Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hi @mommapsych. I want to make sure I understand. If you are simply taking a couple of the "beads" out of each capsule, is there a need to count them. Might be a stupid question but as I am looking to start this process next month and you are successfully tapering very slowly, I want to try what you are doing. Thank you.

Hi there. I weened off 37.5 mg of Effexor over an 18 month period. First month I opened the capsules and took out five beads. Second month 10, and so on. There came a point where I took out about half and then a bit more. I was never extremely exact, but I did make sure I stretched it out over a very long period. And FYI, not until the very end did I suffer any dizziness or other symptoms. Do NOT skip any days. Be regimented. You will succeed.

@sharonlou I can't see my earlier reply to you and I want to make sure you get it😄 We counted the little balls and discovered that one little ball roughly equals one mg. I say roughly because some of the balls are really tiny and some are a little larger. We started when she was on 150 mg and we would take her down 5 every couple of weeks. Once she came down under 100 we've had to slow down to 1-2 every couple of weeks. For us a long and slow taper has worked. We've had advice from medical professionals to to faster but that did not work. We tried to go from 150 to 75 on docs advice and it was immediately bad. I think that in the end it will take us a year and a half but it's worth the wait to not have the major withdraw symptoms. Gemma has had headaches and slight dizziness 1-2 days after a reduction but that's really been it. I slip an Advil in her pill sorter on the day of and day after a taper and she is fine. Anything we can do to support you just tag us!

Now that I'm only taking one capsule a day it seems more manageable to be on this stupid crap, even though I'd much rather be off of it sooner than later, but I'm patiently counting my beads, lol. Since I have a good stock of capsules left, I'm pouring the beads I'm disposing of (10 at this last count!) into my palm instead of saving them, then dropping them under running water and saying "good riddance!" to them!

I've been tapering for about 2 months now and I'm down to 3 x 37.5 mg capsules, minus 54 beads. I'm not sure what to think about this... last menstrual cycle I had pretty bad cramps, but today out of nowhere I had completely debilitating cramps. I have endometriosis and had surgery to have it excised a few years ago. I'm worried it's coming back. I feel like I remember reading somewhere this is a rare side effect. Anyone know much about this or have any personal experience?

I've had bad cramps from withdrawal seemingly from out of the blue, at times.

Weaning off of this drug really messed with my gastro system. Diarrhea and horrible cramps. I wonder if it may be your gastro system and not your reproductive system. Might be worth a trip to the gyno to be double sure.

@sadiesmom My daughter has been being treated for gastro issues ever since she started the Effexor. We're to the point now where she's had every test and her specialist has told us that until she is fully weaned there isn't anything else we can do. Obviously, he suspects the Effexor is the major culprit, and I will say that her symptoms have dramatically improved as we have lessened her dosage over the past year. We had also taken her to a GYN to rule out endometriosis...

@sandij I have developed cramps as I wean off Klonopin. Mine are always in my lower legs and feet. So annoying!

Yes, stomach cramps and cramps in the back of my calves, as well as headaches. Fortunately not debilitating but pretty annoying!