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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (6299)Comment receiving replies
Ronnie - are you taking immediate release - or XR? Also you are taking 150mg BID (2x day?).
As a starting point here's been mine: and I was taking 150mg of Effexor XR once a day for about 15 years.
Week 1: 112.5mg side effects - none.
Week 2: 75mg side effects - 1 day with facial numbing (fleeting)
Week 3: 37.5mg side effects - one night of crazy dreams - really draggy for a day.
Week 4: 37.5mg side effects - one day with nausea, dizziness and headaches for a few hours. However, may have been heat and/or allergies and that I hadn't slept the night before - so had about 90min of sleep in 24 hours (which was yesterday)
I am going to titrate down to zero on Monday or Tuesday and see how things go. I rescheduled my psychiatrist appointment today because I still have a lingering headache and didn't want to take the 90 minute commute in the heat both ways....also had spent hour on phone arguing minor legal process details with the person unlucky enough to have gotten my call - but who deserved it for hanging up on me last month 🙂 Actually - it made me feel better.
Replies to "Ronnie - are you taking immediate release - or XR? Also you are taking 150mg BID..."
@youngsally
Good Morning!
I was on XR for years but after having weight loss surgery 2 years ago, I had to change to immediate release. After weight loss surgery, the body does not adsorb the way it used to. At that point, my psychiatrist did not know how I would adjust to the change. No problem.
Yes, I take 150 mg, twice a day.
Thank you for sharing your plan. I am worried that would be a little too quick for me. I actually take 2-75mg in the am/pm. I was thinking about cutting the evening 75mg in half for a week (or 2 depending on how I feel), thendoing the same with the am dose next.
I know I cannot do this without the guidance of a psychiatrist.
I don't know if you read, but my psychiatrist left so I have to find a new one, which I am working on. I actually think I found one, will call today.
Anyway, thanks again for all your sharing.
Have a great weekend!
Ronnie
Please consider remaining on the 37.5 mg dose for another two weeks. I would then recommend 10 mg of Prozac for five days and then stop everything.
My experience and the experience of some others going from 37.5 mg of Effexor to nothing can be quite a shock to the system especially if you have been on it for a while. Everyone is different though as we know! Good luck!
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Wow. You are really going fast young sally. I wish you all the best. I will be off soon too. Monday I will be down to 12mg for a week, then down to 0. I got very sick with nausea and insominia when I tried to go from 37.5 to 0. I am still waking up with an occasional headache lasting no longer than an hour. It will be so nice to get this monkey off my back.