1. < Depression & Anxiety

Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Posted by richyrich @richyrich, Nov 2, 2016

I have been taking Effexor/Venlafaxine for years and tried to get off it a few times but each time I try to give up the chemical withdrawal symptoms are a horror story and I give up giving up. Anyone got any tips or tried and tested strategies? Thank you

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jun 16, 2018
In reply to @kssm71 "WOW! A lot of good tips and discussions. My daughter is 21 years old and her..." + (show)
@kssm71

WOW! A lot of good tips and discussions. My daughter is 21 years old and her doctor (a new doctor that had only seen her a coupled of times) put her on 75 mg Effexor XR to help fight anxiety/migraines. The doctor felt this was the best medicine for her since she has tachycardia. Well, she wasn't even on it for 30 days before she had the full effects of this medicine and eventually went to the ER because of thoughts of harming herself and unable to function. They did not hold her there, but told her to go home and follow up with her doctor. Her father and I have been then for her and made she was not home alone for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, we are unable to take much time off because of no sick/vacation time available. She is unable to work and is now home alone for 3 to 4 days a week. She followed up with her doctor (a new one because the other one is no longer there). They have been tapering her off, one pill every other day and then try every two days and then referred her to a behaviorist. We have tried getting her into a professional, but no one in our area is available. I have left messages for other clinics outside of area and no one will return my call. She has tried the every 2 days one time and it was horrible sight. She starting having body tremors, couldn't breath and crying uncontrollably. We immediately gave her the pill and within 1 hr she was a little better. She followed up with her doctor and we asked about reducing her dosage and still do the every other day. The doctor was a little reluctant, but agreed to reduce it to 37.5 mg every other day. She is still unable to work at this time. She just cannot function in the real world.

Does anyone out there have some advise for us? We have never been through anything like this before and as you can imagine, scared to death.

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***Note from the Community Director***
Please read Mayo Clinic Connect's community guidelines https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/
The first guideline states:
1. Be careful about giving out medical advice. Sharing your own experience is fine, but don't tell other members what they should do.

I mention this because of the increased references to CBD oil (cannabidiol) and how to use it. As an article by NPR underlines. "By one estimate, the CBD industry has doubled in size over the last two years, and is now worth $200 million. But with this popularity the hype may have gotten ahead of the science."

While there is promising evidence that CBD may help anxiety, the jury is still out. Here are some articles to help you inform yourselves for discussions with your health providers or considering what you need to know when purchasing any unregulated substance:
- Does CBD Really Work For Anxiety? (HuffPost) https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/does-cbd-work-for-anxiety_us_5af4924ce4b00d7e4c18a6ac
- Anxiety Relief Without The High? New Studies On CBD, A Cannabis Extract (NPR) https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/04/23/604307015/anxiety-relief-without-the-high-new-studies-on-cbd-a-cannabis-extract

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Jun 16, 2018
In reply to @grandmar "@brightwings Thanks for sharing! You are a BRAVE woman to go through all you have and..." + (show)
@grandmar

@brightwings
Thanks for sharing!
You are a BRAVE woman to go through all you have and come out the other side.
About 14 weeks ago I had 2 cervical discs replaced with artificial ones. Now that I am healed, I need surgery on two lumbar discs. I expect that will probably take place by the end of July. I am currently in PT to strengthen my core. Then I take a speciL xray to determine the type of surgery the doc will do. Then back into PT.
Last week I was at my PCP. I told him about how my feet, especially my toes turn dark blue when the hang or I sit too long. In addition, my toes are becoming numb. I am now going to a vascular surgeon. My PCP thinks I am going to need surgery on both legs. More fun!!
I am a typical retired Floridian..docs docs and more docs. And I am only 63.
So I don't think it's the right time to try getting off Effexor. I tried once and it was a disaster. I just can't focus on surgeries and withdrawals.
I'll keep you up to date.
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

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@grandmar it surely does not seem like the timing is right for another stress like getting off of Effexor. I’m impressed with how well you are handling all you are going through.
Thoughts and prayers are with you.
JK

REPLY
jess9284 | @jess9284 | Jun 16, 2018

Update: now officially off Effexor.....thanks to being put on Cymbalta.....since I started the new meds, I haven’t had any of the withdrawal symptoms, so Thursday (6/14) was my last 1/4 pill (hopefully). I have searched google immensely and have not found anything about Cymbalta and being hard to get off....so hopefully if I have to get off this new med, I won’t have the same problems as with the Effexor. All I wanted to say is you CAN do this, one day at a time. Listen to your body. If the withdrawal symptoms are too unbearable, take the lowest dose possible until you can wean yourself down to none. Thanks so much to everyone for the support. I was so happy to find this thread because at first I thought I was going crazy. Anyways, I wish you all well and hope you all reach your goals of getting off this horrible drug.....it really needs to be taken off the market, but as long as they’re still prescribing it, hopefully this thread can help others.

REPLY
grandmaR | @grandmar | Jun 17, 2018
In reply to @grandmar "@brightwings Thanks for sharing! You are a BRAVE woman to go through all you have and..." + (show)
@grandmar

@brightwings
Thanks for sharing!
You are a BRAVE woman to go through all you have and come out the other side.
About 14 weeks ago I had 2 cervical discs replaced with artificial ones. Now that I am healed, I need surgery on two lumbar discs. I expect that will probably take place by the end of July. I am currently in PT to strengthen my core. Then I take a speciL xray to determine the type of surgery the doc will do. Then back into PT.
Last week I was at my PCP. I told him about how my feet, especially my toes turn dark blue when the hang or I sit too long. In addition, my toes are becoming numb. I am now going to a vascular surgeon. My PCP thinks I am going to need surgery on both legs. More fun!!
I am a typical retired Floridian..docs docs and more docs. And I am only 63.
So I don't think it's the right time to try getting off Effexor. I tried once and it was a disaster. I just can't focus on surgeries and withdrawals.
I'll keep you up to date.
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Jump to this post

@contentandwell
Thank you do much !

REPLY
dianrib | @dianrib | Jun 17, 2018

NO withdrawal from Cymbalta ??

REPLY
dianrib | @dianrib | Jun 17, 2018
In reply to @kssm71 "WOW! A lot of good tips and discussions. My daughter is 21 years old and her..." + (show)
@kssm71

WOW! A lot of good tips and discussions. My daughter is 21 years old and her doctor (a new doctor that had only seen her a coupled of times) put her on 75 mg Effexor XR to help fight anxiety/migraines. The doctor felt this was the best medicine for her since she has tachycardia. Well, she wasn't even on it for 30 days before she had the full effects of this medicine and eventually went to the ER because of thoughts of harming herself and unable to function. They did not hold her there, but told her to go home and follow up with her doctor. Her father and I have been then for her and made she was not home alone for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, we are unable to take much time off because of no sick/vacation time available. She is unable to work and is now home alone for 3 to 4 days a week. She followed up with her doctor (a new one because the other one is no longer there). They have been tapering her off, one pill every other day and then try every two days and then referred her to a behaviorist. We have tried getting her into a professional, but no one in our area is available. I have left messages for other clinics outside of area and no one will return my call. She has tried the every 2 days one time and it was horrible sight. She starting having body tremors, couldn't breath and crying uncontrollably. We immediately gave her the pill and within 1 hr she was a little better. She followed up with her doctor and we asked about reducing her dosage and still do the every other day. The doctor was a little reluctant, but agreed to reduce it to 37.5 mg every other day. She is still unable to work at this time. She just cannot function in the real world.

Does anyone out there have some advise for us? We have never been through anything like this before and as you can imagine, scared to death.

Jump to this post

OK but Big pharma and many doctors have left us ' out in the cold' When suffering One looks for some kind of help Its so aggravating Makes one feels helpless

REPLY
dianrib | @dianrib | Jun 17, 2018
In reply to @tonysdca "Just updating my experience with tapering from 75 mg Effexor after taking it for over 15..." + (show)
@tonysdca

Just updating my experience with tapering from 75 mg Effexor after taking it for over 15 years. I have taken 3 months to get down to 18.5 mg every other day. I tried reducing faster but experienced more zaps, nausea, etc., so I began tapering more slowly from 75 mg to 37.5 to 18.5 daily to now 18.5 every other day. I have found that CBD oil does help. 3 drops sublingually twice daily seems to work for me. I still get occasional sharp head pains that last a few seconds, some nausea, and even constipation (not sure how much of that is related to venlafaxine). My psychiatrist did put me on 150 mg Wellbutrin XR when I started withdrawal from Effexor, and I believe that prevented me from relapsing into depression. I am trying to be very patient as the very gradual withdrawal has helped minimize the side effects of withdrawal from Effexor. Optimistically, I hope to be Effexor free within 3 months.

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is Wellbutrin different ??

REPLY
tonysdca | @tonysdca | Jun 17, 2018
In reply to @tonysdca "Just updating my experience with tapering from 75 mg Effexor after taking it for over 15..." + (show)
@tonysdca

Just updating my experience with tapering from 75 mg Effexor after taking it for over 15 years. I have taken 3 months to get down to 18.5 mg every other day. I tried reducing faster but experienced more zaps, nausea, etc., so I began tapering more slowly from 75 mg to 37.5 to 18.5 daily to now 18.5 every other day. I have found that CBD oil does help. 3 drops sublingually twice daily seems to work for me. I still get occasional sharp head pains that last a few seconds, some nausea, and even constipation (not sure how much of that is related to venlafaxine). My psychiatrist did put me on 150 mg Wellbutrin XR when I started withdrawal from Effexor, and I believe that prevented me from relapsing into depression. I am trying to be very patient as the very gradual withdrawal has helped minimize the side effects of withdrawal from Effexor. Optimistically, I hope to be Effexor free within 3 months.

Jump to this post

I'm not a psychiatrist or pharmacist, but I believe Wellbutrin works differently, and going off it is not as hard as Effexor. I had to go off Effexor as it was raising my blood pressure, and just missing a single dose caused me side effects. Because I suffer from depression, my psychiatrist wants me to be on an antidepressant of some kind while I taper off Effexor. Hopefully, someday I can taper off Wellbutrin.

REPLY
tonysdca | @tonysdca | Jun 17, 2018
In reply to @brightwings "@tonysdca Good for you. It sounds like you are making it. Now yesterday I found out..." + (show)
@brightwings

@tonysdca
Good for you. It sounds like you are making it. Now yesterday I found out taking 3 drops 3 times a day is only giving me 6 or 7 mg of the CBD in my system a day. I have increased to 50 mg 3 times a day. Try it. It will probably ease that nausea. Bright Wings

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thanks . I'll try and up my dosage of the CBD.

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Jun 17, 2018

I was on the Benzodiazepine drug Klonopin for seizures and you have to get off them slowly to avoid seizures. The doc said to cut it in quarters and take three quarters a week then half finally one quarter but it didn’t work so I cut that quarter in half and in half again etc till it was barely visible and finally it worked.
Effexor comes in both capsules and tablets but I believe the tablets are much more expensive (about $70 more, I think) so although not recommended taking the capsule apart and removing a tiny amount should do the trick. If money is no problem it would be easier to get the tabs and cut them.
I use to take the antidepressant Cymbalta and a UPS man delivered a package and we were talking and antidepressants came up. He said “You have a choice, to be happy or sad.” I thought about that for a few days and decided he was right and I decided to be happy and I was. I stopped my Cymbalta. It may not work for everyone but it sure is with the effort. Best of luck!!

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