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SUCCESS STORY HERE!!!
I am on day 11 of being Pristiq free!
After reading the forums, I was overwhelmed with information. I had no idea that this medication was so horrible to stop taking. I had been taking it for well over 5 years. I was having a difficult time with situational depression and then just kept taking it. Life will always have something to throw my way, so I just kept filling the script. I didn't want to go on another med to get off a med, it just didn't make sense.
There were so many suggestions on here on what people had tried to do. It's a travesty of justice that the medical profession doesn't have accountability when prescribing to have an exit strategy as well. This pill doesn't come with one.
I tried taking one pill every other day for a few days, then just decided cold turkey was my best option. I informed my husband as well as a coworker of the possible side effects I had read about. I was fully aware that this could be risky, but it motivated me all the more to pull the plug and get it out of my system. Taking one every other day or cutting them seemed to have it's own realm of problems.
Even after taking for over 5 years, I haven't had any horrible symptoms as I've read other's experiencing. I haven't had any brain zaps,dizziness, lack of energy, etc. I believe after reading so many negatives, it helped that I was so determined to make this a positive experience. I also think your brain can trick you into being submissive to letting go of something you think is helping you to not feel depressed. I can't miss a week of work to lay in bed! I made myself more active also. Spent more time working in my garden, reading during my lunch breaks at the park, etc.
Let me also add for those thinking I have it too easy. My 16 year old daughter just informed me 4 days ago that she's going to live with her dad. It has been several days of trauma and drama. I made it through it. I'm at work, I'm dealing with it. I'm moving forward. I'm ok. I'm in charge of my life and my body.
Keep in mind that when I read through hundreds of these posts I couldn't find one person that said they came off this med without horror stories. So, here's one story.... so far so good. 11 days in and I'm not going back, not ever. My energy level (which I thought Pristiq was helping) is gaining momentum again. Oh yeah.... and these pills will dull sensations in your sex drive.... that comes back too!! BONUS!
I trust in my body and my brain and I listen to what it is telling me. I'm shocked that I'm not having adverse results, but I'm thriving in the success... not looking for the failure.
Good luck everyone. I hope this one small bit of success gives someone else the hope to know there is a way out.
Replies to "SUCCESS STORY HERE!!! I am on day 11 of being Pristiq free! After reading the forums,..."
I'm so thankful to read a positive about going off of this med. I've only been on it 50mg for 10 months but the past 2 months I've been flat, blah and nothing is stimulating at all. My DR requested I begin tapering (every other day) the med today (a weekend day). By noon I wasn't feeling right so I looked up effects of going off Pristiq and found this blog. Needless to say at 1 o'clock I took a pill because of fear of the scary results. I'm going to talk to my DR again Monday about a cold turkey approach. Thanks for the positive post and lending hope that I might have a successful story in a couple of weeks.
Same here! I posted the most recent reply to the entire blog post at the top. I have been on it about the same time frame you have, and recently I'm emotionally dead. This past week in particular I wake up fine and by the evening I'm a disaster. I can't gather a thought or explain why I'm irritated. This is not me. I am afraid to talk to my doctor because at one point, she suggested I cut it in half, and clearly that's a no-no. I have 20 mg Prozac left from last year, but I don't want to "switch" right away and then wean off that if it isn't a good idea. No one seems to know since there is no medical standard for tapering. I'm looking into compounding but I'm afraid of what the cost may be. UGH. I hope we both can find a solution. Looking forward to your progress/update soon!
Thanks for the reply. I don't think I'm afraid of brain zaps but I'm terrified of headaches. I'm a past migraine sufferer. I also don't want to fall back into sleepless nights but I know I have to get off this drug so I can begin living again. Compounding might not be that expensive if you already have the medication. I like that AngieK only did every other day for a few days then cold turkey. If my DR says I can do that then I will and just deal with the side effects. I've never been on Prozac but I did wean off Effexor about 5 years ago with only weird ear (tunnel sounds & what felt like congestion). I'd like to be free from anti depressants all together. Pristiq got me thru a very difficult winter which I'm thankful for but if I knew about this whole problem trying to get off of it, I'm not sure if I would've said yes to begin with. Have you ever been on Serzone? A friend of mine has been on several different anti depressants & says that this is a tried and true help for her. Keep me updated on your progress also.
So happy for you! I'm going to try today to not take the pristiq for my first day of every other then talk to my DR tomorrow regarding cold turkey in a week or so. Soon to have a life back!!! Thanks for positive post. It really has helped. I know this drug helped me thru a bad winter and I thought at first it was perfect for me but the past 2 months I've been flat, no energy, moody with listlessness. I hope to be a success story like you. ;0) To continued success.....cheers.
Hello again. Another update. 2nd day off pristiq "cold turkey". First day (yesterday) not too bad for most of the day, then mid evening I had a rip roaring headache (more muscle tension than regular migraine pain). Went to bed earlier than normal after taking Motrin, an ice pack on head and a tiny little bit of bonine (travel sickness med which I took as preventative for sleeplessness & dizziness which I hadn't exhibited). Slept like a baby with many strange mixed up dreams. Woke up feeling a little groggy (due to the bonine). Absolutely no negative withdrawel symptoms today. Hoping this will continue. Follow up in a couple more days. I did talk to my MD today and was giving the ok for cold turkey only if I'd decided not to return to pristiq again down the road. I said absolutely YES I will never take the med again.
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I'm now 1 month off of Pristiq. I'm so very thankful that I'm off. Energy level is still coming back. I will never go on an antidepressant again. Going cold turkey worked for me. I didn't have any of the brain zaps or other horrible things I see a lot of people have had. I have been keeping physically active which helps a lot. I was using energy drinks previously to help me keep up with my busy lifestyle, I have cut way back on them. I was often taking 2 forms of them a day.
I feel way less susceptible to mood swings now, and am able to regulate my moods much easier without so much stress. Wonder what Pristiq did in the first place?