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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (6363)
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@maryathome

Thanks for replying rockiesgirl9. I’m fortunate that I’m retired so that I can nap anytime. I feel for those that have to cope with work and trying to get off these awful pills. How were you able to do it so fast? Did you suffer any depression? That’s what scares me the most. Since I’m not able to tolerate 90mg at the moment, I was told by the pharmacist to go back to 97.5 for another month. I’ve read that if you are having a difficult time at the start of the tapering, it means that you are having a relapse and may have to stay on the drugs forever. This really scares me.

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Replies to "Thanks for replying rockiesgirl9. I’m fortunate that I’m retired so that I can nap anytime. I..."
texasduchess | @texasduchess | Sep 12, 2018

@maryathome
Rockiesgirl9's taper seems very aggressive to me, but she's a younger woman with a strong motivation to get off Effexor (wants to get pregnant). A slower taper is less likely to lead to distressing withdrawal symptoms, or even quitting the withdrawal process. If a drop in dosage causes distress, the recommendation is to go back to the previous dose where you didn't have issues, stay there for some time (weeks, or even months) before tapering again to less of a jump down. For most, the turtle really is going to win this race, not the hare.

"Discontinuation symptoms typically begin within a few days after stopping [or reducing] your antidepressant whereas a relapse normally takes longer to occur and the symptoms develop more gradually."--Antidepressants and Discontinuation Syndrome Tips for Relief from Withdrawal Symptoms by Nancy Schimelpfening

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