Venlafaxine/Pregabalin - Experienced - Venlafaxine CAN be abused- here's how.

[delphinen]

First of all, I probably am lucky and have many CYP2D6 alleles, because I get ultra high with 500mg Codeine and even more with 500mg Tramadol. I ALWAYS take some anticonvulsant, even when I take Codeine.

Well, about Venlafaxine. My doctor gives me lots of 75mg instant release Venlafaxine because I happen to be Bipolar II with clinical depression- because Venlafaxine is only for the depression, he also gives me a good amount of 75 Pregabalin, and some 10mg Diazepam because of my benzo addiction.
On weekends, like today, I take around 375mg Venlafaxine (no more, no less), 325mg Pregabalin, and 10mg Diazepam. I take these meds slowly, one pill every half an hour. First I get an amphetamine-like rush probably thanks to the SNDRI properties of the Venlafaxine, and I don't know why, mixed with Pregabalin gets more intense and at the same time smooth. The little 10mg Diazepam also helps.
After 5-6 hours, I begin feeling the opioid feeling even when I'm sit on the computer. Later, when it gets late or I'm tired, the opioid feeling lying on a bed gets really intense, I can only describe it as a mix between Codeine and Tramadol- you DO NOT want to get out of bed because it feels SO good.

So that's it. Please, if you're going to abuse Venlafaxine, make sure to take a good amount of anticonvulsants. And I can assure you, if you have patience, and take a large amount, it feels great.

Tagged by Xorkoth
substancecode_venlafaxine
substancecode_antidepressants
substancecode_pharms
substancecode_pregabalin
substancecode_gabapentinoids
_combo_
explevel_experienced
exptype_positive
roacode_oral

 

[Ain'tLifeGrand]

I feel like taking venlafaxine does go well with my morning dose of Adderall XR. Seems to help it kick in.

 

[dopamimetic]

It is a special one of the antidepressants, but you must have special CYP configuration for sure too. I have been on 300mg XR/d and it wasn't anything special - as you say you take the meds slowly, but 75mg every 30min very probably still leads to higher plasma levels than what I had. The specialty of venlafaxine lies for me in that it works almost immediately, effects can be felt on days 1-3 - not the full antidepressant efficacy which is a questionable thing by itself but a hint of psychoactivity which can at least .. well, induce some hope. Also it doesn't share the initial worsening of anxiety etc. for me at least, that others like citalopram can do in a pretty bad way..

Ok, I recognize that every of the ADs is 'special' to a certain degree. Have to say it's the one of these I know that subjectively feels the best tolerated, while still having noticeabe effects (e.g. opipramole is super well tolerated, it just does nothing).
Paroxetine made me bipolar-alike and then psychotomimetic from sleep deprivation, it kept me awake all night for 7-10d, zopiclon gave some nice CEVs but did nothing to the sleep.. stopped it then, as I saw/felt street lights "falling down" on me or the sofa tilting 45degrees backwards and the like.. was 14 years ago, then I was heavily sensitive to most psychoactives so might be different today,

Sertraline made lingering psychotic symptoms much worse but did nothing as an antidepressant (200mg/d).

Really wondering about Fluvoxamine, with its unique sigma agonism. Said to be good for obsessive compulsive disorder.

Sorry, back to venlafaxine. Nowadays here the instant release variant has been withdrawn, but years ago the 37.5mg tablets were available as a withdrawal aid, what was what I got them for too but had most of the package left.
After some time of abstinence I tried it, and felt a specific effect which was different than even the first day of using XR venlafaxine. I don't remember too much, neither about the dosages used, I was pretty conservative then and probably did at most 75 or 107.5mg, so it only relly worked the first attempt.. but yay it had a nice feeling.

Yet opioid effects... it's a relatively close cousin of tramadol, but everywhere you can read that with venlafaxine any opioidergic activity has been modeled out. Might there be a metabolite, which usually remains to be a minor / trace one, but in some rare cases like with the OP, become much more abundant and has opioid affinity?
Maybe this could also explain some part of why venlafaxine has among the worst of SSRI withdrawal syndrome and indeed besides the brain zaps, when stopping abruptly from high dosages, there are also classical withdrawal symptoms. Runny nose, coldness, anxiety, shivering, etc..

 

[Jack123456]

First of all, I probably am lucky and have many CYP2D6 alleles, because I get ultra high with 500mg Codeine and even more with 500mg Tramadol. I ALWAYS take some anticonvulsant, even when I take Codeine.

Not sure if you take opioids regularly, if not, 500mg seem high enough doses even without a “fortunate“ genetic makeup (and risky, the mixture of benzo.and opiate is going to pose its own risk, even if it would reduce the increased seizure potential of
> 400+mg tramadol).

 

[Aeon Psyche]

I still don't see how venlafaxine could get you high : s

 

[TheTwighlight]

Every morning I take venlafaxine XR 300mg + gabapentin 800mg + some caffeine @~7am and by 8:30am I am zooming. I have noticed this amphetamine-type effect for a while now, and now I know I'm not alone.

I was switched to duloxetine 120mg/day + amitriptyline 150mg/day after being on the famous California Rocket Fuel combo for a while, because I am a chronic pain patient. I just switched back to venlafaxine + amitriptyline (for chronic migraines) + mirtazapine, because for me, not only was CRF by far the most efficacious antidepressant cocktail I'd ever been on, I can say that duloxetine was not effective at all for neuropathy (fibromyalgia + nerve damage from my surgeries). The amitriptyline, strangely enough, helped with my lower back pain but not at all for my neck or shoulder pain (weird). It has definitely helped with light and sound sensitivity. I would go up from this dose but 150mg is the max. I was taken off nortriptyline cold turkey 5 years ago because my doctor had found out that it was cardiotoxic. Now I'm kinda like, even if amitriptyline is cardiotoxic (I know nortriptyline is a metabolite), I would rather stay on it than be off it. It doesn't sedate me or help with sleep.

Cool.

 

[delphinen]

I have been switched to Venlafaxine XR... I am on 225mg and I feel ok, kinda speedy, but "lighter" than with the IR one, and no headaches!
I have seen that the only difference is that the XR version comes in capsules in form of "pearls", but they can be crushed even with the teeth and let dissolve beneath the tongue so whatever.
I am as usual on Pregabalin too (300mg for now) and 30mg Diazepam.
Making some coffee right now. Life is good.

 

[tommygirl]

I've been on duloxetine for depression for about 6 weeks but my doctor is thinking about switching me to venlafaxine since the duloxetine hasn't really been helping me. I don't have any pregabalin or diazepam but I do have gabapentin and lorazepam, this might be worth some experimentation.