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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 14 hours ago | Replies (6415)Comment receiving replies
@farmboy
Please remember I'm not a doctor, just another person who took Effexor and experienced difficulty when quitting it. All I can give you is what I learned during the process. I think the rest of us on here are/were in the same boat. My research found time and time again that someone's doctor underestimated the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms and overestimated the likely success of the tapering schedule suggested. A friend who was an elderly lady then told me 40 years ago, "Nothing is too much trouble for the person who doesn't have to do it."
Your taper has been steep and fast (225 then to 150 for 2 weeks, then to 75 for 2 weeks, then 75 every other day, then every other day, then stop).
A few days ago, I posted this in reply to you--
"When the withdrawal symptoms are too much, the usual recommendation is to go back to the dose where you didn't have those W/D effects, stay there for a while (weeks, months, etc.) before again tapering to not so big a drop. Your tapers have been pretty steep and you haven't stayed at the next lower dose for long. You may think you're losing ground by going back, but the discomfort you're experiencing is not worth it. The main advice on this site is go slow. Some suggest no more than a 5-10% drop at a time (or even less if your W/D is bad)."
Find out if there are any restrictions/interactions with the Hydroxyzine and Buspirone you're taking; then if not, you can try taking two 37.5mg Effexor to make 75mg and see if you get relief. Consider starting over and tapering off sloooowly to much smaaaaller reductions. After some weeks (or even months), you can taper to a slightly smaller dose, stay there weeks and then, try tapering again.
Replies to "@farmboy Please remember I'm not a doctor, just another person who took Effexor and experienced difficulty..."
Well I ended up in the Emergency room today again because the panic attacks wouldn't stop. In away a good thing I went. Because the Emergency room Dr. really took the time to listen to me and I also showed her alot of the post everyone has been sharing about tapering off effexor. To my surprise she said I have helped people get off of effexor and she said everyone in this group is right. I was going WAY TO FAST. So back on 75 mg of effexor I go. She got ahold of my family Dr., which she is friends with and told her (my family Dr) we need to start back on 75 mg and SLOWLY taper off. With all this being said Some of you should be Dr's. after all the knowledge you folks have shared with me. I hope I'm on the right track. Because my engine was about ready to leave my caboose behind. By the way texasduchess, I really like what your elderly friend said. Alot of truth to that.
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@farmboy
Hi!
I'd like to add to @texasduchess
I am currently tapering down, too. I have no intention of coming off the Effexor 100%, just reducing my dosage to a lesser amount.
I'll tell you what I am doing.
I've been on Effexor for over 10 years. Can't tell you when I started but it has been a long time. It saved my life during very difficult times. However, at the last increase, my memory became worse than before and I felt like my head was in a cloud.
Here's the drill....
I was taking two 75 mg in the morning and at night. I've ALWAYS broken my dosages into an AM and PM, otherwise it was too much. So, that is a total of 300 mg a day.....way too much as far as I am concerned.
I have NOT touched my AM dosage, yet. Everything I tell you is what I am doing with my PM dosage only. I will follow the same pattern when I get down to 1/2 a pill in the PM, I will begin with my AM dosage.
The time frame I give myself for each decrease is 3 weeks. If I start to have withdrawal symptoms, I will go back up 1/4 and remain there for 3 more weeks or as long as needed.....
Remember, this is just my PM dosage of two 75 mg pills.
I cut 1/4 off of 1 pill. I alternated that dosage every other night for 3 weeks (2 pills, 1-3/4 pills, 2 pills, 1-3/4 pills, etc.).
I felt fine so I took the 1-3/4 pills EVERY night for 3 weeks. I felt fine.
Next, I cut off an additional 1/4 off one pill. I took 1-1/2 pills every other night for 3 weeks (1-3/4 pills, 1-1/2 pills, 1-3/4 pills, 1-1/2 pills, etc)
I felt fine so I rook 1-1/2 pills EVERY night for 3 weeks. I felt fine.
Then, I cut off another 1/4. I took 1-1/4 pills every other night for 3 weeks (1-1/2 pills, 1-1/4 pills, 1-1/2 pills, 1-1/4 pills, etc.).
I felt fine, so NOW I am taking 1-1/4 pills EVERY night for 3 weeks. So far, so good.
If I continue to feel good, my next dosage will be 1 pill every ohter night for 3 weeks (1 pill, 1-1/4 pills, 1 pill, 1-1/4 pills, etc).
After that, as low as I doing well, I'll be taking 1 pill EVERY night.
I am not sure what I will do after that. My though Is to continue with the 1 pill at night and start the same pattern with my morning dosage. Of course, everything depends on how I feel. You can see that this has been a long process, so far. I am in no hurry. I once started to come off the pills altogehter at the advice of my PCP. I believe I was at 37.5mg, at the time. She had me stop one who pill entirely. Within a couple of days, I had a HORRIBLE anxiety attack while I was at an enjoyable workshop. I know now I have to take it very slowly!!!!!
By the way, when I went to the psychiatrist after the fiasco of trying to come off the Effexor, she told me that going right back on would not work. I tried, and guess what, it didn't! She told me it would take at least 6 months before I could try it again. So, in the meanwhile, I tried a couple of other meds. None of them helped. When I hit the 6 month mark of being off the Effexor, I asked to go back on it. I did. It never worked as well as it did the first time, but it did help me a lot. I has been my choice to remain on it. I just felt it was time to 'downsize' a bit.
I hope this helps you!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)