

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