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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (6299)Comment receiving replies
babydoll the anxiety and panic attacks are alot better. But the confusion,lost, unreal feelings, irrated feelings are the same. It's like I can't think straight. Dr said to give it more time but I figured things should be better by now.
Replies to "babydoll the anxiety and panic attacks are alot better. But the confusion,lost, unreal feelings, irrated feelings..."
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@farmboy
The good news is that your anxiety and panic attacks are better. The fogginess and irritability may improve as well.
When you started your weaning off Effexor, you were at 225. Your tapering schedule was to go from 225 to 150 for 2 weeks, then to 75 for 2 weeks, then from 75 to 37.5--a really fast taper. Try to be patient with yourself--remember you were on Effexor for 7-8 years; this stuff is a heavy hitter you don't get over quickly. Keep working with your doctor. Don't wig out--it's possible you may need to go all the way back to 225, see if that stabilizes you and if it does, wait some months before trying to wean off again (very slowly in tiny increments).
The New Yorker article mentioned by @sharonlou a dozen posts back talked about a site created for those getting off psychiatric drugs--The Withdrawal Project--https://withdrawal.theinnercompass.org/. You can check out some of the suggestions on that site. Some are a bit too woo-woo, New-Agey for me, but others were very interesting; some might strike you as something you want to try.