Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

@grandmar- Happy New Year. Welcome back. That''s the way to do it!

Hello @marleneace! How long did it take you to wean off of Effexor to cymbalta?

@merpreb
Happy New Year to you, as well.
Thank you for the welcome back!
Ronnie

@notaround The response could apply to any of us who are having difficulty sleeping, but it was specifically to this posting of yours:
"I'm trying to tell myself that I clearly need the sleep. I haven't somehow traveled to a place with sleeping sickness so it's probably my body doing its own thing. Would be nice if it consulted me. I used to be a responsible person. All I have is my word.

I have to believe this doesn't last forever. I can endure almost anything for a short time."

JK

@merpreb I have insurance. The working class have health insurance too thanks to the ACA :). Before, when I was growing up in extreme poverty, I got the (thankfully) mandatory school vaccinations and the ER. There was no going to the doctor for regular care. What I was describing is *with* insurance now. Also, I might even be considered middle class since I currently have a job and a college degree. I was trying to get people who are fortunate to have a nice doctor to realize that they are assuming a lot.

As for anger, I'm not angry. Anger brings to mind someone yelling. I'm frustrated and sad like "here we go again". A big assumption is that the middle class is most people. Unfortunately not. American popular culture is based around serving the 9-5 office worker type middle class so there's a big disconnect between the popular culture and reality.

For future reference, asking about sex reassignment surgery is threatening in addition to rude. If you wonder why it is a threat, refer to the statistics on our risk for suicide (often as the result of abuse) or getting murdered. But I will give you the benefit of the doubt and am helping by letting you know that you have no reason to ask unless you are a doctor treating a trans person or are trying to date one of us. We're human beings too. You wouldn't ask someone who isn't trans about their genitals.

Here you go:
https://transequality.org/issues/resources/questionable-questions-about-transgender-identity

my apologies.

@merpreb Why on earth would you ask another person if they have had sex reassignment surgery? If that's the behavior of a mentor, I'm definitely in the wrong place.

@sandij- I apologized. I made a mistake. I had something in mind for a follow-up. It was wrong

A lot of people honestly don't know what is polite to ask and it's not universal knowledge that it can be upsetting. I don't think a detailed apology is necessary. We're all doing our best as fallible human beings. So let's get back on topic. (I didn't mean to derail things so badly, sorry. I only mentioned it initially because it's part of trying to find a good doctor.)

@notaround @sandij @merpreb and everyone on this discussion:
I want you and the community to know that I have been following this discussion and want to say THANK YOU!

Thank you for
- Clarifying misunderstandings with respect.
- Helping one another learn.
- Providing supporting documentation and links.
- Unveiling people's blind spots and unintended biases. We all have them.
- Apologizing when appropriate.

On Connect, our communications with one another are limited to words. We cannot enhance our messages with the nuances of body language and tone of voice. Thus I really appreciate that disagreements are handled with the respect that has been demonstrated here. I believe that some important lessons have been learned here, especially today.

If anyone has additional thoughts they would like to share with me, please feel free to contact me privately using this form: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/contact-a-community-moderator/