Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hi nseidel ..... and just how old is this disrespectful , treasure of a child? Believe me, if my kids were to ever talk to me like that, either when they were young and still at home, or now (they're 45, 43, and 35), they'd know there'd be hell to pay. You should NOT have to put up with this from him. If he is old enough, maybe it's time he find a job and find his own place. And, if one job doesn't support him, there are plenty of young people working 2 and 3 jobs nowadays to make ends meet. He needs a wakeup call!
abby

I've been reading a lot here lately about some of you folks getting off of your medication, and the ways you are trying to do it. I just have a question ... why are you doing this? Has your doctor advised it (if so, he would also tell you how to do it), or is this just something you want to do? And if you just want to do it, without your doctor's advising it, the question becomes "why?" If it's not working your doctor should know and he could help you switch to something that would work better for you. But going off of it "just because ........" isn't wise at all. Just what I've observed over the passed 20 years.
abby

I was instructed to get the medication due to the side effects it caused(increased anxiety,suicidal thoughts,etc) I am 3 wks off this cap and finally able to function again. Brain zaps were the worse. I took Benadryl and ibuprofen to help in my process. Lots of sleep and bed rest. The most aweful thing I have ever experienced m NEVER EVER EVER will I intake another one of these Serotonin medications.

Effexor stopped working for me after about 15 years. It wasn't hurting, and it wasn't helping. I took about 6 weeks to get off from 150mg. I held at 37.5mg for about three weeks because I was having side effects and a crazy time at work, but went to zero maybe three or four weeks ago. My side effects are largely gone. I've started on a sub-clinical dose of lexapro (5mg) to help with some continued depression...so far, it has helped with the last of my effexor withdrawal side effects (I think - or it's just the effexor is really out of my system or both) -and the lexapro has helped improve my energy to some extent.

Seroquel is a usually a serious drug. I'm not sure, but don't think it is something to go off cold-turkey....it could cause serious mood swings and possibly psychosis....the effexor withdrawal is not pleasant, but rarely dangerous. If you were prescribed both (and had to stop the effexor for the antibiotics - although I've never heard of it being contraindicated ) - I would try to speak with the doctor.....MRSA plus an SNRI plus an atypical antipsychotic is a complicated regimen.

@amberpep
I was put on Effexor (25mg)18 years ago when I began having hot flashes while on Tamoxifen for breast cancer; I cannot take hormones as my breast cancer (then) was hormone-driven. My hot flashes were minute-to-minute freezing (teeth chattering) to I'm so hot, I've got to take my clothes off--not a situation I could have sustained for long without going crazy. After 18 years, I was pretty sure the hot flashes were a thing of the past and I thought it was silly to keep taking a drug for no reason. AND I had realized pretty quickly when I began taking Effexor that if I missed a dose, I'd have a headache the next day. If I had known even after slowly tapering off this small dose, I would have these withdrawal symptoms begin 6.5 weeks later and continue to today (six months later), I would NOT have stopped the Effexor. I had no idea how much Effexor messes with your brain chemistry and how long it can take to get it back to functioning normally.

Thank you all for your insight ! It has helped so much to have the support from those who have been there. I didn’t have a brain zap today , Thank God. I m sorry but will never ever touch Effexor again. I quit seorquel I quit smoking I quit drinking I lost fifty lbs all this year. My advice is to find s good doctor, I did not but I did find a pharmacist I could trust, and they know drugs better than doctors.

God bless you !!! I can’t seem to put the cigarettes down yet...

Wow. Im so impressed. My intention is to knock off the cigrettes next. This is the last monkey I need to get off my back.

Mine too!! 2 months off Effexor after 3 years on 225mg . But can’t put the cigarettes down ...