Side effects of Pristiq

Just thought i would mention. An articular has come out in MORE magazine, march issue about women and antidepressants. If you are thinking about quitting I think this articular will give you the push to do so.

I wanted to share my withdrawal symptoms from Prtisiq,
in hopes it will help someone.
My info-
I'm a 35 yo female
Been on pristiq 2.5 yrs
Athletic - workout daily
I don't drink, nor eat meat.
And I stopped taking pristiq cold turkey.
The first day - I had dizzying headaches when I would outside,
or stand up too quickly.
The second day - the headaches lessoned to 2-3 times that day.
The third an fourth day - I maybe had one headache each day.
And that was it.

What I have noticed now that I have been off for two weeks, is my head/thoughts seem more clearer, my happy is more happier.
Although I would not want to take back getting on Prisitq, because nothing, nothing at all helped me get out of my funk.

Another weird thing that I noticed when I was on pristiq, was the tips of my fingers would get numb at times, especially at nite. Now that I am off, I no longer have that sensation, very weird.
All the best to you all.

Update-
I wanted to share my withdrawal symptoms from Pristiq
in hopes it will help someone.

My info-
I'm a 35 yo female
Been on Pristiq 2.5 yrs
Athletic - workout daily & practice yoga
I don't drink alcohol, nor consume meat/dairy.
And I stopped taking Pristiq cold turkey two weeks ago.
The first day - I had dizzying headaches when I would step outside, or stand up too quickly.
The second day - the headaches lessoned to 2-3 times that day.
The third and fourth day - I maybe had one headache each day.
And that was it.

What I have noticed since I have been off for two weeks, is my head/thoughts seem more clearer, my happy is more happier.
Although I would not take back getting on Prisitq, because nothing, nothing at all helped me get out of my funk.
Something weird thing that I noticed when I was on Pristiq, was the tips of my fingers would get numb at times, especially at nite. Now that I am off, I no longer have that sensation, very weird.
All the best to you all.

I hope this will help/encourage somebody who wants to stop taking this drug.
My age:53
General health: good
I have been on Pristiq for 9 months. I was (and still am) on Wellbutrin, but my Dr. thought Pristiq would benefit me in addtion to the Wellbutrin. To be honest, I really didn't feel any better, but I continued taking it. I had always been slim, and within 6 months, I had gained over 20 pounds with no changes in my diet/exercise. Also, I began having high blood pressure for the FIRST time in my life. (BP was normally 110/70 or less), so I had to take bp meds I was frustrated at having to take so many meds . Mainly because of weight gain & BP, I had thought about getting off Pristiq. I woujld have preferred to wean myself from it, but because of miscommunication with my pharmacy & travel, I ended up having to do it cold turkey. The first week was horrible. I was Very dizzy, weak, nauseated, and Very light-headed. I almost gave up, but believe me that I am SO happy I didn't!! I hadn't realized how emotionally numb it had made me! All of a sudden, I was having feelings again -- happy, sad, just NORMAL reactions. I wouldn't recommend the cold turkey method, and I wish I had been able to gradually decrease. But if anyone for some reason HAS to do it that way, I want you to know that I did, & it's possible. I would recommend doing it over a weekend, even taking a few days off work if possible.

I stopped taking Pristiq on 03/08/13. I had been taking it for about 6 months. I stopped taking it because I ran out of medication and didn't have a refill. Also, my doctor had just been arrested and stripped of his medical license for having sex with patients in return for pain pills! Sooooo... needless to say I quit Pristiq cold turkey because I didn't want to go back to that doctor's office for my refill. I had been on Cymbalta for 2 years a few years ago and I stopped them cold turkey as well. And although the withdrawal from Cymbalta was hell... my withdrawal from Pristiq has been a horrible horrible hell. My last pill was on 03/08... well now it's 03/19 and they have not let up a bit. I haven't had any stomach cramps or throwing up or anything like that. I have just had major brain zaps and tingling and dizziness. My brain has been in a fog this whole time and sometimes I feel like I'm dreaming and my brain keeps trying to come to and wake up. I haven't had any loss of sleep. But I have been very very very tired. I could sleep for 15 hours straight and still be tired. All I want to do is sleep. The dizziness and foggy feeling I have is getting really old and sleep is the only time I don't have to feel those feelings! I feel like it's never going to go away. My Cymbalta withdrawals only lasted a few days. I never expected Pristiq withdrawals to last this long. But I will NEVER in my life go on any medication like that again. It isn't worth the withdrawal symptoms.

I am now on day 4 of going off cold turkey!! This is the worst feeling I have ever had. From reading your post I don't have much to look forward to for awhile. Please keep me posted on how things are going. I would NEVER recommend this drug to anyone. I cant seem to get off couch for fear of just falling over with dizziness. My lips tingle every time I try to do too much. I feel like I am going to just pass out. thank you for your post.

Well I went out and bought Women's One A Day multivitamins and for some reason they have curbed my dizziness by a LOT. I read something once about how multivitamins are good for withdrawals but can't remember where I read it. I took one yesterday and today and the difference has been amazing. I can honestly say I feel better now than I have since I stopped taking the Pristiq. I am still a little tired but it could be because I stayed up too late and had to get up too early. So I definitely recommend going and getting yourself some multivitamins and see how that helps. I also read that once you get off of the Pristiq, stay off. Don't give in and take a pill here and there to make your withdrawal symptoms go away. It will wreak havoc on your brain! Stick with it, you will make it!!

I have been off Pristiq for 9 days due to miscommunication between my pharmacy and my doctors office. I feel like I'm going to go crazy with anxiousness, and for the first time my blood pressure has gone from the normal 110/80 which it ALWAYS is, and as of right now is 168/115, and my pulse, resting, is 140. Between this and the feeling that my head is going to explode, I know this is really bad. I just got it refilled today, and took it in the parking lot of the pharmacy. I know that for most people, my blood pressure seems like it isn't high at all, but I am relatively healthy, other than the MS and depression, and work out when I can, my weight is fine for my height (5'8, 131 lbs) and my blood pressure and pulse are usually not an issue. At what point does the blood pressure become dangerous enough for someone without blood pressure issues that I need to address it immediately? I'm assuming it's the Pristiq withdrawl, but if it isn't, I'm in trouble. My head is killing me. I never ever fuss to anyone about my health, good, bad or otherwise, but right now, I'm feeling really strange and again, anxious. Anxious doesn't even seem strong enough to cover it. More like Hysterically on Edge and feeling like I'm about to be killed at any moment. That would be closer to describing the feeling. This is horrible.

I began weening of of Pristiq about a month ago. And although I've had the withdrawl symptoms that others have experienced -- insane fatigue, a lot of dizziness, head aches, nausea, etc, it has been bearable. I've been seeing a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner to help me get off the meds (which I've been on for more than 2 years). We started by taking one pill every other day, then every two days. I took my last pill last Monday. I've also been seeing my therapist, which has also made this transition bearable. The PNP did say it would take a few more months before I can feel absolutely normal.
My suggestion is to make sure you have medical and mental health support when coming off this med. I'm very surprised to hear the other comments from people of how they just stopped taking these meds cold turkey. That's so dangerous, and based on these comments, it is devastating in some ways.

I absolutely have to agree that going cold turkey could be incredibly dangerous. I had no idea what was wrong with me, my meds that I take at night had been in the night meds 14 day box, and I admit, I relied to heavily on my pharmacy and physician to keep the meds filled when they ran out when they always do, and did not pay close attention when putting the meds in the 14 day meds box I bought from the pharmacy, which I've decided not to use anymore. I was so used to picking up one set of meds from a pharmacy I use which was close to my job, and then the other meds from a pharmacy I used when I had to stay home, which is in another city, and was transferring them all to one pharmacy, which had much less personal service, but was open later and on Sundays. I think I'll go with the smaller pharmacy, locally owned, with less hours open, but much better service, and keep them all in one place. My insurance pays the same no matter which pharmacy I use, so that's not an issue. Having to take out each medication bottle at night was a pain, but I would have caught it much sooner had I been doing that. I would have remembered that I had run out of the Pristiq when I filled the 14 day container, which I always did in the evenings, when I was already tired. I would have caught the fact that one of the bottles of meds I always picked up wasn't there. Between that and relying on everything to go as it always had between the pharmacy and my doctor, I put myself through heck and could have caused myself great harm. I had no clue that going through withdraw symptoms from Pristiq would be so rough. I thought it was the milder of the anti-depressants I was on, and didn't think not having it would effect me so negatively. I have been back on it one day, and will take it again tonight and will be relieved when it takes effect again. Going from 100mg per day to none - dangerous. Please don't go off any medication you've been on for any length of time, abruptly. The risks outweigh the benefits you hope to gain.