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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Apr 29 8:17am | Replies (6299)Comment receiving replies
I was on venlafaxine (75 mg) for approximately 2 years. I came off of it as I was experiencing a lot of unexplained sweating and I felt I was at a point where I felt I had my anxiety under control. I cut down to 37.5 mg for two weeks and then took it every second day for 1 week before stopping. It has been awful, for the first few days I had cold sweats, I had a fever, headaches, brain shivers and dizziness as well as being extremely grumpy. I began taking vitamin B 12, fish oil and a multivitamin, I did not notice much change. On day 16 I was still feeling dizzy so I went back to my doctor who told me there was no way it was the venlafaxine (just some 'mystery illness' that started at the same time as I stopped taking the venlafaxine and feels the exact same as when I would miss a pill). He checked my blood pressure and heart rate and it was then we noticed my pulse was only 41 ( I am not massively fit so this is not right) and after a few tests we noticed I have an irregular heartbeat. I went to hospital and spent two days there, where cardiologists did seem to think there may be a link between stopping the venlafaxine and my heart issues. I am 24 years old, this is not okay and I am so angry at my doctor for giving me this drug. It is now day 19 and I am still extremely dizzy and my heart rate is sitting at 42. Effexor is an awful drug that has done some awful things to my body, I would not recommend.
Replies to "I was on venlafaxine (75 mg) for approximately 2 years. I came off of it as..."
I am so sorry you've had such a horrible experience!! I've read (and my doctor confirmed) that because venlafaxine has such a very short half-life, trying to taper by using it only every other day is really hard on the body because it never has a chance to really get rid of the drug -- sort of a yo-yo effect -- you take it out, then you put it back in, so the body doesn't know what the heck is going on. I'm fortunate, I guess, because I had the XR capsules so I set up a taper schedule where I've gone down an additional 50 beads per week. It's maddening to open the capsules and count out the right number of beads, but so far it's made my taper much easier physically. None of those godawful zaps or dizziness or nausea, which I've had several times before when I didn't get my scrip refilled in time! A 50-bead reduction is not quite 15.5 mg, so it's been easier on my body. I have 2 and a half weeks left to go -- 95 beads/day this week, 45 beads/day next week, then 30 for a day, then 25 for a day, then 20, then 10, then 5. (My doc said I can probably stop completely when I get to 45/day because that's less than 14 mg. I may try it; I'll see how brave I feel! The total tapering time for me will be about 3 months -- I was on 150/day (486 beads), I started small with 10 beads/wk for 2 wks, then boosted it to 20 for 1 wk and decided to up it to 50 because I was doing ok. I'll be very interested to see what I experience when I take none at all. I'm so glad you're getting medical care and I really hope things will get much better for you very soon!!!
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Wow! You have described my symptoms to the tee when I missed my pill for three days. I hope and pray you feel better soon. And I pray I don’t have as hard of a transition but I am preparing for the worst. I know now it won’t be easy. But I would have never agreed to take this drug had I known about the side effects of tapering off. This is ridiculous! So mad!!