Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

OK I'm probably going to fast. But I want this effexor out of my system. It has created a lot more harm then good over the years.

I'm going through some really really bad withdrawals tonight. Very high anxiety,my clozepam won't even calm me down. I feel very angry, crying alot, can't get calmed down and feel like I'm going to freak out.

I understand that you want the stuff out of your system. I got really frustrated at the pace I needed to use in my taper -- I wanted to just say the heck with it and stop all at once; I wanted to be done with it!! But it seems like these speedier cutbacks are making it so much harder on you than it needs to be. You're experiencing some real agony here and a slower pace would alleviate that a bit. After all, a slower taper does still get the job done.

I shouldn't push it so fast. I'm just so tired of this. Got to 75mgs and done great getting there. Then the 75 to 37.5 went pretty good. It's that last little bit that is kicking my rear. All I got to do is take a few beads out and bang all hell breaks out.

@farmboy
I'm so sorry tonight is especially rough for you. I was there, too, AFTER I was completely off for 6.5 weeks.AND it was too late for me to go back onto any amount of Effexor for relief.

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Ask your doctor about a "Prozac bridge"--"The only way doctors know to soften the blow when withdrawing from short half-life drugs is to add fluoxetine (Prozac). You can add 20mg of Prozac to any other antidepressant and then get off the [original drug]. Once the [original drug] is gone, you can taper off the Prozac. This works because fluoxetine (Prozac) has a long half-life making it much easier to get off of than drugs like [Effexor].--https://natashatracy.com/treatment-issues/withdrawal/antidepressants-effexorpristiq-venlafaxinedesvenlafaxine/

Here's what another person did to get off Effexor with Prozac--
"Usually, when you cross-titrate between two antidepressants, as you go down on the antidepressant you want to quit, you go up on the antidepressant you are titrating to—so as you go down on Effexor, you should be going up on Prozac. Then if you want to quit Prozac, you can and it would be easier to than quitting Effexor because Prozac has such a long half-life it kind of creates its own tapering effect.

So if you started on 300 mg Effexor + 20 mg Prozac, your titration should look like the following:
300 mg Effexor + 20 mg Prozac
225 mg Effexor + 40 mg Prozac
150 mg Effexor + 60 mg Prozac
75 mg Effexor + 80 mg Prozac
Discontinue Effexor + 80 mg Prozac (or 100 mg Prozac if your pdoc is willing to go above the max dose, which is common to do)

Or if you down-titrate by 37.5 mg:
300 mg Effexor + 20 mg Prozac
262.5 mg Effexor + 30 mg Prozac
225 mg Effexor + 40 mg Prozac
187.5 mg Effexor + 50 mg Prozac
150 mg Effexor + 60 mg Prozac
112.5 mg Effexor + 70 mg Prozac
75 mg Effexor + 80 mg Prozac
37.5 mg Effexor + 80 mg Prozac (90 mg)
Discontinue Effexor + 80 mg Prozac (100 mg)

If you have issues with anxiety/irritability/etc., then you can take a benzo temporarily, like Xanax, Ativan (short-acting), Klonopin, Valium (long-acting), etc."--https://www.depressionforums.org/forums/topic/107532-coming-off-of-effexor-with-prozac-bridge/
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I went back to my older box of supplements; some worked, some didn't. It took me some trial and error to find the ones that really worked for me. I picked these up at Vitamin Sh*ppe--Anxie-T by Life Seasons and Theanine Serene w/Relora by Source Naturals. Anxie-T has less of the effective ingredients (20mg magnesium, 200mg L-Theanine, 100mg ashwagandha, 100mg GABA and 100mg Kava Kava (I used to take this quite often in the afternoons as a separate supplement; kava extracts that contain 70% kavalactones can lower anxiety and might work as well as some prescription anti-anxiety medications). Theanine Serene has 300mg magnesium, 500mg GABA, 200mg L-Theanine and 150mg Relora (proprietary blend to treat anxiety). Anxie-T was more helpful--I think because of the Kava Kava--I found it more beneficial to take the ashwagandha, GABA and Kava Kava as separate supplements rather than in a blend.

I agree that this must be a slow,slow process. I took a year Togo from 75 to 0, dropping just a few pellets at a time and staying at each reduced level for 2 weeks or so.

I wish I could help you.

I stopped taking this nightmare drug about a week ago, and it's been horrible.

If I had to do it over again, I'd make an appt with a pharmasist and discuss this with them, they usually have a better idea than many doctors.

Good luck.

Have you got to the part where you get really really depressed,mad as hell,cry alot, confused,lost and don't care if you live or die? This med needs outlawed. If Dr's only knew the hell people go through getting off of this medicine they wouldn't prescribe it. At least I hope they wouldn't.

Thank you for your suggestions. I looked up that day discount - it’s not for me as it’s not for Massachusetts, where we live. I broke down and finally called psych nursing practicitioner who was extremely helpful. She told me to stop the Wellbutrin. She also put me back on 75mg Effexor for the next 5 days. Then I’m supposed to go to 37.5mg and see how I feel. One day at a time. Although I am still so exhausted, somewhat dizzy and move slowly, I don’t have nauseas, slept well last night and feel pretty calm. What a day makes - yesterday I really thought I was going out of my mind.

@ahnjdb92
Sorry the discount program didn't work out. The poster of that suggestion also said to call the manufacturer to check for programs to help you get the medicine you need.

I'm glad you called your psych nurse practitioner; I was worried about you. Based on the experiences of most of us here, your taper is pretty steep and too fast (225 to 150 for 1 week to Wellbutrin for 2 days to 75mg Effexor for 5 days then to 37.5). Please don't wait to call your PNP if your withdrawal effects get overwhelming again.