Venlafaxin withdrawal, anxiety and insomnia

[[Ve...]]

Hello everybody,

since you guys probably have a lot of experience with anxiety and insomnia, I wanted to ask for help here as well (besides surviving antidepressants).

I took Venlafaxin for 18 years and tried a psychiatrist led taper during the last months, which was much too fast. I didn't know that it is not good to endure withdrawal (mainly brain zaps, depression and crying spells) and reinstated much too late about 3 weeks ago (and maybe also at a dose too high). Withdrawal symptoms basically went away with reinstation but now I am suffering a lot from anxiety and insomnia. Interestingly the 4 weeks I was completely off Venlafaxin before reinstation I slept like a baby compared to now and although I was experiencing withdrawal. Venlafaxin is supposed to be one of the antidepressants causing the most sleeping problems. 

I really don't know what to do now. I get about 4 hours of shallow sleep per night. If I rest a lot before and I am lucky and in bed early I sometimes get 5 hours of shallow sleep. Around 4 and 5 am every morning cortisol kicks in. I have a family and problems and work are waiting around me that I can't cope with right now.

I have a sleep mask and ear plugs. I tried CBT-I but I don't think I can do it. I lie too much awake and then I am supposed to get up while having only 5.5 hours bedtime allowed...basically after 2 nights I am done.

I am thinking about taking a sleep drug (zolpidem?) at least every second or third night, going to a clinic or trying to reduce or switch the antidepressant.

If you know what could be done, please help me.

[[Co...]]

Hello @[Ve...]. Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

I suffered from insomnia in reaction to withdrawal of Rivotril (clonazepam), a benzodiazepine. For me, Atarax (a sedating antihistamine) was a good choice. Though, mileage varies and tolerance develops very quickly. But if you can stick to taking it for a few nights, or a week or two (tops), with many weeks in between, it might be an option.

Others here have used other medications to help them with sleep - I'll leave to them to comment. But, obviously, avoid benzodiazepines (and z-drugs), as dependency can develop very quickly and be difficult to cease using.

[[Ve...]]

Thanks @[Co...]. I will try Atarax.

[[Co...]]

1 hour ago, [[V...] said:

Thanks @[Co...]. I will try Atarax.

Well, you might talk to your doctor about it. It is not without its own side effects, but there is no withdrawal syndrome. And it could be unsuitable for you for other reasons. It is just what worked for me.

Hopefully others will be along to suggest other possibilities. And waiting it out might be another possibility - you will know best about that.

[[Ve...]]

Thx again @[Co...]. I am from Germany and googled Atarax. I think it is Rx here, so I have to see a doctor anyways.

I initially thought about skipping one or two days in between doses and maybe also rotating the drug. So just for example 1st day atarax, 2nd day nothing, 3rd day mirtazapin, 4th day nothing, 5th day zolpidem, 6th day nothing, 7nd day atarax...and so on

I probably shouldn't do this forever, since this might incur me other problems. However at the moment I am looking for ways to buy me some time to search for other solutions.

Do you think this is a bad idea? You suggested taking Atarax for a week and then pausing for a couple of weeks instead.

Edited April 28 by [Ve...]

[[Th...]]

Unfortunately when Rx drugs are the cause of your insomnia because of actual changes in the brain and brain chemistry, nothing much short of another Rx drug will usually help with sleep.  I'd avoid Benzos or Z-drugs.  Take a look at this rather lengthy post, it should be able to answer a lot of your questions?

https://benzobuddies.org/topic/270442-2400-days-off-my-insomniabenzo-advice/

 

[[Ve...]]

Thx @[Th...].

A little update in my case: I somehow got hold of Trimipramine. It's an old trizyclic Rx antidepressant with strong sedative and anxiolytic effects. It's supposed to not interfere with REM sleep. It comes as a liquid and thus can be easily dosed granularly. Half-life 18-24 hours. Usual starting dose is 25-50mg per day, which can be increased to at least 100-150mg per day.

I know this is not perfect and comes with risks. However yesterday evening I took 5mg and it gave me around 6 hours of restful sleep with a little hangover today. I think I will give it a shot...at least for the next 3 weeks or so. Tonight I m gonna try 3mg and see how that works. Because of the half-life this should be roughly equivalent to the 5mg yesterday. Then maybe 3mg for one week and 2 weeks tapering it out again.

[[Th...]]

It looks like you have a plan for moving forward.  I hope and pray it works out for you.  Insomnia was by far my worst symptom out of the 15 or so that I had. Peace!

[[Ve...]]

5 minutes ago, [[T...] said:

Insomnia was by far my worst symptom out of the 15 or so that I had. Peace!

I feel you. I know that you guys probably had/have to suffer 10 fold compared to me when it comes to insomnia and anxiety since this what benzos are especially made for. And yes I agree, from all the symptoms I know so far I think insomnia is the worst...at least when it stays over a protracted period of time.