1. < Depression & Anxiety

Like Pristiq, but feel as though I have no drive since I've been on it

Posted by hcopeland75 @hcopeland75, Jun 3, 2013

I have been on Pristiq now for over two years 50mg. I am wanting to get off of it but not sure how I should go about it. I have heard about "Brain Zaps" and not quite sure what that means. Although I like Pristiq, I feel as though I have no drive to do anything since I have been on it. Has anyone else had this feeling?

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ggmarie | @ggmarie | Jun 17, 2013
In reply to @ggmarie "Ok, first talk to your doctor. I was on 50mg for 2 1/2 years and then..." + (show)
@ggmarie

Ok, first talk to your doctor. I was on 50mg for 2 1/2 years and then 100mg for 6 mo. The feeling you are having are common. Check out the Pristiq withdrawal discussion board. You are not alone!!! I am now no longer on Pristiq and took my final pill 4 weeks ago. I started feeling happy about life again about 2 weeks ago. Yes you will have withdrawal symptoms and brain zaps. The brain zaps are your neurotransmitters firing in your brain and you can hear them and feel them. I stopped the medication because even I started noticing that something had really changed in me after my doctor upped my dosage. I was having hyperhidrosis (heavy sweating). It took me 3 weeks to taper off but now I am getting my groove back. I felt like you, no drive for anything. Emotionally I felt flat and I knew it was not good. You must taper off Pristiq as it changes your brain chemistry and you have to give it time to get back to normal. Do not go cold turkey because of the bad symptoms you can have. When you read the other discussion board you will see how others have tapered off. I love my doctor, but these medications are not for long term use and should be monitored better. You do not want Seratonin Syndrome which can be caused from long term use of this classification type drug. My doc wanted me to taper for only a week, but that really scared me so I came up with my own after reading what others had done. Check out this link to read about this drug and then talk to your doctor about getting off of it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin-norepinephrine_reuptake_inhibitor
Good luck to you and let me know how you are!

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Good morning....well today is my first appointment to see my doctor since I have gone off Pristiq. Actually I am feeling so good again and I am looking forward to tell him about it. The weight gain is now my biggest issue. I had gained 20# since last year and the scale is on a constant roller coaster. I am glad to hear that you are feeling better too. The dizziness will subside and your emotions will get in balance again. The biggest change for me is wanting to do things again as you mentioned. I had become such a slug, that I know that also contributed to my weight gain. My husband and I both have motorcycles and I had to stop riding because of the dizziness. So now we are out riding again and that is something that I have missed so much. I am so glad that we both are now success stories and that others now can see how life can be good again. How was your week?

REPLY
hcopeland75 | @hcopeland75 | Jun 17, 2013
In reply to @ggmarie "Ok, first talk to your doctor. I was on 50mg for 2 1/2 years and then..." + (show)
@ggmarie

Ok, first talk to your doctor. I was on 50mg for 2 1/2 years and then 100mg for 6 mo. The feeling you are having are common. Check out the Pristiq withdrawal discussion board. You are not alone!!! I am now no longer on Pristiq and took my final pill 4 weeks ago. I started feeling happy about life again about 2 weeks ago. Yes you will have withdrawal symptoms and brain zaps. The brain zaps are your neurotransmitters firing in your brain and you can hear them and feel them. I stopped the medication because even I started noticing that something had really changed in me after my doctor upped my dosage. I was having hyperhidrosis (heavy sweating). It took me 3 weeks to taper off but now I am getting my groove back. I felt like you, no drive for anything. Emotionally I felt flat and I knew it was not good. You must taper off Pristiq as it changes your brain chemistry and you have to give it time to get back to normal. Do not go cold turkey because of the bad symptoms you can have. When you read the other discussion board you will see how others have tapered off. I love my doctor, but these medications are not for long term use and should be monitored better. You do not want Seratonin Syndrome which can be caused from long term use of this classification type drug. My doc wanted me to taper for only a week, but that really scared me so I came up with my own after reading what others had done. Check out this link to read about this drug and then talk to your doctor about getting off of it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin-norepinephrine_reuptake_inhibitor
Good luck to you and let me know how you are!

Jump to this post

That is awesome to hear!!! I am so glad that you are getting back to feeling like yourself. Last week was better than the week before. My dizziness is now gone for the most part. It is funny because I had no idea about the side effects of this medicine until I decided to get off of it! I was only getting off because my insurance only covers 50% of non generic meds. I couldn't afford it. When I started researching how to taper off I discovered these forums and found out so much! I am so grateful to everyone on here! Without you I might have never known! My appitite is back to the way it was...when I was on Pristiq I never seemed to be full:( It is such a great feeling to know it wasn't me it was the meds!!! Just knowing that is pulling me through!!!

REPLY
jslove224 | @jslove224 | Dec 22, 2022
In reply to @hcopeland75 "Thank you very much! It is such a great feeling to know that I am not..." + (show)
@hcopeland75

Thank you very much! It is such a great feeling to know that I am not alone on this journey! I Agree with you I do not want to take any more medicine! I have been on one or another AD for almost 25 years now! It is time to take control!

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How are you doing off meds? I know this is old. But thought I would ask.

REPLY
birdiemomma | @birdiemomma | Jan 13, 2023
In reply to @ggmarie "Ok, first talk to your doctor. I was on 50mg for 2 1/2 years and then..." + (show)
@ggmarie

Ok, first talk to your doctor. I was on 50mg for 2 1/2 years and then 100mg for 6 mo. The feeling you are having are common. Check out the Pristiq withdrawal discussion board. You are not alone!!! I am now no longer on Pristiq and took my final pill 4 weeks ago. I started feeling happy about life again about 2 weeks ago. Yes you will have withdrawal symptoms and brain zaps. The brain zaps are your neurotransmitters firing in your brain and you can hear them and feel them. I stopped the medication because even I started noticing that something had really changed in me after my doctor upped my dosage. I was having hyperhidrosis (heavy sweating). It took me 3 weeks to taper off but now I am getting my groove back. I felt like you, no drive for anything. Emotionally I felt flat and I knew it was not good. You must taper off Pristiq as it changes your brain chemistry and you have to give it time to get back to normal. Do not go cold turkey because of the bad symptoms you can have. When you read the other discussion board you will see how others have tapered off. I love my doctor, but these medications are not for long term use and should be monitored better. You do not want Seratonin Syndrome which can be caused from long term use of this classification type drug. My doc wanted me to taper for only a week, but that really scared me so I came up with my own after reading what others had done. Check out this link to read about this drug and then talk to your doctor about getting off of it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin-norepinephrine_reuptake_inhibitor
Good luck to you and let me know how you are!

Jump to this post

I have been on desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) for quite some time and had it upped to 150mg. I'm glad you mentioned hyperhidrosis! I've been experiencing that for some time and couldn't seem to figure out what might be causing it! I'll have to check into it as I've been chalking it up to long COVID symptoms.

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