Connect
← Return to Side effects of Pristiq
Discussion
Comment receiving replies
I am working on it now. My RX for several years was 50mg daily. My Dr. thought take one 50mg every other day for 10 days. Not a good recommendation! I had a lot of symptoms, was thankful that I had read up on it or would have thought myself a hypochondriac. After I researched it and found out 25mg are available to start down the taper and informed him, He had me take the 25mg every day for a week then start at 25mg every other day. I have found my neck tightens up and I ache all over but if I force myself to exercise at least 30 minutes I can work my way through the strange symptoms. I have a stressful job and when I get in the zone which I think causes my own neurotransmitters to kick in I feel better. My spouse has had to listen to me whine a bit as the brain zap (electrical type feelings and the headaches are whineable) I think it is a good medication but much harder to go off than zoloft or lexapro. Oh and I had some insomnia but that has passed shortly. I would have been frightened if I hadnt read a bunch of these forums. I am going off of it because I think it is causing some issues with my salivary glands under the jaw swelling and hurting off and on due to the decrease in the production of saliva. Be good to yourself during this time. Lots of sunshine and exercise and water if at all possible.
Replies to "I am working on it now. My RX for several years was 50mg daily. My Dr...."
Connect
@solveig, @netty, I am curious how you both are doing with withdrawing from Pristiq. I am 70, fully retired, and otherwise in good health although very over weight. I was on 50 mg Pristiq for probably 14 years now. It was necessary when I started, I suffered form anxiety and depression along with menopause, and it saw me through some very difficult times. For several reasons, my doctor and I feel that it is time to stop, so about 3 months ago he prescribed the 25mg dose with instructions to take it for aboutt 21/2 weeks, then take it every other day for about same amount of time, then stop. He admitted that he was not familiar with this particular SNRI, so we've been flying by the seat of our pants. I had no major problems taking the 25 mg, but taking it every other day was horrible- I felt like a pingpong ball -experiencing "brain zaps" and dizziness, appetite swings, body aches and mental lassitude, a bit better the next day , then even worse the following. In frustration, I decided to cut the 25 mg in half and take it dally for about 3 weeks. I then cut the pills in 1/4 for another week with few side affects (I know I wasn't getting even doses, but I wanted wean myself off slowly.) That helped, so 10 days ago I stopped completely. No brain zaps, but spells of vertigo, terrible memory fog, body aches, insomnia. There are days when I think I am moving past this, but then I'll have a terrible day with all the symptoms. My son & daughter-in-law, both mental health professionals, say there is very little research about going off these types of SNRI's and it could take 1 -2 months to "re-wire" my brain. I hope there is light at the end of the tunnel. i get discouraged and sometimes wonder if I should resume at 25 mg to stop this mental and physical withdrawal. Hope things are improving for you