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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (6299)Comment receiving replies
Hi! I was on Effexor XR for a few years and got off it several years ago. It was a very difficult process, so I fully sympathize. You MUST wean off
VERY SLOWLY. I don't remember what my dosage was at the time (225mg?), but it took me about 9 months. Please do not let that long time scare you, it's worth going slow, that will be your biggest help w/ withdrawal. At the time I had a very difficult time finding any doctor with experience getting people off it.
Luckily I was advised to to find one and luckily I did. It is considered harder to get off than heroine. Not trying to scare you, just want to make sure you go as slow as possible. Mostly, I was moody/angry, had headaches, and some brain "shivers". The brain shivers I already had while on the meds.
I think we went down in 25mg increments over several weeks for each reduction. Keep us posted and good luck! Just give yourself some time and it will be over before you know it!
Replies to "Hi! I was on Effexor XR for a few years and got off it several years..."
any advise on how to wean when you are taking capsules and don't want to go and get smaller dose. I have been opening the capsules and emptying some out for 2 weeks now and tried to stop and it was BAD. Are all meds like this so hard to stop taking?
I was on 75mg of Venlafaxine for around 10 years until after being off with Depression since 21 May 2018 I got my GP to refer me for help again.
The NHS Psychiatrist upped my dosage of Venlafaxine from 75mg to 150mg and I have been on that dose ever since.
But I do not feel good at all and have been considering just coming off Cold Turkey until I read your post.
How can I find a Doctor who is experienced in getting people off of Venlafaxine? If not how bad would Cold Turkey be?
I am annoyed as I went to see the Psychiatrist for him to make me feel better not worse.
Any help greatly appreciated.
@nanke99 - I totally agree with you. I saw a compounding pharmacist and have been tapering 10mg every 4 weeks. I’m now at 70mg. and for some unknown reason, the pharmacy has made a change from tapering every 4 weeks to every 2 weeks).
I now have anxiety and need to take Lorazepam (about 1 to 2 mg each evening). Did you suffer from anxiety while you were weaning off? Could the anxiety have started because it’s too fast a taper for me?
Did you have an increase in your blood pressure with the headaches?
Im weaning off Effexor too.. 225 down to 150 at the mo not too bad withdrawl wise thank god.
On it about a year seen no improvement.. made my anxiety and depression worse.. Also it raised my cholesterol level from 4.9 to 5 then from 5 to 5.4 even though Im on statins for my cholesterol?! So frustrated with this hell of a drug 👹👹
I also am on 225mg. 3 weeks ago i started doing a 75 mg taper each week. I currently worked down and this week I am not taking any and going thru hell! Any tips? I don't want to start taking this horrible drug again
Did you switch to Effexor IR to wean off?
I just came across this group and am grateful for it. I am on week 4 of tapering with Effexor and the struggle is real. This has been so hard and I’ve been tempted to either stop all together or just go back on it. I want to cry a lot but no tears come, it is just the physical feeling of crying and it comes out of nowhere. I get up at 4am and pace for an hour. I am not a runner at all and the other day I sprinted a block and a half because of the frantic feeling I was experiencing. I either want to stuff myself full of Hershey kisses or never eat again. Therapy helps but this is really hard and tough I think for people who have not experienced it to truly grasp. Thank you for being here.
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Oh no....I am feeling so sad for you right now. How horrible. I pray you find the right solution soon.