Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hi All - I've been on Prozac and then Effexor for close to 20 years now and began to wonder exactly why I was taking them anymore. At first, it was because of extreme stress and anxiety and was periodic low dosages. Within a few years, it became seasonal and I needed them through the winter as well. Then it was continual. My doctor at the time, who regularly sent me to a psychiatrist for evaluations, explained that it was like a "brain vitamin" due to chemical imbalances, so that I did not feel the stigma associated with it. Several years ago, stressors in my life between job and relationships brought my dosage up to 375mg per day. But those stressors are now gone, so I began to seriously question why I would still need to take this medication. I began to slowly decrease my dosage about every three months, of course, with my doctor's awareness. I have finally gotten down to 37.5 mg and it is absolutely terrifying. The brain zaps, dizziness, vertigo, unfocussed thinking, heightened awareness of sounds and movements, sleep disruptions.... I'm afraid to get rid of the last dose. Thankfully my doctor is patiently working with me. Going every other day on the dose was too much, so I'm back on for 3 days at a time. On my off day, I'm to take a Clonazepam twice, 12 hours apart. Do this for two weeks, then reduce it to every 2 days, then 1 off with the Clonazepam. I am only to take the Clonazepam on my "off" days. I've reduced my caffeine intake, scheduled my sleeping, and a friend is now my activity coach, as everyone knows that physical activity will help you produce natural serotonin. I'm going to stay on this path and keep moving at all costs. My life is finally GREAT so why should I have to be on this medication? I'm not going to let the withdrawals control my life.....
I wish everyone luck in their journey to remove themselves, but please ask to remember to be PATIENT with yourselves. Try different types of dosage removals.... once you get to the lowest dose, maybe try extended the dosage time from 24 hours to 30 hours for a couple of weeks, then 36 hours and so on. My brain zaps occurred immediately at the 25 hour mark, so that is why I'm going every 3 days and then 1 off. We'll see. I have high hopes and determination.
Again, thanks everyone for sharing their stories and good luck to you all.

Hello,

I am a 23 yr old male. I am a disabled veteran diagnosed with chronic pain syndrome, degenerative disc disease, multiple disc herniations, radiculapothy of both lower extremities, spinal arthritis, PTSD, severe anxiety, amd major depression. Back in April of 2017 was hospitalized due to my back injury. Ive never taken any antidepressants before but my body does not respond well to medications. In 2014 I was given a lethal combination of painkillers and muscle relaxers by my on base health clinic which caused an overdose. Ever since then it seems like my body rejects meds or builds up tolerance at an alarmingly fast amount of time. Long story short during my 2 week hospital stint in April, i was visited by a physc doctor. She prescribed me Venlafaxine. I started at 75mg but very quickly was increased to 150mg. During the first few weeks of taking this medication, I noticed that I felt extremely ill and week as well as became easily frustrated, agitated, and much more angry. I notified the VA who had taken over my treatment. My doctor told me that those were commom side effect and they would soon gradually fade. Abput 2 1/2 to 3 months in the anger frustration and agitation had gained strength. My wife constantly told me that this medication was changing my personality drastically. About the same time my depression had came in full force and was always affecting me. I was always unhappy and would blow up at the smallest of things. I began to realize something was indeed wrong. My PCP instructed me to taper off which caused the sickness to come back along with intense amounts of pain. I was then told to just discontinue taking the meds and no present day, 8 months later my personality hasnt changed back to before the meds where even though in pain with depression, i was still able to enjoy things with my wife and be a caring loving husband as well as a devoted father. I am constantly angry and unhappy. Agitated with the smallest of things falling further and further into my depression. This has my marriage barley held together by strings and i need help. My doctor has now presceibed mw Prozac to help. But is there anything i can do to be the man I was. I hope and pray that this dark cloud in my life fades away. I want to be happy and have a strong marriage but these issues make it impossible. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Is there any hope or am I a lost cause to this horrible decision to try venlafaxine?

Thank you for your input.

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.

I totally agree with you about it being a life-long disease. I didn't have it until I went through my divorce and the loss of my son. I think that once the chemicals in your brain are shaken up, there's a slim chance that they will ever return to "normal", whatever that is these days. The reason I wanted to wean off of the Effexor after 14 years of taking it is because I am experiencing critical physical symptoms that, according to the Effexor warning label, are caused by long term use of this drug. I was suicidal after my divorce....had been married to my hs sweetheart for almost 30 years and my son was in Iraq on his second of his third tour with the USMC. I had a nervous break down. In the meantime, I lost the best job I ever had in my life; one that would ensure financial stability through the divorce. I had to leave the dream home we had built ten years before, my son came home from Iraq very depressed and I worried to death about him. Then when he had to deploy for a third time, I tanked again and had to be hospitalized. When my son passed away in 2012, I went on disability because I couldn't deal with the grief of losing my 29 year old son. I really think my mind and body have never healed from one tragedy before the next struck. The Effexor caused me horrendous brain fog to the point I could barely take care of myself and my dog. I literally didn't know where I was half the time. I couldn't go to the grocery store, do laundry, cook for myself, dishes....nothing. My house went to complete hell. I slept probably 16 or 18 hours a day. I gained 50 pounds in about 4 months which sent my bp skyrocketing....my doctor increased the Effexor because of my critical state which only made my bp worse. I just turned 60 and am beginning to truly worry about my physical health as it relates to the drugs I am ingesting....Please, please, please, anyone who is taking antidepressants READ THE WARNING LABEL EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU GET A REFILL. Side effects change and the date of the last update is on the BACK page in teeny tiny little numbers in the left hand corner of the warnings instead of in big, black bold letters on the FRONT. I am convinced that the cocktail of antidepressants the VA gave my son caused his suicide. Today, we are losing 20-30 Veterans a DAY by their own hand. 90% of it is because of the medication that the VA prescribes. It is absolutely criminal. Big pharma contracts with the government, gets these men and women addicted and then they die by their own hand. I think it's cheaper for the government to buy the drugs than treat them medically for their problems. That's another chapter in the book, though, and I won't bore you with statistics most of you don't even care about.

I have been on Effexor for 13 years. After having a child, my dosage was doubled as I felt it wasn't working anymore. I was also prescribed wellbutrin. I started seeing a psychiatrist who thought I was ok to be taken off the meds. Trying to taper off Effexor was hell. I was a single mom, going to college, and literally could not function with all the crazy withdrawal symptoms. After a week of the side effects, I called and told my psychiatrist to put me back only regular dosage. Maybe it just wasn't a good time in my life to try to wean off it. I recently didn't keep track of how many refills I had left, so ran out of medicine and because of the holiday, the doctors office was closed for five days. After two days of having no medicine, I caved in and went into the ER to get a couple day supply until my doctor is open again. I think depression is a life long disease and is a chemical or neural imbalance in the brain, so it is not just going to fix itself. As much as I wish I didn't need medication, I have came to the terms that this is a lifelong disease, and certain life changes or supplement can make it better, medication does things that supplements or life changes cannot.

Hello,

I am a 23 yr old male. I am a disabled veteran diagnosed with chronic pain syndrome, degenerative disc disease, multiple disc herniations, radiculapothy of both lower extremities, spinal arthritis, PTSD, severe anxiety, amd major depression. Back in April of 2017 was hospitalized due to my back injury. Ive never taken any antidepressants before but my body does not respond well to medications. In 2014 I was given a lethal combination of painkillers and muscle relaxers by my on base health clinic which caused an overdose. Ever since then it seems like my body rejects meds or builds up tolerance at an alarmingly fast amount of time. Long story short during my 2 week hospital stint in April, i was visited by a physc doctor. She prescribed me Venlafaxine. I started at 75mg but very quickly was increased to 150mg. During the first few weeks of taking this medication, I noticed that I felt extremely ill and week as well as became easily frustrated, agitated, and much more angry. I notified the VA who had taken over my treatment. My doctor told me that those were commom side effect and they would soon gradually fade. Abput 2 1/2 to 3 months in the anger frustration and agitation had gained strength. My wife constantly told me that this medication was changing my personality drastically. About the same time my depression had came in full force and was always affecting me. I was always unhappy and would blow up at the smallest of things. I began to realize something was indeed wrong. My PCP instructed me to taper off which caused the sickness to come back along with intense amounts of pain. I was then told to just discontinue taking the meds and no present day, 8 months later my personality hasnt changed back to before the meds where even though in pain with depression, i was still able to enjoy things with my wife and be a caring loving husband as well as a devoted father. I am constantly angry and unhappy. Agitated with the smallest of things falling further and further into my depression. This has my marriage barley held together by strings and i need help. My doctor has now presceibed mw Prozac to help. But is there anything i can do to be the man I was. I hope and pray that this dark cloud in my life fades away. I want to be happy and have a strong marriage but these issues make it impossible. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Is there any hope or am I a lost cause to this horrible decision to try venlafaxine?

Thank you for your input.

Hello,

I am a 23 yr old male. I am a disabled veteran diagnosed with chronic pain syndrome, degenerative disc disease, multiple disc herniations, radiculapothy of both lower extremities, spinal arthritis, PTSD, severe anxiety, amd major depression. Back in April of 2017 was hospitalized due to my back injury. Ive never taken any antidepressants before but my body does not respond well to medications. In 2014 I was given a lethal combination of painkillers and muscle relaxers by my on base health clinic which caused an overdose. Ever since then it seems like my body rejects meds or builds up tolerance at an alarmingly fast amount of time. Long story short during my 2 week hospital stint in April, i was visited by a physc doctor. She prescribed me Venlafaxine. I started at 75mg but very quickly was increased to 150mg. During the first few weeks of taking this medication, I noticed that I felt extremely ill and week as well as became easily frustrated, agitated, and much more angry. I notified the VA who had taken over my treatment. My doctor told me that those were commom side effect and they would soon gradually fade. Abput 2 1/2 to 3 months in the anger frustration and agitation had gained strength. My wife constantly told me that this medication was changing my personality drastically. About the same time my depression had came in full force and was always affecting me. I was always unhappy and would blow up at the smallest of things. I began to realize something was indeed wrong. My PCP instructed me to taper off which caused the sickness to come back along with intense amounts of pain. I was then told to just discontinue taking the meds and no present day, 8 months later my personality hasnt changed back to before the meds where even though in pain with depression, i was still able to enjoy things with my wife and be a caring loving husband as well as a devoted father. I am constantly angry and unhappy. Agitated with the smallest of things falling further and further into my depression. This has my marriage barley held together by strings and i need help. My doctor has now presceibed mw Prozac to help. But is there anything i can do to be the man I was. I hope and pray that this dark cloud in my life fades away. I want to be happy and have a strong marriage but these issues make it impossible. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Is there any hope or am I a lost cause to this horrible decision to try venlafaxine?

Thank you for your input.

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.