1. < Depression & Anxiety

Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Posted by richyrich @richyrich, Nov 2, 2016

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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Bek | @bekinprogress | Oct 15, 2017
In reply to @careth2 "Hi there! I am new to Connect, but hopefully can offer some insight. I DID go..." + (show)
@careth2

Hi there! I am new to Connect, but hopefully can offer some insight. I DID go off 150 Effexor XR (name brand) COLD TURKEY on January 2016. I survived it, but will never in my life EVER go off ANY antidepressant cold turkey. I had taken Effexor for at least 8 years, Zoloft prior to that and and Imipramine (sp?) as the first antidepressant (in all 25+ years on antidepressants.) It all started with running out of meds over a long weekend and deciding it was time to try to get off antidepressants to see how I would do. Since I had recently retired from teaching, thought this would be an ideal time to give it a go. In addition, Effexor just wasn't helping all that much anymore (I thought.) The first 3 days I felt like I was going to die! When I realized that I wasn't dying, decided to keep going to get it all over with. In addition to the symptoms you have heard about, I had deep bone/joint pain that felt like I was being pinched with clamps. Also had skin sensations and peeling, and noticed a strange smell on my skin. Each day got a little better and by the 3rd week started to function a bit more normally. I was very emotional, however, which caused my family great concern. Well, to make a long story short, the depression crept back in full and I am still trying to get my life back. I did everything I could to stay stable, including herbal supplements and took a vacation where I hiked 6 miles daily for 9 days on hilly, rocky terrain. I finally had to accept that I'm a person who will need antidepressants for the rest of my life. With the help of a PCP and counselor, I am on my 3rd antidepressant & may need to resort to going back on Effexor, because nothing seems to be working. All in all, in my opinion, the chronic depression is worse than the withdrawal symptoms that do eventually end. If you are a person with situational depression, you may be successful weaning off Effexor gradually. If I were to do it again, that's what I would do (while replacing Effexor with something else.) Here are the things that helped me with the physical withdrawal symptoms:
1. Get plenty of sleep/rest.
2. Eat a very well-balanced diet (this is not the time to worry about your weight.) Lots of soup & easy to digest foods the 1st few days.
3. Drink plenty of water, including coconut water.
4. Have a glass of wine in the evening (if advisable.)
5. Get outside and walk or other excersize (the warm sunshine will feel good!)
6. Hot yoga 3-4 times per week. Stay in class even if you feel nauseous & can only do a few postures.
7. Soak in a hot tub (with bath salts if available.)
8. Use a good moisturizer on face & body several times per day.
9. Get several professional massages.
10. Take Tylenol for muscle pain, if OK on your stomach.
11. A heating pad is also helpful at bedtime or during naps.
12. If you are single & live alone, make sure a few trusted friends/family members know what you are doing.
13. In general, be kind & gentle to yourself.
14. NEVER give up! Keep going, even when you don't feel like it (which will be often.) YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!

Jump to this post

Thank you Jim for your thoughts. Sweets is a vice of mine as well!! I'm sure if I changed a few eating habits I may see the weight come off. Yes, I probably do need to start the conversation. Every time I have told my doctor about having crazy dreams and night sweats when I forget to take my medicine he says it's b/c I need it - it's not a side effect. 🙁 I think it's a side effect thought. May need a new doctor! HA! He has seen me since I've been on it so that is why I feel like sticking with him is safer.

REPLY
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Oct 16, 2017
In reply to @careth2 "Hi there! I am new to Connect, but hopefully can offer some insight. I DID go..." + (show)
@careth2

Hi there! I am new to Connect, but hopefully can offer some insight. I DID go off 150 Effexor XR (name brand) COLD TURKEY on January 2016. I survived it, but will never in my life EVER go off ANY antidepressant cold turkey. I had taken Effexor for at least 8 years, Zoloft prior to that and and Imipramine (sp?) as the first antidepressant (in all 25+ years on antidepressants.) It all started with running out of meds over a long weekend and deciding it was time to try to get off antidepressants to see how I would do. Since I had recently retired from teaching, thought this would be an ideal time to give it a go. In addition, Effexor just wasn't helping all that much anymore (I thought.) The first 3 days I felt like I was going to die! When I realized that I wasn't dying, decided to keep going to get it all over with. In addition to the symptoms you have heard about, I had deep bone/joint pain that felt like I was being pinched with clamps. Also had skin sensations and peeling, and noticed a strange smell on my skin. Each day got a little better and by the 3rd week started to function a bit more normally. I was very emotional, however, which caused my family great concern. Well, to make a long story short, the depression crept back in full and I am still trying to get my life back. I did everything I could to stay stable, including herbal supplements and took a vacation where I hiked 6 miles daily for 9 days on hilly, rocky terrain. I finally had to accept that I'm a person who will need antidepressants for the rest of my life. With the help of a PCP and counselor, I am on my 3rd antidepressant & may need to resort to going back on Effexor, because nothing seems to be working. All in all, in my opinion, the chronic depression is worse than the withdrawal symptoms that do eventually end. If you are a person with situational depression, you may be successful weaning off Effexor gradually. If I were to do it again, that's what I would do (while replacing Effexor with something else.) Here are the things that helped me with the physical withdrawal symptoms:
1. Get plenty of sleep/rest.
2. Eat a very well-balanced diet (this is not the time to worry about your weight.) Lots of soup & easy to digest foods the 1st few days.
3. Drink plenty of water, including coconut water.
4. Have a glass of wine in the evening (if advisable.)
5. Get outside and walk or other excersize (the warm sunshine will feel good!)
6. Hot yoga 3-4 times per week. Stay in class even if you feel nauseous & can only do a few postures.
7. Soak in a hot tub (with bath salts if available.)
8. Use a good moisturizer on face & body several times per day.
9. Get several professional massages.
10. Take Tylenol for muscle pain, if OK on your stomach.
11. A heating pad is also helpful at bedtime or during naps.
12. If you are single & live alone, make sure a few trusted friends/family members know what you are doing.
13. In general, be kind & gentle to yourself.
14. NEVER give up! Keep going, even when you don't feel like it (which will be often.) YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!

Jump to this post

Hello @bekinprogress

I've been reading your posts and it sounds as if you have a lot of stressors in your life right now. I would encourage you to talk with your doctor about making a switch, if you really feel that you need a change in your med. Most doctors are willing to work with you if you would like to try something different. Try to weigh the pros and cons of making a change now given some of the other things going on in your life.

Teresa

REPLY
hayleesmommy | @hayleesmommy | Oct 18, 2017
In reply to @careth2 "Hi there! I am new to Connect, but hopefully can offer some insight. I DID go..." + (show)
@careth2

Hi there! I am new to Connect, but hopefully can offer some insight. I DID go off 150 Effexor XR (name brand) COLD TURKEY on January 2016. I survived it, but will never in my life EVER go off ANY antidepressant cold turkey. I had taken Effexor for at least 8 years, Zoloft prior to that and and Imipramine (sp?) as the first antidepressant (in all 25+ years on antidepressants.) It all started with running out of meds over a long weekend and deciding it was time to try to get off antidepressants to see how I would do. Since I had recently retired from teaching, thought this would be an ideal time to give it a go. In addition, Effexor just wasn't helping all that much anymore (I thought.) The first 3 days I felt like I was going to die! When I realized that I wasn't dying, decided to keep going to get it all over with. In addition to the symptoms you have heard about, I had deep bone/joint pain that felt like I was being pinched with clamps. Also had skin sensations and peeling, and noticed a strange smell on my skin. Each day got a little better and by the 3rd week started to function a bit more normally. I was very emotional, however, which caused my family great concern. Well, to make a long story short, the depression crept back in full and I am still trying to get my life back. I did everything I could to stay stable, including herbal supplements and took a vacation where I hiked 6 miles daily for 9 days on hilly, rocky terrain. I finally had to accept that I'm a person who will need antidepressants for the rest of my life. With the help of a PCP and counselor, I am on my 3rd antidepressant & may need to resort to going back on Effexor, because nothing seems to be working. All in all, in my opinion, the chronic depression is worse than the withdrawal symptoms that do eventually end. If you are a person with situational depression, you may be successful weaning off Effexor gradually. If I were to do it again, that's what I would do (while replacing Effexor with something else.) Here are the things that helped me with the physical withdrawal symptoms:
1. Get plenty of sleep/rest.
2. Eat a very well-balanced diet (this is not the time to worry about your weight.) Lots of soup & easy to digest foods the 1st few days.
3. Drink plenty of water, including coconut water.
4. Have a glass of wine in the evening (if advisable.)
5. Get outside and walk or other excersize (the warm sunshine will feel good!)
6. Hot yoga 3-4 times per week. Stay in class even if you feel nauseous & can only do a few postures.
7. Soak in a hot tub (with bath salts if available.)
8. Use a good moisturizer on face & body several times per day.
9. Get several professional massages.
10. Take Tylenol for muscle pain, if OK on your stomach.
11. A heating pad is also helpful at bedtime or during naps.
12. If you are single & live alone, make sure a few trusted friends/family members know what you are doing.
13. In general, be kind & gentle to yourself.
14. NEVER give up! Keep going, even when you don't feel like it (which will be often.) YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!

Jump to this post

I have made the changes myself im over all the withdrawals n i couldnt be happier its over and i feel much better without the effexor. Thank u for ur advice. My doc was happy that i did it on my own. But hasnt replaced the med yet.

REPLY
Berni | @lolita9 | Oct 20, 2017

Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my doctor and I decided to take me off. Side effects coming off when I do not take the 75 mg is horrendous. I haven't told anyone in my family that I'm on this and now am alone in coming off. I'm so scared but I can only trust my doctor to help me through this. It help to read I'm not alone. I wish I never taken it.

REPLY
16 replies
Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Oct 20, 2017
In reply to @lolita9 "Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my..." + (show)
@lolita9

Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my doctor and I decided to take me off. Side effects coming off when I do not take the 75 mg is horrendous. I haven't told anyone in my family that I'm on this and now am alone in coming off. I'm so scared but I can only trust my doctor to help me through this. It help to read I'm not alone. I wish I never taken it.

Jump to this post

Welcome to Connect, @lolita9 - starting and stopping a medication always bears a chance of causing problems. I tried several antidepressants, around 6, some did nothing after the 6 week trial period, one made me voraciously hungry, and another made me suicidal. I recently stopped Cymbalta because I didn't think it was having any effect on my pain. It didn't have any effect on either pain OR mood when I started taking it, and in retrospect, I should have followed my own intuition and understanding of my body and brain, and refused to continue taking it a couple of years ago. But, I did spend considerable time tapering off. I discovered that the withdrawal symptom in my case was depression. As if I wasn't already depressed enough! But, after 3 weeks of clearing it out of my system, that increase of depression dropped off, and I'm pretty much back to my regular level of depression. It helped me get through the past weeks knowing that the drop in mood was likely a withdrawal symptom.

How is the tapering process? Are you still taking some every day or have you moved on to every other day? Have you asked your doctor about something you could take to help you with the withdrawal symptoms? What helped me with my recent change was my weekly therapy session.

When I tried Effexor, and found it wasn't working, my doctor led me through the transition to Wellbutrin. I remember how hard it was for me. Having the right medication can make life way better. I understand the seeming emptiness of words, but I hope you find some strength in the words of encouragement that are being sent your way from your co-conspirators here.

Jim

REPLY
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Oct 20, 2017
In reply to @lolita9 "Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my..." + (show)
@lolita9

Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my doctor and I decided to take me off. Side effects coming off when I do not take the 75 mg is horrendous. I haven't told anyone in my family that I'm on this and now am alone in coming off. I'm so scared but I can only trust my doctor to help me through this. It help to read I'm not alone. I wish I never taken it.

Jump to this post

Hi Jim, @jimhd

Thanks for sharing the plan you have used. It sounds very balanced!

Teresa

REPLY
Berni | @lolita9 | Oct 20, 2017
In reply to @lolita9 "Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my..." + (show)
@lolita9

Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my doctor and I decided to take me off. Side effects coming off when I do not take the 75 mg is horrendous. I haven't told anyone in my family that I'm on this and now am alone in coming off. I'm so scared but I can only trust my doctor to help me through this. It help to read I'm not alone. I wish I never taken it.

Jump to this post

Hi @jimhd reading these has helped felling less alone and good that others understand the real symptoms of withdrawal.
I was on 150 mg a day when I found it not helping me anymore. I was in psycho therapy for 15 years... And was doing well, until my situation got physical n mental harmful. So I asked for something to make me think clearly. I felt I could handle going off the effexor but he took me off too suddenly. Doing 75 every other day. So I tried 75 mg a day for a week. Then I was to go every other day. That brings me to yesterday. One day without n and the symptoms came back fearce.
So doctor said to alternate 75 and 37.5 every other day.
I'll have to see how that goes. But honestly I'm terrified not to take it. I have my job and a grandchild to look after. I can't afford to be laid up in bed. Thank you for listening.

REPLY
Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Oct 20, 2017
In reply to @lolita9 "Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my..." + (show)
@lolita9

Just joined the conversation. I've only been on effexor for less than a year that my doctor and I decided to take me off. Side effects coming off when I do not take the 75 mg is horrendous. I haven't told anyone in my family that I'm on this and now am alone in coming off. I'm so scared but I can only trust my doctor to help me through this. It help to read I'm not alone. I wish I never taken it.

Jump to this post

@lolita9 - I'm glad to hear your doctor is working with you on tapering. Don't worry about what she thinks about you. You know yourself best. Take your time. There's no hurry, unless it means a delay in starting a new replacement med. Most of my doctors have given me latitude in deciding exactly how slowly I will taper. They haven't pressured me. Of course, they give guidelines, and usually I can follow them. But we may all be created equal, but not identical. Now, aren't you glad you're not identical to me? If not, take it from me, you should be.

It won't be very long until you'll be able to look back on this, glad you're not still in the middle of it. What do you see as a good outcome? My memory is lousy, but it seems to be telling me that you're going to move to Wellbutrin. Are you starting to taper on the next one yet? I trust that it will serve you well.

Jim

REPLY
arkiegirl | @arkiegirl | Oct 21, 2017

I’m so thankful I started reading this. I’ve been taking 75 mg of Effexor for 13 years. My doctor put me on it when my husband was battling cancer. I’ve tried several times to get off it with no luck. Last year I talked to my dr and I began tapering it down. I finally went to 37.5 and stayed there for 9 months. I have now gotten it to 37.5 mg every three days. Today is my fourth day without. Ive struggles a lot today. At what point is the point where you don’t take it? I’m going to call my dr Monday but wanted to see if anyone worked through the same issue. Thanks for any feedback

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Oct 21, 2017
In reply to @arkiegirl "I’m so thankful I started reading this. I’ve been taking 75 mg of Effexor for 13..." + (show)
@arkiegirl

I’m so thankful I started reading this. I’ve been taking 75 mg of Effexor for 13 years. My doctor put me on it when my husband was battling cancer. I’ve tried several times to get off it with no luck. Last year I talked to my dr and I began tapering it down. I finally went to 37.5 and stayed there for 9 months. I have now gotten it to 37.5 mg every three days. Today is my fourth day without. Ive struggles a lot today. At what point is the point where you don’t take it? I’m going to call my dr Monday but wanted to see if anyone worked through the same issue. Thanks for any feedback

Jump to this post

@arkiegirl - I took Effexor for a short time, long enough to know it didn't work for me, and I tapered off it at the same time I tapered on to Wellbutrin. A lot was going on in my life at that time, and it's hard to know what caused what. You're wise to be taking it slowly. I've heard that others have had a lot of trouble getting off it. I think you'll see a fair amount of discussion here around your question.

Has the doctor said what to expect when you stop?

Jim

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