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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kevkl | @kevkl | Feb 24, 2019
In reply to @amberpep "Hi all .... can anyone tell me why folks are suddenly wanting to go off Effexor?..." + (show)
@amberpep

Hi all .... can anyone tell me why folks are suddenly wanting to go off Effexor? Reading all this makes me a bit nervous.
abby

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Hi @amberprep,
For me, I wanted to take control of my health and well-being, and no longer be reliant on a med/pharmaceuticals since I'm not fully sure of what Venflaxine does to your body in the long term. To handle any possibility of anxiety attacks, I'm making sure I'm acutely aware of what situations bring upon such an attack, and making sure I proactively take care of it before it does happen (e.g breathing/mindfulness exercises, address why the situation makes me anxious and address the issue as best as I can, get a good night's sleep).

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farmboy | @farmboy | Feb 24, 2019
In reply to @sandij "Dont skip days. You'll have symptoms every other day because of the short half life of..." + (show)
@sandij

Dont skip days. You'll have symptoms every other day because of the short half life of the drug. Better to take out beads so you have a consistent dosage.
The storage in fatty tissues theory seems correct to me. Also I've heard many people say that the withdrawal symptoms are greater the closer you get to the end, with the smaller doses. I don't have any answers but the only thing to do is to become very aware of your body and also develop a lot of patience and self empathy.

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I will try that then. Thank you for your reply.

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farmboy | @farmboy | Feb 24, 2019
In reply to @kevkl "Congrats on getting the dosage down to 75mg. What was your taper down plan, like after..." + (show)
@kevkl

Congrats on getting the dosage down to 75mg. What was your taper down plan, like after 225mg, you went down to 150mg, etc? I would ask your doctor about taking a 37.5mg dosage. Doing big dosage reductions (if you're past dosage was in the 150-250mg range) doesn't work with this medicine. My doctor strongly recommended told me to taper off as gradually as possible since it has a long "shelf-life" in your body. Once your body gets use to the lower dosage, then that's when I would take the next step of doing every other day or 2 days on, 1 day off. Again, talk to your doctor about it.

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Yes. 225 then to 150 for 2 weeks, then to 75 for 2 weeks then 75 every other day. The every other day then stop I've tried. No success yet. My Dr. and I talked and I mentioned trying remeron to help with the anxiety and withdrawals.

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2 replies
saku | @saku | Feb 25, 2019
In reply to @sandij "Dont skip days. You'll have symptoms every other day because of the short half life of..." + (show)
@sandij

Dont skip days. You'll have symptoms every other day because of the short half life of the drug. Better to take out beads so you have a consistent dosage.
The storage in fatty tissues theory seems correct to me. Also I've heard many people say that the withdrawal symptoms are greater the closer you get to the end, with the smaller doses. I don't have any answers but the only thing to do is to become very aware of your body and also develop a lot of patience and self empathy.

Jump to this post

Here I was thinking I was doing really good until the very end when I have been experiencing more withdrawal. I did not know my body would react so strongly when I had reduced down so slowly.

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ammee | @ammee | Feb 25, 2019
In reply to @ammee "I stopped taking Effexor after almost 2 yrs of daily use. I had wanted to go..." + (show)
@ammee

I stopped taking Effexor after almost 2 yrs of daily use. I had wanted to go off for awhile but just never followed through. Finally, and luckily there was a med screw up at the pharmacy and I couldn't get any for another 3 weeks- until I saw my Dr. I had read all the horror stories, but went COLD TURKEY anyway. Its been one week today, and do I feel totally "normal", no. But hardly a horror story. I drink lots of water, exercise, work 40 hrs a week, and happy to say I am not finding myself depressed either. Be careful of course, but judging from my experience, I kindof wish I had the guts to do it before now!

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Just wanted to update. Sx got worse before they got better, Sat and Sun felt quite ill. And experienced a few brain jolts, but worth it, cuz today I'd say I'm at 90% today, and getting better. Best of luck to everyone. I would caution reading too much of this website cuz when your depressed the devil you know sounds better than the devil you don't know. I, myself, chose to get to know the devil I didn't know. And he's not as bad as I thought!

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1 reply
saku | @saku | Feb 25, 2019
In reply to @ammee "Just wanted to update. Sx got worse before they got better, Sat and Sun felt quite..." + (show)
@ammee

Just wanted to update. Sx got worse before they got better, Sat and Sun felt quite ill. And experienced a few brain jolts, but worth it, cuz today I'd say I'm at 90% today, and getting better. Best of luck to everyone. I would caution reading too much of this website cuz when your depressed the devil you know sounds better than the devil you don't know. I, myself, chose to get to know the devil I didn't know. And he's not as bad as I thought!

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Thank you for that because it can be tempting to just say to hell with it and go back in!

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1 reply
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Feb 25, 2019
In reply to @farmboy "Yes. 225 then to 150 for 2 weeks, then to 75 for 2 weeks then 75..." + (show)
@farmboy

Yes. 225 then to 150 for 2 weeks, then to 75 for 2 weeks then 75 every other day. The every other day then stop I've tried. No success yet. My Dr. and I talked and I mentioned trying remeron to help with the anxiety and withdrawals.

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@farmboy
Curious how your doing. You stopped awfully quick. Are you having withdrawal symptoms or did the Remerol get rid of any withdrawal symptoms.
Take care,
Jake

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1 reply
farmboy | @farmboy | Feb 25, 2019
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@farmboy Curious how your doing. You stopped awfully quick. Are you having withdrawal symptoms or did..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@farmboy
Curious how your doing. You stopped awfully quick. Are you having withdrawal symptoms or did the Remerol get rid of any withdrawal symptoms.
Take care,
Jake

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Not doing so well. Flu like syptoms, feeling lost, confused and not feeling myself.

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saku | @saku | Feb 25, 2019

Farm boy I agree that it seems like a really quick process. I tried going from 75 to 37.5 that way and I was in an emergency state right away. I reduced the number of pellets in the 75slowly till I got to about half and then I did the same only dropping about 5 at a time until I got to 0 and I took a year. I am still feeling some withdrawal, but it is manageable.

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1 reply
farmboy | @farmboy | Feb 25, 2019
In reply to @saku "Farm boy I agree that it seems like a really quick process. I tried going from..." + (show)
@saku

Farm boy I agree that it seems like a really quick process. I tried going from 75 to 37.5 that way and I was in an emergency state right away. I reduced the number of pellets in the 75slowly till I got to about half and then I did the same only dropping about 5 at a time until I got to 0 and I took a year. I am still feeling some withdrawal, but it is manageable.

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I'm willing to try anything. It's all the weird thoughts that's killing me. Confused,lost, things make no sense and the flu like syptoms and anxiety is a bear cat. Did you go through the odd thoughts? Thankyou

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