Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hi Carolyn. I’m so sorry to hear how you’re struggling. Just to clarify, did you just start taking Effexor?

Please recheck your prescription for accuracy. I didn't think that Effexor XR comes in a 50 mg strength? I have taken 37.5 mg and 75 mg capsules in Effexor XR ("extended release"). I am now taking a 50 mg tablet, but it is "immediate release" Effexor, available in 25 mg or 50 mg. Just want to be sure you are taking what you should be taking for the optimum effect.

Pristiq ER, correction.

Pristiq ER not Effesor.

I titrated off of 450mg of Venlafaxine/Effexor over four months. It was too fast. I fell into, a deeper than usual depression. Anxiety that sent me to the hospital out of fear I would kill myself and the reoccurrence of sleep disturbances, I wake up every two hours.

SSRI's and SNRI's do not simply affect us while we take them, they make changes to our biology that science is just starting to understand. I despair that the biological changes to my system may be permeant. Nonetheless, the following is what I do to cope with the ongoing effects of these medications.

I have a very strict schedule. Not having to think about what I am going to do next makes life easier.
I eat a very nutritious diet. I manage carefully the level of carbohydrates, protein and fats I eat.
At my request my proscriber has given me .50mg of Lorazepam twice a day to cut the anxiety to manageable levels.
I do my best to manage my providers.

I do not believe in the "re-uptake inhibition of neurotransmitter" model of mental health care. The most current research is clear: the theory has been tested on the world for twenty years and it is wrong!

I believe mental illness is a combination of psychosocial, genetic and metabolic issues. That is to say that mental illness (I differentiate this from brain damage) is caused by genetic predisposition, environmental factors and biological issues.

Poor physical health will invariable lead to poor mental heal. Being the child of depressed parents predisposes one to being depressed. Growing up and living with trauma causes real biological changes to the brain and body. No pill is going to address all of these issue like some magic elixir.

Mental health and physical health require multifaceted solutions.

I am the child of two depressed parents. I have been somewhat melancholy my whole life. I experienced significant trauma during my childhood. That I have had mental health issues my whole life is no surprise. Add to that the merry-go-round of ineffective medications and interventions along with poor lifestyle decisions and one ends up with the broken sixty year old man that I am.

Improving my diet.
Vigorous exercise.
Structure.
And active engagement in my own medical care are the only interventions that have worked at all.

I'm not well, but I do occasionally have hope.

I wish you good health and peace.

I’m sorry. I’m not familiar with that medicine. It doesn’t sound like it’s good for you. I hope you feel better. ❤️

I am so sorry. I agree with you 100%! Best wishes…❤️

I took the GeneSight test. It is a newer Anti-D and was on the green column that said it was good for me. I am feeling better. Thank goodness the time ingested of only three weeks, the fact I discontinued it when I did and it may not be as time-consuming where one has to gradually wean in withdrawal as some of the others. Not only did I stay in bed except for when necessary with my head covered up with anxiety so heightened, also, I contemplated suicide. Thankfully, I have an online therapist who was there to talk and concern herself about my unhealthy thoughts and gave me suggestions for it if got bad before doing something dangerous and permanent. It has been many, many years than I can remember when either the effects of the Anti-D being taken or the fact I was not taking anything caused such symptoms, especially the idea of ending it all. Very scary. For now, I am drying out or returning to not having anything until I see a medication manager again next month and I guess we go down the list for another drug. Thanks for your concern, it helps.

Good for you seeing a medicine manager. I am close to being off my antidepressant, and that scares me. I am using natural supplements, and I am hopeful the long term damage to my body is not extensive. I hope you find the right medication, and I wish you well.❤️

I am currently on day 3 of not taking Effexor anymore. I did a taper over 2 months. I wanted to stop because I did not think it was helping me at all and it was more harmful than anything. I had gone up to 75mg from 50mg in September. I adjusted to the 75mg fine until December when I had a full week of brain zaps and dizziness. The brain zaps would come and go but it was still awful and made it really hard to do my job. I was taking the 75mg pill at the same time every day because of I was even 5 minutes off my schedule I would start feeling the symptoms of withdrawal. My doctor suggested I go down to 50mg and that made things much better. Then I went down to 37.5mg, and again things were better. I went down to 1/2 a pill. Maybe I should have gone down to a quarter of a pill before I fully stopped, but honestly I just wanted to be off of Effexor. Regardless of the dose I was on I was starting to notice that even before I was supposed to take my pill I would feel symptoms of withdrawal. Especially with the 75mg! Day three of withdrawal feels worse than day 2. I haven't had full on brain zaps, but the sensations are pretty close to a brain zap. I have sensitivity to light. I wish I had never started this drug. I took it for about a year(?) when I was in my early 20's (I'm 42 now) and do not recall going through this when I got off of it. I don't think it ever really helped me and now I'm dealing with this b.s.
I have spent the last couple of nights reading through y'all's experiences and it really makes me mad! It's infuriating to know that this drug is so wildly prescribed and yet it's so dang difficult to get off of. The only reason my current Doctor suggested it a year ago was because I had taken it in my 20's. I wish I had said I wanted to explore other options! NEVER AGAIN will I take an SNRI or an SSRI for that matter. The one thing I can say is that my mood has been pretty stable despite it being a couple days before my period and going through withdrawal. I think that's primarily related to the fact that I stated taking a low dose of liquid ketamine 2 weeks ago. If nothing else I am not super depressed even though I typically suffer from PPMD. Now if only my brain could stop feeling weird every time I move! Here's to hoping the withdrawal symptoms subside sooner than later.