Licinia: Advice needed

[Licinia]

Hi everyone,  I am new here, have been on Pristiq for 10 day 50 mgs, feeling spacey and confused...This is my 3rd anxiety episode...had one 5 years ago, when I was able to come off Pristiq during 3 weeks of alternating days gradually. ..but my sleep was OK then...want to reduce Pristiq , but unfortunately I still take 1 tablet Immovane at night, also for 10 days...not sure what to do next, so I could keep my sleep and take less Pristiq...GPsaid to cut in half, but the tablet split in 4 irregular bits....25 mgs not available in Australia...

[Petunia]

Welcome Licinia,

 

I'm sorry to hear that you are having unwanted symptoms from your medications. Unfortunately this is common and one of the main reasons for this site, we help people to safely taper off their psychiatric medications and promote safer, healthier ways of dealing with problems and difficult human emotions.

 

It sounds like this is not your first time taking these kinds of medications. Many people find that over time, with more drug exposure, and stopping and starting different drugs, unpleasant symptoms increase, while benefits decrease.

 

I'd highly recommend reading Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker. Psychiatric drugs can cause harmful side effects and long term, they can worsen health, increasing the risk of other illnesses. They don't cure anything, but work by creating a chemical imbalance in the brain, which alters natural brain function. For some people, these changes may seem helpful. But evidence is starting to show that long term, they cause more harm than good. From personal experience, my own research, and reading thousands of anecdotal stories, I've come to the conclusion that psychiatric drugs should only be used in the most serious of cases and then for the shortest possible amount of time.

 

You may find some information about taking a lower dose of Pristiq here:  Tips for tapering off Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)

 

And here is our topic for how to manage emotional problems without using drugs, this includes sleep issues: 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

 

I hope you find something of use in those links.

If you wish to safely taper off your medications we can help you with that. If so, please would you put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature.

It appears below each of your posts and helps us to help you. Here are instructions for how to do it:

 

Please put your withdrawal history in your signature

 

Please stay in touch and let us know how you are doing.

 

Petunia.