Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

I had all that, and still do. Some days the best I can do is to breathe. I think I've had some hallucinations too. It's hard for me to separate what may be effects from the medicine from stuff that's going on in my life right now. Most days are good, but the bad ones do suck. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. You'll make it

How long have you been off of effexor?

I'm not off of it yet. I'm down to taking 10 beads out of each 75 mg capsule. But I've been through protracted withdrawal with neurontin and this experience has been very similar

I have been totally off it for 3 weeks and was good right until about 2 weeks ago. Now mainly tired, some stress and fuzzy head.

@farmboy, did you have the intense withdrawal symptoms when you were at either 75mg everyday and/or 75mg every other day? Or the bad symptoms are occuring when you went cold turkey? Imho, I still think going from 75 to zero is pretty big drop. I think it’s better to go to 37.5 first for little longer period of time, then be really, really conservative when going to every other day. Yes, talking with your doctor is important and perhaps get a second opinion. As everyone noted on this post, take the tapering real, real slow. Venaflaxine is potent and stays in your body for awhile. Stay strong!

Like many of us, I wanted to get off Effexor, simply because I wanted to get off Effexor. My depression/anxiety were never super problematic to me, it was just kind of life. While I was on Effexor I think its safe to say I was the same moody periodically bitchy lady I've always been. 😉 It was the refill issue that led to a missed day/2 at which point I could actually FEEL what the drug had been doing. Side effects/sympoms that just weren't me. And I started to think, this med gotta be pretty powerful to have a physical reaction like that, and to my BRAIN!

So when I said that's enuff I'm done, I meant it. I met with my PCP today who, of course, wants me to mindful of a low mood returning, but I just don't see it at this point as I was the one that initially told him of my low mood becuz they now make you take the "Distress Test" at Dr. office. He happily and without question prescribed it. If, if, if I need to at some point return to a psychotropic med, it will NOT be Effexor. At the end of the day, I should have entered into my "relationship" a bit more informed. Had I read more, I would like to think I would have just dealt with concentration/irritability problems on my own.

Good Luck to everyone!

Your message sounds as if I wrote it. Be prepared to take your time getting off of it.

I began at 150 mg and, after 11 months, I am at 9.375. Next week I plan to take every other day for two weeks and then OFF. I have very few brain zaps and am still feeling good, in fact, much better.

Good luck!

Have any of you experienced side effects such as confusion, lost, thinking makes no sense,dream like state of mind,depersonlization,high anxiety and loosing control. Thank you in advance

Anyone with any insight would be my saving grace right now.....you see I have been inquiring with my family doctor over the last little bit on how to get off of effexor 150mg and he would rather I see a psychiatrist to make any changes like that. Well I was in between appts and didn't realize until it was too late that I didn't have enough to get through the weekend and my doctors office was closed so no chance of any refills until Monday. So I unwillingly put myself into discontinuation symptoms including brain zaps, light headedness, overall foggy feeling (kept saying to husband that I feel stupid for not being able to say what I'm thinking), I had VERY VERY intense dreams some being scary some where I felt like I couldn't stay out of it where I'd wake up and when I go back to bed I'm right back in the dream....and then after 3 days of nothing the dreams subsided a bit I actually dreamt all night on day 4 of floating on a raft in an indoor pool so I mean they were vivid but not all scary. I made it to 4 whole days with nothing and the more bothersome symptoms were back ....quick to get mad, lightheadedness that's unbearable, crying spells and nauseous all day. I had my husband call in my prescription today and I was too scared to take a whole 150mg capsule extended release because I haven't taken anything for 120 hours 5 days that I opened it up and counted 31 beads which works out to a third of 37.5mg. Now im no doctor but I wasn't sure what else to do I didn't want to shock myself by taking the whole 150mg because my end goal is to be free of this drug. I guess I was hoping that even the slightest bit of it in my system would help with the side effects I was dealing with or did I just screw up my whole progress by taking that little bit. I'll be sure to update how it's going but for now I'm just waiting it out wish me luck!!

Welcome to Connect, @effexormom.

I moved your message to this existing discussion, "Tips on minimising withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)," as I thought it would be beneficial for you to be introduced to the many members who are discussing much of what you are experiencing.

If you click on VIEW & REPLY in your email notification, you will see the whole discussion and can join in, meet, and participate with other members talking about their or their loved ones' experiences.

I believe that the members on this thread will have some input for you on the symptoms you've had since you were unable to take some of your Effexor (aka Venlafaxine) due to running out over a weekend and now being off for additional days.

Have you had the chance to ask your doctor how to proceed from here, @effexormom?