Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Well I got down to taking just 37.5mg a day and was okay after a few days of feeling a little dizzy. So after two weeks of that and now running out of pills, I decided to not take any yesterday (there's no lower dose available). Big mistake! I took my pill at about noon today after waking up very confused at noon instead of before 8am. I feel awful. Weird deep bone/joint aches, light headed, headache, and sick. On top of what seems to be a very prolonged mild allergy reaction.

All I want to do is crawl back into bed. I think I might have to. I'm going to try to make an appointment for sometime soon to get a refill. I feel like a failure for not getting off from 75mg in 90 of the 37.5mg pills.

Thanks for your opinions This med I have gained 20lbs and I only have 4 left in my script. I am so tired of being tired Just want to get over this part of my life.

@notaround Don't beat yourself up! You are not a failure--this is a tough drug to get off of. You've just gone too fast: two weeks at 37.5mg is not that long and dropping from there to zero is a STEEP drop. Call your doctor NOW for a refill without waiting for an appointment. Ben*dryl and Dram*mine can help your withdrawal symptoms.

If you get more pills, you can try this method to taper from 37.5mg--you dissolve your dose in juice and not drink all of it. "Venlafaxine (Effexor) can be tapered … with approximately 1% dosage reduction every 3 days. Stahl (a prescriber’s guide–Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology) recommends dissolving the tablet in 100 mL of juice, discarding 1 mL and drinking the rest. After 3 days, 2 mL can be discarded, etc."–https://www.mdedge.com/psychiatry/article/103869/depression/venlafaxine-discontinuation-syndrome-prevention-and-management

The dissolve-in-juice method mentions reducing by 1mL, but you can control the taper as you wish by discarding a different amount and reducing at a different interval. Just don't bounce around all over the place–slow and steady wins this race.

@catcatanzaro60
Don’t be in to big a rush to get over this part of your life. Remember, “the hurrier I go, the behinder I get. If you get off earlier, you’ll regret it later.
Jake

hello everyone What would help with Cymbalta withdrawl? I am gonna go from 30mgs to 0 by going every other day for 4 days I have got to go off this dangerous drug once and for all I will go back on Gapention for my pain What do ya think? I have been going through withdrawal since September when I went from 60 to 30mgs all at once. No more new drugs for me. Unless I am gonna die without it. How can they get by with giving this to people?

@decemberriver - Welcome to Mayo Connect. I am glad that you found us! As you read the posts on this topic you will see that many many people have experienced exactly what you describe. Any of the new anti depressants are very tough to get off of. Effexor among many are serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/antidepressants/art-20044970
Taking the capsules apart is the last step that many on here are taking. Please read the posts. You will get a better idea of what to do. @jakedduck1 is one person in particular who has good advice about this.
When I took Effexor XR it was for menopause symptoms- depression and hot flashes. I also found that I had built up a tolerance for it. Let me know what you plan to do. Please check with your doctor and see what he has to say.

@decemberriver
Apologies for not getting back to you earlier. I went to eat and just remembered you.
First, what dose are you on? How long have you been taking it? You may want to split your dose, half am half pm and see if that alleviates the symptoms.
You need to understand that even if your titrations are exceedingly small, that is not a guarantee you won’t have withdrawal symptoms. Although they are usually more mild. Most doctors want to drop your dose by 50%, if so say “NO!” Most doctors believe (From what I’ve read and heard) it should only take a few weeks. If yours is one of those, again tell them “NO, I’ve heard too many horror stories getting off that fast.”
Some people have had to increase their dose but most agree anything above 375mg has no additional benefit. Some people who have tried to stop to slowly have actually increased their dose until the withdrawal symptoms went away then reduced much slower. I always suggest decreasing your dose by 5-10% and take each dose for at least 2-4 weeks before reducing again. However, the best way is to use a Compounding Pharmacy if that is a practical option for you. They will reduce your dose to exactly what you and your doctor decide. That way you will assured you get an exact dosage. But insist on reducing SLOWLY!
Going slow cannot be emphasized strongly enough!!!
Best of luck,
Jake

Doctors are stupid about this stuff, and much more. I don't tell my doctor anything about my withdrawal because I know what I am doing better than they do. They have no consideration for the medication sensitivities of individuals even though there is increased information about antidepressant withdrawal. Even when I stopped a hormone patch and knew that I needed to taper, my doctor said there were no problems with just discontinuing it immediately. And the advice to "get a new doctor" is not helpful when one lives in a rural area and the doctors are pretty much all the same, AMA all the way.
In response to the comment " why are we always in such a hurry?", I'm fairly certain that many who come to this forum seeking support are becoming more educated about the harmful effects that antidepressants have on our brains and bodies, and are motivated to experience better health. It IS frustrating to realize that this process is a slow one which requires continuing to put this poison in our bodies for a longer time than we first realized. For some, it is also a matter of not being able to afford/be prescribed the amount of effexor necessary to taper at the suggested pace. Let's try to legitimize and recognize people's situations and their feelings surrounding them, and offer real solutions when we can. Everyone I hope will have a good day, wishing you all wide open windows, and the ability to ride out the waves.

Doctors are stupid about this stuff, and much more. I don't tell my doctor anything about my withdrawal because I know what I am doing better than they do. They have no consideration for the medication sensitivities of individuals even though there is increased information about antidepressant withdrawal. Even when I stopped a hormone patch and knew that I needed to taper, my doctor said there were no problems with just discontinuing it immediately. And the advice to "get a new doctor" is not helpful when one lives in a rural area and the doctors are pretty much all the same, AMA all the way.
In response to the comment " why are we always in such a hurry?", I'm fairly certain that many who come to this forum seeking support are becoming more educated about the harmful effects that antidepressants have on our brains and bodies, and are motivated to experience better health. It IS frustrating to realize that this process is a slow one which requires continuing to put this poison in our bodies for a longer time than we first realized. For some, it is also a matter of not being able to afford/be prescribed the amount of effexor necessary to taper at the suggested pace. Let's try to legitimize and recognize people's situations and their feelings surrounding them, and offer real solutions when we can. Everyone I hope will have a good day, wishing you all wide open windows, and the ability to ride out the waves.