Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

p.s. My brain is so sluggish I can’t claim even minimal cognitive capacity! To answer your other questions, my doctors are no help whatsoever. I’m getting by by the seat of my pants, avoiding going into assisted living thanks to the location of my tiny studio in the middle of Ojai, CA, where everything I need is a block or two away.

@deden- I am so sorry that you are having this problem. Even if your doctors aren't that great it seems to me that something drastic has changed- whether it's your medicine or another health problem you need to get some assistance in knowing what it is. Let me know!

@nancy54
Hello there,
I’d suggest you ask your doctor why is it better to add an additional medication especially one that increases suicide by 12 times. If the doctor wants you on this med with a longer half life, that’s understandable so why not switch instead of adding more to come off of.
Jake

@jakedduck1. Often times just switching isn't an option due to bad withdrawal symptoms so another medicine is added to cut down on the symptoms if it's necessary to wean.
A long time ago I was put on Valium, as many women were back then. After 13 years I tried to stop it but it's horrible to wean off of. So my Dr gave me Librium to help. After a month I was off both. I am so thankful that he had the insight to do this.
Every possible side effect that has shown up from taking a drug is listed on the information that is perscribed. It doesn't necessarily mean that everyone will get them. If that were true than none of us would take anything. Lol
Side effects are the necessary bane of trying to feel good. We all have to weigh the benefits against other options. Sometimes there aren't good options, only different ones.

Thank you!!

Hi. I just joined and don't know where to ask, so I'm jumping in right here.
Four months ago, doc put me on Effexor. Started with 75 mg for 10 days, then upped it to 150 mg per day. I've been on 150 mg for 3 months. Side effects are not tolerable (shakiness, et al), so 10 days ago I decided to taper off. For 10 days now I've only taken 75 mg per day. When can I stop it completely? Doc doesn't know. Pharmacist suggested taking it every other day. But for how long? My headaches are back, brain fog, night sweats, weird dreams, nausea. Reading comments here, my symptoms can be caused by the medicine, but also caused by withdrawal from it. I'm totally confused and want off of the effexor. I've also been on alprazolam since 2005 for anxiety. Now because of the "opioid crisis", my doc says the DEA requires a plan of care to get me off the xanax and office visits every 3 months. Doc has told me all along to come in every 6 months for refills. The nurse is the one who has to do the paperwork for the DEA and she refused to refill my meds. I cannot cold turkey the xanax, and when I told her it would be on them if something happened to me, she called in a 1 month refill and discharged me as a patient. This doc is the same doc who started me on the xanax, and I do not abuse it. But I digress... my question is regarding the effexor. Since I've only been taking it for 3 months, and I have already decreased by half for the past 10 days, when can I stop from here? Thank you. Hope this makes sense.
Back story: my husband died recently after being on hospice. I was his caregiver. Also, my daughter and I both have Crohn's disease. She is in a flare. I'm her caregiver.
No, I don't eat well.
No, I do not exercise.
I've lost 25+ pounds since June.
I stay in bed all day because I can't sleep at night.
My head ALWAYS hurts.
I'm NOT suicidal.
Thank you!

@texasduchess
I'm following this thread. I do not have insurance either.

Jeepers, what kind of screwed up crack pot quack are you going to. Your doctor should know.
Since you just started it maybe every other day will be okay. I wouldn’t take it that way though. I’d still reduce it slowly, just in case. I’d reduce it by 10% for 2 weeks then another 10% and so on as long as your not having withdrawal symptoms. Hopefully your not taking the capsules.
I’d dump that donkey doctor. I’m surprised he knew enough to write the prescription in the first place.
Jake

@jakedduck1
He is family medicine. I don't have insurance anymore. At first he referred me to psych because of DEA. But I couldn't get an appt for 8 months as a new patient, and an office visit was $360 without ins. I couldn't afford that, plus the wait. So I went back to family doc and explained my situation. He agreed to continue refilling my anxiety med if I came in every 6 months. His office visit is $80. I don't blame the doc. It is his lazy staff who do not want to do paperwork. (My assumption, because I can't get past the nurse to talk to doc.)

@brightcloud
Maybe I should give that doctor some credit for admitting how stupid s/he is. Oh well, since the manufacturer doesn’t know how can anyone else know.
Jake