1. < Depression & Anxiety

Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Posted by richyrich @richyrich, Nov 2, 2016

I have been taking Effexor/Venlafaxine for years and tried to get off it a few times but each time I try to give up the chemical withdrawal symptoms are a horror story and I give up giving up. Anyone got any tips or tried and tested strategies? Thank you

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Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Jan 31, 2019
In reply to @brightwings "@cristin1 Hello from Bright Wings. I had noticed the date a few days ago and thought,..." + (show)
@brightwings

@cristin1
Hello from Bright Wings. I had noticed the date a few days ago and thought, I took my last Effexor one year ago.
I too have MS.
Its been a wild and crazy yyear but I have things figured out for now and am really enjoying life.
If you click on my name I think it takes you to all my posts, so you can read up on my first posts. If you choose too anyways.
Forgive the typos, using my phone. Hard to make corrections. I'll gget my computer hooked up later.
My hands must be shaking from the cold. So I am typing extra letters.
Listen, getting off them with support from so many here was the best thing I have done for myself. It is not easy but worth it.
I am so interested in what others are doing... Smiling at you, Bright Wings

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@brightwings
Hey Suz,
Where the dickens have you been, I’ve really missed you. Your phone number was in my lost phone.
Jake

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1 reply
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Jan 31, 2019
In reply to @rosevillegirl "To me brain zaps/shivers feel like your brain is in a blender. I even get them..." + (show)
@rosevillegirl

To me brain zaps/shivers feel like your brain is in a blender. I even get them while sleeping and they wake me up. I went from 150 mg to 75 and am now on 37.5, split in half, taking one am and one pm. Afraid to take the next step, but I hate this drug.

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@rosevillegirl
Are you from Roseville California?
I believe your symptoms are from decreasing your dose too quickly. 50% is a large decrease but what doctors often recommend. Try asking (insisting) your doctor about increasing your medication until your symptoms subside. Then reduce at a much slower rate, possibly by 10% instead of 50%..
Good luck,
Jake

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1 reply
Brightwings AKA Cute Susie | @brightwings | Jan 31, 2019
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@brightwings Hey Suz, Where the dickens have you been, I’ve really missed you. Your phone number..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@brightwings
Hey Suz,
Where the dickens have you been, I’ve really missed you. Your phone number was in my lost phone.
Jake

Jump to this post

@jakedduck1
Oh my gosh, I have been thinking of you so much. I am so glad you didn't burn up.
Look @in messages.

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gloria428 | @gloria428 | Jan 31, 2019

Oh my! My dr just took me off of Venalafaxine cold turkey. No warnings, no nothing. Because I had to go on a 14 antibiotic regimen and it clashed or was suggested not to use the both. My symptoms of withdrawal have already kicked in and this is just day 1. I am petrified after reading these posts.

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3 replies
Brightwings AKA Cute Susie | @brightwings | Jan 31, 2019

@jakedduck1
I am successfully off of every medication. Last Effexor was January 14, 2018! My dose was 125 mg for something like 33 years. Yippee skippee!!! I have not looked to see when my last post was but I will. Not that important now.
I am here now because all of a sudden, Mayo Clinic Connect started sending me daily reports again. Like 2 days ago. Out of the blue...so I figured I better get my butt in here...felt like I was being summoned.
Oh my gosh, its been the best of times and WORSE OF TIMES...
A friend brought me bed bugs...HUD rules say 2 gallons of pesticides, twice, 1 month apart. I almost died. Had to put my dog Mighty Mouse down...like I said, best of times and worst of times.
So I am happy to report, depression ended. Losing my dog....tough stuff after 9 years. I was literally too ill to walk him....lots more, but not for here.
So my combination of Ayawaska, peyote ceremonies, CBD along with lots of Ceremonies and good friends got me to the point my depression ended.
I should say, I have been attending Native American Ceremonies, along with the legal use of peyote for 2 1/2 years. This year I will complete my medicine woman training. I am so excited. I live in the beautiful Ozarks, if anyone is interested in attending a ceremony. Message me....
I am not going to repeat everything I have written in the past but if anyone wants to ask questions or go back and read, feel free. I am a good teacher...there are so many healing tips in my writing.
So has anyone else come and said they got off this drug, I am really interested.
I was still having some trouble with depression early summer, but I attended more ceremonies with different leaders. My gosh, so healing on so many levels.
Now my challenge is detoxing from pesticides.
203 pages in this thread???? Wow, I think when I started, it was page 141.
Ok, its almost 1 am. I will be back tomorrow.
I baked bread today...I am sharing if anyone is interested...enjoy, Bright Wings

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Brightwings AKA Cute Susie | @brightwings | Jan 31, 2019
In reply to @gloria428 "Oh my! My dr just took me off of Venalafaxine cold turkey. No warnings, no nothing...." + (show)
@gloria428

Oh my! My dr just took me off of Venalafaxine cold turkey. No warnings, no nothing. Because I had to go on a 14 antibiotic regimen and it clashed or was suggested not to use the both. My symptoms of withdrawal have already kicked in and this is just day 1. I am petrified after reading these posts.

Jump to this post

@gloria428
Wow, Gloria, I chose to go off the mediation myself. I didn't know how bad the side effects were going to be. had a mild stroke from going off cold turkey. Thank goodness I completely recovered from it. That was Nov, 2017. It was caused by the nightmares that are a side effect of going cold turkey. What was your dosage....Do you still have any pills left. There are ways of cutting down here in these writings. Oh gosh, your doc doesn't know what they are doing.....get to reading girl....you are in the right place. Bright Wings.

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1 reply
gloria428 | @gloria428 | Jan 31, 2019
In reply to @brightwings "@gloria428 Wow, Gloria, I chose to go off the mediation myself. I didn't know how bad..." + (show)
@brightwings

@gloria428
Wow, Gloria, I chose to go off the mediation myself. I didn't know how bad the side effects were going to be. had a mild stroke from going off cold turkey. Thank goodness I completely recovered from it. That was Nov, 2017. It was caused by the nightmares that are a side effect of going cold turkey. What was your dosage....Do you still have any pills left. There are ways of cutting down here in these writings. Oh gosh, your doc doesn't know what they are doing.....get to reading girl....you are in the right place. Bright Wings.

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My dosage was 150mg once a day. And yes I still have the pills because after the 14 days I’m expected to go back on it.

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1 reply
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Feb 1, 2019
In reply to @gloria428 "Oh my! My dr just took me off of Venalafaxine cold turkey. No warnings, no nothing...." + (show)
@gloria428

Oh my! My dr just took me off of Venalafaxine cold turkey. No warnings, no nothing. Because I had to go on a 14 antibiotic regimen and it clashed or was suggested not to use the both. My symptoms of withdrawal have already kicked in and this is just day 1. I am petrified after reading these posts.

Jump to this post

A warm welcome to Mayo Connect from a former Effexor user. May I suggest that you call this doctor back up and tell him about going cold turkey with Venalafaxine and ask him/she to give you something to help calm the withdrawal symptoms.

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Brightwings AKA Cute Susie | @brightwings | Feb 1, 2019
In reply to @gloria428 "My dosage was 150mg once a day. And yes I still have the pills because after..." + (show)
@gloria428

My dosage was 150mg once a day. And yes I still have the pills because after the 14 days I’m expected to go back on it.

Jump to this post

@gloria 428
Yes, I was taking 150 mg a day also, for 33 years. ONLY I had not found this site yet. And me a retired RN too.
I had no idea the bad dreams were from getting off the medication.
The morning I had the stroke, my dream was about my brother dying. It was interrupted by persistent kknocking on the door. I finally aroused myself enough to get up but I was paralyzed on the left side.
I dragged my foot to the door. Couldn't use my left leg except tto drag it. I was dragging my foot so hard, it pulled the sole off My winter boot!
My arm and hand were paralyzed also. Oh, did I mention the drooling......
This is a DANGEROUS DDRUG TO GET OFF OF. CALL YOUR DOC...
Merry, you are still here. Wonderful. Any idea why all of a sudden I started getting the daily digest in my email after all these months, at least 6 months since my last one. Anyway, I am glad to be back....smiling at you all. Bright Wings

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rosevillegirl | @rosevillegirl | Feb 1, 2019
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@rosevillegirl Are you from Roseville California? I believe your symptoms are from decreasing your dose too..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@rosevillegirl
Are you from Roseville California?
I believe your symptoms are from decreasing your dose too quickly. 50% is a large decrease but what doctors often recommend. Try asking (insisting) your doctor about increasing your medication until your symptoms subside. Then reduce at a much slower rate, possibly by 10% instead of 50%..
Good luck,
Jake

Jump to this post

I live in Roseville now, but am originally from Palo Alto.

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