Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hi 👋🏻 I’ve weaned myself off 225 mg of Venlafaxine over the last two months. I have been completely off for the last two. I am now experiencing sweats and weird budding in my head. I really don’t feel well. Any suggestions?

Buzzing in head not budding. Sorry

Hi everyone!

I'm new to this forum and just stared tapering off of Venlafaxine 300 mg. I wanted to document and share my experience. Maybe it helps someone 🙂 (Also I have major brain fog, so it's good for me to write it down along the way).

It's been a ride to admit needing help, find the right therapist and the right medication. I've been prescribed different drugs in different dosages and then some others to combat the side effects of the anti-depressants while being in therapy. Some worked okay, some did nothing and others made me feel terrible. At times i felt like i was just a test dummy: "Pop in a drug and see how she turns out. Did it not work? Just try another!" But at the time I felt so low that I accepted that trial and error was the only way to find what worked for me...
Sidenote: I'm a 29 y/o female from in Netherlands. I am curious to hear about other people's experience with being prescribed different mental health related drugs.

I've been on Venlafaxine/ Effexor for over 6 years now for anxiety, depression and dysthymia. Before that, other antidepressants. I wanted to lower my dosage a few years ago, but the psychiatrist at the time said something that held me back. Over the years we've established that I experience a lot of side effects when changing meds/ dosage. Therefore, the psychiatrist told me that I'd basically have to schedule a month off work etc., to be able to cope with the withdrawal symptoms. In this month, his plan was for me to lower my dosage with 75mg each week.
Even though I wanted to lower my intake, taking a month off seemed impossible (in my mind I went "in THIS economy?" :') ). I was scared to lose my job and even more so, what withdrawal would do to my mind and my body. This held me back for a loooong time.

Fast forward some years later to the present. I'm doing better. I moved cities and therefore had to find a new doctor as well. I talked to the new doctor about wanting to taper off. I don't want to have to take this drug, solely because lowering it seems impossible. I don't think I need as high a dosage as I needed 6 years ago. Besides, I'd love to experience less side effects from the Venlafaxine.
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Now, let's get to the tapering off part:
She suggested lowering my dosage by the smallest dose available here (which is 37,5 mg) every two weeks. Check in with her every two weeks if needed.
So for the past two weeks I've been taking 262,5 mg daily, instead of 300 mg. After that, 225 mg for two weeks. Then 187,5 mg for two weeks and so on. It is not necessarily my goal to be completely off the drug (tho I'd love it if that's possible!). I just want to start by taking less.

- Week 1, 262 mg:
The first few days I've noticed nothing out of the ordinary. No changes in my mood. I mainly felt happy and almost excited to finally lower this stuff. Just the occasional headache and fatigue, but I thought that was just stress. I also feel a bit slow in processing information, communicating and slower in thinking in general.

Week 2, 262,5 mg: I am not sure if this is because of the withdrawal, but for the past few days I've been extremely tired. Not able to get out of bed when my alarm clock goes off-tired. Barely able to keep my eyes open-tired. The headache got worse and causes me to frown and squint all the time. I cannot stand loud voices or noises in general. It's like my brain fog has turned into brain smog: much more sense and heavy and a struggle to navigate in. It costs a lot of energy to engage in anything and conversation doesn't come naturally anymore. I feel nauseous and have trouble eating enough, though I try to do so.
Again, not sure if it is withdrawal or if it's just a bad cold/ flu... Has anyone else experienced this several days after lowering?

Later this week I'm supposed to lower the dosage again from 262,5 mg to 225 mg. Maybe for week 3 I can try 262,5 mg on Sat, Mon, Wed, Fri and 225 mg on Sun, Tue, Thu, Sat to taper off more gradually. Week 4 can be 225 mg.

I'm open to hear anyone's experience and advice 🙂

Why are you tapering so fast? What is the rush? I am trying to taper down off paxil (I'm told it is the hardest to get off) after 22 years.
I tried to taper too fast and crashed. Do some research on tapering and give yourself a fighting chance. I am doing 10 percent or less if I can find a way every 90 days (I get a 90 day supply each refill). Just for full disclosure, I think it had stopped working due to increased stress or just time used. I was having extreme diarrhea and thought it was caused by my Paxil. My doctor didn't warn me about withdrawal.
After crashing, (physical symptoms were anxiety tingling from tip of my toes to tip of fingers and "sunburn" feeling on back and shoulders, not to mention no more than 15 minutes of sleep at a time for 3 months and mental torture, fear,....) I went back on Paxil . Still not feeling great and I don't think paxil.is working. I was given Gabipentin and it helped with the "sunburn " feeling but now I'm trying to taper off it as well. After 5 months I am down from 40mg to 30. Yesterday I started my next taper because even though I'm not feeling great....I want.off.this drug!! I hope the medical system is better in the Netherlands than here in the States? I have yet to see a Phyciatrist...all I get is a nurse who can prescribe. All she will discuss is drugs. I am seeing a therapist now (finally got appointment after being told the next available is 1 year away) but this person is a LCSW or Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Talking to him has helped. To wrap up, I am 67 years old so, luckily I have been able to not work during these hellacous days. Don't rush it. I suggest very small tapers at least 90 days apart.

Just to let you know...I think working is the best thing. It keeps you busy and your mind off Yourself! If you don't taper too fast, hopefully you won't be too anxious and work will help. Exercise also helps. Since I am feeling better (90 percent better than the hell days) I am hoping to get back to work some. I still have bad days...but I'm more hopeful now.

Hi nonnie!

Wow that's a short amount of time! It could be withdrawal symptoms as you're body's trying to adjust to being without it.

When experiencing these symptoms, it could be a sign from your body that you may have tapered too quickly. I've read that in order to minimise these symptoms, it's suggested to taper more slowly and in smaller steps. That way your body has more time to adjust to it.

Right now I'm experiencing headaches (with a buzzing drum in my head almost?) and flu like symptoms. I am tapering Venlafaxine as well. Reading more and more about it, right now I'm preeettty sure these symptoms are withdrawal symptoms.
Also thank you @keppraeffect for making me think that it is probably good to taper down more slowly!

Can you talk about these symptoms with your doctor? I hope they can help you at least lessen the symptoms since you're already off the venlafaxine.

All the best!

Hi there!

I've just typed a response but lost if after refreshing the page 🙁 I just want to quickly thank you for your advice and I'll respond later again :)!

All the best!

Hi there!

Sorry to hear that you are experiencing all these symptoms 🙁 I commend you for continuing to taper and I hope you feel better soon!

In an older comment someone also mentioned diarrhea as a result of an antidepressant so you might be right that the Paxil is causing it. I think they considered taking medication for it...

Dang it's not okay for your doctor to not warn you about withdrawal symptoms 🙁
It also pains me to hear when (mental) health care systems are "overburdened" in other countries too (I'm not sure if I'm using the right word here, but I mean when there are too little professionals available to the many people that need help, causing these waiting lists. ) So I am glad to hear that you finally have a therapist after waiting for so long!

Having a connection with and talking to the right person about it can sometimes do wonders. That being said, thank you for sharing your story and advice!! You're absolutely right about not needing to be in a rush.

It's funny since I'm currently on a slower tapering plan then the first doctor suggested, so I automatically thought this would be "slow enough". But my body and brain agree with you that the adjustment feels to fast, so I will slow down the tapering plan 🙂

I hope this next taper goes a bit more smoothly for you and you have kind people around you too support you (in any way possible 🙂 )
All the best!

Hi @hopeforpeace ,

I experience similar effects while tapering from Venlafaxine after 6 years (the past two weeks from 300 mg to 262,5 mg). The diarrhea part not as bad right now (knock on wood) but the other symptoms for sure.

I like your advice for CBD oil to help with the aches. I need to do some research on that to see what type off legitimate stuff we have in the Netherlands here. Or maybe in gummies/ edibles? Would you recommend that as well or do you prefer the oil?

Kind regards 🙂

I had "brain zaps" when quitting Effexor.Gabapentin greatly reduced them.Now I take a gaba only when needed. I'm 89.