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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
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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What dosage were you on, for how long, what did you decrease to, and over what period of time? Your withdrawal symptoms sound extreme. Realize that "waiting it out" could take months. Have you read other posts under this same heading? There is much helpful information here. There is also Outro dot com for information on the proper way to discontinue Effexor/venlafaxine.
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1 ReactionWithdrawal was horrible for me. Similar to what you describe. I’m not on a large dose, 75 mg. But I’m a small person, losing 25% of my body weight Due to lack of appetite caused by depression, if that matters. I couldn’t go down to 37.5 as doctor prescribed. I Had same or similar feelings as you describe, fortunately far less intense, I was on 75mg for decades. It didn’t work well, so a doctor doubled it. Within 6 or 8 hours I experienced urinary incontinence and a horrible experience with the same HMO’s Urology dept.
Now I’m back on 37.5 but along with 10mg Prozac. It’s working. We are all different. This is only to suggest that your doctor consider adding an additional SSRI in a smaller dose to accompany that withdrawal from whatever dosage you are using to taper off. I have no idea if it’ll help. It just made a world of difference to me. I think it’s irresponsible for doctors to prescribe drugs from which withdrawal can be so horrible.
Good luck!
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1 ReactionWhen I mentioned Benadryl she said don’t take benedryl its linked to development of dementia. 🤷🏼♀️
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1 ReactionAfter a month on 37.5 mg. Eff my anxiety and trembling were so bad that my doc and I decided to go back up to 75mg
She said I should start feeling better within a week. A week is over and I’m still anxious, trembling and now have headache and backache. I decided to would raise it again today and see if this helps. I don’t want to raise it but I am thinking that I may have to raise it until I feel better, stay at that level long enough until I feel ready to taper it much more slowly. Although I waited 2 months before lowering it from 75mg to 37.5 I don’t think I was ready to do that because I was still having withdrawal symptoms but I figured 2 months was long enough to wait. This was before I heard about doctor Horowitz and read his book.
Has anyone else had this experience with having to raise it back up and then tapered it much more slowly ?
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1 ReactionI hope this postscript of mine can be added to the piece I've just this minute posted on this topic.
I am in UK.
I want to add that the mirtazapine tablets just crumble if I attempt a more gradual reduction than one half a 15mg tablet.
The capsules of Efexor spheroids made in UK are not reliable the way the Pfizer spheroids were. I tapered off those without any withdrawal effects some years ago. (225mg venlafaxine tapered at a steady rate over about 9 months.)
The Royal College of Physchiatrists says the best way to taper is by weight.
The psychiatrist who visited me told other doctors in her transfer report that tapering is up to me.
I have the Maudsley Deprescribing book coming later this week and an appointment with a neurologist because of all the shaking on Jan 8th. I'm afraid of getting no help bec they don't know the person full of vitality and joy I used to be, before "the nasty virus" in early 2023.
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.
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1 ReactionThat's the proper procedure, raising the dosage to a comfortable level, and then tapering more slowly.
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1 ReactionAsk your pharmacist about a liquid solution. My pharmacist (in the US) has provided liquid solutions of mirtazapine and Effexor to his patients, which is easily decreased over time.
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1 ReactionThe Maudsley Deprescribing book arrived today. It's a hefty volume but simply says to taper very gradually.
The advice is to count or weigh efexor spheroids and to mix crushed mirtazapine with water , throwing away the surplus.
And of course pause if withdrawal effects are not resolved.
For me the horrid side effects of venlafaxine & mirtazapine themselves have never resolved so there's no way to tell what is making me terribly dizzy, shakey, nauseous etc.
I'd put so much hope in this book (£45) but I'll send it back.
How did others use it, what did you do differently please?
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the book before I started tapering on my own. If I had this book I wouldn’t have made the mistake of lowering it to 37.5 mg from 75mg . I was 2 months on 75mg and even though I was still having withdrawal symptoms I decided to lower it anyway.
It’s been hell on 37.5mg and I had to start increasing it. I’m now on 112.5mg the last 4 days and seeing a bit of improvement. I will try to go no higher if possible.
Main problem is the trembling and weak legs . Has anyone else had the terribly weak trembly legs?
Trembling has been a major side effect for me. Legs feel so very weak and shaky that I sometimes need to walk with a cane and I need to sit down in the shower. Please tell me if anyone out there has had this problem?