Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

I am really struggling with the withdrawal off of Effexor. I had taken it for about 10 years. First subscribed after divorce of 30 year marriage and then five years later lost my son to PTSD related suicide from serving 3 tours to Iraq. The Effexor was making me physically ill. My BP was off the charts and no bp meds were helping. I was a walking sweat box. By the time I had showered, done my hair and got dressed, I was ready for another shower. At night I had to get up and change my pjs, sheets, blankets or put a dry beach towel down to get back to sleep. At my last PCP I told him I thought I had a kidney infection so he did a urine culture. He found a "considerable amount" of blood in my urine. I was retested the following three months and referred to a urologist. I began reading symptoms of long term use of Effexor and decided it was causing severe physical complications. I found a reputable psychiatrist (good luck with that!) and told her about my physical problems and my concern about the Effexor. She acted like it was a piece of cake to get off of it. She weaned me off of the Effexor (took about 4 weeks) while she started me on Prozac. The Prozac was increased as the Effexor was decreased. I immediately noticed that I didn't have that "foggy brain" that I had had for so many years and felt like my concentration definitely improved. Then BAM! After being off of the Effexor for about two months, my anxiety is off the charts. Before I even open my eyes in the morning, the anxiety is unbearable. I have a little wiener dog that I have to get up and feed and let out. I literally feel like getting in my vehicle and running it into the river. It's total hell. I eat a bit of breakfast and try to get on with my day but within an hour I am literally incapable of taking care of myself or my dog. I become paralyzed with the anxiety. Absolutely paralyzed. I cannot function. I have asked my psych to up the Xanax to 3 or 4 .25 tabs a day but she's refusing telling me I just have to tough it out. By noon or 1:00 I have already taken the 2 tabs allowed for the day and then the anxiety REALLY goes through the roof. I try to stay busy, (I'm retired) but I literally cannot function. If I can heat up a can of soup to eat for the day or load the dishwasher, I feel like I've accomplished something. It is absolutely HORRIBLE. My 60th bday was last week and I was in such horrible shape I couldn't leave the house to go to dinner with my daughter and her family. Now I am having the "flu like" symptoms of withdrawal; achy joints, nausea and diarhea (sp??) and extreme weakness. I can barely stand long enough to get from the couch or bed to the bathroom. And taking a shower doesn't happen but maybe once a week. I'm wondering if I'm going to survive this. It is such a double edged sword. I know the Efffexor was killing me, literally, with my kidney and bp problems but I'm seriously wondering if I'm going to make it through this. All I think about is killing myself because I don't see a way out of this....I know that grief plays a huge part of my anxiety and depression and the holidays are definitely a trigger, but I have never felt this badly in the six years since my son is gone....I feel like a train wreck.....

I am really struggling with the withdrawal off of Effexor. I had taken it for about 10 years. First subscribed after divorce of 30 year marriage and then five years later lost my son to PTSD related suicide from serving 3 tours to Iraq. The Effexor was making me physically ill. My BP was off the charts and no bp meds were helping. I was a walking sweat box. By the time I had showered, done my hair and got dressed, I was ready for another shower. At night I had to get up and change my pjs, sheets, blankets or put a dry beach towel down to get back to sleep. At my last PCP I told him I thought I had a kidney infection so he did a urine culture. He found a "considerable amount" of blood in my urine. I was retested the following three months and referred to a urologist. I began reading symptoms of long term use of Effexor and decided it was causing severe physical complications. I found a reputable psychiatrist (good luck with that!) and told her about my physical problems and my concern about the Effexor. She acted like it was a piece of cake to get off of it. She weaned me off of the Effexor (took about 4 weeks) while she started me on Prozac. The Prozac was increased as the Effexor was decreased. I immediately noticed that I didn't have that "foggy brain" that I had had for so many years and felt like my concentration definitely improved. Then BAM! After being off of the Effexor for about two months, my anxiety is off the charts. Before I even open my eyes in the morning, the anxiety is unbearable. I have a little wiener dog that I have to get up and feed and let out. I literally feel like getting in my vehicle and running it into the river. It's total hell. I eat a bit of breakfast and try to get on with my day but within an hour I am literally incapable of taking care of myself or my dog. I become paralyzed with the anxiety. Absolutely paralyzed. I cannot function. I have asked my psych to up the Xanax to 3 or 4 .25 tabs a day but she's refusing telling me I just have to tough it out. By noon or 1:00 I have already taken the 2 tabs allowed for the day and then the anxiety REALLY goes through the roof. I try to stay busy, (I'm retired) but I literally cannot function. If I can heat up a can of soup to eat for the day or load the dishwasher, I feel like I've accomplished something. It is absolutely HORRIBLE. My 60th bday was last week and I was in such horrible shape I couldn't leave the house to go to dinner with my daughter and her family. Now I am having the "flu like" symptoms of withdrawal; achy joints, nausea and diarhea (sp??) and extreme weakness. I can barely stand long enough to get from the couch or bed to the bathroom. And taking a shower doesn't happen but maybe once a week. I'm wondering if I'm going to survive this. It is such a double edged sword. I know the Efffexor was killing me, literally, with my kidney and bp problems but I'm seriously wondering if I'm going to make it through this. All I think about is killing myself because I don't see a way out of this....I know that grief plays a huge part of my anxiety and depression and the holidays are definitely a trigger, but I have never felt this badly in the six years since my son is gone....I feel like a train wreck.....

I am really struggling with the withdrawal off of Effexor. I had taken it for about 10 years. First subscribed after divorce of 30 year marriage and then five years later lost my son to PTSD related suicide from serving 3 tours to Iraq. The Effexor was making me physically ill. My BP was off the charts and no bp meds were helping. I was a walking sweat box. By the time I had showered, done my hair and got dressed, I was ready for another shower. At night I had to get up and change my pjs, sheets, blankets or put a dry beach towel down to get back to sleep. At my last PCP I told him I thought I had a kidney infection so he did a urine culture. He found a "considerable amount" of blood in my urine. I was retested the following three months and referred to a urologist. I began reading symptoms of long term use of Effexor and decided it was causing severe physical complications. I found a reputable psychiatrist (good luck with that!) and told her about my physical problems and my concern about the Effexor. She acted like it was a piece of cake to get off of it. She weaned me off of the Effexor (took about 4 weeks) while she started me on Prozac. The Prozac was increased as the Effexor was decreased. I immediately noticed that I didn't have that "foggy brain" that I had had for so many years and felt like my concentration definitely improved. Then BAM! After being off of the Effexor for about two months, my anxiety is off the charts. Before I even open my eyes in the morning, the anxiety is unbearable. I have a little wiener dog that I have to get up and feed and let out. I literally feel like getting in my vehicle and running it into the river. It's total hell. I eat a bit of breakfast and try to get on with my day but within an hour I am literally incapable of taking care of myself or my dog. I become paralyzed with the anxiety. Absolutely paralyzed. I cannot function. I have asked my psych to up the Xanax to 3 or 4 .25 tabs a day but she's refusing telling me I just have to tough it out. By noon or 1:00 I have already taken the 2 tabs allowed for the day and then the anxiety REALLY goes through the roof. I try to stay busy, (I'm retired) but I literally cannot function. If I can heat up a can of soup to eat for the day or load the dishwasher, I feel like I've accomplished something. It is absolutely HORRIBLE. My 60th bday was last week and I was in such horrible shape I couldn't leave the house to go to dinner with my daughter and her family. Now I am having the "flu like" symptoms of withdrawal; achy joints, nausea and diarhea (sp??) and extreme weakness. I can barely stand long enough to get from the couch or bed to the bathroom. And taking a shower doesn't happen but maybe once a week. I'm wondering if I'm going to survive this. It is such a double edged sword. I know the Efffexor was killing me, literally, with my kidney and bp problems but I'm seriously wondering if I'm going to make it through this. All I think about is killing myself because I don't see a way out of this....I know that grief plays a huge part of my anxiety and depression and the holidays are definitely a trigger, but I have never felt this badly in the six years since my son is gone....I feel like a train wreck.....

I am really struggling with the withdrawal off of Effexor. I had taken it for about 10 years. First subscribed after divorce of 30 year marriage and then five years later lost my son to PTSD related suicide from serving 3 tours to Iraq. The Effexor was making me physically ill. My BP was off the charts and no bp meds were helping. I was a walking sweat box. By the time I had showered, done my hair and got dressed, I was ready for another shower. At night I had to get up and change my pjs, sheets, blankets or put a dry beach towel down to get back to sleep. At my last PCP I told him I thought I had a kidney infection so he did a urine culture. He found a "considerable amount" of blood in my urine. I was retested the following three months and referred to a urologist. I began reading symptoms of long term use of Effexor and decided it was causing severe physical complications. I found a reputable psychiatrist (good luck with that!) and told her about my physical problems and my concern about the Effexor. She acted like it was a piece of cake to get off of it. She weaned me off of the Effexor (took about 4 weeks) while she started me on Prozac. The Prozac was increased as the Effexor was decreased. I immediately noticed that I didn't have that "foggy brain" that I had had for so many years and felt like my concentration definitely improved. Then BAM! After being off of the Effexor for about two months, my anxiety is off the charts. Before I even open my eyes in the morning, the anxiety is unbearable. I have a little wiener dog that I have to get up and feed and let out. I literally feel like getting in my vehicle and running it into the river. It's total hell. I eat a bit of breakfast and try to get on with my day but within an hour I am literally incapable of taking care of myself or my dog. I become paralyzed with the anxiety. Absolutely paralyzed. I cannot function. I have asked my psych to up the Xanax to 3 or 4 .25 tabs a day but she's refusing telling me I just have to tough it out. By noon or 1:00 I have already taken the 2 tabs allowed for the day and then the anxiety REALLY goes through the roof. I try to stay busy, (I'm retired) but I literally cannot function. If I can heat up a can of soup to eat for the day or load the dishwasher, I feel like I've accomplished something. It is absolutely HORRIBLE. My 60th bday was last week and I was in such horrible shape I couldn't leave the house to go to dinner with my daughter and her family. Now I am having the "flu like" symptoms of withdrawal; achy joints, nausea and diarhea (sp??) and extreme weakness. I can barely stand long enough to get from the couch or bed to the bathroom. And taking a shower doesn't happen but maybe once a week. I'm wondering if I'm going to survive this. It is such a double edged sword. I know the Efffexor was killing me, literally, with my kidney and bp problems but I'm seriously wondering if I'm going to make it through this. All I think about is killing myself because I don't see a way out of this....I know that grief plays a huge part of my anxiety and depression and the holidays are definitely a trigger, but I have never felt this badly in the six years since my son is gone....I feel like a train wreck.....

I am really struggling with the withdrawal off of Effexor. I had taken it for about 10 years. First subscribed after divorce of 30 year marriage and then five years later lost my son to PTSD related suicide from serving 3 tours to Iraq. The Effexor was making me physically ill. My BP was off the charts and no bp meds were helping. I was a walking sweat box. By the time I had showered, done my hair and got dressed, I was ready for another shower. At night I had to get up and change my pjs, sheets, blankets or put a dry beach towel down to get back to sleep. At my last PCP I told him I thought I had a kidney infection so he did a urine culture. He found a "considerable amount" of blood in my urine. I was retested the following three months and referred to a urologist. I began reading symptoms of long term use of Effexor and decided it was causing severe physical complications. I found a reputable psychiatrist (good luck with that!) and told her about my physical problems and my concern about the Effexor. She acted like it was a piece of cake to get off of it. She weaned me off of the Effexor (took about 4 weeks) while she started me on Prozac. The Prozac was increased as the Effexor was decreased. I immediately noticed that I didn't have that "foggy brain" that I had had for so many years and felt like my concentration definitely improved. Then BAM! After being off of the Effexor for about two months, my anxiety is off the charts. Before I even open my eyes in the morning, the anxiety is unbearable. I have a little wiener dog that I have to get up and feed and let out. I literally feel like getting in my vehicle and running it into the river. It's total hell. I eat a bit of breakfast and try to get on with my day but within an hour I am literally incapable of taking care of myself or my dog. I become paralyzed with the anxiety. Absolutely paralyzed. I cannot function. I have asked my psych to up the Xanax to 3 or 4 .25 tabs a day but she's refusing telling me I just have to tough it out. By noon or 1:00 I have already taken the 2 tabs allowed for the day and then the anxiety REALLY goes through the roof. I try to stay busy, (I'm retired) but I literally cannot function. If I can heat up a can of soup to eat for the day or load the dishwasher, I feel like I've accomplished something. It is absolutely HORRIBLE. My 60th bday was last week and I was in such horrible shape I couldn't leave the house to go to dinner with my daughter and her family. Now I am having the "flu like" symptoms of withdrawal; achy joints, nausea and diarhea (sp??) and extreme weakness. I can barely stand long enough to get from the couch or bed to the bathroom. And taking a shower doesn't happen but maybe once a week. I'm wondering if I'm going to survive this. It is such a double edged sword. I know the Efffexor was killing me, literally, with my kidney and bp problems but I'm seriously wondering if I'm going to make it through this. All I think about is killing myself because I don't see a way out of this....I know that grief plays a huge part of my anxiety and depression and the holidays are definitely a trigger, but I have never felt this badly in the six years since my son is gone....I feel like a train wreck.....

I am really struggling with the withdrawal off of Effexor. I had taken it for about 10 years. First subscribed after divorce of 30 year marriage and then five years later lost my son to PTSD related suicide from serving 3 tours to Iraq. The Effexor was making me physically ill. My BP was off the charts and no bp meds were helping. I was a walking sweat box. By the time I had showered, done my hair and got dressed, I was ready for another shower. At night I had to get up and change my pjs, sheets, blankets or put a dry beach towel down to get back to sleep. At my last PCP I told him I thought I had a kidney infection so he did a urine culture. He found a "considerable amount" of blood in my urine. I was retested the following three months and referred to a urologist. I began reading symptoms of long term use of Effexor and decided it was causing severe physical complications. I found a reputable psychiatrist (good luck with that!) and told her about my physical problems and my concern about the Effexor. She acted like it was a piece of cake to get off of it. She weaned me off of the Effexor (took about 4 weeks) while she started me on Prozac. The Prozac was increased as the Effexor was decreased. I immediately noticed that I didn't have that "foggy brain" that I had had for so many years and felt like my concentration definitely improved. Then BAM! After being off of the Effexor for about two months, my anxiety is off the charts. Before I even open my eyes in the morning, the anxiety is unbearable. I have a little wiener dog that I have to get up and feed and let out. I literally feel like getting in my vehicle and running it into the river. It's total hell. I eat a bit of breakfast and try to get on with my day but within an hour I am literally incapable of taking care of myself or my dog. I become paralyzed with the anxiety. Absolutely paralyzed. I cannot function. I have asked my psych to up the Xanax to 3 or 4 .25 tabs a day but she's refusing telling me I just have to tough it out. By noon or 1:00 I have already taken the 2 tabs allowed for the day and then the anxiety REALLY goes through the roof. I try to stay busy, (I'm retired) but I literally cannot function. If I can heat up a can of soup to eat for the day or load the dishwasher, I feel like I've accomplished something. It is absolutely HORRIBLE. My 60th bday was last week and I was in such horrible shape I couldn't leave the house to go to dinner with my daughter and her family. Now I am having the "flu like" symptoms of withdrawal; achy joints, nausea and diarhea (sp??) and extreme weakness. I can barely stand long enough to get from the couch or bed to the bathroom. And taking a shower doesn't happen but maybe once a week. I'm wondering if I'm going to survive this. It is such a double edged sword. I know the Efffexor was killing me, literally, with my kidney and bp problems but I'm seriously wondering if I'm going to make it through this. All I think about is killing myself because I don't see a way out of this....I know that grief plays a huge part of my anxiety and depression and the holidays are definitely a trigger, but I have never felt this badly in the six years since my son is gone....I feel like a train wreck.....

I am really struggling with the withdrawal off of Effexor. I had taken it for about 10 years. First subscribed after divorce of 30 year marriage and then five years later lost my son to PTSD related suicide from serving 3 tours to Iraq. The Effexor was making me physically ill. My BP was off the charts and no bp meds were helping. I was a walking sweat box. By the time I had showered, done my hair and got dressed, I was ready for another shower. At night I had to get up and change my pjs, sheets, blankets or put a dry beach towel down to get back to sleep. At my last PCP I told him I thought I had a kidney infection so he did a urine culture. He found a "considerable amount" of blood in my urine. I was retested the following three months and referred to a urologist. I began reading symptoms of long term use of Effexor and decided it was causing severe physical complications. I found a reputable psychiatrist (good luck with that!) and told her about my physical problems and my concern about the Effexor. She acted like it was a piece of cake to get off of it. She weaned me off of the Effexor (took about 4 weeks) while she started me on Prozac. The Prozac was increased as the Effexor was decreased. I immediately noticed that I didn't have that "foggy brain" that I had had for so many years and felt like my concentration definitely improved. Then BAM! After being off of the Effexor for about two months, my anxiety is off the charts. Before I even open my eyes in the morning, the anxiety is unbearable. I have a little wiener dog that I have to get up and feed and let out. I literally feel like getting in my vehicle and running it into the river. It's total hell. I eat a bit of breakfast and try to get on with my day but within an hour I am literally incapable of taking care of myself or my dog. I become paralyzed with the anxiety. Absolutely paralyzed. I cannot function. I have asked my psych to up the Xanax to 3 or 4 .25 tabs a day but she's refusing telling me I just have to tough it out. By noon or 1:00 I have already taken the 2 tabs allowed for the day and then the anxiety REALLY goes through the roof. I try to stay busy, (I'm retired) but I literally cannot function. If I can heat up a can of soup to eat for the day or load the dishwasher, I feel like I've accomplished something. It is absolutely HORRIBLE. My 60th bday was last week and I was in such horrible shape I couldn't leave the house to go to dinner with my daughter and her family. Now I am having the "flu like" symptoms of withdrawal; achy joints, nausea and diarhea (sp??) and extreme weakness. I can barely stand long enough to get from the couch or bed to the bathroom. And taking a shower doesn't happen but maybe once a week. I'm wondering if I'm going to survive this. It is such a double edged sword. I know the Efffexor was killing me, literally, with my kidney and bp problems but I'm seriously wondering if I'm going to make it through this. All I think about is killing myself because I don't see a way out of this....I know that grief plays a huge part of my anxiety and depression and the holidays are definitely a trigger, but I have never felt this badly in the six years since my son is gone....I feel like a train wreck.....

@sadiesmom, I can't begin to imagine your pain and what you are going through. From my limited knowledge and what I have read about the drug Effexor/venlafaxine it's extremely difficult to taper off and should never be done quickly. I agree with @lisalucier that it sounds like you need a doctor's help and they really need to know about the pain you are going through so that they are able to help and come up with a better treatment plan.

You are a survivor - that's why you are reaching out looking for answers and help. My struggles tapering off of prednisone are nothing compared to what you are going through but I have learned to taper very slowly - sometimes reducing the dose by 1mg or less per month vs every 1 or 2 weeks as the normal schedule. This is why I think your doctor needs to know and understand what you are feeling and why it's hard to taper off of the Effexor.

Hoping you have some pain free days ahead.

John