I was on Effexor 150mg for 10 years and wanted to be drug free. The Dr. said it would be a difficult withdrawal process and suggested I get on Pristiq as it would be easier to withdraw from. What a nightmare! I switched on November 28th from Effexor 150mg to Pristiq 100mg and after 3 weeks went down to 50 mg and then cut in 1/2 (25mg) for 3 days. I've had it... I didn't take any last night. I am at work and feeling so dizzy. What should I do? I need to get through this. I don't want this poison in my body any longer. Can I take anything for dizziness?
Stopped taking Pristiq - how long before dizziness goes away?
Question posted by esanchez928 on 14 Jan 2010
Last updated on 23 September 2019
9 Answers
Armcg
20 Jan 2019
I took Pristiq for about a year and a half. I recently tapered myself off Pristiq over the course of a month (took a half dose for a month), and now I’ve been completely off for about 3 weeks. I’ve been experiencing pretty severe depression, and I’m not sure if it’s a withdrawal symptom or something else. Has anyone else experienced this and how long did it take for you to feel better?
Uniqua
6 Oct 2018
I have been on pristiq 50mg for 10 years ..i always felt dizzy when it came time to take my pill as i was getting ammuned to the drug and it was wearing off within a 24 hr period. i told my dr, they recommended doubling it .. i said wont this just make it worse if i end up getting used to the higher dose too they said maybe but it could help the dizziness side effect for now so I declined to try that... waited a few months and decided i was sick of getting dizzy at the end of everyday and wanted to see if i could handle getting off of the drug ... i started taking a pill 50mg every other day and on the opposing days taking a half a pill( they arent supposed to be broken in half but i did it with my pill cutter anyway cause you NEED to be weaned off this drug) i did this for a month, my dizziness got worse ... then went to just taking a half a pill everyday ...
then discussed with my dr that i was weaning myself off and she told me they just came out with a ((((((25 mg )))))) JUST for weaning off this drug so i started taking that which was the same dose as i had been taking just a more accurate amount for a few weeks ... then started breaking that in half for a few weeks ... then breaking the HALF in half so i was taking a quater of a 25 mg pill for a few weeks ... i decided about a week ago to stop all together ... i have had a lot of mood swings through this process, a lot of SUDDEN sadness and a little anxiety not to mention EXTREAME dizziness! I am still feeling these symptoms and also am just waiting to see how long this is going to last ... i think its important to learn how to cope with lifes sadness and depression and grow from it ... the medications are just a crutch that i dont think should be used for extended periods of time ... im mad i got put on this at such a young age and was told to take it for so long ...
Steve85
1 July 2018
I’ve been on this for 4 years, 150mg a day. I decided a few weeks ago that this drug was musking underlying issues and because of that I wasn’t dealing with the problem. I experienced the same terrible physical feelings everyone experiences when you miss a day, I think the worst was the nightmares though. I had never had a nightmare in my life until the first time I missed a day (I was 30 at the time), it was terrifying. There are so many side effects I want to talk about but we all know about them. Anyway, I started weaning off them 3 weeks ago and then I got sent away for work for the week... I didn’t take any with me. The last week has been the hardest in my life, I’ve been tempted to get back on just to stop the withdrawals. Reading this has at least reassured me that what I’m experiencing is normal.
My advise to anyone who’s doctor is advising this drug or any antidepressant, see if you can fix the problem by seeing a psychologist first. Don’t mask it!
GraceJ
9 April 2018
How are you doing now? I’ve been on 200mg Pristiq for depression for about 2.5 months. Too many side effects. Six days ago I halved it, three days ago halved it again. Now taking 50mg in hopes I can get off this crap. For the last 2 days have experienced light headedness, been so dizzy all I could do is lay around and had stomach pains and diahorrea.
Came here to be comforted by your stories of recovering from this drug. Hope this dizziness goes away soon! Have to work tomorrow and since my work is very physical (cleaning), worried I’ll make myself sicker.
A class action against Pfizer sounds good. This stuff is toxic af.
Bruce790
29 Dec 2017
Prostique is a terrible drug to come off. I think the manufacturers should be looking down the barrel of a class action for releasing such a drug onto the market. Anyway here is my story. After many years of cannabis use I developed depression and in the 90s was put on Prozac. After 20 years my doctor put me on Pristiq. I was taking 100mg every morning and unlike Prozac where I would start getting withdrawals a week after my last does, Pristiq starts quite sudden and severe withdrawals by early evening if you miss the morning dose.
I decided that I did not want to live like this, after distressing my life, I did not want to be taking this type of medication for the rest of my life. So I decided to get off it and it wasn't as bad as I thought. I have gone 36 hours without any and had not withdrawals. This is how I did it. Initially a dragged my regular time I took it out till early evening just when withdrawals started. I continued this, dragging it out later and later until bedtime even about midnight. I then continued this regime but bit the tablet in half and did this for about 5 days. BUT what I also did, when I felt the onset of withdrawals in early evening I would have two or three glasses of red wine, Pinot Noir, the affect of the alcohol blocked the nastiness of the withdrawals. I don't think I would have been able to stand the initial withdrawals without the buffer of some alcohol.
I'm feeling good, I sense my libido is returning and my blood pressure is dropping.
Good luck to all you people that are in the grip of this heinous drug and wish to quit it. I suggest you give my method a try and see how you go.
Bruce790
1 Jan 2018
I have been complete off for 5 days and I swear my withdrawals at e get th ing worse. It's day 6 and I now have continual brain zaps. This drug is very dangerous.
critchsu
21 Jan 2018
I have been on Pristique since early December 2017 as I had to change anti-depressants as Cymbalta was hard to get at the chemist. I have found Pristique to be absolutely terrible and now trying to get it off for over 3 weeks and have had dizziness, nausea, feeling off balance, anxious, still depressed, crying a lot. I'm taking it alternate days, can't function properly, can only do what I can, fortunately not having to work much right now. And probably off to the doctor again to make sure it's not something else more serious. This drug should be banned!
laffing1
15 Feb 2018
I was put on Pristiq because of menopausal hot flashes. When I went to wean myself off, I was a bear and for the sake of my marriage, I went back on. Been on for almost 7 years now and decided it’s time to say goodbye. What type of HELL have I descended into?! The withdrawals are the absolute worst. I weaned fro 100 mg to 50 mg, then cut in half and went down to 25 mg. Took that for about 10 days and stopped altogether since I ran out of pills and didn’t want to pay $50 for pills I’m cutting into quarters and getting rid of. Well, I’ve been completely bedridden for 2 days now. I can’t stand up or even turn my head without the severe vertigo!! My ears are ringing sooooooo loudly, and I’m not sure but I think it even hurts to blink. I’m getting weird brain pulsing, not a zap but more of a really, really dizzy pulsation. What do I do now? I do not want to go back in the other direction. All of this for hot flashes back then?! Ludicrous. Suffering greatly over here.
ElizabethL
17 Feb 2018
Hi Bruce, I’m on day 4 of tapering off of 50mg. Doctor advised to do every other day but I don’t understand how you ever get it out of your system if you just ingesting it every other day. What do you mean above by dragging your time out later and later each day? Thanks for your help.
laffing1
17 Feb 2018
OK, so day three Pristiq free came and went. Had to go to sleep with legs elevated ... pins and needle feeling in both feet and both legs from the knees down felt like they were bashed with a baseball bat. Very achy, internal bruised feeling. Couldn’t bear to have my feet even touching the mattress, so elevated they were! Vertigo is still there and I’ve perfected the art of getting out of bed (roll onto stomach and slither down the side and stand up) and the art of driving (to take daughter to doctor). New symptom in my head ... can only describe this one as being like having an old camera inside my head and the flash going off with a fraction of a second still frame. Is this what they’re calling brain zaps? A very odd, super dizzying feeling but not painful. Anyway, never going back on so I will continue to update and we can figure out how long it will take me to get “out of the woods.” I’m a very strong willed person so I’ll be just fine.
Documenting this here so that others will have an idea once I’m done. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.
laffing1
19 April 2018
Okay. A couple of months have gone by and I’ve just been too busy to document. It took about 2 weeks to be rid of almost all withdrawal symptoms with one additional week of the very rare reminder that I was coming off the medication. Three weeks in all to get back to normal. Thank goodness! Over and done with and never going back.
lucy2012
18 Oct 2012
Hi. It's been 16 days since I started weaning from Prestiq. I have been on it for 5 years. Day 16 I have been without it for 4 days after going every other, every 2 and now I'm up to being without for 4 days. I still have nausea and dizziness and headaches. I too wish I knew how much longer I have to suffer.
lizzard7991
22 March 2012
I decided to stop taking Pristiq due to extreme constipation and lack of sexual desire. Started taking it mainly due to always feeling tired and achey. The drug helped a GREAT deal with those. Doctor put me on Wellbutrin and told me to let the Wellbutrin build up in my system before taking myself off Pristiq. 5 days Pristiq free. So far my only side effect has been being very jittery. This just started about two hours ago.
Kelster
23 April 2012
Well – I’ve decided to stop taking PRISTIQ. I’ve been taking PRISTIQ for about three years now. I have gained about 50 lbs., most around my mid-section. I look like I’m pregnant. I had initially started taking PRISTIQ due to anxiety and depression, which helped out a great deal. However, I am at the point, where I want to control these disorders naturally. By meditation, acupuncture, or herbal remedies. I haven’t taken my meds since Saturday, April 21, the day I got Acupuncture, which is still questionable. It has been two days, and I feel really dizzy and nausea. I tried taking some ginger to help me the nausea, and it’s working a little bit, but now I’m really dizzy. What should I do ?
greenruby
29 Aug 2012
This was a while ago for you, how are things now?
I've been a lab rat for more then 20 years suffering with depression, anxiety, panic, bipolar you name it i've been diagnosed with and given numerous drugs for. They would work for awhile and then stop or so I would think.
Effexor/Pristiq have been the worse expecially getting off of. Didn't even know Pristiq was like Effexor, would have said no way right from the start. Had my son 14 months ago and was completely drug free until about 6 months ago when I started getting this fuzzy werid stuff happening in my brain and body. So I put my symtoms into google and it said aniexty/panic disorder. So the new doctor put me on 50mg Pristiq, that day it went away and things were fine for a bit until I started feeling werid again,plus I still wasn't sleeping well. So he upped the dose to 100mg cause you can only go up by 50mg and also gave me abilify for sleep.
Yeah right was sicker then a dog, thought I would die with heart attack that night and stopped taking the abilify. Got used to the extra Pristiq and yup started feeling weird again... so I said forget this crap, sick of allowing this to control me, stopped taking the one 50mg cold turkey and yes more of the werid fuzzy, eyes flicking,heart palpations, brain feeling like it's zigging and swimming almost like I was on some serious street drug gone bad./on a roller coaster where my heart falls into my stomach, nausea. Okay so one thing that was mentioned to me through theripy that wasn't mentioned before was ADHD didn't think I had it as a child but my daughter has it and I definately have some symtoms... so tried taking 5mg of Ritalin morning and afternoon and it's helped a bit. I have cleaned more of my house in the last two weeks then I have in the last two years :) Okay so I thought maybe this will help me wean of the other 50mg cause like I said you can't get any lower of this drug and you can't cut it. So for the past three days I haven't taken the Pristiq. Yup still all the werid stuff but just a bit different. I think I was excepting of the unexpected, also I have turned to God and have been praying on my knees for help and sometimes I think he hears me. Anyways SORRY know this is really long but I'm just frustrated and angry with all this crap... why can't I just been feel normal for once. I've gained tonnes of weight, I don't want affection forget about sex, if I don't have constipation then diarreha, nausea big time probable cause my head is swimming for it's life. These medications are supposed to make us better but in the end it's making everything worse. Is there a herbal appoarch? Can God really help? Can we learn to just WILL ourselves better? Wow!!! p.s. For those of you just starting medication expecially Pristiq/Effexor really read up on them all and think do I really want to do this to my body/mind. There has got to be another way... Help!!
greenruby
29 Aug 2012
Sorry forget to answer the question... so far there is no end to the feelings in my head...
Kelster
29 Aug 2012
Well - I'm much better now. I've started taking herbs to help maintain the side effects; like headaches, tiredness, depression, etc., Also, I've incorporated soem aromatherapy into my daily routine. I have a humidifier, and I add lavendar to it every other night. In addition, to other herbal supplements like skullcap flowering herb, oat seed, St. John's Wort, celery seed, and lavendar flower, just to name a few. I exercise about 30 to 45 minutes, twice a week. My husband said I seem so much better without it.
Priss
24 May 2011
I recently decided to go drug free from Pristiq. I have only been on this for two and a half mths. when i started my taper everything seems fine until two days ago. Terrible dizziness almost to point i couldn't drive. i had periods(multiple) electric shock type sensations on the bottom of my feet, hands, mouth, tongue, chest and legs. This was so scarey! I thought i was going crazy. Yesterday, i woke up with terrible vomiting and dizziness and of course tears. I am a nurse and i have seem patient go thru dt's i feel like a heroin addict. Also, i began to have terrible joint pain in my rt hand about a mth and a half ago. Having a terrible time grasping. Pls i would love more feed back on your experience with Pristiq it might help me answer some questions.
notdepressed
25 May 2013
i'm so thankful for this site! I've been on this poison for over 5 years @ 300mg a day! yes, i'm having the same problems as you are... i found a new doctor & she ran all sorts of tests... so, i was diagnosed as bi-polar, PTSD, & severe depression 13 years ago because my fiancee disappeared(broken heart) & went from a very active & social person to a literal "junkie" because of those psy. docs. not taking the time to get to the problem. anyway, when my new doc started asking the right questions... ie. those "electric shocks" or "lightening" strikes in my head(painless)... she discovered i'm narcoleptic... not depressed! so i've been trying to go off these too... today is day 2 completely off & other than the non stop shaking,crying,& now the severe stiffness & pain in my muscles & joints as well as freaky dreams & the over all feeling of "yuck"... i'm ok.
i'd just like to know how long before i can move again... pristiq has ruined my life & over all health... my body is 150# overweight & since i'm a musician & entertainer... not being able to move myself around or even see the music isn't such a good thing. i've never done drugs to begin with so i've no idea what to do. be careful... ask questions... get answers... then ask someone else!
anniemal
24 March 2011
I really have no answer for you as I am myself in the - tedious process - of withdrawing from my 50mg daily Pristiq dose. It has been now over a month that I began this process (following a chart given by my physician), and even though I finished and have been completely off the drug for 5 days now, I am still experiencing very strong side effects: dizziness, ringing in my ears and terrible stiffness in my muscles and joints. This drug is a poison our bodies became "addicted" to and we are now suffering withdrawal effects, similar to the ones felt by people on street drugs! I feel so mad and I am going to call my doctor, although I doubt that he can do anything...
Bonniecow
7 Jan 2017
Off pristine for 2 days! So nasty and dizzy, pill is horrible. Once I'm off, if I can get off, no more for me! How is everyone else weaning off? Good luck to you all
Bonniecow
7 Jan 2017
I have been on this like 8 yrs, just want off
egoodrich
30 Aug 2017
I am now on day 8 of withdraws from Pristiq. This has been a nightmare. I unfortunately am still experiencing "Brain Zaps" very frequently but am happy to say after day 7 I am no longer really experiencing much dizziness. If I could tell people to steer clear of Venlefexine and Divenlefexine I would. The withdraws from these medications are not warned and the withdraws are devastating, EVEN if you are weaning.
Susananddon
23 Sep 2019
I’ve been taking 50 mg of pristiq for 5 months. How do I wean off for no withdrawals?
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