Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Good evening everyone. I'm on day 10 of starting effexor again. I started on 75mgs which that is the dose I was doing good on before tapering off. Question is should I be noticing any improvements. Right now I'm still feeling sick, anxiety/panic attacks come and go. I feel lost and confused.

@farmboy
Good morning!
So sorry you are still having such a difficult time.
All I can tell you is what my psychiatrist told me.....
I was weaning off the Effexor on the advice of my PCP.
I now know it was too much, too soon and the anxiety came back in droves.
When I got home, my took my regular dosage and for a few days I continued with no success.
The doctor told me that once you start to wean off or you come off, you need to stay away from the med for about 6 months.
I tried other meds, but they did not help.
After about 6 months, I requested trying to go back on the Effexor.
Enough time had passed, so the psychiatrist told me I could.
Although it worked, it was NEVER as good as when I first started with it.
Don't get me wrong, it has kept my anxiety pretty much in toe, but I just don't feel the same way I did when I first was on it.

Good luck!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

@farmboy- Good morning. Going back on an antidepressant after stopping it suddenly can be very tricky. My suggestion is to go to your doctor and let him/her figure out what you need now. I would also stop taking extra vitamins until you get some blood work done. as many others have told you already this drug alters the chemicals in your brain and the more we mess with them the more complicated your problems will be.

@farmboy my heart goes out to you. The first time I quit Effexor it was horrible and they restarted me at a much higher dose. I felt fine after taking it again. Maybe they need to increase it a bit. I would definitely tell your doc how you are feeling. Good luck! Prayers for feeling better!

Thank you ladies for your replies. I will talk to my Dr. and see what she has to say and tell her what I've read here. Thankyou

@farmboy
I’m just thinking out loud but is it possible you titrated up to 75mg too quickly? I don’t know if that is an initial starting dose or not. But if you had been on 75mg only days before It’s curious why it’s making you sick now. When you first began Effexor did you start on 75mg or higher. Just ideas here but due to the extremely short half life I’m wondering if switching to 2-3 times a day dosing might help??? Perhaps you need to be on a higher dose. You did say you felt fine on 75mg at one time didn’t you? Definitely sounds like it’s time for medical intervention.
Best of luck buddy, hope you start feeling better soon,
Jake

My doctor put me on Prozac for 10 days, while also taking the Effexor, and then I stopped the Effexor. Next, I was able to come off the Prozac pretty quickly - about two weeks. The Prozac has a long half life, so it remains in your system for a while after you stop taking it. The body slowly rids itself of the Prozac and this has the similar effect of a slow taper. I did experience some minor discontinuation symptoms which resolved themselves over a two week period.

I started on 75 mg the last time going on it. But like you said I'm wondering if I don't need to go to a higher dose.

You sound really lucky compared to some of the stories I've read/heard. I'm glad it went well for you.

@lisabass wow! That’s great! I have had a heck of a time coming off Effexor! I’m very happy you did not have withdrawal symptoms! Good for you.