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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JK | @contentandwell | Jul 28, 2018
In reply to @brightwings "@contentandwell I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS..." + (show)
@brightwings

@contentandwell
I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS about them. Its not what you are saying as much as what other people said to me that your words remind me of.
Things like..."why can't you get off the drugs...just be happy....oh you really don't want to hurt yourself, do you? Why can't you just get better?????????
The truth is: this is not for you to decide if your friend needs the drugs or not. This is their recovery and life...NOT YOURS.
I can feel you care about this person. That's why I am addressing this with you.
You can encourage them but that is it. Oh if I had a dollar for every time some one wanted me to change FOR THEM, NOT ME...I WOULD BE A RICH WOMAN...VERY VERY RICH.
THE truth is you can offer help but they have to decide. You can pray and ask others for prayers for them but they are the only one to make these decisions.
I purposely held back from responding to these posts. I would have ROARED at you before. Now I can say these things with out my personal feelings involved.
I am not upset with you now. Please respect that your friend is doing what is right for them even if you want things different. This is their life. They get to chose how they live it even if you don't approve.
How many times I felt I was not doing it right from people. Even if I wanted to be with them the unspoken disapproval drove me away. Just because some think us crazy we can still feel! It only hurt me, it never helped. I was peddling as fast as I could.
So many folks disapproved of my decisions. It made me feel not good about myself. I couldn't ever do anything right.
I hope you can hear me. Bright Wings
.
I know your desire is to help but you are NOT. Please just accept your friend. That is the greatest gift you can give.
I am doing my best to say this lovingly. I know you love your friend. No hard feelings?

Jump to this post

@brightwings No hard feelings at all. I have been very much taking the approach you mention, I do not want to intrude and possibly make things worse. I have only suggested a second opinion at Mass General which I discovered recently is considered to the be, along with their many top medical facilities, the top psychiatric facility in the country. Other than that I just pray for them, but it is helpful for me to understand what is what.
JK

REPLY
cathy615 | @cathy615 | Jul 28, 2018
In reply to @brightwings "@contentandwell I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS..." + (show)
@brightwings

@contentandwell
I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS about them. Its not what you are saying as much as what other people said to me that your words remind me of.
Things like..."why can't you get off the drugs...just be happy....oh you really don't want to hurt yourself, do you? Why can't you just get better?????????
The truth is: this is not for you to decide if your friend needs the drugs or not. This is their recovery and life...NOT YOURS.
I can feel you care about this person. That's why I am addressing this with you.
You can encourage them but that is it. Oh if I had a dollar for every time some one wanted me to change FOR THEM, NOT ME...I WOULD BE A RICH WOMAN...VERY VERY RICH.
THE truth is you can offer help but they have to decide. You can pray and ask others for prayers for them but they are the only one to make these decisions.
I purposely held back from responding to these posts. I would have ROARED at you before. Now I can say these things with out my personal feelings involved.
I am not upset with you now. Please respect that your friend is doing what is right for them even if you want things different. This is their life. They get to chose how they live it even if you don't approve.
How many times I felt I was not doing it right from people. Even if I wanted to be with them the unspoken disapproval drove me away. Just because some think us crazy we can still feel! It only hurt me, it never helped. I was peddling as fast as I could.
So many folks disapproved of my decisions. It made me feel not good about myself. I couldn't ever do anything right.
I hope you can hear me. Bright Wings
.
I know your desire is to help but you are NOT. Please just accept your friend. That is the greatest gift you can give.
I am doing my best to say this lovingly. I know you love your friend. No hard feelings?

Jump to this post

Hi JK,
I think for some of us, our mental illness could be compared to diabetes, which requires both lifetime medication and changes in our daily living to help improve our health. Certainly, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder are examples of these. For others, it's more like mono, requiring months of care rather than a lifetime situation. In both cases, it can be difficult to find the right meds. And if you are unlucky enough to be put on Effexor or a drug with similar side effects, it exacerbates the problem and confuses the effort to see what is what. Personally i needed medication long before i started it 16 years ago and I am 64 now. I have been on different meds to find the right combo (including effexor!) And then had a manic episode in 2015 -- my first and hopefully only -- which was triggered by steroids for my rheumatoid arthritis, stress, and who knows what else. I don't know the criteria that says how to tell the difference between short term and long term illness except trial and error. My sister and daughter are also on antidepressants and both tried being off them for 9 months to a year. But they found they needed them and are back on.
Mental illness is complicated and hindered by stigma, misinformation , and limited available research. The struggle continues....
Cathy

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Jul 28, 2018

@brightwings Hi Suz, Haha Goofy me....didn’t realize we in NorthAmerica couldn’t see it. I must have looked like a dope outside scanning the sky. Oh well. Wasn’t the first time and probably won’t be the last.
Jake

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Jul 28, 2018
In reply to @brightwings "@contentandwell I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS..." + (show)
@brightwings

@contentandwell
I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS about them. Its not what you are saying as much as what other people said to me that your words remind me of.
Things like..."why can't you get off the drugs...just be happy....oh you really don't want to hurt yourself, do you? Why can't you just get better?????????
The truth is: this is not for you to decide if your friend needs the drugs or not. This is their recovery and life...NOT YOURS.
I can feel you care about this person. That's why I am addressing this with you.
You can encourage them but that is it. Oh if I had a dollar for every time some one wanted me to change FOR THEM, NOT ME...I WOULD BE A RICH WOMAN...VERY VERY RICH.
THE truth is you can offer help but they have to decide. You can pray and ask others for prayers for them but they are the only one to make these decisions.
I purposely held back from responding to these posts. I would have ROARED at you before. Now I can say these things with out my personal feelings involved.
I am not upset with you now. Please respect that your friend is doing what is right for them even if you want things different. This is their life. They get to chose how they live it even if you don't approve.
How many times I felt I was not doing it right from people. Even if I wanted to be with them the unspoken disapproval drove me away. Just because some think us crazy we can still feel! It only hurt me, it never helped. I was peddling as fast as I could.
So many folks disapproved of my decisions. It made me feel not good about myself. I couldn't ever do anything right.
I hope you can hear me. Bright Wings
.
I know your desire is to help but you are NOT. Please just accept your friend. That is the greatest gift you can give.
I am doing my best to say this lovingly. I know you love your friend. No hard feelings?

Jump to this post

I sure wish I could edit after the very initial time. I too often see little errors that I make like "to the be". I have no idea why that "the" is in there.

REPLY
Brightwings AKA Cute Susie | @brightwings | Jul 28, 2018

@jakedduck1
giggling, picturing you all settled in for the show but the show did not turn up. Bright Wings
PS I have done the same thing in the past. Didn't do my homework.

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Jul 28, 2018
In reply to @brightwings "@contentandwell I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS..." + (show)
@brightwings

@contentandwell
I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS about them. Its not what you are saying as much as what other people said to me that your words remind me of.
Things like..."why can't you get off the drugs...just be happy....oh you really don't want to hurt yourself, do you? Why can't you just get better?????????
The truth is: this is not for you to decide if your friend needs the drugs or not. This is their recovery and life...NOT YOURS.
I can feel you care about this person. That's why I am addressing this with you.
You can encourage them but that is it. Oh if I had a dollar for every time some one wanted me to change FOR THEM, NOT ME...I WOULD BE A RICH WOMAN...VERY VERY RICH.
THE truth is you can offer help but they have to decide. You can pray and ask others for prayers for them but they are the only one to make these decisions.
I purposely held back from responding to these posts. I would have ROARED at you before. Now I can say these things with out my personal feelings involved.
I am not upset with you now. Please respect that your friend is doing what is right for them even if you want things different. This is their life. They get to chose how they live it even if you don't approve.
How many times I felt I was not doing it right from people. Even if I wanted to be with them the unspoken disapproval drove me away. Just because some think us crazy we can still feel! It only hurt me, it never helped. I was peddling as fast as I could.
So many folks disapproved of my decisions. It made me feel not good about myself. I couldn't ever do anything right.
I hope you can hear me. Bright Wings
.
I know your desire is to help but you are NOT. Please just accept your friend. That is the greatest gift you can give.
I am doing my best to say this lovingly. I know you love your friend. No hard feelings?

Jump to this post

@contentandwell

Dito Dito Dito!!!!! I wish they had an edit system like other forums where you can always edit (as long as your signed in) instead of the 30 minutes allotted. My posts are so messed up I need more than 30 minutes.

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Jul 28, 2018

@brightwings

If your ever depressed again I’ll have you cheered up in jig time all the crazy weird things I do.
Jake

REPLY
terri672 | @terri672 | Jul 28, 2018
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@contentandwell Hi JK, Hope all is well with you. I don't claim to be an expert....." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@contentandwell

Hi JK,
Hope all is well with you.
I don't claim to be an expert.. My statements are nothing more than than my own opinins which we are all entitled.
I believe everyone wants to be happy.. I truly feel some people don't know how to be happy or are not willing to put forth the effort to be happy. No pill will solve that issue.
I said some people need alternative therapy, meaning Psychological help, Psychiatric care, Medication, Family Introvention etc.
Go to a good Endocrinologist or better yet a Neuroendocrinologist to chech for hormonal and chemical imbalances, don't just assume that's the problem.How many have been to one, few if any is my guess.Although I do believe strongly that at some point you have to make a choice, that's not to say someone doesn't need help for awhile. But a lot of people try to take the easy way out and just take a pill. Ultimately your going to have to solve your problems. Everyone has to make decisions in their live starting when quite young, some directly relate to a persons mood and I feel they depict being happy, loving, amused, optimistic or sad, mad, frustrated, depressed or whatever. But people have to take responsibility for their lives and that means in my opinion they need to recognise they have a problem and get appropriate treatment. However I don't believe it is reasonable for someone to be Depressed on Antidepressants for decades. Ive read story after story of people being on these meds for decades.. What do they all say "If I stop taking them for a couple days I'll be back where I don't want to be.Getting well doesn't always "Just Happen" sometimes it takes hard work.
It's not always easy to make choices and it's not always easy happy to be happy. Your only going to get out of life what your willing to put into it.
Jake

Jump to this post

I'm struggling with the weight issue here... Nothing seems to work for me. I do carry the fat gene, but I'm sure others do, as well...Curious to know how you lost the weight?

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Jul 28, 2018
In reply to @brightwings "@contentandwell I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS..." + (show)
@brightwings

@contentandwell
I have been reading your posts about your friend. I have had PLENTY OF FEELINGS about them. Its not what you are saying as much as what other people said to me that your words remind me of.
Things like..."why can't you get off the drugs...just be happy....oh you really don't want to hurt yourself, do you? Why can't you just get better?????????
The truth is: this is not for you to decide if your friend needs the drugs or not. This is their recovery and life...NOT YOURS.
I can feel you care about this person. That's why I am addressing this with you.
You can encourage them but that is it. Oh if I had a dollar for every time some one wanted me to change FOR THEM, NOT ME...I WOULD BE A RICH WOMAN...VERY VERY RICH.
THE truth is you can offer help but they have to decide. You can pray and ask others for prayers for them but they are the only one to make these decisions.
I purposely held back from responding to these posts. I would have ROARED at you before. Now I can say these things with out my personal feelings involved.
I am not upset with you now. Please respect that your friend is doing what is right for them even if you want things different. This is their life. They get to chose how they live it even if you don't approve.
How many times I felt I was not doing it right from people. Even if I wanted to be with them the unspoken disapproval drove me away. Just because some think us crazy we can still feel! It only hurt me, it never helped. I was peddling as fast as I could.
So many folks disapproved of my decisions. It made me feel not good about myself. I couldn't ever do anything right.
I hope you can hear me. Bright Wings
.
I know your desire is to help but you are NOT. Please just accept your friend. That is the greatest gift you can give.
I am doing my best to say this lovingly. I know you love your friend. No hard feelings?

Jump to this post

@jakedduck1 maybe that will happen with the system changes if we all wish hard enough.
JK

REPLY
evey | @evey | Jul 28, 2018
In reply to @coloradogirl "So, I just finished this process with Zoloft (sertraline) and here are some things that worked..." + (show)
@coloradogirl

So, I just finished this process with Zoloft (sertraline) and here are some things that worked for me. Your mileage may vary, but hopefully these are low risk for you to try.

1) You may need to ask your doctor for a slower tapering program than other patients. Some people are just more sensitive to dosage changes. Be aware that symptoms will get better, then may reappear each time you taper. AAFMA (practice group of family physicians) says that the symptoms typically last 1-2 weeks and as long as 4 weeks, so I just kept reminding myself that it was temporary.
2) Be watchful for things that make your symptoms worse. For example, caffeine seems to trigger the brain zaps for me (still, even after being off for several weeks), so I cut back my caffeine intake. I didn't give it up completely (because I still need to function), but cut back on how much real coffee I was drinking, mixed decaf with regular, and switched to tea sometimes. In the end, I probably cut my daily caffeine intake in half, and it did help quite a lot.
3) Ibuprofen or other pain reliever can help with the flu-like body aches.
4) Benadryl helped with the brain zaps.
5) Exercise helped with both. Even if I wasn't up to a run, a few blocks of walking would settle down the symptoms for a while at least. (Then, when they come back, just take another walk. We took a lot of walks for a while there).
6) Get enough sleep. As I came down off the meds, my normal sleeping patterns returned, which was great, but it did mean that I needed to plan time to let my body rest.
7) Pay attention to your diet. Your brain uses carbs to make seratonin, so now is not the time to go on the Atkins diet. Eat well and make sure you're getting enough healthy carbs. You may crave sweets; I certainly did. I tried to counteract this by having bananas, graham crackers, and other healthy things I could snack on instead of sticking my head in a birthday cake like I seemed to want.

No lie - it's a painful process, but this did really help make it easier. Also, at a certain point, when I was down the below the normal starter dose, I just ripped off the bandaid and went to zero. At that point, it felt like each taper was just prolonging the suffering. Don't just go cold turkey from your current dose, though, as that can be dangerous. Also, don't add any supplements or substitutes for the SSRI without talking to your doctor first (also dangerous).

And of course, watch for the return of depression / anxiety type symptoms. For a while it was hard to tell whether I was tired because of the change in meds or because my depression was returning. I figured as long as I felt okay enough to function and wasn't thinking about being harmful to myself or anyone else, I could play it out and see. It turned out to be the meds and on the other side, I can see that I was more worried about it than I needed to be.

I wish you the best of luck and a healthy life.

Mardee

Jump to this post

Hello Mardee. I was really happy to find this site. My Dr. has just started the weaning off of Venlafaxine and I am not having such a great time. I was on Zoloft for many years for anxiety, then because our insurance quit covering it they switched me to Venlafaxine. I have been on this for a few years. My dosage is 75mg per day. I'm having crummy dreams, the brain zaps ( which I was happy to find the term for). I'm now taking 75mg every other day. The day after I go without the pill is when I have all my issues. I think I should ask my Dr. if I could first step down by cutting back by a half a pill instead of a whole pill, then go to a whole pill. I'm a bit confused by all of this. I'd really like to hear from you. Thanks Evelyn

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