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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Apr 29 8:17am | Replies (6299)Comment receiving replies
Hello All! I wrote a couple weeks ago about being prescribed Effexor for menopause symptoms and when it quit working I went on Prempro. The gyno that put me on both acted like just quitting the Effexor would be fine since i was only on 75 mg for about 3 months.
I decided to taper myself so went down to 37.5 mg for a few days and started Prempro at same time. Don't know which or maybe both caused it but I had a horrible migraine for 3 days where I couldn't hardly get out of bed and couldn't work. After the 3rd day the headache went away and I decided right then to not take another Effexor EVER so I totally quit and actually thought I was doing fine but after reading some of these recent posts I'm beginning to wander if maybe some of my symptoms which i have thought were completely menopause related might actually be from stopping this drug.
It's been a 1 1/2 weeks since i quit taking Effexor completely and since then I have been so emotional and cry over everything especially anything that upsets me even a little. This is really strange behavior for me and people who know people have commented that something isn't right with me because I am not and have never been a crier. Not that I think there is anything wrong with crying ( I don't); it's just that is not in my personality and my staff and bosses have noticed it. It is very embarrassing to be discussing a work issue and have tears come to my eyes and get all choked up when trying to talk. I have always been more of the Kiss my a**; this is the way it is going to be kind of person. Not unkind but never a crybaby. I certainly hope this passes soon (if it's related to the Effexor) because it is really impeding my job performance and my personal relationships too.
I hate feeling like this but not sure how to overcome it but I can tell you for sure I won't be trying to overcome it by going back on Effexor because one way or the other: This too shall pass; it might pass like a kidney stone but it will pass! 🙂
Replies to "Hello All! I wrote a couple weeks ago about being prescribed Effexor for menopause symptoms and..."
Too many physicians prescribe antidepressants off-label as a kind of panacea. They often cause more problems than the original illness. I had a friend who's doctor prescribed Prozac for his back pain. He had a terrible reaction to that drug. He started getting seizures and became completely despondent. After he stopped taking the drug, his seizures didn't stop. He went to a good neurologist who determined that his condition wasn't being caused by any physical disease. The Prozac released emotions that he couldn't deal with. While in therapy, he remembered that he was sexually molested as a child by an older sister. The whole point of psychotherapy is to bring up painful emotions but in a controlled manner. The mind has to gradually assimilate painful events. Antidepressants are unpredictable. A psychologist once told me that they're kissing cousins to LSD. Patients are rarely informed of the risks because many doctors believe the pharmaceutical companies' propaganda.
Oh my.
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Yeah unfortunately I’m here to tell you that is definitely the side effects of coming off that drug. My recommendation is to get the smallest dose possible and then portion that out, that goes into even smaller doses... and smaller doses and smaller doses.
this could take upwards of months to almost a year. This is one of if not the worst antidepressant to be on end to come off of ..
if you live in a state where marijuana is legal medicinally I recommend talking to someone about low-dose THC prescription. I understand how a lot of humanity is opposed to this as medicine, but it has worked wonders for my brain when I never thought it would. And to be honest when you’re all at options why not try things that are new to you and presented as safe, positive, organic, and to be quite honest one of the most relaxing ways I’ve ever ingested medicine. there are ways to have marijuana medically and your life now that I had never thought would be possible. Tincture form, edible form, beverage form, pill form, and lotion form, topical form, even as a suppository!