1. < Depression & Anxiety

Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Posted by richyrich @richyrich, Nov 2, 2016

I have been taking Effexor/Venlafaxine for years and tried to get off it a few times but each time I try to give up the chemical withdrawal symptoms are a horror story and I give up giving up. Anyone got any tips or tried and tested strategies? Thank you

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ghmcgran | @ghmcgran | Mar 18, 2020

Hi, I’m new here. I’ve been on SSRIs since they first came out. I’ve tried them all except the newest ones and also done the antipsychotic supplements (latter work but then I can’t stop eating, dangerous weight gain is depressing). I’ve gone off them too. Paxil was definitely the worst (2 months of withdrawal).Now I’m back to the first one, Prozac, 60mg. Higher dose than I could handle 20-30 years ago. It is definitely working. If i start going down, I take Abilify for no more than 2-3 days. It bumps me up without the side effects. Prozac doesn’t seem to have withdrawal and I feel safe on it. Short bump of abilify doesn’t either. I’ve also started cognitive behavioral therapy. It’s a positive addition. I take other psychoactive meds. But this is long enough.

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1 reply
Lisa Lucier | @lisalucier | Mar 18, 2020
In reply to @ghmcgran "Hi, I’m new here. I’ve been on SSRIs since they first came out. I’ve tried them..." + (show)
@ghmcgran

Hi, I’m new here. I’ve been on SSRIs since they first came out. I’ve tried them all except the newest ones and also done the antipsychotic supplements (latter work but then I can’t stop eating, dangerous weight gain is depressing). I’ve gone off them too. Paxil was definitely the worst (2 months of withdrawal).Now I’m back to the first one, Prozac, 60mg. Higher dose than I could handle 20-30 years ago. It is definitely working. If i start going down, I take Abilify for no more than 2-3 days. It bumps me up without the side effects. Prozac doesn’t seem to have withdrawal and I feel safe on it. Short bump of abilify doesn’t either. I’ve also started cognitive behavioral therapy. It’s a positive addition. I take other psychoactive meds. But this is long enough.

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Hello, @ghmcgran - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Sounds like you have been around the block a bit with various selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825.

Have you had experience taking venlafaxine (Effexor) and tapering off of it? If so, how did that go?

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1 reply
jjzabler45 | @jjzabler45 | Mar 18, 2020
In reply to @lisalucier "Hello, @ghmcgran - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Sounds like you have been around the block..." + (show)
@lisalucier

Hello, @ghmcgran - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Sounds like you have been around the block a bit with various selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825.

Have you had experience taking venlafaxine (Effexor) and tapering off of it? If so, how did that go?

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no,sorry I read that wrong,I have anxiety and depression but I take Paxil

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1 reply
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 18, 2020
In reply to @secretwhitepop "Hi there... did you slowly ween yourself off? I was completely med free for 6 months..." + (show)
@secretwhitepop

Hi there... did you slowly ween yourself off? I was completely med free for 6 months after taking 18 months to ween off the last 37.5 mgs. (You read that correctly. 18 months. A few beads at a time). Even those last few beads, daily, seemed to work and then, when I was totally off I had symptoms of withdrawal. Not so much physical, but mental. Emotional. I literally cried every single day. Now, my father passed away during all this. Don’t ask me why on earth I would even attempt such a feat during this time, but I did. I also moved my family out of state. You could say I was going through major crisis mode.

But, when I couldn’t take it any longer, doc put me back on an SSRI. Turns out, a mood stabilizer was needed, too. I almost think the SSRI and the antipsychotic (scary name, right?) together make up the active ingredients in Effexor! (I’m going to google that now!)

Anyway, during the 6 mo this of no meds, meditation worked quite well for me. There are lots of free you tube videos and I downloaded an app, too. It can’t hurt.

Also, scroll through this forum for some ideas for supplements to take. And/or CBD oil.

Take it easy and I wish you well. Keep taking to us. There will be answers for you. Don’t give up.

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Had the appointment with my doctor and going to start on Prozac again then have that in my system for a bit then my doctor will give me the Effexor XR tablets to use so I can wean off the stuff. I won't be taking Viibryd anymore.

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sears | @sears | Mar 18, 2020
In reply to @chicago1211 "Thank you @secretwhitepop I’ve started doing meditation. Let’s see if thiswill help organising my thoughts. They..." + (show)
@chicago1211

Thank you @secretwhitepop
I’ve started doing meditation. Let’s see if thiswill help organising my thoughts.
They are in complete mess.
I’m just unable to give my thoughts any structure.
This shit scares me, a lot.

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There are many of us in the same boat you are. You’ll get a lot of support on this site. Stay with us we’re here for you!

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1 reply
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 18, 2020
In reply to @sears "There are many of us in the same boat you are. You’ll get a lot of..." + (show)
@sears

There are many of us in the same boat you are. You’ll get a lot of support on this site. Stay with us we’re here for you!

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During my phone in appointment with the doctor he asked me what exactly I wanted to do either stay om the Effexor XR or get off of it and I told get off of it so that's when we came up with the Prozac plan or he did. Once I get off of it I never want to use it again!

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1 reply
ghmcgran | @ghmcgran | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "During my phone in appointment with the doctor he asked me what exactly I wanted to..." + (show)
@suzy31

During my phone in appointment with the doctor he asked me what exactly I wanted to do either stay om the Effexor XR or get off of it and I told get off of it so that's when we came up with the Prozac plan or he did. Once I get off of it I never want to use it again!

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Good luck. Worked for me.

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1 reply
Lisa Lucier | @lisalucier | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @jjzabler45 "no,sorry I read that wrong,I have anxiety and depression but I take Paxil" + (show)
@jjzabler45

no,sorry I read that wrong,I have anxiety and depression but I take Paxil

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Hi, @jjzabler45 - if you check out the Connect Depression & Anxiety group, you may find numerous discussions on these topics that might interest you https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/depression-anxiety/

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suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @ghmcgran "Good luck. Worked for me." + (show)
@ghmcgran

Good luck. Worked for me.

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What gets me my doctor had to ask me if I was getting off the Prozac or what basically? He asked me if I wanted to stay on it. I guess some people just give up too easily and stay on it.

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sears | @sears | Mar 19, 2020

Yes they do just stay on it. It would be nice if the doctors who started us on the Benzos and antidepressants could help get us off. I don’t think they really care. It would be too much work for them having multiple patients trying to taper these drugs.

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