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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maryu | @maryu | Aug 1, 2018

I cannot tell youhowvery helpful it is to read your stories. Let me ltell you about mine
In 2015 doctors found a aneurysm in my brain. I decided to have it coiled at Yale. And 11/2 hrs after the operation I had a stroke.
I was paralyzed on my right side. Couldn’t do much of anything. I spent 2months in rehab then home.
I had studied healing for 4 years( similar to Barbara Brennan )
I found very quickly that if I meditated on what my instructors wanted me to do. The next day I could do it.
I recovered within 9 months. Driving,walking with a cane,doing errands. Going back to work.
Then one day. I was waiting at a light. And a 87yr old woman ran into me. Totaling my car.
I took an ambulance to the hospital. They looked at my brain. Kept me for 4hours. I went home. But as the days went by. I had more and more difficulty with balance. And walking. I had a concussion.
I tried to visualize. I meditated. I slept. But I was a mess
When I tried to walk. The road would seem to move.
I cried and cried. My family (I have 5children. 6 grandchildren. And a wonderful partner)were all very upset.
I went to a neurologist And he gave me Venlaxafine(Effexor)
I didn’t cry anymore. But I never felt good. Always felt like I had a heavy helmet on my head.
2 years later I decided to go off the medicine. I finally looked this medicine.up and i was shocked !II had most of the side effects:eyes,balance,blood pressure up, loved sugar. And gained 30 lbs,very hard to remember anything. And more
I’ve been working on getting off this horrible drug since January 2018. I have a drug store compounding my meds. I had to go very slowly. I started getting horrible pain in my head. Unbelievable muscle pain I’m falling apart going off this drug. I fall. I have a great problem with balance. , I can’t be around a lot of people. Because my speech starts to go. ,I get so tired. ,head hurts.
So very difficult.
Not much helps. But I am taking CBD oil. It helps relax me. Calms my head down. I just feel better in general.
I’m at 40mg right now. I’m going down 2mg at a time.
But I will get off. I hate to think I’m addicted to this horrible drug. And I’m praying when I land. That I will be able to come back. And have my life back.
Namaste my heart is with you all
,

REPLY
2 replies
shaker1956 | @shaker1956 | Aug 1, 2018
In reply to @maryu "I cannot tell youhowvery helpful it is to read your stories. Let me ltell you about..." + (show)
@maryu

I cannot tell youhowvery helpful it is to read your stories. Let me ltell you about mine
In 2015 doctors found a aneurysm in my brain. I decided to have it coiled at Yale. And 11/2 hrs after the operation I had a stroke.
I was paralyzed on my right side. Couldn’t do much of anything. I spent 2months in rehab then home.
I had studied healing for 4 years( similar to Barbara Brennan )
I found very quickly that if I meditated on what my instructors wanted me to do. The next day I could do it.
I recovered within 9 months. Driving,walking with a cane,doing errands. Going back to work.
Then one day. I was waiting at a light. And a 87yr old woman ran into me. Totaling my car.
I took an ambulance to the hospital. They looked at my brain. Kept me for 4hours. I went home. But as the days went by. I had more and more difficulty with balance. And walking. I had a concussion.
I tried to visualize. I meditated. I slept. But I was a mess
When I tried to walk. The road would seem to move.
I cried and cried. My family (I have 5children. 6 grandchildren. And a wonderful partner)were all very upset.
I went to a neurologist And he gave me Venlaxafine(Effexor)
I didn’t cry anymore. But I never felt good. Always felt like I had a heavy helmet on my head.
2 years later I decided to go off the medicine. I finally looked this medicine.up and i was shocked !II had most of the side effects:eyes,balance,blood pressure up, loved sugar. And gained 30 lbs,very hard to remember anything. And more
I’ve been working on getting off this horrible drug since January 2018. I have a drug store compounding my meds. I had to go very slowly. I started getting horrible pain in my head. Unbelievable muscle pain I’m falling apart going off this drug. I fall. I have a great problem with balance. , I can’t be around a lot of people. Because my speech starts to go. ,I get so tired. ,head hurts.
So very difficult.
Not much helps. But I am taking CBD oil. It helps relax me. Calms my head down. I just feel better in general.
I’m at 40mg right now. I’m going down 2mg at a time.
But I will get off. I hate to think I’m addicted to this horrible drug. And I’m praying when I land. That I will be able to come back. And have my life back.
Namaste my heart is with you all
,

Jump to this post

@maryu. Keep fighting the good fight. It is quite a ride getting off this stuff but I do know that once the side effects are gone we can have control once again. I’m in my 7th week of getting off this drug and its been a little difficult. But I plan on getting there!!!!! Start smiling if are not already, be kind to yourself and the ones you love and tell yourself that things will be okay. Take care

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Aug 2, 2018

@shaker1956

Hi shaker, Flu symptoms, not sleeping good, zaps and hand sensations. Is there no end to these symptoms. Does your new doctor give you any hope for some relief? Do you or your doctor think your possible Social Anxiety could be a contributing factor? Is hand sensation, flu like symptoms or poor sleep new?

REPLY
1 reply
shaker1956 | @shaker1956 | Aug 3, 2018
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@shaker1956 Hi shaker, Flu symptoms, not sleeping good, zaps and hand sensations. Is there no end..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@shaker1956

Hi shaker, Flu symptoms, not sleeping good, zaps and hand sensations. Is there no end to these symptoms. Does your new doctor give you any hope for some relief? Do you or your doctor think your possible Social Anxiety could be a contributing factor? Is hand sensation, flu like symptoms or poor sleep new?

Jump to this post

Hi there Jake. I’m to see my Dr at the end of Sept. she fgures all side effects will be gone by then. Darn I sure hope they are too. Lol. The poor sleep is the only symptom thats new. I generally wake up at 3-4 in the am and will only fall asleep for 15-20 min periods after that. I will try sleep meditation tonight if it happens again. Hopefully that will work. Just gotta keep the chin up up and think positive. MyDr thinks I have to get out and be more social and I plan on doing that. I feel much better when I do. We’ll just hope for the best. Take care......

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Aug 3, 2018

Brother just be grateful you get to sleep at all. I’m up for 4+ days sometimes.
I hope you find something to help your sleep. Tuinal, best sleep med ever, in my opinion but ask for it today and the doc will probably say “Right and how about some coke, heroin and LSD too”
If your not better by your appointment and the doc doesn’t help you I’d give her some “zaps”
Good luck, I think you need it.
Oops... I see I called you brother, guess you could be a sister. My apologies if necessary lol
Take care of yourself.

Jake

REPLY
2 replies
evey | @evey | Aug 3, 2018
In reply to @maryu "I cannot tell youhowvery helpful it is to read your stories. Let me ltell you about..." + (show)
@maryu

I cannot tell youhowvery helpful it is to read your stories. Let me ltell you about mine
In 2015 doctors found a aneurysm in my brain. I decided to have it coiled at Yale. And 11/2 hrs after the operation I had a stroke.
I was paralyzed on my right side. Couldn’t do much of anything. I spent 2months in rehab then home.
I had studied healing for 4 years( similar to Barbara Brennan )
I found very quickly that if I meditated on what my instructors wanted me to do. The next day I could do it.
I recovered within 9 months. Driving,walking with a cane,doing errands. Going back to work.
Then one day. I was waiting at a light. And a 87yr old woman ran into me. Totaling my car.
I took an ambulance to the hospital. They looked at my brain. Kept me for 4hours. I went home. But as the days went by. I had more and more difficulty with balance. And walking. I had a concussion.
I tried to visualize. I meditated. I slept. But I was a mess
When I tried to walk. The road would seem to move.
I cried and cried. My family (I have 5children. 6 grandchildren. And a wonderful partner)were all very upset.
I went to a neurologist And he gave me Venlaxafine(Effexor)
I didn’t cry anymore. But I never felt good. Always felt like I had a heavy helmet on my head.
2 years later I decided to go off the medicine. I finally looked this medicine.up and i was shocked !II had most of the side effects:eyes,balance,blood pressure up, loved sugar. And gained 30 lbs,very hard to remember anything. And more
I’ve been working on getting off this horrible drug since January 2018. I have a drug store compounding my meds. I had to go very slowly. I started getting horrible pain in my head. Unbelievable muscle pain I’m falling apart going off this drug. I fall. I have a great problem with balance. , I can’t be around a lot of people. Because my speech starts to go. ,I get so tired. ,head hurts.
So very difficult.
Not much helps. But I am taking CBD oil. It helps relax me. Calms my head down. I just feel better in general.
I’m at 40mg right now. I’m going down 2mg at a time.
But I will get off. I hate to think I’m addicted to this horrible drug. And I’m praying when I land. That I will be able to come back. And have my life back.
Namaste my heart is with you all
,

Jump to this post

Oh my goodness. You have had a very rough time. I'm going on my second week of 35mg and I'm already feeling so much better. Many of the crappy feelings I've had were from the medication itself. Stay strong as you've shown you are and it will get better. Hugs.

REPLY
shaker1956 | @shaker1956 | Aug 3, 2018
In reply to @jakedduck1 "Brother just be grateful you get to sleep at all. I’m up for 4+ days sometimes...." + (show)
@jakedduck1

Brother just be grateful you get to sleep at all. I’m up for 4+ days sometimes.
I hope you find something to help your sleep. Tuinal, best sleep med ever, in my opinion but ask for it today and the doc will probably say “Right and how about some coke, heroin and LSD too”
If your not better by your appointment and the doc doesn’t help you I’d give her some “zaps”
Good luck, I think you need it.
Oops... I see I called you brother, guess you could be a sister. My apologies if necessary lol
Take care of yourself.

Jake

Jump to this post

Hi Jake. Def a brother. Lol. Well I did wake up at 4am again and I did try the calming meditating and it worked. Still not feeling the best but much better than y’day. I dont like taking meds if I dont have to. Especially dont want to take sleep aids. Hopefuly by the time I see my Doc (another month) I will feel better and on omy way to full recovery. If not I shall cross the bridge when I get to it. Enjoy your day......

REPLY
shaker1956 | @shaker1956 | Aug 3, 2018
In reply to @jakedduck1 "Brother just be grateful you get to sleep at all. I’m up for 4+ days sometimes...." + (show)
@jakedduck1

Brother just be grateful you get to sleep at all. I’m up for 4+ days sometimes.
I hope you find something to help your sleep. Tuinal, best sleep med ever, in my opinion but ask for it today and the doc will probably say “Right and how about some coke, heroin and LSD too”
If your not better by your appointment and the doc doesn’t help you I’d give her some “zaps”
Good luck, I think you need it.
Oops... I see I called you brother, guess you could be a sister. My apologies if necessary lol
Take care of yourself.

Jake

Jump to this post

I had my app’t changed from end to start of Sept

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Aug 3, 2018

Hi ya bro...Meditation huh, maybe I should try that.
Glad you upped your appointment hopefully your doc will have a brilliant solution to fix you up. I’m in your corner buddy. You’ve crossed enough bridges, hope there’s no more.
Take care
Jake

REPLY
1 reply
shaker1956 | @shaker1956 | Aug 3, 2018
In reply to @jakedduck1 "Hi ya bro...Meditation huh, maybe I should try that. Glad you upped your appointment hopefully your..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

Hi ya bro...Meditation huh, maybe I should try that.
Glad you upped your appointment hopefully your doc will have a brilliant solution to fix you up. I’m in your corner buddy. You’ve crossed enough bridges, hope there’s no more.
Take care
Jake

Jump to this post

Jake. Yes do try it. There are all kinds of sleep meditations that u can try. I’m having a much better day today because of the good sleep I had. Normally I wake up at 3 or 4 am and twist and turn for a few more hrs. Today I have motivation. I didnt feel I had to walk my dog and had to cycle for an hour. I did it because I wanted to. I still have the zaps but I can tolerate it. Sure feels weird having a pulse in my left ear but you know what? I know it will get better in time. And I trust my Doctor!!!! She’s not a pill pusher. And she gives me all these sites to look up. Thats how I got into meditating!!!! Enjoy your day!!!!!

REPLY
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