Hi, I'm JulieG

October 11, 2026

Hi, I’m Julie and I have come down from 200mg to 50mg of Pristiq in the past 12 monthsz I feel like I am going mad. I wake every morning at 3am and have diarrhoea every day. I am so anxious for the next few hours and then I take my medication and by the end of the day I feel better and then the cycle repeats

Pristiq — 50mg — 3 years — holding

1 Reply

⭐

Catina3h ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @JulieG, welcome! Sorry to hear about your taper struggles. I think you may be tapering way too fast. When was your last reduction and by how much? Perhaps you should hold your dose for the time being and not make anymore changes. Your brain needs time to catch up to all the changes you've made over the past year. Unfortunately, this process can't be rushed and can take quite some time. Slower is faster. Please read about Hyperbolic tapering in the Resources section. Also, here are some helpful links to get you started: https://taper.community/drugs/pristiq https://taper.community/resources/blog/desvenlafaxine-pristiq-withdrawal-guide https://taper.community/thread/c16f5e67-65ba-41f4-91e3-01ec6a6fc03d https://taper.community/resources/blog/gastrointestinal-symptoms-during-withdrawal Keep us updated on how things are going for you....Hang in there, it will get better! Catina 💜

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.28 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Synthroid - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

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