Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hi JK. Well I’m not feeling too bad. I’ve had to take some Advil twice today. I dont know why I get these monstrous headaches but I have to deal with them the only way I know how. And thats the Advil. Looking forward to my app’t with the Cancer Doc on Thursday. I have many questions for him and his answers will clear up some things!!!!!

Hi @gailb . I think, like everyone else, I was looking for a way to get off the anti-depressants in a safe way. I was lucky enough to come across this forum and joined immediately. The title of this thread was basically what I typed into Google!

The reason I decided to join this forum was that I feel as if I will get the support I need. Only my husband knows that I am on anti-depressants. The reason I started them was too sensitive a topic to tell anyone else. I have suffered through my depression mostly on my own which I know makes it worse. Talking to others without being judged is really what I need. Even though I have made a decision to come off the medication, my depression remains but, I want to find another way to manage it and there is a lot of information here. I also hope that my experience will help others.

In the UK, we have the National Health Service (NHS) which, although we complain about certain aspects of it, is really good. The one thing I would say is that the doctors, (General Practitioners/GP's) are quite quick to put people on to anti-depressants and the waiting lists to see a therapist for counselling can take up to 12 months unless you pay for it privately, then you only get 6 sessions! I really wish this practice would stop.

Anyway, when I went to see my GP, she said that the surgery was lucky enough to have their own in-house pharmacist and I got an appointment within a few days. This is something that has only been available recently.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2018/01/more-clinical-pharmacists-set-to-boost-gp-services-for-patients-and-practices/

I definitely gained weight on this med!! I got on for depression and anxiety....it's giving me anxiety and depression from this weight!! Can't wait to be off of this

@adimswife

Thanks for the link you provided giving information about the UK pharmacist scheme. This sounds like it will make great use of knowledge and skills that are often overlooked here in the US. I found my pharmacist to be very helpful in my withdrawal from Gabapentin, which my Pain Doctor refused to help me with. I ended up relying on my pharmacist and he was great. I really had no idea previously that they were so willing and able to help.

You made a great choice to join this group as we are very supportive of each other. In addition, you have information and experience that will help others. I hope you find good ways to reduce your dependence on Effexor, which seems extremely difficult to stop taking. I have successfully withdrawn from other drugs and am thankful I never took Effexor.

@shaker1956 Have you had your headaches diagnosed? Could they possibly be migraine? I had migraines before I hit menopause and they were awful. They just came out with Imitrex shortly before mine stopped but I hesitated to use it because even though I did not have heart problems my family is full of them, and people with heart problems were not supposed to take it. Thankfully I rarely have any headaches now, which I am very happy about, not only because who wants headaches, but the only thing I can take is Tylenol.

My daughter inherited my migraines unfortunately and I know she does have success with some of the medications that are available now.
JK

Hi JK. I only started getting headaches recently. I think Its a combination of stress and withdrawing from Effexor. Advil does take care of them but it still is not pleasant!!!!! I start my 12th week without that dreaded drug tomorrow. It has been a pretty cappy go let me tell you!!!! Enjoy your evening

Actually starting my 11th week off Effexor. Not my 12th!!!!!

How’s it going ?

I hope there is a law suit against this company and the doctors That prescribe it ...

Good Morning All.....
I feel the need to discuss Effexor and all it has done to us and for us.
I am in the same boat as we all are, on a medicine that has terrible withdrawal affects.
I am just as pissed as everyone that we were not told of the possible side affect being on the meds and the withdrawal (or even that there IS withdrawal).

But for me, Effexor was a life savor. I was having HORRIBLE anxiety! At one point, I was out of work for a week because I couldn't get out of my house. I didn't know if I would be able to go back to work. EVERYTHING scared me and made me anxious, even driving to my son's house. These bouts of anxiety seemed to coincide with the true beginning of menopause. I say true beginning because as we women know, it is a process that starts when we are in our 30s (give or take). Through therapy, I realized I have been having anxiety probably most of my life; it reared its ugly head differently depending on my age.

When I had these anxiety attacks, I was put on a low dose of Effexor XR. Other than having a dull headache for a few days, I had not other problems with it. I stayed on the Effexor for a few years before the dosage was bumped up (a few times). After a while, my PCP suggested I come off of it because I was doing so well. Of course I was, I was medicated! I was coming off of it slowly (although I don't remember the plan), I started having anxiety attacks, again. I went back to the psychiatrist who was monitoring my meds. She told me I could not go back on the Effexor for 6 months (can't remember why). She tried me on a couple of other meds and nothing worked. I felt the anxiety throughout my body. Finally, after the 6 months was up, I asked to go back on to the Effexor. I did. It did not work as well as it did the first time, but I no longer had that horrible feeling throughout my body.

Throughout the years, the level has been upped, but usually after a specific event in my life. I believe I am at the max dose now. I know my memory is shot and it gets my hubby very upset. He thinks when I tell him I forgot, I am just making excuses, but I'm not! It has gotten so bad that I can honestly say that many times I have absolutely no recollection of ever knowing the info at all. I don't get that spark in my head that says, Oh yeah, I remember. I know that this is all due to the Effexor. I also know it is time to come off. As I said before, I have a lot of health issues I am dealing with at the moment. When they are all solved, I will start the process. I am going to take it VERY slow, even if it takes me a year or more!

Frankly, if I haven't started on this site, I would not have known that this drug, which has kept my anxiety pretty well curbed, is so horrible. Hindsight is 20/20 and I now know that many of the things I've been experiencing is due to the Effexor. I truthfully don't know how I would have managed all these years without it. I believe that many of my issues with the Effexor became worse when I got onto such a large dose. I take 150mg twice a day. I also believe that if I stayed on the small dose, it would have helped to keep me mellow without making me the way I am today.

Sorry for the rambling but I hope I got my point across that as bad as I now know this drug is, it has saved me in many ways. Were there other drugs I could take? I'm sure there are, but once I started with the Effexor and I felt so good, I didn't want to try anything else (except for that period of time I had to). I don't think I'll ever be 100% off an anxiety med, but I do believe I will get off the Effexor in due time.

Here is to a great mental health day!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)