Kicking the Pristiq/Effexor Habit

Since I attempted tapering off last year (see this blog), I knew that I would need to prepared on how to mitigate the withdrawal symptoms as much as possible before I even began feeling them. However, I found that there was very little good information out there; mostly, the forums were full of people lamenting the symptoms without anybody finding real help. I did find some useful stuff, which I followed as best I could, but I had to wade through ton of crap links to get to it. And as someone who, last year, was searching for answers in the full sway of a withdrawal breakdown, I know that my post needed to be much more obvious and searchable. Hence, the title of this post.

I do need to make a few disclaimers before I start:

1.     I am not, nor am I pretending to be, a medical professional. Always follow the advice of your doctor (unless you’ve found a reason to distrust him/her, then follow the advice of one you DO trust).

2.     I am not being paid or endorsed by any third party to make any of the claims stated. Just so you know.

3.     Everybody is different and this information may not be completely helpful.  Some of the things which were immensely helpful to the people I gleaned my info from did not work for me (for various reasons), and the same is likely to happen for you. That doesn’t mean you should give up, but you should keep looking for what will work.

4.     DO NOT comment that “if you need the pills, keep taking them.” First, that’s asinine, unhelpful, and essentially trolling. There are many reasons people stop taking Pristiq/Effexor; the biggest of which is that as a woman, if I ever hope to have children, any form of venlafaxine is EXTREMELY damaging to the unborn child. Had my doctor told me at the time he suggested Pristiq that I would have to either stay on the medication forever or suffer the worst withdrawal symptoms this side of crystal meth/heroine, I would have refused it. It’s just not worth the effort. So, please, keep those types of comments to yourself; they aren’t helpful nor appropriate.

Now, as I said above, the advice I’m giving below is based on my experience tapering over the last two weeks. This comes from others’ success stories, as well as mistakes made on my part. Unfortunately, it will sound mostly like common sense or something out of one of those supermarket health magazines. Also unfortunately, there’s a reason: it’s all true. You’ll see what I mean. Without further ado, here’s how I’m kicking the Pristiq/Effexor habit (as successfully as one can):

·         Take Your Vitamins!

The most common advice I found others mention was that Omega 3 and Vitamin D (not THAT kind, you dirty minded readers...) was HUGELY helpful in staving off brain zaps and fatigue. I specify Omega 3 because I thought I could use the 3-6-9 complex I already owned and be okay. Nope. Not even a little bit. There isn’t nearly enough 3 in the complex to be of any benefit. You have to take an absurd amount (think 2500mg/day) to counteract the brain malfunctions, so a pure Omega 3 ONLY supplement (plus diet—see next entry) is needed.

I also found that my energy in general was SEVERELY lacking, and so I would suggest some sort of energy supplement. Caffeine is useless unless you rarely drink it to begin with (which hasn’t been the case for me since I was 14), so I chose to take a diet supplement because I wanted to curb my hunger, too, but take whatever you find helps. Experiment a bit, but be careful with what herbs you take because some may interact badly with the Rx; serotonin syndrome is a BAD deal that you want to avoid as much as possible (For this reason, STAY AWAY FROM ST. JOHN’S WORT—until you’ve completely rid yourself of the medication)

·         Eat Like a Healthnut

There’s a reason fatty foods are called “comfort foods”; they make you feel safe and comfortable when life is stressful. Unfortunately for me (and possibly you), that was the opposite while tapering off Effexor. Anytime the food I ate had a high fat content (i.e. bacon, gammon steak, sausage, French fries—I live in England), I woke up the next morning feeling like absolute shit. Only when I ate a balanced diet (I feel like such an advertisement saying that phrase, but…) did I function properly the next day.  I’m sure there’s some obvious reason for it that has to do with chemistry in the cells or something, but I don’t know what it is (science is like magic to me). Only that it works.

What’s great about this, though, is that if you like salmon and mackerel and sardines, you can get a LOAD of Omega 3 from those sources and kill two birds with one stone. You still have to take the supplements, but not as many and the fish are generally healthy.

·         Exercise is Key

I don’t enjoy sounding like a health magazine—I really don’t—but it’s hard not to when it all applies. During the first week, I started doing some interval training for 25 minutes a day. Nothing too hectic but enough to get my endorphins going and my heart pumping. And I felt really good afterward (albeit a bit sore…). The second week, I had some stuff going on and skipped my workout for three days. Every Single Morning After, I woke up feeling terrible. The fact that I combined my lack of exercise with comfort foods probably compounded my terrible and anxious mood, but still. Exercise of some kind is a must to releasing those good hormones which help counteract the bad ones you can’t control, and has the plus side of helping you shave some of those Effexor-induced pounds you probably gained (like me L ).

·         Take a Holiday

Now, I need to specify that you should not actually take a family trip somewhere. The idea here is more to limit your stressors rather than increase them, and I’ve often found that vacationing generally adds just as much stress as it releases. At the very least, take some sick leave off work. Don’t do anything different beyond existing (and the above) for a few days because you will be anxious. You will be moody. You won’t be able to focus. You will feel like you are going through menopause (men included) due to the hot and cold flashes and general uncomfortableness you feel in your own skin. You are detoxing, in the truest sense of the term, and it will suck. The above helps some, but I still found myself experiencing aches, pains, tight muscles, and short fuses. Being aware that you aren’t in control helps but only as much as adding a drop of water to the ocean helps raise the tide; you just need to ride it out.

And although I do appreciate people trying to help, for those who suffer from anxiety (like ME!), it’s a scientific fact that mindfulness and trying to be happy just makes things worse. You just have to be honest with yourself, accept that you’ll feel and act like a shitty person for a few days, and hope it ends quickly. Again, the above and below help, but limiting your stressors helps the most, which means you should also be really aware of WHEN you are doing this. I chose the summer because there’s lots of sun (vitamin D!), I wouldn’t be teaching, and I have less to do for my PhD. When I tried to do it last year, I was smack dab in the middle of the most stressful month of my MA WHILE trying to keep an online teaching job. The experience this time has been a hell of a lot more manageable, so that’s something to be aware of.

·         Surround Yourself With Support

Again, this is a DUH statement, but you do need it. Let everybody close to you know in advance what you are doing and how it will affect you, and ask for their patience and understanding. Because you will need it. You will need someone who reminds you that you are still a good person even if you are acting like a raging douche on occasion. Because you will act that way and you will hate yourself for it. But having people who know that this isn’t forever, and treating you as such, makes a huge difference.

·         Document Your Progress

Although I am a self-proclaimed writer, journaling has always been a difficult task for me. However, deciding to chart my progress via Twitter has really helped (#nomoreRx). Not only did it keep my friends updated on my progress but it also helped me stay aware of what did or didn’t work. I received support and encouraging comments (which, as stated above, is essential), but I also was able to reflect on the fact that things were getting better. It may not feel like it at the time, but I know that when this is all said and done (i.e. I am completely off the medication), I will be able to look back and see that I actually accomplished something huge. And that sense of accomplishment will be absolutely vital to feeling like you are moving in the right direction.

So, that’s my story and my advice on kicking the Pristiq/Effexor habit. I know it sucks, but it isn’t forever. It isn’t really even for a long time, as long as you take as much control of the situation as you can. And if you ever feel like you can’t deal, like the pain and confusion is too much to continue living, PLEASE get some help. Hell, comment on this blog or my Twitter feed (@NerdyWriterRuns) if you need to; I’m generally accessible 24-7. But know that you are not alone. We have all felt this way while coming off these pills, and we will all be here for you should you need some support on your own journey. Good luck!