Self regulate neurotransmitters vs SNRIs :stay real vs stay happy (Effexor)

[delphinen]

One week, that was the time my body/brain needed to self regulate some Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and most important of all, Serotonin. Half a week on bed, half a week doing completely nothing but recharging carbs, proteins, and sugars, was the time it took me to WD from Venlafaxine aka Effexor Instant Release 75mg which I had been taking for 2months+.

The worst of this was not feeling sad and worthless, don't want to brag, but I am still used to that. The worst of all were the migraines, O M G, those fucking migraines; these were like super strong headaches that would last 3 or 4 days. I would be able to sleep only to wake up with 30 seconds or so of relief until the migraine continued. It was hell. (but still, nothing compares to benzos WD in my book, not even this). Based on what I read, the migraines were because of my brain "re-reworking" my neuroplasticity to their original state. Isn't the brain amazing? too bad it doesn't work like that for BZ WD. Sorry, I'm repeating myself.

The point of this thread is to:
1) State that while WD from Venlafaxine feels really horrible, it is not as bad as you read everywhere on the internet. Or maybe I was lucky. But I'm not a lucky person, so I more inclined to think that all Venlafaxine WD is not as terrible as a Google search shows. One "effect" I didn't get, which is weird because I experienced it in the past (can't remember on what drug) was that I did not get brain zaps, but I did felt floaty and very dizzy most of the time I would get up.
2) Ask you guys, now that I know a little more about this drug (how it effects me positively, giving me no desire to do opioids for some reason, feeling happy and with a little more willpower to do things, while sweating buckets, and also how it effects me negatively when I'm off of it) should I stay real, sad, and miserable, until I can work my way up (if I can), or take the damn drug to help me reach real happiness again?

I will update this post later, thanks for any advice.

 

[d1nach]

The primary mechanism by which effexor produces its antidepressant effects is by blocking the reuptake of seritonin and norepinephrine.

Taking antidepressants do not cause damage to the brain.

One mechanism by which effexors works is by signaling a increase in neuroplasticity by activating bdnf in areas like the hippocampus. This is partly why it takes weeks for them to work.

Not all seritonin receptors make you feel good. Analysis of people who have commited and succeeded suicide showed a increase in expression of 5 ht2a and 2c receptors. This is further supported by being able to cause antidepressant responses by downregulating these seritonin receptors with antidepressants or psychedelics.

Not everyone will naturally start making there own perfect neurotransmitter cocktail just like not eeveryone will just be able to stop taking insulin and magically be able to make it themselves. Sure. Many can keep their insulin undercontrol with diet and exercise but a selection of the population will just die without insulin.

Please be careful. It is hard to tell what is withdrawl and what is a return of major depression. I can not tell you how many people ive seen in patient with serious psychological issues stopping bexause their well meaning friends and family say the pills are toxic then they come in with cutts all over their arms or attempted suicide.

 

[delphinen]

Well, I decided to tell both my psychiatrist and psychologist that I stopped Venlafaxine a week ago. They were really angry, specially the psychiatrist. At the moment I felt a little guilty, but when I left the hospital it made me think, "it is my body, I was the one who suffered the WD, I wanted to try how it felt without being on any Antidepressant, don't be mad because I made a choice on my own without consulting you, you don't own me, doc", what was I thought in my head.
She told me I could have had a Serotonin Syndrome, that I didn't know what it was, and I was lucky; I laughed and told her I had SS in the past by abusing other substances and I did know what it was perfectly. Even described her how it was. It made her even more mad.

In the end, nothing changed, I still got my usual meds (Venlafaxine IM 75mg, Pregabalin 150mg, Diazepam 20mg, all per day), but... man... these doctors... I could felt how at first they "help you", and later they want you to do as they say, no exceptions. Well, too bad, I have been on Erowid/BL for years and did lots of drugs, no doctor will have an easy time with me. And worst of all for them, I'm prepared for any consequences.

I am on all these meds again and currently I feel a little nauseous (like when I began doing Venlafaxine months ago), but my backpain is absolutely gone thanks to the neuropathic properties of these drugs.

 

[delphinen]

The primary mechanism by which effexor produces its antidepressant effects is by blocking the reuptake of seritonin and norepinephrine.

Taking antidepressants do not cause damage to the brain.

One mechanism by which effexors works is by signaling a increase in neuroplasticity by activating bdnf in areas like the hippocampus. This is partly why it takes weeks for them to work.

Not all seritonin receptors make you feel good. Analysis of people who have commited and succeeded suicide showed a increase in expression of 5 ht2a and 2c receptors. This is further supported by being able to cause antidepressant responses by downregulating these seritonin receptors with antidepressants or psychedelics.

Not everyone will naturally start making there own perfect neurotransmitter cocktail just like not eeveryone will just be able to stop taking insulin and magically be able to make it themselves. Sure. Many can keep their insulin undercontrol with diet and exercise but a selection of the population will just die without insulin.

Please be careful. It is hard to tell what is withdrawl and what is a return of major depression. I can not tell you how many people ive seen in patient with serious psychological issues stopping bexause their well meaning friends and family say the pills are toxic then they come in with cutts all over their arms or attempted suicide.

Thanks, but I don't understand very well, if I am out of depression it would be a good thing stopping Venlafaxine; if the WD has not finished, I should feel worse day by day, right?
anyways, as I said, I am back on the SNRI for the time being. At least for Christmas and New year's to reduce my GAD having to be with my family.

 

[d1nach]

My apologies if I came across in anyway like the doctors. I agree its your body and you should be able to do what you think is best. If the doctors wanted you to stay on your meds instead of saying basically this is complex stuff your too dumb too understand explaining why thry think you should and welcome you to come back anytime if you change your mind.

I would suggest if possible tapering off. I take effexor too though so if yours is like mine I cant split it in half.

 

[MDPV_Psychosis]

You state that the withdrawals are not as bad as written on the internet. That may be because you had only been taking it for 2 months before quitting or your lucky and dont get it as bad as others.

Withdrawals can be just as bad, if not worse, then they are protrayed around the internet.

 

[delphinen]

You state that the withdrawals are not as bad as written on the internet. That may be because you had only been taking it for 2 months before quitting or your lucky and dont get it as bad as others.

Withdrawals can be just as bad, if not worse, then they are protrayed around the internet.

That's totally possible, though I am pretty sure that 2 months+ is enough for the brain to adapt the neuroplasticity to the rate Venlafaxine works.

 

[delphinen]

My apologies if I came across in anyway like the doctors. I agree its your body and you should be able to do what you think is best. If the doctors wanted you to stay on your meds instead of saying basically this is complex stuff your too dumb too understand explaining why thry think you should and welcome you to come back anytime if you change your mind.

I would suggest if possible tapering off. I take effexor too though so if yours is like mine I cant split it in half.

I don't know why you are attacking me, but it's true, I won't WD of Venlafaxine as I did ever again because next time I might not be so "lucky" as my doc said; basically, I feel more creative out of the drug, and for my kind of job that's very important, though, I fear that I could have suicide thoughts again if I drop the drug, so for now I will keep taking it. Also, it keeps me away from Tramadol, I mean, abusing it on my own, and it's obvious why just by reading the Wikipedia on Venlafaxine.
Thanks for your input, though I don't know why the offence.

 

[d1nach]

Sorry I didnt mean to come across as attacking you. I have autism and sometimes i dont communicate very well. I wasnt trying to tell you to stop taking effexor. I take it everyday actually because its greatly reduced my suicidal thoughts and improved my depression. All I meant is if you in the future if you want to stop effexor that you might find it more tolerable tapering off instead of stopping it all at once.

 

[delphinen]

Sorry I didnt mean to come across as attacking you. I have autism and sometimes i dont communicate very well. I wasnt trying to tell you to stop taking effexor. I take it everyday actually because its greatly reduced my suicidal thoughts and improved my depression. All I meant is if you in the future if you want to stop effexor that you might find it more tolerable tapering off instead of stopping it all at once.

Ok, don't worry. Now, it is interesting what you just told, I was put on Venlafaxine instantly after saying to my psychologist that every night I thought about killing myself jumping from the roof of the building, she was extremely worried, I tried to tell her that it was a recurrent thought so please don't be scared, it wasn't something I planned for a specific date, but anyway, she talked with my psychiatrist, and well, as I said, because of my history with some abuse of Tramadol (SNRI+opioid) I was put on Venlafaxine (which is incredible similar in some aspects, but I won't go into detail about this now).

 

[Keif' Richards]

This really is blog material. The experience of withdrawal from drugs is always going to be highly subjective. We can't tell you why you did or didn't experience certain symptoms. It's just not possible. As far as your choice of medication, that is a major life decision. I know a lot of us are nice and helpful, but you should not be asking us to choose how you should be living your life or what emotions you should or shouldn't be experiencing. That's a little crazy I think.

I've read your posts for a while OP and I understand that you've experimented with a great number of different pharmaceuticals. I'm not judging, but I want to make the point that you're probably not even aware of exactly how you feel at this point. It might be a good idea to stop taking all of the other stuff and try maintaining on some more mild psychiatric medications. Not to mention the fact that if you're consuming a lot of different drugs, it's going to be much more difficult to determine what effects are coming from what drug. How will you know what medications you need to keep taking and which ones you need to stop?

Also, I'm not gonna say that you should be dishonest with your prescriber, but I wouldn't volunteer unnecessary details. Sadly, doctors these days are "not on your team" and in my opinion, can't be trusted.

 

[delphinen]

This really is blog material. The experience of withdrawal from drugs is always going to be highly subjective. We can't tell you why you did or didn't experience certain symptoms. It's just not possible. As far as your choice of medication, that is a major life decision. I know a lot of us are nice and helpful, but you should not be asking us to choose how you should be living your life or what emotions you should or shouldn't be experiencing. That's a little crazy I think.

I've read your posts for a while OP and I understand that you've experimented with a great number of different pharmaceuticals. I'm not judging, but I want to make the point that you're probably not even aware of exactly how you feel at this point. It might be a good idea to stop taking all of the other stuff and try maintaining on some more mild psychiatric medications. Not to mention the fact that if you're consuming a lot of different drugs, it's going to be much more difficult to determine what effects are coming from what drug. How will you know what medications you need to keep taking and which ones you need to stop?

Also, I'm not gonna say that you should be dishonest with your prescriber, but I wouldn't volunteer unnecessary details. Sadly, doctors these days are "not on your team" and in my opinion, can't be trusted.

Truth. Thanks for the suggestions.

This week I got into a Venlafaxine WD again and this time, to be exactly yesterday, I DID felt some minor-moderate brain zaps. They felt like blood suddenly reaches your brain by burst, it's just a horrible feeling... still nothing is worse as benzos WD. So I went to my doctor and told her I needed my meds a day before; I was lucky she was in a good mood and accepted very fast, but I can't wait for "my" psychiatrist to come from her vacation and tell her that 75-150mg per day is not cutting it anymore.
However, the point of writing this, is to remind me and anybody who is withdrawing from some drug to be very careful; I thought a lot about symptoms and different events, and I couldn't decipher why I had brain zaps this time while I never did before.