<sarcasm>
Well of course it's not withdrawal. Duh, psych meds do psych things, ergo they only have psych discontinuation syndromes. And we all know that physiology has nothing to do with psychology, right?
</sarcasm>

Dude needs a taste of his own medicine. I wanna know what he thinks after experiencing brain shivers for himself. (I'm assuming brain shivers are a withdrawal symptom of Pristiq since it's a cousin of Effexor... am I wrong?)

SAY WHAT?
Pristiq?
Is it new in order to make money when Effexor go off patent?
I had to endure all of that 19 months withdrawal hell and go back to Effexor because of horrid withdrawal lasting symptoms and now other people will take this Pristiq without being ill?
That's enough!
Stan is trying hard to unite and raise US voice.
i believe you should do something!
Jesus! What else does it take?
Why can't you make an agenda of 3 items that are common sense and start speaking out?
WHY?

I am watching the horrible side effects Pristiq is doing to my husband!Why don't yall take that shit. Before you giving it to someone that used to trust there doctors and you assholes!

So, the brain zaps, shakes, hand tremors, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain which had me curled up in a ball coming off of 40mg of Prozac and Zyprexa and Seroquel were just a 'syndrome' but when I had the same coming off of Xanax it was justifiable agony. Nice job doctor!

There are indeed marked differences between SSRI withdrawal and alcohol and benzodiazapine withdrawal.

An alcoholic who abrutly stops consuming alcohol can descend into delerium tremens within 6 to 48 hours. The DTs include hallucinations and grand mal convulsions. Untreated, the DTs have a 30-35% mortality rate. Treated, the mortality rate is somewhere between 5 and 15%.

Benzodiazapine withdrawal is similar to alcohol withdrawal, and can also lead to the DTs and death. Both alcohol and benzodiazapine withdrawal (oh, and barbiturate withdrawal, too) are far more dangerous than heroin withdrawal.

SSRI withdrawal is vastly unpleasant (I've done it) and can indeed lead to fatalities through suicide (and possibly homicide), but it is not at all the same thing as alcohol/benzodiazapine/barbiturate withdrawal.

This horrrid piece of sh-- Pristiq lives up to ALL OF IT'S LISTED SIDE EFFECT.I READ IT HAD A,1%
urinary retention or hesitenty issue.Well,I sem to have fallen into that group.Redo your trials
What arethe odds I would get that effect? I had dizzyness,tremoes and when I misses 1 (ONE) dose I got brain ZAPs bad and the Dctor told ma I was experiencing "withdrawal".Bad Drug. AAlso,no one seems to know how to get off this crap even the poison control center has nothing on that issue.E-mail meif you need more info.

Pristiq sucks just as bad as effexor! I have been on it for about 2 weeks, quit cold turkey, immediately took a 20mg prozac and feel absolutely HORRIBLE from "discontinuation syndrome" Freakin Withdrawal after 2 weeks! I feel so dizzy, sick, chest discomfort, anxious, oh did i mention ZAPS down my arms etc. I quit pristiq b/c i felt like a freakin retarded zombie that couldnt pay 3 ounces of attention at my new job!!! Thanks Wyeth! Great job. God, i pray this goes away SOON

I spent a month taking 50mg of Pristiq daily, along with 300 mg Wellbutrin. I felt horrible. I became hostile and easily agitated. Of course, I had to do my own research on the side effects...dr. told me nothing. Now I see that it interferes with my other meds...

I have never felt so horrible in my life. My doctor could not give me any information going on -- or off of pristiq. Instead of tapering me, he took me off completely. Needless to say, he is fired. And the brain shivers are unbearable. At least make good information readily available on this damned drug.

Does anyone know how long the withdrawl from pristiq will last? My insides ache and I just want to know when this will end?

Hey to all going through Pristiq or Effexor withdrawals. I'm sitting here at 4am sobbing (so, what's new?!) having finally stopped the Pristiq about 2.5 weeks ago after a weaning off period. Can't say how long this is going to last but for me it's even harder than the Effexor withdrawal was. What am I supposed to do about the out of control anger bullshit? I was never like that before the damned drug? Does anyone have some encouraging news because I'm afraid to even be around people anymore. I'm either sobbing over nothing or so pissed off I could hurt someone. This is a fucked up mess!!! And all because the doctor thought I could use the effexor (then pristiq)to relieve some stress I was dealing with over a loss. What a crock of shit. I'm so mad right now I'd like to make that idiot take Pristiq for a few months and then let him tell me how good the drug is while he's trying to withdraw. Have a little dizziness and brain zaps while you're at work doc?! Yelling at your nurses for no particularly good reason? No problem doc. Get over it. It's not so bad! Aaargh. As far as I'm concerned, these physicians who use us as guinea pigs and/or profit from the drug reps pushing their products ought to held criminally negligent. They don't read these sites. I begged my doc to read some of the withdrawal feedback and he basically told me to stop whining. The only individuals who have any encouragement or support for what I'm going through are you all on these sites. The medical professionals just don't give a damn. I want my life back! and Wyeth Labs and incompetent physicians have taken it away from me.

I would like to add, I was on Cymbalta for a few months and then changed to Pristiq. I was only on it for 2 days when I told my doctor I wanted to get off it. She said I should wean myself like this - start first by skipping every other day, then every other 2 days, then 3, then quit. I have had all the obnoxious symptoms (brain zaps) that you guys are referring to for the last 2 WEEKS and I am getting quite fed up. I don't think I will ever again trust doctors with regard to anti depressants. They are working for the Pharmeceutical companies, not for us.

I try not to engage in flaming rhetoric but any doctor Nancy who gives that type of withdrawal advice should be shot at sunrise. That is malpractice big time as that will put you in withdrawal immediately with a drug like Pristiq that has a short half live. This isn't even good to do on drugs that have longer half lives

What she/he should have done was to advice you to find a compound pharmacist since this drug can't be cut as far as I know. If it can, then my apologies. Anyway, a compound pharmacist can make the unusual doses that you can't find at your local drug store.

Unfortunately, not all insurance companies accept drugs filled at one and thus, it can be expensive. But that fact that psychiatrists have no idea this can be done is a screaming disgrace.

I am so sorry you are suffering and it makes me angry that these doctors are so ignorant about withdrawal.

AA

This is what I was going to send to the class action lawsuit but got an invalid email so:

Oh my gosh! I can't believe this it is like reading a text book on my symptoms. I am losing my life over this. I started taking Effexor 150 MG in 2001, the Dr. put me on it when my husband was in Egypt with the military to help me cope. Now here it is 7 years later and I can't get off, and I want off!! I am now down to 37.5 MG after weaning myself down. I tried to go off of it approx 2 months ago because I was in between having medical insurance, and as you know this prescription is expensive... and I couldn't afford to buy it so I went 5 days and by the 5th day I was in excruciating pain with the electrical shocks. I have never before been dependent on anything in my life. And I can't even be an hour late taking this medication or I start the Brain Fuzz etc.....
Now I have developed a new symptom which I don't know is related but it is similar to when you have high blood pressure where you can hear the blood running in your head and you can hear it and you can feel the pressure. But I have had my pressure checked over and over and it is fine. Another thing I haven't had checked by the Dr. is my liver, but I am going to go have it checked now. I had a gentleman here in OR do something on me called biofeedback and my liver came back in the red. But I didn't follow up with a regular Dr.
I left my job in September not being able to cope with stress, my digestion is terrible, I am tired all the time, I can only do a little bit of house work and I have to rest and then I do a little more, and my weight is at an all time high. This is not me I am totally a type A personality. I was a go getter, a delegator, an organizer, loved to go to work. Now it is totally the opposite, I stay in my house all the time and want to go no where. And as far as work goes I am to tired and I hurt all over.
Another thing I am coping with right now and don't know if it is connected, I am having splinter hemorrhages in my fingernails which the Dr. says is usually a symptom connected to something wrong with my heart, which I have been having chest pains. So I am really glad I found your post and am very interested in becoming involved I especially think the drug co. should be responsible for paying for us to go into a treatment center where we are monitored and under a physicians care, to help us get off of this drug.
So here is my info: Please I hope we can get some help through this, I want my family back my children have suffered so from not having a healthy mom........ And my husband is very patient but I don't know how much more he can take...
I need my life back and one that is void of Effexor....

well...where do i begin. i was on Effexor XR several years ago (prescribed to me by a primary care doc) because i was experiencing anxiety. honestly, i was a competitive gymnast my whole life, graduated college, and suddenly i had anxiety. it was probably the lack of high-level exercise!!! i do not think i had GAD like i was diagnosed with. what the dr. SHOULD have done is send me to a specialist. but that's a whole other topic.
moving on. he put me on 150 mgs. i was tapered up over the course of 2 wks starting at the lowest dose. i was on that drug for 2 years. i don't think i remember those 2 years. i look back at my life during that time, and i was a walking zombie.

then i noticed i starting to show symtoms of depression and ADHD (according to a psychiatrist i finally went to go see). he put me on ADHD med (Concerta), added Klonopin for panic disorder, and decided to take me off Effexor and put me on Zoloft.

Ok this was 5 years ago. i'm still stuck on Klonopin. i went from taking .5 mgs a day to now 2mg BID. if i even TRY to go off that i literally can't breathe and feel like i'm going to die.

moving on...the Effexor was HELL ON EARTH. it took me 2 years to get off of it. he had to take me off the XR (since it was the capsule) and put me on the "regular" Effexor so i could break that into pieces. i couldn't work, i had all the symtoms everyone else explained here...the ZAPS and body aches and flu-like symtoms being the two worst...

i'm a strong-willed person and i simply couldn't function as an normal human trying to go off Effexor. the Zoloft wasn't helping any either.

so by then i was taking 5 medications (the last was birth control) at age 23. really?? i'm now 31. i wonder how much longer my liver can take it.

ON TO PRISTIQ!

so i finally got myself off the Effexor, and stayed on Zoloft. the Zoloft ended up making me more depressed and lethargic as well. i ended up close to suicical about 2 yrs into taking Zoloft. so my new dr. (i got rid of the last one) decides he wants to put me back on effexor xr. why did i listen to him? because he told me (when i tried to explain the withdrawal i didn't want to go through again)...to "shut up...and who is the dr. in the room? me or you? either you listen to me or go to another dr."

well at that point Pristiq had not come out yet. so without many options, living alone and away from family in another state i chose to just "suck it up" and go back on Effexor. a year later i told him it wasn't working anymore. i was staying home, not wanting to be around friends, socialize or work. NOT ME AT ALL. so, what does he do? says to me "i have the wonder-drug of all drugs. it's new". "it's Pristiq, and to save money i will supply you with a months worth of samples". i knew right away when i saw the DES in front of the drug name "venlafaxine" i knew it was stupid Wyeth's way of pushing a new "improved" replica of it's patent-expired Effexor. by then i was already walking out of the office. the transition from Effexor to Pristiq was no problem. i wonder WHY?!?!?! because they are the exact same drug. i will admit he had me up to 150 mgs of Pristiq and i did notice a difference after the first 2 wks. then i was back to where i was before...worse than ever. laid in bed all day. didn't go out. couldn't stop crying and feeling depressed. LUCKILY i only had myself to take care of.

so now i'm in the process of going off Pristiq. my insurance doesn't want to pay for it, and honestly after all these years i think it's best.

so to ANYONE who is trying to go off either one of these meds i suggest this: hot showers and soak in the bath (like you would nurture a flu)...drink tons of water...and i read something recently that said Omega 3 supplements help. i've been taking them and i will admit i notice a big difference from my experiences in the past. i am only on my 2nd day off of Pristiq...i've had the head zaps almost immediately since i went off. today they are worse and more frequent. but at least i don't have the achy feeling, i already have more energy and i know with some will-power i will get off this medicine and tell everyone i know never to take those medicines. if anything Effexor and Pristiq are the WORST of the SSRIs. i've been on zoloft and cymbalta's new version (i forget the name right now) as well. neither one of those were as bad. the only other medicine i can say has worked for depression is Wellbutrin. and now it's generic. that is probably because it's considered an SNRI and not a SSRI. who knows, but the withdrawal and side effects are NOTHING compared to Wyeth's junk!!!

i hope this helps anyone going through this...and take the Omega 3's. good luck.

on to day 3 off of Pristiq. symptoms aren't getting better, but manageable. nightmares all night and woke up in cold sweats. the chills are here and there. the zaps in my brain are worse and down through my arms at times.

on a positive note...they're getting worse, so i know (from past experience) they can only get better. i'm bed-ridden.

so this further confirms what a joke Pristiq is and how much it's like Effexor.

last but not least, i wanted to say i made an error in the last post. i was on Lexapro (not Cymbalta...i was confusing that with Celexa).

Lindsay,

Although I never took Pristiq, I did have horrible withdrawals from Effexor. The brain zaps did eventually stop, but it was hell while I was going through it. I did end up on iv fluids due to severe dehydration from vomiting/diarrhea, so please be careful. I also sank into the deepest, darkest depression I have ever experienced as I was going through withdrawals. Effexor is one nasty drug, and it sounds like Pristiq is just as bad. I'm sorry you are dealing with this.

Hang in there, lindsay. Just want to encourage you. Lots of people here and on other blogs have travelled this path you're on.
Best wishes,
Sherry

I was on a daily dosage of 50 mg Pristiq. I tried to taper and experienced severe agression issues and horrible mood swings. Am now on 25 mg Effexor and planning to taper down from that in a few weeks. I can totally relate to the physical and emotional suffering that everyone has and is experiencing. I never realized to the extent that drug companies use patients as test subjects. Talk about punishing the victim!

I'm so sorry you all are having such a hard time. It all makes sense to me now. I've been on Pristiq since October, my doc put me on it cuz I couldn't sleep.When I went on it I slept real good. I've started weening myself off it 3 weeks ago,becuz of what I was reading, and its now been 4 days since I've completly stopped this drug. I've not had the withdrawals like most of you here. I have had symtoms of small brain zaps which seems to be the worst but are getting better. No depression, still sleeping ok..but I have had some real crazy dreams. Good luck to you all.

I've been on Effexor XR since 2001. Last week, since I don't have insurance, my doc said we'd try the generic regular effexor. I lasted 10 hours.
10 hours and I was in hell. I am not sure what a "brain zap" is, but I know that I couldn't see things--like it took a moment for my mind to catch up.
I headed back to my doc, and he had samples of Pristiq. He said, "let's try this, it's the cousin to Effexor."
Before I go further, let me tell you I have a Masters Degree, am a professor and a teacher, and I also volutneer at the Adult Mental Health Daycare site here in town. I am a single mom and I am content.
However, I lasted 4 days on the Pristiq and was thinking about killing myself. Darrrrk places. My daughter was in daycare (thank God) when it all came crashing down. I had no balance, my pulse was hard and I couldn't sleep on my side because I could hear it pounding, and see it pounding in my fingers. When I finally did sleep, I had the most vivid dreams--and I never rested. Also, my tounge started involuntarily moving and feeling like it was getting shocked--just like it did after my head trauma. And I itched--oh God, I itched all over, especially in the places where joints connect. Needless to say, we went back on the Effexor XR.
All of this happened in a week's time. I was reduced to a shell of myself. I slept. I was powerless. All I knew to do was to keep calling my doctor, my mom and my friends so they weren't worried, and sleep.
BOTH DRUGS ARE HORRIBLE. God help anyone who is on them get off.

I have been on effexor for over 5 years and finally got off in oct. 08 the second time. I have gambling problems, don't care about life, shakes inside and out of my body,can't sleep legs hurt and the list goes on.I'm taking wilburgin150. It seems to help. now, I have been looking back over the years and can't believe what has happen to me. That is when I started reseaching the net on side effects. I could'nt believe what has happen. It's effextor!!!!!!!! I don't know what to do? Get Attorney are just let it go.I'm one not to let things go. I have tried to see if a class action suit is in force, but I can't find out? Help Denise

I have been on effexor for over 5 years and finally got off in oct. 08 the second time. I have gambling problems, don't care about life, shakes inside and out of my body,can't sleep legs hurt and the list goes on.I'm taking wilburgin150. It seems to help. now, I have been looking back over the years and can't believe what has happen to me. That is when I started reseaching the net on side effects. I could'nt believe what has happen. It's effextor!!!!!!!! I don't know what to do? Get Attorney are just let it go.I'm one not to let things go. I have tried to see if a class action suit is in force, but I can't find out? Help Denise

Has anybody had a problem digesting Pristiq? I have been, so I tried an experiment dissolving a tablet in a glass of water. I also dissolved two other tablets (one coated and one not). The non-Pristiq tablets dissolved in a couple of minutes. Not Pristiq. 36 hours later it is still sitting in the glass ... the outside dissolved but the inside -- which is a tough, gummy substance -- is still sitting there. I tried mashing it up with a knife and then my fingers and was amazed at how tough it is. I am otherwise very happy with this medication. It's doing the job and no uncomfortable side effects. I am going to talk to my doc about this issue, but I wanted to see if there are others who have challenges digesting the tablet.

Sad, I had a terrible pdoc "try out" pristiq on me.. even though they'd never prescribed it to any other patients. i quit taking it last week, im suffering horrendous waves of suicidal thoughts, crying spells, tremors/seizures in my sleep and aggression. I'm starting to get my affairs in order, because this just isnt worth it. this is the 3rd med i've been on, and it just makes things worse. the only positive thing i can say about stopping this poison is that i can finally bust a nut again. while on pristiq, my genitals were completely numb all the time. scary, no?

I agree with the people who have posted about Pristiq.

Has any one been put on this medicine for Fibromyalgia ? or chornic figute That is what My DR. THE JACK ASS Put me on it for.
50 mg pristiq , 150 MG wellbutrin & 150 MG of the effextor . Do we think that was a bit much. I was told ween ok effextor every other day that was bad but, the other too were in my system then went off the wellbutrin (she said there was no weening to be done.) and every onther day or as needed w/ pristiq. it has been the worst thing. I Could not get to a day and half
I am having brain shivers ,can not concentrate, fevers , crashed with blood sugar speach & thought are inpared. My arm are numb. ringing and thumping in my head and very tired and servere agression total mood swing crying and thirst.
I am looking for an Attorney Also !! MY DR. IS A JACK ASS !!

I too am having a horrible time with Pristiq, and my drug-whore, tool of a psychiatrist. I only started taking this medication 4 days ago (didnt take today though) and I am a wreck. Sick to my stomach, bloating, dizziness, vertigo, impaired thinking(not the fun kind), blurred vision and discordination. This medication is hell and the drug companies must be giving psychs really good incentives because my doc told me to keep taking it and "Don't worry..it will get better" ...

No way!! I feel like death and I am never touching Pristiq again!

YES...to the person who had digestion problems. I did ok on Pristiq all except for the very sharp pains in my abdomen. It kept getting worse until I had severe pain which everyone said it sounded like problems with my gallbladder. Very sharp pains coming and going on upper right side. By this time I was sure I was going to have to have my gallbladder removed soon. Then I quit taking my Pristig...and guess what...ALL that pain went away like a miracle. So afraid to start it again because so convinced it was like poison for my system. Now, I don't know what to take because I too just want to stay home and so depressed and can't progress in life. I would love to be normal and have accomplishment and purpose. WIthout medication and with medication...just always a mess.

Response to jean having trouble digesting pristiq. I have just started and have the same problem. The whole tablet is sitting in toilet bowl. Pamphlet does say you will notice the outer coating of tablet coming through sometimes, but not sure if it is ok to see whole tablet. Rang my doc and he said no I will need to change to something else (cymalta ?) but I am going to persist for 1 more week and if I dont start having any withdrawal effects or start feeling sad and depressed I will know they must be working. Really want them to work as I like the idea that they dont metabolize in the liver and more of the drug gets to the brain.We will see !!!

This is my second time getting off of Pristiq. First go-around I became so dizzy and agitated..I mean break things and want to fight people agitated that I decided to take my meds again. This seemed to relieve the dizziness, lightheadedness and bumping into things (brain zaps???). Now, day 5 of getting off the Pristiq AGAIN I feel the same...horrible. Also the dreams are very vivid and I have been told that I mumble in my sleep now...something I have never done before. I actually wake myself up mumbling at times. I am going to see my doctor this week. I never post anything but because Prestiq is still so new and there is NO withdrawl information available I felt complelled to complain to someone other than a doctor. Single, 25, good job and I still hate my life and everyone in it. Thanks Prestiq!

I was on Prisiq for 5 months and stopped taking it 7 days ago. I am feeling constant "brain zaps", anxiety,and aggresive behavior. So far the worst symptom has been the lucid dreaming. In my dream, I become so disturbed that I try splashing water on my face and screaming "Help Me" over and over trying to get myself to wake up. I finally woke myself up yelling "Help Me" outloud. I was so freaked out that I got my 7 year old daughter up out of her bed at 1:30am and told her to come sleep with me and made her promise to wake me up if I was having a nightmare. The withdrawl from this drug is the worst thing I have ever experienced. Does anyone know how long it will last? I don't know how much longer I can go on like this.

Diane, is there a physician you could see who could see who could help you taper a little more slowly? I stopped taking a fairly high dose of Effexor without tapering, and it was pure hell. I had to go back on it and then taper down. If Pristiq is anything like its cousin Effexor, then please be careful. Abrupt withdrawals can be dangerous.

They need to take Prestiq off the market before people get killed, if they haven't already! I took it for about three months (my doctor had samples of it) and I come so close to killing myself and my kids so many times and was too blitzed to realize it at first. I lost my job because of this medication. I swiped the side of an 18 wheeler dozing off, busted two tires another time because I was so dizzy and wasn't myself at work and got fired. So many times I came close to rear ending people in front of me. Thank God I got off it before I had to go through the horrible side effects everyone is talking about. And especially before I killed someone, most importantly my kids. We need a class action lawsuit! I am furious with the makers of this medication and my doctor for prescribing it to me!!!

I ran out of this medication last week, can't afford the $138 a month. This RUINED my relationship with my bf, who is the sweetest man, but even he couldn't take what I was going through and I didn't even realize it was coming off the Pristiq. This weekend I was a complete witch with he and the kids and couldn't figure it out. I had things coming out of my brain and mouth no one should hear. I had anxiety that was extremely troubling, dreams that scared me when awake, crying at the drop of a hat, crazy insecurities, suicidal....and so on. I thought it was helping me, but to go off if this is the hell I would rather be depressed.

I took Pristiq for 8 days and while I started to feel better from my minor depression, my blood pressure went through the roof so I had to stop taking it. I am on day 3 off of it and I can barely function and that's after taking it only for 8 days. I was told I didn't have to taper off because I was only taking 50 mg and for such a short amount of time. I am dizzy, nauseous, can't stop crying, having suicidal thoughts and basically uncontrollable emotionally. I never imagined I would suffer so much coming off of it after only taking it for 8 days. This medicine should not be sold. It hurts more than it helps. I pray this goes away soon before I lose everything that matters to me.

I have read this whole thread and see so many people having withdrawals sxs from Pristiq. Some of you have said that you went off due to finances. But they rest of you - why did you go off? Was the Pristiq working for your depression? If they gave Pristiq away for free, would those of you who went off because you couldn't afford it have stayed on it?

I am wondering this because Pristiq seemed to work for my depression but I went off of it (and went through the horrible w/d sxs!) because I am trying to 'de-chemical' my life. I went through neurofeedback and thought I could go off of Pristiq safely. Wrong.

So now I am thinking of going back on it. The body aches, depression and lack of motivation for ANY activity may be worse than the thought of being on a chemical.

But then again, I hate that we don't know what these chemicals actually do to our brains!!

I am between a rock and a hard, hard place.

SSRI withdrawal seems to last for ever. I've never been off one long enough for the wd to stop. Right now I'm on depakote, propranolol, clonazepam, alprazolam, gabapentin, phenergan for sleep, and wellbutrin. I refuse to take neuroleptics due to side effects. Right now this works, but I am a bit of an extreme case with PTSD, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and intermittent rage disorder.
I know that's alotta benzos but my doc(and everyone before him) seem to want to push them on me, as long as I use em responsibly.

I'm going through the withdrawal from Pristiq now. I've had severe depression all of my adult life and was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia several years ago. I've been on almost every anti-depressant on the market, and I can definitely understand everyone who is going through the withdrawal. The nausea, headaches, lack of energy, digestive issues, total lethargy---are almost too much to bear. I feel like we're all victims of the pharmaceutical industry. Sometimes I don't think anybody knows how to treat us. I've been to doctor after doctor over the years and have noticed a definite pattern---all they want to do is slap you on a pill and forget about you--move you quickly out of the office so they can see the next patient and prescribe another pill. None of my doctors ever checked to see if there were interactions with other medicines nor did they care about the side effects these medicines cause in the long run. I'm now 40 pounds overweight thanks to medications, too. If anyone is thinking about taking Zoloft, Effexor, or Pristiq---think long and hard about it. Once you go there, it's hard to get off it. Good luck to all of you.

Oh---and I went off the Pristiq because one of my doctors thinks that Savella (a new medication recently approved for fibromyalgia) will be better for me. When I asked how it would mix with the Pristiq, that is when the doctor said I couldn't take both and would have to wean off the Pristiq. His idea of weaning off was to quit taking it abruptly 5 days into taking the Savella. Well, needless to say, I went into withdrawal (vomiting, headaches, lethargy, nightmares). The reason I've had to quit the medications in the past was because of starting a new one or side effects became too great to handle.

I am curious as to what type of Dr. you all are getting this drug from? Is it just an M.D., or s it a psychiatrist, who should know more than an M.D. I see a psychiatrist and we worked together to find the right combination of drugs to keep me "normal".

Prestiq is a cousin to Effexor and SUCKS as bad as Effexor with withdrawal. I am now taking tryptophan and SAM-e for depression. ALL ANTIDEPRESSANTS SHOULD BE FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET!!!

I took Pristiq for 7 months.....never felt better. It was a great drug for me, and definitely helped me through a tough time.

I've had some withdrawal symptoms, but they are seemingly subsiding.....spacy....low-grade headache...stuff like that.....but it is all getting better.

Good luck.

GH wrote: "I took Pristiq for 7 months.....never felt better"

Have you thought about becoming a spokesperson or drug rep? I mean with such a compelling story and testimonial why now?

Yet, as a counter balance and reality check; why don't you go read how your magic pill helps so many.

http://www.ssristories.com/

Or is it just all about you and promoting a drug?

I Took Pristiq 50 mg daily for 3 months, it did not help my depression, in fact it made it worse and caused weight gain ang body aches. I weaned myself off by taking it everyother day x 1 week then every 3rd day x 1 week then every 4th day then stopped, because it is a ..time release it cannot be broken in half and 50 mg is the smallest dose. My life has been aliving hell the brain zaps ,dizziness, diarrhea, mood swing, and suicidal thoughts are ruining my life. I am married to the worlds kindest and most patient man on the planet, and even he is losing patience with me, please some one tell me how long this going to last . The makers of this drug should all rot in hell.

Kim,

I am so sorry for what you are going through. I just glanced at the label and it made me so angry. All they have to do is acknowledge it, no remedy (other than keep taking our drug).

In general (with most medications) skipping every other day, then every 3 days etc. makes things worse. It creates a roller coaster effect in your brain.

You might want to look into a Compounding pharmacy. I don't know much about them but the few websites I looked at said "almost any drug can be compounded (created at special doses). If you are able to get special doses made, I would recommend going back to 50 or 40mg and decreasing by 10% or so, every few weeks (once any withdrawal symptoms subside at the next lowered dose).

You might also try The Road Back program; http://www.theroadback.org/fasthandle.htm
It’s a little complicated and a little expensive.

I used some of their products and they helped tremendously. The “withdrawal packages” they have now would have been too expensive for me. If money is an issue for you too, you could maybe try one or two things, depending on your symptoms. (I don’t work for them; I just remember how horrible withdrawal was).

Best of Luck.

SSRI withdrawal is vastly unpleasant (I've done it) and can indeed lead to fatalities through suicide (and possibly homicide), but it is not at all the same thing as alcohol/benzodiazapine/barbiturate withdrawal.

Posted by: MacLeod

NO Its worse-!!-

-I came off 130 mgs of methadone-I did it over a year-Hard -Dear God Yes-but WAY worse was having2come off Effexor fast-I ended up in hos with a pluse of 140-Iam normally around 65-70- brain zaps-terrilbe head crap happening-was like I had a head full of wasps I was trying2out-(

Benzos--Another peace of cake compaired2Trying2come off an SSRI-well for me-

Iam from the first wave-

prozac was happy in my pocket4many years-

Ya know after 20 years Plus on a SSRI-I cant see myself ever off them-Psychiatrists I know are calling it what it is now-

Withdraws -

suicidal thoughts -thats so NOT me-but coming off SSRI brought those thoughts in2my beautiful head-diarrhea-hell yeah-also stomach cramps-pain-dizziness-not sure what my B.P. was but it slide down my boots-throwing up till I needed a drip-I was so very very ill-another time i cut my SSRI down but again the withdraws pulled me back in2 the SSRI drug just like an addict-

ALL I want these days is 2 be informed-at least that way I get a choice-!!