Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

@lilmac44 -- what you said here about complaints being taken as a figment of your imagination made me think of what Connect member parus was saying in her discussion here: https://mayocl.in/2H1NIog. Thinking you might be interested in that thread.

I am currently undergoing effexor detox. Went from 75mg to 37.5mg relatively easily until I tried to skip a day and then all hell broke loose. I am now on 18mg per day with little or no side effects. I'll stay on 18mg for a week or so and then drop down from there -- to 9mg -- and see what happens. The worst for me is the vertigo.

Hope vertigo goes away soon @vaivelo .....I have still experienced vertigo recently after almost two weeks completely off - not as bad though. It is a lighter form.

I was desperate to try anything. I was so fat I couldn't "recognize" myself in the mirror. After ten years of "eating healthy" and watching my portions I was still bloating up and I lost all pleasure in food altogether. I'd given up the idea of giving up meds but I was determined to gain some form of control over my life and my health. I knew being overweight put me at risk for diabetes and I was scared my medication would end up shortening my lifespan.

So, after reading several well-researched books about healing through diet I decided to drop gluten, against my psychiatrist's advice, and despite my husband's objections. It takes guts to become a “fanatic” but, as I said, I was desperate.

After the first 5-7 days I couldn't believe how energized I felt. That's why, after a while I decided to just try to lower my doses of medication... And I did. Without any of the withdrawal symptoms, anxiety or depression I felt during all of my previous trials to either lower the dose or switch medication.

Months later, I am still stable, sleeping well, up early, not manic, and most of all not depressed or anxious. My brain works fine and I feel 10 years younger.

People still make comments about the weight loss but I'm no longer concerned about my weight: I just feel good. Simple.
Very quickly I also gave up sugar and coffee too. I was just too scared my brain would suffer any roller-coaster effects. I avoid dairy, and I stick with organic food to avoid OGMs.

My grocery bill has not gone up: more lentils and vegetables, less meat, and no packaged food.

Following the advice of a naturopathic doctor, I now take Moringa powder (multivitamin etc.) and Ashwagandaha powder (mood stabilizer), daily. I also take nutritional yeast (B vitamins) and ground flaxseed (Omega 3).

So I do not have any extra expenses with vitamins or supplements!

I don’t miss any of the old food. How could I? I love eating and I feel good. I couldn’t ask for more out of life. But my path started after 10 years of meds. I was desperate for a healthy change and I was lucky: I got way more than I bargained because I actually dropped my meds and gained both physical and psychological health with these diet changes.

Here’s a book you can start with:

A MIND OF YOUR OWN by Kelly Brogan, M.D. (psychiatrist), HarperCollins, 2016

Enjoy! And good luck on your own journeys.

Wow! That’s great! What a hopeful story. May I ask what medication you were on and what dosage?

Hi everyone, it's been so helpful to read this thread and see that I'm "normal" in my withdrawal process. Today i had to work really hard to stay calm, usually I do intense exercise classes at least 2x a week. But I got sick so it's been a few days, plus pmsing...yikes!

Was on citalopram for situational depression related to a bad work situation/job loss last year. It killed my libido, so my dr. Put me on effexor 37.5 XR. No drive there either, so my dr. Suggested a tapering plan and then switching to wellbutrin. I was and am ready to reduce my meds and commit to a healthier lifestyle, so I'm tapering down the Effexor. No plans to begin wellbutrin.

Besides irritability, my main struggle has been with skin picking. I have picked most of my life, and withdrawal has made the picking increase. Has anyone been in this situation? Have started NAC supplements today, and am trying to get in a support group....just want to know that it'll get better!

I’m so glad to have found this forum! I’m in week 3 of no Effexor. I only got 4 weeks to wean off from 150mg for 3 years for PTSD. I started out feeling nauseated and thought I was sick, then my brain started feeling like it was getting squeezed. This is the most horrible drug I’ve ever take. I’m an RN so most ideas to help are out. Weirdly enough, when I’m focused on my job (hospice educator so no worries of patient care, thank God!), I do a little better. But overall? Still dizzy, still nauseated, emotional...etc....same as the rest of you. I am not suicidal, and doubt I ever would be but God this is horrible! Absolutely the worst. Sometimes it feels like my face is getting sucked in. Weird huh? Anyway. Sadly, it’s good to know I’m not alone. I say sadly because it’s sad SO many of us are going through this. ILL TAKE THE PTSD over this any day.

I have been taking 450MG once a day for several years now. It has taken away the anxiety issue that I had, however, I feel emotionally bland most of the time. Last night, I had a series of vivid, bizarre dreams. I woke my wife up at least 5 times by yelling out, and I wet the bed! I realized this morning that I missed by dose yesterday, and I thought this could have caused this horrid experience. Has anyone else ever experienced something like this? Thank you

I am glad to see the recent posts on this very old thread. I would like to share a portion of my journey as well. I was on 375mg for about 8 years, and felt very emotionally blunted - not interested in pursuing intimate relationships and such. I am also in a much different place in my life now, and wanted to see what the 'real' me really felt like again.

I designed a very basic titration schedule where I would taper 37.5 milligrams/dose every week. This was working great for a few weeks, and until I got down to 187.50mg. THEN, the withdrawal effects hit me like a ton of bricks - every symptom mentioned - severe tinnitus, headaches, sweats, nausea, tremor, diarrhea, and overwhelming feeling of fear, and anxiety unlike anything I had ever experienced. This went on for nearly a week, and I made a very important decision: There was NO WAY that I wanted to spend another 5 weeks of titration feeling like this.

This is where I am now: 150 mg/day. After this week, I am speeding up the process, and cutting to 75mg for 4 days, then 37.5 for 4 days, then done. I understand that this will be absolutely miserable, but I simply don't have the patience or the time in my life to spend 5 weeks as miserable as I feel right now. I hope I am doing the right thing, and time will tell. Thanks to everyone for sharing your journeys! I will try to stay in touch here.

Best of strength to you. I pray for all the fellow drug addicts because of doctors. I am still clean. I do once in awhile get the brain charges going off if I have too much coffee. Working out”walking” at the gym has helped me tremendously