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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (6363)
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@emis6

I first went to my doctor for depression and suicide attempts that she gave me Effexor... Well it was not doing well. I kept telling my doctor that it is not working and that I think there is something wrong. I guess she just didn't want to change the medication she had given me. Anyways considering my financial situation I don't have many choices of doctors in my town so I decided to stop taking the Effexor. I was given on 37.5 mg dosage for about two months. My doctor is on vacation and I stopped the medication myself on Monday(was not aware of the withdrawal effects). I have been having headaches since yesterday and I feel really bad in my stomach but morally I feel so much better as Effexor was making me feel worse. I don't ever want to take this medication no matter what dosage. My doctor should've informed me of all the side effects and withdrawal effects I'm actually mad that I had trusted this person as a professional and now I am struggling really hard to stop this medication. Well for now I only have diziness headaches fatigue and I have lost appetite. I hope it gets better after one or two weeks. I can't go on sick leave because I can't afford it but it really has been hard coming to work.

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Replies to "I first went to my doctor for depression and suicide attempts that she gave me Effexor......"
Lisa Lucier, Moderator | @lisalucier | Aug 8, 2018

Hi, @emis6 -- welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm sorry to hear about your suicide attempts and your depression that was really hard, and then that the medication given you, venlafaxine (Effexor), left you not feeling right. You know your own body better than anyone else.

You mentioned you had some challenges (choices of doctors, doctor on vacation) at the time of wanting to go off of venlafaxine (Effexor). These are very understandable.

I do want to let you know about something that was posted a while ago in this discussion on going off venlafaxine (Effexor) cold turkey: a slow taper is usually recommended to avoid significant withdrawal-like symptoms and the possibility it may cause a sudden worsening of depression. @gailb, @darlal, @jakedduck1 and others in this discussion have mentioned this.

We also previously asked a Mayo Clinic pharmacist to weigh in on the topic of tapering and stopping venlafaxine (Effexor). See her post here: http://mayocl.in/2E74p0j

I'd really encourage you to talk to your doctor's office today about your going off this medication and the side effects you are experiencing. I know he is gone, but I'd suggest talking to a nurse in his office or any medical personnel covering for him now.

What are your thoughts, @emis6?

@alispalmer -- how are you doing today? How is the anxiety? Did you hear back from your prescriber on the taper off of venlafaxine (Effexor)?

I'd really encourage you to get medical help for this taper with the beseiging side effects, even if it does mean going to the ER. I went to urgent care myself years ago when I had an antidepressant taper that was not going well.

If you experience any further suicidal thoughts, please call the suicide hotline for some help:
– http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
– 800-273-8255
– Facebook, http://on.fb.me/r6Jp9elwooodsdad

Are any of the side effects any better today?

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emis6 | @emis6 | Aug 21, 2018

Hey I would like to give an update. After posting here I started eating at least 100 grams of salmon and I added omega3 butter to my eating regime which helped a lot with diziness and fatigue. I had very bad pain in my muscles but I forced myself to go for 45 mins walk which also helped me feel better a little. like 4 or 5 days afterwards I started feeling very badly depressed for like 24 hours and then it was eventually gone. I have been having coughs since then which haven't disappeared. I will visit a doctor for coughs today. So after almost 14 days of stopping I feel almost normal and like myself. I have decreased the salmon but I have tried to keep the omega3 in what I eat.

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