Long term effects AFTER withdrawing from Effexor

Hi, @terri672 - I moved your post to this existing discussion on effects after tapering off venlafaxine (Effexor) so that you could connect with others discussing this subject. Click VIEW & REPLY in your email notification to get to your post.

Hoping that @sandij @ldwhite720 @texasduchess @brightwings @notaround @babydoll will chime in with any experiences they have with returning depression or anxiety after a taper off of venlafaxine (Effexor).

What symptoms are you noticing especially with the depression and anxiety, @terri672 (e.g., loss of interest in activities, restlessness, trouble concentrating)?

I was on this drug for 16 years for fatigue. Had no trouble going off of it and figuring out the reason for the fatigue and correcting it. But now I have continuing feelings of despair. This is so unusual for me to not be able to pull myself up and have a nice life. I do not want to go on any more brain meds because this one was what started my downward spiral in the first place. I keep trying to do what I believe is the best way to more forward but still have terribly sad feelings. My interest in life is waning. I feel hopeless. Any ideas as to what I could do to feel better? Thanks.

I see myself in all the comments related to pain after going off Effexor XR (for me just months shy of 20 years).

Within two months of going to zero by a weaning process over 8-10 weeks, I was slammed with unimaginable neck pain. Didn’t make a connection at the time. Almost 3 years later, I still suffer with it, went back to PT, take muscle relaxers (when it’s out of control and I’m losing sleep.). Shortly after, I found my white blood cells/neutrophils were quite low and went to hematologist who believes it’s autoimmune related. About one year and 4 months after zero on Effexor I started having bizarre pains/sensations that woke me in the night.

Here’s the first one: I was woken with what felt like nerves firing, started in my upper body, went through my arms, down my torso and legs and exited through my feet. As soon as that stopped, it felt like a host of butterfly wings were flapping inside my chest and when that stopped I felt the flap in the back of my throat open and close repeatedly. I laid frozen in my bed. Scared because it was more emotionally and mentally disturbing than painful and my mind could not make sense of it. Within weeks, I was awoke to my abdomen aorta beating like crazy, never felt anything like it before or again thank goodness. Now fast forward one and a half years since those episodes, I have so many ED visits with chronic unexplained pains and I was a walker (4-6 miles many days) and now find it difficult. I’ve gone to so many specialists and the most profound comment made my a neurologist is the hospital (I was admitted after getting Covid for the first time in February 2023 with long Covid of dizziness, vertigo and an enlarged right pupil. They thought maybe I had a stroke but I did not. I have gallbladder surgery scheduled for end of October 2023 because December of 2022 I started having panic attacks and terrible pains in the hollow below my chest and right side, episodes of chills where my body temp drops, bowel changes etc. I was in good health and no longer recognize my life. Back to neurologist in hospital- I told him everything and he said - you may need to go back on Effexor or another like drug because it could have altered your neuro transmitters and is causing many if not all your symptoms!!!???!!!

How are you now? I have been on and off (75mg) 10 times since the beginning of 2018. It works well, but it was giving me extreme high blood pressure and cholesterol. Just like you, every time I go off of it I will go through the initial withdrawal symptoms of 2 to 3 weeks of hell then I would seem to get better for 2 months, but with each passing month I would get sicker and sicker. Very similar to autoimmune symptoms. Out of desperation, I would go back on it and within 2 weeks I would feel back to normal. Then the same cycle would begin where it would make me hypertensive (I am talking 172/110) and I have to get off of it. In fact, I am going through it right now. I just don't know what to do. I just want my life back.