Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

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@coloradogirl I've tried to get off Effexor Immediate Release twice this past year: both times a failure! At first I tried to cut the 37.5mg tablet in half and take 18.75mg per day. This brought on really bad withdrawal symptoms (mainly psychological/emotional) for weeks. I went back to 37.5mg and got a new prescription for 25mg. This wasn't as bad but it didn't go well, and so I went back to 37.5mg after one month. It seems that no matter how long I give it, the withdrawal symptoms still seem to affect me badly. My new strategy is getting a compounded liquid solution prescription from a local pharmacy. They're willing to concoct this for me to try. I don't know though...I just don't want to put myself through this chaos again! I know you've already offered your suggestions, but would you have anything more to add in my case?

@texasduchess what is your plan now? I'm curious as to how you're planning to get off because I'm in the same boat with Effexor IR.

@nam47 I completely quit Effexor on 4/14. Mid-June, my body must have used up all its stored Effexor in my fatty tissues because wham! I was having withdrawal symptoms. If you click on my name, you can read my past posts where I list all the supplements I began to take to minimize those W/D symptoms. It's now been four months on the supplements and I can tell that I have gotten better. I take my passel of supplements four times a day about five hours apart. So a few days ago, I halved all the early evening handful of pills and will do that for at least a week. After that, I will eliminate that set of pills and space the remaining three sets out to seven hours apart. Of course, if I start having any difficulties, I'll reinstate the halved dose and could also try halving the mid-day dose as well. These supplements are pricey and you can't really do them long-term.

@nam47 Reducing by 50% is too big a taper. You could take a 25mg and 1/4 of a 25 mg (approx 31mg total) and wait longer between reductions. Also, click on my name and see my past posts where I explain the "Prozac bridge" technique some have used successfully. This is not a race you win by rushing through the process!

@mdw123
I also want to know what I’m taking. My doctor has started asking me “May I write you a prescription for xyz?” Once my doc brought me her PDR, I said “where’s the supplement” she said “try and get by.” She has a good since of humor.
Anyway, approximately 30+ million people in the US take antidepressants. Also keep in mind on forums your much more likely to have people who have negative effects. You must keep in mind how long some of these people have been taking them. 25% of people taking them have been on them for ten years or longer. Patients need to do more than just have the attitude of just popping a pill. The reason your doctor doesn’t give you a discontinuation schedule is because the manufacturer doesn’t have one. Keep in mind antidepressants were not really intended for long term use. Studies were usually done for 2 years or less. Although stopping slowly is no guarantee it will prevent the effects of discontinuation syndrome it usually helps. Effexor has a very short half life. Shorter the half life the sooner the Withdrawal symptoms normally show up. Effexor half life is only 5 hours.

So I went back to Dr. I was mad .4 weeks off of Effexor.I got off of seroquel? Topomax.I suffered for 4 weeks. He told me new drugs were Effexor metabolites.He said if you needed insulin you’d take it.I countered, yeah but you would monitor my glucose! He said Effexor is tough to quit because you have withdrawal within 12 hours of not taking it, He told me I never should have gone cold turkey.He said the withdrawal syndrome is worse than the depression.He said within one dose I’d fee better.I was starting to feel despair. He was right I went back on it , I feel better.He said we could try something else The deal is I do not feel despair or angry or out of control right now I went to health food store and got some vitamins. I going an amazing sleep patch and I took two days off work to recover. So I’m taking it . Good luck to all of you I’m pretty damn strong but I couldn’t do it after 4 weeks of hell.Do not do it cold turkey like I did.

@nseidel
I think I lost something while reading. Your doctor said you should take a dosage of Effexor while tfying to get off? When should you have taken it and how much?

I’ve been on I’ve been on Effexor/venlafacine for nearly 5years. Started at 75mg. Increased to 150at or point but didn’t want to have withdrawal symptoms if I ever wanted to wean off. So I returned to 75mg. It has helped over the years but I’m just concerned about being on it for so so long. Are they’re any long term SE that we won’t discover it nail 20 years down the road? So I recently made the decision to wean off. First let me share that there were 2 times over the course of the first year of taking this medication that I forgot to take it. I thought I was was going to DIE! I had never been so incredibly dizzy, nauseous, and headache at any point in my life. From that point on I always carried a couple extra pills with me at ALL TIMES, just in case.
Fast forward to present day, I’ve been weaning off for 10 days now. This seems absolutely ridiculous but, to minimize withdrawal effects I opened the capsule and take out 3 mini “pearls” every 3 days. I know it sounds crazy but the SE are just not worth it. I’m currently at -10 pearls a day tomorrow starting 13. I have resisted counting how many pearls are in there for my own psyche. At this time I feel I’ve noticed mainly 2 SE. One I’m seemingly so very tired I feel I could sleep all day. Two, I feel I lose my patience with my family easier than before. So this brings me to my question. Are these withdrawal symptoms or depression symptoms? They seem to over lap. My goal is to reevaluate after 3 months of being off the meds. Good luck weaning and take it SLOW!/venlafacine for nearly 5years. Started at 75mg. Increased to 150at or point but didn’t want to have withdrawal symptoms if I ever wanted to wean off. So I returned to 75mg. It has helped over the years but I’m just concerned about being on it for so so long. Are they’re any long term SE that we won’t discover it nail 20 years down the road? So I recently made the decision to wean off. First let me share that there were 2 times over the course of the first year of taking this medication that I forgot to take it. I thought I was was going to DIE! I had never been so incredibly dizzy, nauseous, and headache at any point in my life. From that point on I always carried a couple extra pills with me at ALL TIMES, just in case.
Fast forward to present day, I’ve been weaning off for 10 days now. This seems absolutely ridiculous but, to minimize withdrawal effects I opened the capsule and take out 3 mini “pearls” every 3 days. I know it sounds crazy but the SE are just not worth it. I’m currently at -10 pearls a day tomorrow starting 13. I have resisted counting how many pearls are in there for my own psyche. At this time I feel I’ve noticed mainly 2 SE. One I’m seemingly so very tired I feel I could sleep all day. Two, I feel I lose my patience with my family easier than before. So this brings me to my question. Are these withdrawal symptoms or depression symptoms? They seem to over lap. My goal is to reevaluate after 3 months of being off the meds. Good luck weaning and take it SLOW!

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to stop taking Effexor, and I'll be honest, I'm angry. I was on 75mg, which doesn't seem like a lot learning what other people have been taking. I went down half a dose a couple of weeks ago, eased into by taking 75mg one day and 37.5mg the next for a few days (longer?). Then I stayed on 37.5mg for a few days and then I stopped. And my body aches, like my organs are being squeezed, and my brain is zapping and I'm shivering and sweating. And I'm angry. Because I went on Effexor after 11 years clean and sober because I was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety, and now it's like I'm an addict getting off a hard drug. How is this shit legal?!

I utterly refuse to take anymore because there is absolutely no way that I'm going through this a third time. This is more intense than the first change, but I'm stubborn. Have others done this? Will this truly take 1-2 weeks to pass? Longer? The physical symptoms the first time seemed to take about a week. I'm trying to work at the same time, though I went home early yesterday and stayed home today. I'm hoping that they will lessen by Monday (today is Friday).

I think I also need to stay away from sugar as that sees to make the zaps worse. I'm also finding it hard to keep a thought in my head. I'm also feeling out of control, so I'm hiding in my basement watching tv and eating. My kid is at school today so that is possible. Tomorrow will be different which I think is good. I think I might need to be more active with no stress (so no work). It would really be helpful to hear from others about their experience.

Thanks!