Update

I generally don’t write when I’m feeling well or am happy, as most I would imagine, however, I have not been okay.

Still on the medication, taking it up to three times a day, although to be honest I haven’t really followed this specific routine. I usually take it twice a day.

I know I had mentioned this before….

One morning, a few weeks ago I began feeling “off.”
Sick, dizzy, shivering then hot. I believed my hypoglycemia (I have non-diabetic hypoglycemia) was acting up and checked my glucose levels. They were normal.
My migraines and the pressure headaches returned and I could not shake them.
I even considered vertigo since I could only walk by holding on to the walls without feeling the world spinning. I thought perhaps I hadn’t eaten or had too much caffeine.

As I’m considering all of these it occurs to me: I had not taken my daily dose of Venlafaxine in three or four days.

There was a reason for this. I was happy. I was “normal.” No mood swings, I wasn’t high, I wasn’t low… I was level and just… happy. No depressive episodes; had felt truly happy for a few weeks prior to my stopping the medication

As you can imagine… big mistake.
Huge.

I took my regular dose and within a few hours I felt better. The pressure headaches were still there but all the other symptoms disappeared within a couple of hours of my dose.
Of course, I was never aware of the withdrawal symptoms.

Now I know. I mostly take the medication so I avoid the side effects. I am still questioning its effectiveness.
Although I also wonder if it is effective and I still have issues, would I still be here if I wasn’t? I know the answer to this… it’s No.