Weaning Off Pristiq For Good (Top voted first)

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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Hi Cheryl,

I started with every other day for one month. It was easy, didn't even notice the change. Then for two weeks I did every third day and that about killed me. The brain zaps and unhappiness about drained me. I made it through two week and decided it was time to stop. I took 5 days off my job, which was really hard because I recently had opened a business.. But I knew it was best. I slept a lot, cried a lot and tried to get out of the house as much as possible after 72 hours because it helped take my mind of the uncomfortableness. After a month the brain zaps went away completely, after 5 days I was back to work. I now work out five days a week, I believe in mediation and positive thinking. I Through away my pills because I wasnt strong enough not to cave. I believe that if you don't give yourself the option to go back to pristiq, your mind is powerful enough to help you through it. Im almost three months off my medication and Im crossing my fingers I never have another panic attack. I'm really not that strong, but I knew if I wanted to be me again, I would have to stop the mind attacking drug pristiq! You can do it. Surround yourself with positive energy, happy thoughts and prepare yourself for the worst 5 days of your life and you will be just fine! I wish you the best!

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i feel its rather disheartening that doctors do not tell us that once we are on this medication it will be so bloody hard to get off it.they tell us how great it is and how we will feel better and of course we do at first but then it just over takes us and we are stuck on it --so hard to get off and not relapse and end back on it.how do u tell if u are suffering withdrawals or if u really cant live without it??is there a suggested time frame after going cold turkey as to when u will know if ur going to be able to survive without meds??

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Hi there! My brain zaps got better after 7 days, now one month off and completely gone! My life is so much better now, I'm dealing with my issues by exercising, surrounding myself with awesome people and remembering anxiety disorder isn't so bad. I didn't let it define me, or own me! You can do it, you'll be great and just remember, take it easy and give it seven days for the brain zaps to ease!

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I'm coming off Pristiq now, I was on 50mg for a year and a half, and 100mg for 6 months. I felt okay, but it seemed like the drug was protecting me from being super happy, as well as being super sad, so I decided I'd rather handle my issues armed with the knowledge given to me by my psych and be able to feel higher happy moments again.

I went down from 100mg to 50mg with minimal side-effects. I had the "brain zaps" that weren't painful, more like lapses in thought or stability or something I can't really explain (which was accompanied with a weird split second lapse of hearing too). They only lasted a day though.

Now I've finally come off altogether, but the brain zaps are much more extreme and don't seem to be wearing off as fast. It's day 3 now and it seems to just be getting zappier. Can't wait till it's over!

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I'm on day 3 of cold turkey. Getting some zaps. I'm trying to turn the experience from a negative to a positive. I look at the brain zaps as energizing me. Yesterday I let myself relax and slept til 4. A little 420 seems to help. I know the outcome is still unknown but I'm going to give it a shot.

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Hi S,
I just read your post on Pristiq and wondewred after you went to 50mg how did you wean from there and since you haven't posted since if the brain zaps and all side effects stopped and when, thanks for the info!

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I'm following your great advice about getting off pristiq. Exercise, talking...everything I used to do was different on this drug. My weight went way up and so did my blood pressure. I feel sad at times and cry...but a normal sad...because I started taking it after my Mother died. Losing her changed me forever...but I need to grieve. I am strong because of having her as my Mother. As far as anyone taking a medication, you can always go back on it, but you CAN, get off this drug and figure out what you really need to live this amazing life. Give yourself a chance and say "I can do this", through the tears until you feel better. You will feel better.

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I am currently weaning off of Pristiq. This drug is a beast to get off of although this is the first and only AD I've ever been on. I had to start taking it for anxiety 2 years ago and it definitely helped me get through what I need to get over. Now my husband and I want to start a family and I want to do it with no drugs in my system. I started weaning to a pill every 36hrs on May 29. I was just really irritable and I would get dizzy when it was time to take my pill. 2 weeks after I switched to every 48hrs. About 3 days after I switched the dosage I started to feel pretty bad - nauseous, anxious, and dizzy. Then that subsided and I was feeling really good not really noticing the change. Just when 48hrs hit I'd be dizzy and would take my pill, 2-3 hrs later I'd be fine. About 3 weeks into my every 48hrs stint I had a REALLY bad couple of days - lots of crying with despair that this wasn't going to end, extreme nausea, anxiety. Again this lasted for about 3 days and now I feel okay again. I'm planning to do the 48hrs for another 2 weeks or so and then my next best guess is to go to every 60 hrs or as long as I can. I'm doing this really slowly, exercising, talking it out with my Mom & husband...GOD BLESS them both, they have been awesome. I just have to keep telling myself that the feelings of frustration and despair are just side effects of the withdrawal. I have an appt with my doctor Monday to see if she suggests anything different than what she's initially told me to do. If anyone has a success to share please do so! It's encouraging to us going through this process!! Thanks!

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Fantastic advice and very glad that you were able to wean off it so successfully. On the rare occasions I get stressed out and suffer from anxiety, my doctor is fond of reminding me that one of my prescriptions is to go chill out and watch a good comedy!

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Hi all, this is my first time posting but this forum has helped me a bit so I thought I'd put in my experience with quitting Pristiq so far (after having been on 50mg to 100mg to 150mg, then back down to 100mg, then 50mg over the course of 6 years) I'm on the home stretch! I'd STRONGLY recommend my weaning schedule my doctor gave me-take a tablet every second day for two weeks, then take a tablet every third day for two weeks and then stop. My experience has been much better than expected :) some pretty awful days, but not nearly as bad as I had thought. The first couple of weeks weren't fun. The day after skipping my tablet, I'd always get super hot flushes. It's winter..everyone around me would be shivering in warm jumpers and I was sweating in a singlet. For this reason I would suggest weaning off during a colder season if possible. If I were to have these hot flushes in our nasty Aussie heat waves, I probably would have passed out. And then the dizziness...some days were worse than others. I recently went shopping on a "sick day" and my vision went diagonal for about ten seconds. Not pleasant, something to think about if you're driving. The dizziness I experienced was/is bearable-just. It feels like a nasty nasty hangover. I'm proud to say I haven't taken a single day off work, and my job is to stand at a register for sometimes 9 hours. On the rare occasion luckily not at work, I became so dizzy and nauseous that I could barely stand up. Another thing to mention-my symptoms generally start around 11:00 am to 2:00pm, probably because I always had taken Pristiq at nighttime when I was on it. I could be wrong, but I think there's 12 hours ish before the withdrawal symptoms start to kick in from your usual time of taking the tablet if you miss it. So take advantage of that! I would get up early and do my online college work so that I could lay around and feel gross in the afternoon. Often by around 9:00 at night the dizziness would have gone, and the hot flushes lessened. I've been most surprised about how my mood hasn't been affected nearly as much as I expected. Slightly irritable and impatient on the days after missing my tablet. And easy to tear up-I'd see a person crying on TV and find tears in my eyes. Sad song while driving-tears in my eyes. I've gained a reasonable amount of control to unwanted tears over the years so I didn't get down on myself too much. Just once while weaning I think, I was at work, had to go to the office and have an anxious cry about nothing in particular for 15 minutes, pull myself together and go back to work. Overall I already feel like I have my old pre-depression personality back. About 6 people have commented on the positive change in me. Mum said on Pristiq I was like a zombie especially on the higher doses. And I felt it. Even though I've still got the occasional bit of Pristiq in my system, she said I'm more "animated. More human!" I understand exactly what she means and feel more myself again.

If anybody has bothered to read this far I want to know if people have shared this experience--recently (during the weaning process) when I was laughing at something not hugely funny, I got carried away and sat there laughing in hysterics til I was tearing up with laughter for a good five minutes. All of a sudden something snapped and I felt like crying tears of sadness, not happiness. I hadn't done that in years... in the past I literally have started crying sad tears after laughing while my friend/boyfriend would sit there thinking da f***" is wrong with you! Is this just me?!?!

All in all, I have less than 2 weeks to go and am seeing lots of hope for things to continue to get better. When I went to the doctor to see about weaning off (after SIX YEARS remember, and I'm only 21) she told me she thinks I'll crumble. Pretty sure I've proved her wrong ;) thank you to anyone who has bothered reading this life essay (whoops), sending love, strength and support to anyone else trying to quit, it isn't easy but remind yourself why you wanted to quit in the first place. Again, read my weaning program, hopefully it goes as cruisey for you as it has for me :) good luck! Hope this helps

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Hi Nicole.

The brain shivers went away after about a week and then the sweats stayed around for about another 3. I feel SO MUCH better 4 weeks on. Hang in there. Life without medication is so amazing!!!

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Ladies n gentlemen this girl has beat pristiq !!!!! The worst is finally over ;).. Little brain shivers here n there but nothing unbearable.... I'm not nauseated or sick. I can't sleep much but I'm making up for all the exhaustion when I was on the drug. Lol. I can't believe it. I'm adjusting now to new feelings and who I am without the drug and it is great. That crazy alone darkness was simply the withdrawal. I tear up easily but the simplest jokes seem so damn funny to me as well. I'm actually giggling a lot. I can not believe I made it through and I am so happy to finally move forward without being on a drug that depleted my body and robbed all my passion and creativity. I'm also not nearly as irritable. Every day is better than the last! I could not have done this without your posts, promise of hope and connection. Thank you all sooooo much. I am now living proof and will encourage others like us. I didn't think the fight was in me..... But I didn't fight it alone. I had this place and your support! Thank you and much love!!!!!

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HERE'S HOW I GOT OFF PRISTIQ:

I was on Pristiq for four years. I never had any real depression symptoms, rather a lack of energy and I was ultimately diagnosed with hypothyroid. Prior to my diagnosis, however, a doctor had put me on Pristiq saying that it could help with my low energy levels. Pristiq never helped me with energy since my problem was actually undiagnosed thyroid (very common btw). After my thryroid diagnosis, I wanted so badly to be off Pristiq because it was a useless medication for me.

I tried for THREE YEARS to get off Pristiq and failed each time because I couldn't handle the intense withdrawal symptoms. I lurked in this forum and many others and I tried all kinds of methods for getting off of Pristiq. Nothing worked and I felt doomed that I'd be on the drug for the rest of my life.

Eventually I DID get off of Pristiq and want to share how I did it in the hopes to help other people trying to come off of it.

This method took me almost 6 months start to finish but overall it was not difficult and finally WORKED after so many miserable failed attempts. What was good about this method was that I did not experience any extreme discomfort. Also, as a side note, I feel so much better off the drug and didn’t realize that it was stifling my emotions and happiness until after I was off it.

Here are the steps I took:

-For about 6 weeks, I alternated 1 50 mg tablet with 1/2 tablet (I split it with a pill cutter). No noticeable withdrawal symptoms during this time unless I went beyond 24 hours between doses.

-Next, I took 1/2 tablet every day for another 6 weeks. Again, no noticeable withdrawal symptoms during this time unless I went beyond 24 hours between doses.

-Then, I alternated 1/2 tablet with 1/4 tablet for about 6 weeks.

-After that, I took 1/4 tablet every day for about 4 weeks. My original plan was to carry on with 1/4 tablet for 6 weeks total and then alternate 1/4 tablet with 1/8 tablet and so forth. I got somewhat impatient at this point though and thought I'd rework my plan and stop to see if I could get through. My kids were going to be away for the weekend and I felt motivated to just see if I could kick it over the weekend, with the back up plan that if by Sunday I was feeling badly, I’d just go back on the 1/4 tablet and carry on with the original plan.

-I took the last 1/4 tablet on a Thursday.

-Surprisingly, withdrawal symptoms did not set in until Saturday. Symptoms were mostly brain zaps, but also dizziness, feeling a bit unsteady when walking, mild stomach cramps and brain fog/inability to think clearly.

-When the withdrawal symptoms came on, I got in bed to wait out the "storm" and loaded up on everything I researched to boost serotonin:
-800 mg of fish oil every few hours - I believe that would be a hefty dose regularly, but I figured no biggie since I would only be taking that amount during withdrawal symptoms.
-1 tablet Zyrtec - I read that antihistamines can help reduce the brain zaps. (Benadryl might be a good choice if one desired to get sleepy and rest more deeply.)
-Lots of water
-A ton of raw green leafies – romaine, spinach and baby greens.
-85% cacao Dark Chocolate
-Grass Fed, Free Range Beef
-Magnesium Glycinate tablets
-Calcium Citrate tablets
-Vitamin D tablets
-Note some things I didn’t try but that could possibly help include: flaxseed, flaxseed oil, free range turkey, bananas, pasture raised eggs.

By Saturday evening, I kept my eyes closed mostly because looking around intensified the brain zaps. I rested in the dark and listened to audiobooks and podcasts in bed.

I felt quite nervous on Saturday not knowing how long the symptoms would last. There were a few times I thought that I should just continue with my original plan. Mentally, I was hopeful that the symptoms would go away quickly, but was prepared that they possibly could indeed last much longer.

I fell asleep around midnight on Saturday and allowed myself to sleep until I woke up on Sunday - a solid 10 hours.

The great news is that the brain zaps were minimal when I woke up on Sunday. They went away almost entirely by Sunday afternoon and I felt practically no withdrawal symptoms at all by Sunday evening.

Note that on Sunday, I continued with all the serotonin-boosting items listed above. Fish oil, dark chocolate, etc.

Overall, these steps/my process did not feel difficult. The worst part was on Saturday evening, simply not knowing how long the withdrawal symptoms would last - would it be a few more hours? a day? a few days? a week? That unknowing was the worst part indeed, but it turned out to not be more than 24 hours.

I am so grateful to be off Pristiq and I pray that this can work for other people out there. I also pray that this medication becomes more strictly regulated with smaller doses available for the purpose of coming off it and that doctors become more educated on just how much of a nightmare it can be to come off this drug.

I hope my story can help some of you out there. I wish you all the best and send you so much love and support.

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I was on prisiq 50 mg for six monhs and decided to wean off of it very slowly. Each day I delayed taking the medication by six hours so that day one was six hours later day two twelve hours later day three eighteen hours later and so on. I am now into taking one pristiq every four days. In addition, I take a calcium, vitamin D, multiviamin, and two omega mix supplements. I have had a few tolerable side effects including occasional slight nausea, occasional dizziness and momenary lapses in concentration. I have made sure to get exercise, to eat well, stay very hydrated, and to get plenty of rest-maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. This has taken quite a bit of patience and I have found it helpful to make up a schedule for tapering the medication and checking off the dosage as well as noting any side effects. Good luck ....it can be done!

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Hi Andrew!
Thank you so much for your response and feedback. I will call my doctor tomorrow and ask him about this as an option/alternative to help me get through this. I am looking into accupuncture - as well as other types of "body work" to help provide some RELIEF!!.
To provide an update, I woke up Saturday morning feeling like I had been "hit by a truck"...awful is the best way to describe it - achy, stiff, nauseous (and I rarely have stomach problems)...edgy, irritable, on the verge of tears - with a massive headache, still feeling fuzzy and having a hard time collecting my thoughts.

This could have been caused by possible medicine "dumping" (who knows??)- as I had started "cutting" my 50 mg in half (per recommendation of my doctor as there is not an alternative with a lower dose). All I knew at that point, was that I have HAD ENOUGH - and decided to stop altogether with the Pristiq (and continue on with the 10mg Lexapro that I had started to help soften the effects of my transition)...

I have been dealing with this whole nightmare experience of trying to get off Pristiq since last December - and after much research (trying to find some kind of answers/help in how I can do this) - have come to the CONCLUSION - that WE -the people/consumers - have really been given a MAJOR raw deal (for lack of a better way of putting it) when it comes to the making/selling/marketing/prescribing of Pristiq. In a sense, we have been treated as guinea pigs in the rolling out of this medication..and pretty much left on our own in trying to find ways to deal with the side effects and discontinuation symptoms when tapering off...
How can it be OK for the shareholders to file a class action lawsuit against Wyeth/Pfizer for NOT fully disclosing the adverse side affects of Pristiq - that this drug was NOT approved by the EU - AND yet it is still being heavily marketed and prescribed to patients in the US and Canada? I also came across a very well written piece by someone in Australia who has suffered through this - it seems that Pfizer heavily promoted the drug in the Australian market as well.
But to me, the single fact that the manufacturer is NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY HELP/ CLEAR DIRECTION to the people who want to TAPER DOWN/OFF THIS DRUG -along with the discontinuation symptoms that have been described as nearly "intolerable" - make me believe 100% that Pristiq needs to be taken OFF THE MARKET IMMEDIATELY!!
The way that it has been manufactured, along with the "DISCONTINUATION SYMPTOMS" - make it extremely difficult if not impossible for people to come off of this drug - and yet, there are NO WARNINGS about this!! How can this be??
My call to Pfizer for help was a big waste of time - the person I spoke with referred me back to my doctor (and then transferred me to someone in India to make a report of my symptoms).
Meanwhile, my doctor has not been given/ provided with any clear direction (from the manufacturer) on how to help his patients taper off this drug - as it only comes in 2 available doses, cannot be split, cut, crushed - and the compound pharmacies won't touch it!
Yes - I understand that other medications/AD also have possible adverse side effects (as I have been told by a pharmacist when trying to tell her about this)... but this medication has way too many known -and unknown side effects - and people./consumers need to be made aware of this!!
So after almost 2 1/2 years I have been on this medication - gaining 35lb - and dealing with multiple other side effects - and now 7 months of trying to taper off -TODAY IS MY THIRD DAY of BEING PRISTIQ FREE...FINALLY!!
I am still feeling pretty YUCK - "off" would be the best way to describe it - lightheaded, headache, fuzzy - with the worst part being this horrible muscle tension in my neck and shoulders. But I am determined to push through this - and just hoping and praying that these symptoms will pass soon...
I am doing my best to work (wondering how other people have been able to work while going through this??)
But after resigning last October from a very well paying job to take time and deal with my "health issues", and then going through my entire 401K, I am now in dire straights financially - and have no choice but to be well enough NOW to work and start earning/generating an income again...what a mess!!
The silver lining in this (yes, I believe there has to be a purpose for this), is that my eyes have been opened big time on how important it is for us to be our own health advocates - to the best of our ability...
In the meantime, I hope and pray that Pristiq will be REMOVED from the market sooner than later!!
Thank you for listening! Take care and stay STRONG!!

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Hello everyone or anyone I don't know if anybody reads this anymore. I am 6 weeks without pristiq. I'm doing great. Just want you all to know that it is very doable I had some hipnotherapy with absolutely wonderful psychologist. He's more of a life coach in my opinion. He taught me to just stop th negative thinking. He also interprets my dreams to help me find the true sources of anxiety. Acupuncture occasionally and vitamines. It can be fine people. Oh yeah. I excersise 5 days a week.

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Hi there! Am weaning off Pristiq after 18 months use on 100mg. I have been on 100mg one day and 50mg the next back and forth for about a month (equalling 75mg per day as reccommended by my DR), have been experiencing headaches and extreme tiredness, as well as what I like to call "inner times" where I become really internal almost like I am asleep but I am awake - usually my partner has to point this out to me. I have been told that with Pristiq you just have to take it super slow to get off it, I remember missing a dose over a weekend and I ended up in hospital with severe nausea and vomiting - urgh, anyways, can't wait to b e off it!

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Hi I a a week and half off pristiq and on VIbryd instead and I had a hommorage in my eye and pressure still on my eye it worrys me, and left side of my head above my eyebrow Im worried about this im not sure if its the new drug or withdrawel PLEASE could someone tell me how long it takes for Pristiq withdrawel to stop? I am also anxious too not sure which causes it. I know that Viibryed does not have norephineprine so I am completley wthdrawing but not sure if it be over after 11 days?? Please tell me your experience. THank You

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I take Gabatone for panic it's a natural calmer. I take nervoheel for sleep and I take something called ER 911 which is a plant based holistic spray for anxierty. I visit a holistic doctor twice a month who performs something called the Neuro Emotional Technique on me. All of this has saved my life.

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Awsome.. Im off Ive gone for a month every second day and now I went cold turley for 4 days.. I am having irritablity with the kids and also these buzzing lips and shocks.. weird stuff. But I am happy and also happy to have got my life back.. I thank pristiq for this.. But Im happy now and have a positive mind set and yes exercise is soo important. Anyone who is scared to come off, go slow and have trust in self that you have all you need to be the person that you want to be.. read this book, called - The Law of Attraction bu Jerry and Ester Hicks.. it will change you life.. write to me if want,

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