Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

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.

@jakedduck1
Good morning!
I thank you for your concern & your taking the time to write.
I can only wish that my PCP (the guy that "practices medicine" on me) had as much concern 11 months ago when he started experimenting on me with his list of benzos to see which one worked.
I can only wish that the psychiatrist that I saw during my 8-day stay at the hospital for severe panic attacks had as much concern before he steadily increased my "poisons" to 1800mgs of Gabapentin & 300mgs of Effexor.
I can only wish that the very well known, established spine specialist that did my back surgery 22 months ago had warned me that I MIGHT experience depression & anxiety when I came off the oxycodone that he prescribed for post surgery pain.
I can gratefully report that today I have no back pain. I sit here with 2 18" titanium rods implanted along both sides of my spine along with all the assorted u-bolts & nuts that secure them to my fused spine. Had had started having severe lower back pain 4 years ago from my scoliosis (curvature of the spine) that was getting worse & pinching nerves in my lower back. My spine specialist told me I had 3 choices. I could take pain pills or get spinal injections the rest of my life or I could let him correct the curvature in my spine. After much research, I opted for the surgery. With 2 surgeons operating on me for 10 hours straight, I came out with a 50% correction in that curve & NO back pain today! Truly a miracle!
I'm assuming here that you may have read my reply to @texasduchess last week as that is the only post I have made on here. I have been reading posts on this forum for about 3 months now. I have done a lot of research the past 11 months on these meds that I was prescribed because of the immediate horrendous side effects they brought me. Yes, at the time they were prescribed, I truly needed them. I was scared to death when I started having the anxiety & panic attacks & they helped me get over that hump.
But the side effects from these drugs were awful & included tight rigid muscles along both sides of my spine, wild, vivid, crazy dreams (up to 3 & 4 per night), awful sweating at night, dizziness, brain fog & headaches. I knew immediately that the meds had caused them because I took no other medications at the time. I wanted off the meds!
I started researching the cbd product options several months ago. I personally understand that they are not an option that many will take these days. Although many new studies are being done today on this alternative natural medicine, I can not have that guy with the long white coat on that "practices" on me just write out a script for me. My PCP knows that I am using the cbd alternative & says "go for it if it works for you". And it is working for me. I have less anxiety, more clarity, want to be creative again & my weird sense of humor are coming back since beginning them about 6 weeks ago.
To answer your question about the THC ingredient, I can only tell my experience. Everyone is different & will metabolize it differently. When I had done my research on CBDs, I saw a Board Certified Neurologist that I had heard about near where I live. He has a practice now that has a shop out in front of his clinic. He prescribes pharma meds as well as alternative, herbal, natural medicines these days. When I left his practice that day, I had a 1 oz. bottle of CBD oil with THC in my hot little hand. I took that potion for a month starting with micro-dosing as he prescribed. The minor effects of it were noticeable immediately as I was calmer within days. There was a bigger, better outcome as I dosed up to the 30mg/day I use now but it took 2 to 3 weeks to really feel it fully. I was introduced to HB gummies as I read more about these products. 2 gummies at night worked better to get me off to sleep. So then I ended up buying HB CBD oil for my 2nd bottle because they have no THCs in them. The THC is minimal (.3%) legally here in my state but I did notice a better result for me with no THC so I've stuck with that for now.
Sorry to drag on so long here, Jake; it seems it's just one of my many character defects. Haha! But wanted to explain to you that I had done my "due diligence" before trying any alternative med like CBD oils. Cannabis has been around for 1000s of years & been used medicinally. From my research, Effexor has been around maybe 20 years. The long term "brain effects" from it are still unknown too. I take care of my 87 y.o. mother these days that is a full blown Alzheimer's patient. She has been on Effexor for almost 20 years. There's no taking her off it these days as it would probably kill her. I do have a lot of stress with managing her business affairs & caring for her these days but wouldn't have it any other way! So for me, I'm looking to reduce my anxieties in a more natural, less addicting manner; thus CBDs for me right now. I'm off the Gabapentin now as of 2 weeks ago. In another 2 weeks, I'll start tapering again from my current 150mg of Effexor. I WILL do it very slowly this time as suggested in this forum. I'm nervous about it but feel much better since finding this site! You may see more of me on here at that point...
Thanks again for your concern.
Ellen

I’m a 54 yr old Mom of 3 mini adult (18,19,&21). I was prescribed Effexor about 18 months ago for hot flashes! I struggled going on it and the pharmacist encouraged me to open the capsules and put the beads in yogurt to help with the nausea and at one point even suggesting that I ask the dr for a higher dose! Of course, being a “good patient” I tried my best to take the pills even though I lost 15 pounds in the process. Now I’ve been trying to get off of it for 8 months because I still have the hot flashes and if I’m even an hour late on my dosage, the brain zaps are overwhelming. Today is my first 24 hours with out it and I’m having problems just moving my head without the zaps. I encourage everyone to research EVERYTHING your doctor prescribes before putting anything in your body !!! Especially now that google has taken over the world :0). I love my doc and know she didn’t mean to cause this. I also realize that this med had probably saved thousands of lives but for symptoms like mine, the effects are far worse than the cause!! I really appreciate everyone’s advice, support, helpful ideas. Many Blessings

@caityduck
You don't mention how much Effexor you were on and I realize when you want off you want off NOW, but to go "cold turkey" is unpleasant at best and dangerous at worst. Please read the many posts on here and taper off--slow and steady wins this race.

Hi again Content. No nightmares. And even got 2 hrs of extra sleep. But I must say I do feel weird when I get up in the morning after taking this Melatonin stuff. Feel almost spaced out. I went to the health food store and they asked me if I wanted to try this spray called Rescue. Apparently its very calming. Revues are good. If you wake up in the mddle of the night and cant get back to sleep, well you take 2 sprays of ths on ur tongue and it helps you get back to sleep. Will try it tonight when—- not if I wake up. Lol. Enjoy your day.

I’ve been on 37.5 and have talked to my doctor in great detail about it. The feeling is that because I don’t suffer with depression that other than the side effects Of the zaps and nausea, I hopefully will be ok. Still feel crappy but ok.

Hey CaityD. I quit cold turkey after I was n 37.5 also. Its been a bit of a rough ride but hopefully all these ngative ssues will go away soon. Last pill was n Jun11th. Dealing with insomnia now. Once that clears up I’m sure I will be ok. Dealing with other health issues also and hope to get news about different tests I did last last week soon. Enjoyyour day

I was really wondering the same thing. I was tapered off using 37.5 and these are my first 2 days completely off. The mental zaps are almost constant and sometimes are physical jolts. I’m so dizzy and nauseous, I can’t even see straight. When does this get better!!!!

Just started Xeloda 8/18/18. 2000mg a.m. and 2000mg p.m. Any info you would be willing to share about your experience would be greatly appreciated.

@shaker1956 Glad you found something that helped. I have no effect in the morning when I take it, but if I take a whole Benedryl I do. I don't think Benedryl is a good thing to take regularly but it does help me so I take it sometimes.
I will have to look into this "Rescue" spray and see if it is something allowable for post-transplant patients.
JK