Thanks very much for your thoughts. Much appreciated

Thank you fir sharing. I've been taking Effexor for 8 years now and mentioned to my doctor about wanting the wean off. He thinks I should stay on it. I'll have to say if definitely helped me when I started taking it and I felt much better and even like my normal self eventually. I do have anxiety disorder and have been in therapy off and in for years now. Haven't had a huge revelation as to the reason I am like this but have really felt great for the last few years. It was a family move that took me down. I have forgotten to take my pill 3-4 times since I've been on it and at bedtime I sweat terribly and when I wake up it's like I'm in another world and don't even know where I am. It's a horrible scary feeling. At first I didn't know what was causing it. Then I realized it happens when I forget to take a pill in the morning. I don't seem to notice or have any affects during the day but then almost at the 24 hour mark in the middle of the night I have crazy dreams sweat terribly and feel terrible when I wake up . I was thinking if this is going to happen when I go off of it how miserable it would be. Then I was trying to determine whether it was side effects or maybe I need to take the medicine . None of this started until after having children in my 30s . I'm just so torn on whether to try and taper and wean off or not. I have an aunt who has been on Prozac for 30 to 40 years and she's got no health problems. She doesn't even know if the Prozac helps her anymore but doesn't care that she takes it. Did you worry about your liver or why you even wanted to get off your medicine?

Hello, @bekinprogress, and welcome to Mayo Connect. I’m glad that you have joined this online support network. Thank you also for your post regarding withdrawing from Effexor/venlafaxine. As this thread is a little bit older, I’m also inviting @danybegood1 @jenapower @cathy615 and @targa to join in this discussion to share their thoughts about tapering off venlafaxine.

What would you say is prompting you to want to wean off of the venlafaxine?

Hi it's jenapower (aka. Jen), I'd love to have some great input about Effexor, but I only had a brief experience with it. I was giving it to help prevent migraine headaches, not depression. So my experience was different. I'm one of the few people that it puts weight on, 30lbs in about 3-4 months. I'm a very small person normally, so this was very apparent. I don't remember tapering off of it, but I must have considering what everybody is saying. I really don't have any memory of having any problems getting off of it probably because no one told me I would. As soon as I stopped taking it, within another three months, 30lbs were gone. So I can't take any kind of antidepressant in that category. I think Prozac, Effexor, and now Cymbalta are all very similar. I was given Cymbalta recently for fibromyalgia and other pain. I immediately started putting on weight, told the doctor and I quit taking it. Again I'd taken it for a few months, just like the Effexor, but never had any withdrawals. They probably said to taper it down, but I was too ignorant to know anything could happen. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful with a withdrawl plan. Good luck, it seems like a difficult thing to do. Someone said it's as addictive as heroin, that surprises me. I thought all the strong opiates were like getting off heroin. I just stopped all opiates about two months ago. I had a few symptoms but not many. I hope it works out for everybody. I wish I could be more helpful. Jen

I know I didn't realize that the post were that old. Just reading and thinking of my experience. I just have never like having to take medicine. Was a sigma fir sure with this one but I guess since I've never had to do this earlier in life makes me think I'm over the humo and should wean b/c I'd liver damage. Should I be concerned about that? Thanks for seeing this post.

Hi. I transitioned from Effexor to Pristiq, another form of effexor supposed to metabolize better.So no withdrawal symptoms at that point. The Pristiq stopped working suddenly after a few months. Also was taking Wellbutrin for nearly ten years and started having real memory problems at work especially. Didnt remember things i did but could prove thru technology it really was me. i was very emotionaI, threw things all over my office one day, then became suicidal but thoughts of my granddaughters stopped me. For some illogical reason, did not contact my dr. for a few weeks. She switched me to cymbalta i think. I remember being extremely distraught. I also have rheumatoid arthritis so would have attributed joint pains to that.
This happened about 6 years ago and i have since had a manic episode 2 years ago.Dx went from PMDD and major depression to bipolar 1. Maybe was bipolar 2 all along.
Every time i have switched meds, i have been directed to taper over a few days. I haven't noticed any major problems. But i also start a new med.
So, i think if you want to wean off and see how you feel it sounds like you will need to give yourself at least a week or two to deal with side effects. Or longer tapering as others suggested might be better, especially if you will be going off all meds.
I know it's a tough decision so i wish you the best in your journey!
(Fyi: now taking generic prozac and seroquel to manage the bipolar ).
Cathy

I dont know if anyone can help me, been on 150 mg for 2 yrs and 4 months the last 2 months was 300 mg. Well i have gained almost 50 lbs since being on this medicine. And for the last 2 yrs i have been sweating profusely especially at night. Never under my armpits but around my neck face chest legs. I would wake up from a very strange dream n find myself soaked from sweat i would have to take a quick shower n hope to go back to sleep. I still sweat alot i really hate going outside. My bf says i freeze him with the ac im always hot. I have ptsd so the dr prescribes prozasin for my "nightmares" i have been taking it almost a month and my "nightmares/night sweats" have not decreased. I hurt my back recently and found out i have a bulging disc my primary care wants me to get off the effexor because she believes thats why i have gained so much weight. Plus i really dont think it helps my depression tbh. Gaining all this weight has made me even more depressed than before. I went into my psychs office n was crying because ive gained so much and i cant sleep. He prescribed adderall like wth. I want off the effexor and If i loose some weight itll help my back pain im trying to avoid back surgery i have small children to take care of. Is 300 mg hard to get off of? Is there anything i can do for the nausea. And vertigo. Any information or tips will help.

I've been on Effexor for 2+ yrs as well, 300mg for PTSD and started to get off it 8wks ago. I too gained a ton of weight, 50lbs to be exact. It's been rough, I stepped down every 2wks and yesterday was day 1 of no pills, well today I'm laying in bed dizzy as hell with a monster migraine I can't beat. I am hoping to switch to Wellbutrin for my issues and hope it helps. Best of luck to you, it sure isn't an easy road

Hi, @cavegnr1, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thanks for sharing your experience with Effexor and your taper off of it. So sorry to hear it's been rough.

How are you feeling now?

Thanks for sharing this. I've been on 150mg for 8 years now. I would like to wean as well but have been scared to. I don't think I gained a ton of weight from it but I work out and eat pretty well and don't lose weight! Maybe this is a blocker for me. Wellbutrin was the other option my Dr. offered when I took Effexor. I wish I had know and started with that then. I was desperate to feel better that I didn't care so I didn't look into either one. I've got some family illnesses going on for now and now teenager with anxiety issues so I may try to wean in the spring. I tend to sometimes have a harder time in the winter. Prayers and all the best to all of us trying to figure this out!