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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (6363)Comment receiving replies
Hi , I've been off Effexor for four weeks . My neurologist put me on this three years ago for a condition called PPPD vestibular desease. I've experienced all these horrific side effects that everyone talks about . I weaned off the drug over Eight months with the supervision of my dr . Each week is getting better . I can now function during the day and am so much better however my nights are still difficult . I experience night sweats terribly. I'm feel like I'm burning up with in seconds and then I can get tremors and feel like I'm freezing . I also have insomnia. It takes me how's to fall asleep . Has anyone experienced this and if so how long will this last ?
Thank you for reading and looking forward to a response.
Replies to "Hi , I've been off Effexor for four weeks . My neurologist put me on this..."
Yes, I am experiencing this now. I am extremely agitated. Cannot sleep.
I didn't get hot flashes until I got down to 37.5mg (after being at 150mg for 15 years)....Hot flashes SUCK....I'm 54 and had a symptom-free menopause...so my hot flashes may be the effexor taper and or post-menopausal hot flashes. Either way, I am sleeping with ice packs - even bought a fancy one that is designed for migrane sufferers - they help me a lot. Insomnia is something I've had for years...but mostly has to do with being unable to fall asleep as opposed to staying asleep. I take Melatonin a few hours before bedtime and benadryl or 0.5 klonopin if I am still awake with racing thoughts after a few hours...but I'm working to get back those as well. I see the psychiatrist next week and we might try trazodone to help with the sleep issues - and I hope the ice packs will eventually be a thing of the past.
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@natmill
Please click on my name and read my posts particularly about the supplements I am taking. I weaned off very slowly and had NO problems until six weeks after the last dose. Effexor affects your brain and your neurotransmitters; it can take months for your brain to learn to balance these neurotransmitters again on its own, but taking supplements are helping me. I haven't had sweats, but have definitely experienced the tremors (it's an inside shakiness, not something you can see if I put my hands out), bouts of being quite cold (this is somewhat amusing as I was prescribed Effexor for menopausal hot flashes) and insomnia. The supplements can be purchased at Vit*min Shoppe although the L*dtke l-tryptophan cannot (VS has a version that works, though; I just read the L*dtke brand was the "gold" standard and switched to it). Ben*dryl can help with your insomnia and Dram*mine for the jitters. I have also experienced akathisia on occasion (anxiety, fear/terror, agitation, restlessness and compulsion to pace) that has taken half to a whole 5mg Valium (prescribed) to control. My last Effexor dose was 4/14 and it is now five months later. I started taking supplements around 6/15, but it took a couple of weeks to come up with the regimen that's working for me. I suspect recovery is very individual—depending on your age, why you were taking Effexor, the dosage, length of time on Effexor, etc.