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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (6363)Comment receiving replies
I wanted to pop into this community for personal support and to help others that are tapering off of effexor xr or venelafaxine.
I follow a strict Paleo diet and have eliminated or reversed 5 chronic, autoimmune diseases. Effexor is my final (12th) drug to get off of. It’s been a 3 year process and I’m thrilled to report I no longer have ulcerative colitis, ADHD, eczema, hypothyroidism and anxiety/depression. Most of the medications were easy to eliminate, but effexor has taken more planning and self care.
Last July (2017), I decided it was time to begin the tapering process. I was only taking 75 mg., but knew from the experience of accidentally skipping a dose, that I should not follow my doctor’s orders of getting off it in one month. After all, I had been taking it for nearly 18 years! So instead, I began by taking 10 beads out of the capsule.
I did ok, but it was a rough start. Thankfully it was summer and I didn’t need to be near my fifth grade students. I continued with the taper and got to 37.5 mg and settled there for a few months while preparing for my son’s wedding.
Since January 2018, I’ve been decreasing the dose by about 2 beads every other week. For the most part, this has been manageable, but I’ve had days where I’ve felt nauseated, dizzy and agitated. I’ve needed to be so careful in my job as 10 year olds do not deserve to be treated unfairly. So, that’s a big reason why I’ve taken this slowly.
Now it’s the following summer and just last week I went from 15 beads to 10 beads. I had a fairly good week until day 6, which was yesterday. I experienced hot flashes (not typical on a Paleo diet despite my age ~ 53 years), apathy, fatigue and the occasional brain zap. Today I do not want to function, but I don’t feel depressed or anxious ~ just unmotivated.
I’m slightly nervous about these last 10 beads. I intend to drop to 5 beads in 6 days, and then down to two and hopefully in a month, I’ll call it quits. But, I’m nervous about the final dose. The few dreadful experiences I’ve encountered are enough to make me nervous about the whole thing.
Anyhow, this endeavor will have taken me a solid year. But I feel the slow tapering was worth it for me. I am such a sensitive person and I don’t handle physical symptoms well. I know that my diet (no grains, sugar, pasteurized dairy, starches or legumes), has been a positive in all this and has probably made this transition easier than for some people. Nonetheless, my brain wants to be off this junk.
Definitely Omega 3 fats and high quality fish oil have proven to be helpful. These are part of my diet anyhow, so just upping the dose has proven beneficial. Hoping to rely on this during the final stretch.
I’ll write again when I totally get off it. Each time I dropped a few beads, my brain reminded me it was time for the next dose. Unsure what will happen when I eliminate it entirely. Would love any advice that anyone is willing to share.
Replies to "I wanted to pop into this community for personal support and to help others that are..."
@tennasseegirl
Oh baby you are NOT alone or crazy. Trust me on that.
Hmmm, regular pills vs timed release...right now I am too lazy feeling to go back and read your old post. Is there a reason you can't take the timed release? Could you call your doc and get some? Reading everyone's method of counting beads is much better in my humble opinion than the way I did it.
I checked with my pharmist and got a printout of how many times I refilled my script of 150mg extended tabs. I refilled it 8 times last year. I still have a full bottle and about 8 caps in a second bottle. I did it the hard way...taking less and less of the 150 mg. If I got bad electricity in my head, I took 1 cap...then none till I got the brain zaps. But if you click on my name, read the first post I wrote on March 22. I would not wish all those symptoms at once on anyone.
As I look back to the last week, I realize I had the, oh not sure what to call it? Body freezing...sudden cold body. I was franticly putting on my winter clothes IN A DAM HURRY 3 times last week. I actually forgot that was a symptom.
So I am wondering if you can get a script for the extended caps so you too can count beads. Smiling at you
I can ask @ my next apt. I think it's brilliant. In the mean time...no more @ nite...crazy dreams! And I have also gone for my robe & fuzzy pj's...feeling nuts before I knew it was a symptom. I truly wondered why my Dr quizzed me so emphatically but I am so glad she did!! I wonder when there will be a class action law suite against the manufacturers of this terrible drug! I was clueless. But no more. And determined to get off it more than ever. Thsnk you again for your support and welcoming me into your group!
@tennasseegirl
Hahaha, I am in my fuzzy pj."s too. Right now. Temps in high 80's outside. Air off!
Ok, crazy dreams are a symptom. I had no clue about them as I had not found this site yet. On Nov 4th I was having a nightmare about how my brother died...murder or suicide? Medical staff wouldn't tell me. I do not think I have ever felt that angry in my life. Why the extreme interest in his death? Cuz if he was murdered I had better watch out for my life too. (When I started therapy. 6 months after I started, my therapists office was broken into. They had to go thru 5 locks to do it. Long story short...my records were the only one missing.Good thing I was only talking about my brothers death and family stuff then. Anyways, my therapists office wasn't bothered again but I didn't realize why I got so paranoid after that. I had not started to remember cult abuse.)
Nowbecause of that nightmare I had a small stroke. Not trying to scare anyone. It completely went away in about 20 minutes. I missed my brain for some months but Sacred Plant Medicine and my Medicine Man, Doug Byland have gotten me back to pre stroke. I do take a baby aspirin now and will till I die.
Is there anyone with you that could wake you up if you are having a nightmare?
I think God was telling me to get my health in order. That's why I am eating better.
So be careful gf
@tennasseegirl
Now remember I am a nurse. Hmmm, 2 things pop out of this post. 1. Just call the doc. Don't wait till appointment. 2. Start cutting the pills up now. DO NOT TAKE ONCE A DAY. I don't know how long the non extended pills stay in the blood but you are going to put yourself in one heck of a rollar coaster ride taking it once a day.
Just call your doc and discuss this with her. Tell her my cautions. Please be safe while getting off this blanking drug. Please
No But thank you for asking! I'm alone.have been for sometime now. My Dad died in Sept. I was chained to this house for almost 2 yrs taking care of him. 2 months after my husband died. Who said it would be EZ.
@tennesseegirl
Oh my gosh, your dad And husband? My gosh, the same thing happened to me. I am so sorry!!!
Long story short, my mom died 6 weeks after I was given a prophecy I would be the mother of the world...I looked up at God and scoffed. I said out loud, while looking up at God, I have an 81 year old mother with Alzheimer's disease, I am not going anywhere God! I have a 75 year old husband who is healthy, I am not going anywhere. (This probably sounds like an extreme answer but remember, I had already gone on a trip around the world with my mom for 3 1/2 months. I knew what happens when prophecies are given.
Long story short again, my mom passed away 6 weeks later. Dec 14...on 1/11/11 I completely integrated all the rest of my personalities. (My mom was my greatest abuser). THEN 6 weeks after that, my beloved husband fell and died in 8 1/2 hours.
Now I know God did not cause any of that to happen.
When I heard later in the year, I should go be a missionary in Africa, my answer was, "I'm going God!". Lol I did too. 6 months in Kenya
Forgive me for getting distracted with my story. How are you handling the grief? Concerned, bright wings
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You must be taking the timed release and what a genius idea taking out the beads! Mine are round tablets so I do not get to try your trick!! Most of my trouble started as she increased the dose to 75 BID. I'm just going to slowly slip back down by amt taken over each 24 dose( 75mg every 8 hours). The brain on roller coaster slamming into the wall makes me feel like holding on to the bed. Is definitely the worse feeling in the world. Keep passing on your wisdom! Thank you all for welcoming me into the group. It helps just knowing I am not alone or crazy!