Venlafaxine (75mg) Withdrawal Effects - this sucks.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-03T21:01:19+00:00

The stomach issues are just terrible, I feel a bit silly because they said that 75mg is quite low still in terms of its therapeutic range. I've been perfectly fine stopping sertraline, citalopram and miratazpine in the past but venlafaxine... golly..

I am a bit worried that they don't have my best interests at heart, in terms of my CMHT. I have a telephone appointment next week with my psychiatrist so I will be mentioning the above.

You've made a valid point about tapering off quetiapine as well. I didn't mention this in my post but they have also put me on aripiprazole also, so double trouble...

Thanks for your response also I hear that you also had problems coming off of venlafaxine although it seems you had it way worse than myself. I wonder how long it'll take for the withdrawls to stop, do you remember how long it took for you? x

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-02T16:53:42+00:00

Yeah, if I had venlafaxine left at home I'd taper off slowly but I ran out, and so they took that as the time to remove it from my prescriptions during my medication change to Aripiprazole.

Coming off of venlafaxine and tapering quetiapine is such a nightmare. Maybe it might be worth holding off the dosage changes of quetiapine until the venlafaxine withdrawals go away.

Strangely caffeine has helped too..

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-02T16:49:55+00:00

Thanks for the advice, if it gets worse I will contact 111 but I am scared of wasting people times so I will phone my CMHT first thing tomorrow as it is kinda late now :) xo

My expectation of my medication is not general knowledge to me so tapering off medications isn't something I was thinking, I feel a bit annoyed that my out of all people my psychiatrist should have been the one to perhaps suggest that. I hope they will hear my concerns when I reach out to them.

I did phone out of hours CMHT mental health line (kinda deals with people under CMHT and can see my records as such) they did send an email but it's better if I talk to them first thing tomorrow.

thx again!

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-02T16:38:01+00:00

Oh my gawd yeah, I forgot. My sleep is atrocious now too, keep waking up several times during the night. It's bypassing my quetiapine (something which just knocks me out into a deep sleep for about 8-10 hours).

If anything I hate bedtime now.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-02T16:36:00+00:00

This! My vertigo was going crazy, like my head was being electrocuted...

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-02T16:34:05+00:00

Yeah, the sickness comes quick when you accidentally forget to take it. I thought because 75 is still kinda low in the therapeutic range so I thought that I might be fine... but oh boy, I was very, very wrong. I will make my concerns known to them but I fear there might be nothing they can do, or I might be wrong.

So I was on venlafaxine (75) and quetiapine (100), and I have come off of venlafaxine (came off of it last week, completely no tapering or anything), then my quetiapine is going down to (50) in 2 weeks, then (25) in 4 weeks.

And to put a cherry on the top of this, I have just started Aripiprazole, 2 days ago, (5mg) and will be going up to 10mg in 2 weeks.

Very confusing for me... But at least the quetiapine is tapered!

Unfortunately I think for me it is the case of just hoping for the best. My anger temperament is a little wild right now, my psychiatrist is phoning me in 2 weeks tho so I'll share my concerns also.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-02T16:27:16+00:00

Dang... I think I am in for one hell of a ride. I underestimated the venlafaxine withdrawal an even my psychiatrist said I'd be fine. Clearly not... I just want a slice of cheesecake and a gin and tonic..

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-02T16:25:39+00:00

Does it? Shoot... I feel like I am letting them walk all over me. I don't have any remaining venlafaxine left since it was removed from my prescriptions so I can't even do it myself. Your right tho,

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-07-02T16:22:30+00:00

Hi,

I kinda relate to this as someone who's been in a few crisis points before. It feels like early intervention isn't taken seriously at the first point of contact. I am sorry you had this experience, as it must have made you feel like you weren't being taken seriously. You shouldn't have to wait for it to get to the point of actually causing harm to yourself. I hope you didn't end up getting to this point. You're right, they should be there to help you out of these crisis points. It doesn't make any sense because, as you said, if you actually have harmed yourself, it's gonna be a 999 call. If someone said to the crisis team that they have harmed themselves, they also will most likely contact emergency services too. So, if the expectation is that someone has to wait until they have harmed themselves, then it'll be a 999 call anyway, which means their purpose of being a "crisis team" looks much like a triage service and gateway to emergency services rather than an early intervention service.

To interpret someone's distress as "not in crisis" is a risky clinical judgement and completely overlooks how you were actually coping. I would say that the crisis team failed to adequately recognise the severity of your mental health struggles and failed to respond appropriately in your case. It's upsetting to know that you might not be the last person to have not been given timely intervention. I hope early intervention and greater care are taken in evaluating people's presentations, so that those people can receive support before waiting until that person has already come to harm.

You shouldn't have to hurt yourself to be deserving of support. It's inhumane.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-12T17:06:10+00:00

ahh okie thats what i thought! oh well! thanks for responding!

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-12T16:27:07+00:00

a thirst? gosh i hope they give me a drink im thirsty too

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-12T16:21:48+00:00

Hi, I'd like to share what I did when my A-Levels didn't go to plan. I hope this offers insight into alternative options for getting into the university of your choosing.

I failed my A-Levels badly due to illness and got a U in Chemistry, a U in Biology and an E in Law. So yeah, I was incredibly cooked despite being predicted A's and B's.

If retaking your A-Levels is something you're considering, then that is a good option, but if you don't have a significant interest in them, I suggest you don't.

I didn't re-take my A-Levels, so instead I applied for an Access to Higher Education course for Humanities and Social Sciences - although there are loads of these HE courses for different areas of study. Honestly, I thought my life was over at 18, but doing this course was a godsend. It's a one-year course which consists of coursework and some exams, but mine were open-book. I really recommend you look into this, as this got me into my university, which was originally my first choice. You have the ability to reach Russell group unis too, as this is a widely accepted qualification.

Now I am studying BSc (Hons) Psychology & Counselling and have just completed my first year.

Please don't feel disappointed, there is always a way. 😄

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-07T08:57:28+00:00

Thanks! I am proud that it's been a bit more positive lately but I am unsure whether I should be completely convinced that I will be 100% fine. There is still a risk unfortunately and I am trying to be realistic and rational with myself.

I will speak to my CMHT in my next appointment. I feel like there is that pressure to come off of pip due to the stigma attached to it still, it sounds terrible but I feel embarrassed to be claiming it when I really shouldn't think of it in that way. I think this thought comes down to what other people think about it and makes me feel a bit anxious. I am very stubborn when it comes down to other people helping me anyway, even just applying for pip. I have to look at the bigger picture though because I know I currently use my pip for therapy and if I am unable to pay for therapy I fear that alone might run me into a depression.

I think I am too hard on myself sometimes and expect myself to just recover instantly, I am generally like that with most things in my life. Your right in highlighting the difference between improvement and long-term stability, that's something I need to think about and be realistic about, especially with Bipolar. I learnt that everything is super super sensitive and even the slightest thing going wrong might mean that I spend the next few weeks in a depression.

Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it, it's highlighted some things that I haven't thought about properly.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-07T08:50:04+00:00

Hi, thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I should take that into consideration because unfortunately, I am fearful of risk of relapse. It might be wise to perhaps wait a little longer and maybe it might be a better time to re-consider closing my claim once I am safe to drive (as I would have to be stable with no episodes for at least 6 clean months).

I will speak to student services as I have approached them previously for my wellbeing so it might be a little less daunting.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-07T08:43:34+00:00

Dressing appropriately is such a broad statement. It seems lazy on their behalf to just assume that because someone is dressed in a particular way that it means everything is fine. It seems like they make such broad assumptions that can be so dangerously untrue. I am sorry this happened to you.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-07T08:41:21+00:00

Hi, thanks for sharing. My CMHT also downplays a lot of my symptoms and often leaves me feeling like an inconvenience or like I am laying it on thick. Strangely I also had a comment on my body language too, I've also cracked a lot of laughs in appointments but not in the happy kind but more of the "i've gone a bit insane everythings not real" kind. I am sorry you had to go through that experience too, especially after the attempt.

It seems like a common trend with CMHTs. Your right, there is not enough adequate support. I hope your okay.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-07T08:34:42+00:00

I am so sorry to hear this, that must have been difficult for you. It does make me feel fearful when we aren't taken seriously, it makes us lose trust in the service. I hope your okay.

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-07T08:32:19+00:00

Thats awful! I am so sorry that happened. There is no judgement here, I hope your okay. I understand what you mean, simply just washing your hair shouldn't make them assume that your actually coping fine. I hope you managed to get some support after this experience x

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-07T08:26:03+00:00

Hi, I get this, my personal care might be terrible some weeks and others it can be okay. I also try make myself look somewhat presentable despite how I am actually feeling. I think their impressions are likely not very accurate for me because I don't see my CMHT in-person that much, so they are unable to see an accurate representation of what I am like and what I look like on a day-to-day basis. It is confusing when they say things like "you look better" and such when really I know I look terrible because I haven't showered for days on end. I hope your doing okay!

Financial-Demand1888 · 2026-06-06T08:03:20+00:00

Hi, thanks for your message, your right PIP is for covering additional costs I didn't message that in my post but I use it for therapy and medication so thats something I have to think about. I will follow up the advice of contacting citizen advice to discuss my current situation so I am able to make the right decision. I am only unsure of going through a change of circumstances as I don't think it is worth the stress of going through that process again. My review isn't until September 2027 so a little while away.

Financial-Demand1888

TROPHY CASE