Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hi. You say “your old fainting problem”. That caught my eye, you see, because I’m making an appointment to see the doctor today due to vertigo. Sure, you get head spins when weening off Effexor, but I’ve been completely off since February 1, this year. Had some head spins. Now, crazy vertigo. Happens while sitting! I’m going to see what my doctor thinks, but I’m very concerned. I was in the middle of a staff meeting and just sort of listed off to the right. It was all I could do to “maintain”. Covered with sweat and thought I was going to throw up.

Kind of hoping it’s a sinus or ear thing, but who knows.

I wonder if it’s a withdrawal issue?

Checking in here to say so far so good being a month off venlafaxine.

My old fainting problem has been a little more common recently (orthostatic syncope, or faint if I stand up too fast) but I don't think that's withdrawal. Feels slightly different.

In good news, being off Prozac for a few weeks has fixed the chronic runs.

Bad news is Depression has been hitting me like a baseball bat. Hanging in there but not functional enough. Today I did dishes for the first time in like two weeks.

Going to check on clinical trials at my next followup in early May.

Hi. You say “your old fainting problem”. That caught my eye, you see, because I’m making an appointment to see the doctor today due to vertigo. Sure, you get head spins when weening off Effexor, but I’ve been completely off since February 1, this year. Had some head spins. Now, crazy vertigo. Happens while sitting! I’m going to see what my doctor thinks, but I’m very concerned. I was in the middle of a staff meeting and just sort of listed off to the right. It was all I could do to “maintain”. Covered with sweat and thought I was going to throw up.

Kind of hoping it’s a sinus or ear thing, but who knows.

I wonder if it’s a withdrawal issue?

Hi. You say “your old fainting problem”. That caught my eye, you see, because I’m making an appointment to see the doctor today due to vertigo. Sure, you get head spins when weening off Effexor, but I’ve been completely off since February 1, this year. Had some head spins. Now, crazy vertigo. Happens while sitting! I’m going to see what my doctor thinks, but I’m very concerned. I was in the middle of a staff meeting and just sort of listed off to the right. It was all I could do to “maintain”. Covered with sweat and thought I was going to throw up.

Kind of hoping it’s a sinus or ear thing, but who knows.

I wonder if it’s a withdrawal issue?

@notaround- I'm sorry your depression has returned that badly. Mine did too and for a month I felt awful, just awful. I had to go back on something. I was put on Zoloft and later Bupropion. I wont take the chance of finding out if I need an antidepressant again. I know that I will. So I'm settled with that fact. There are many many people who taper off of them for various reasons however they forget the reason that they were started in the first place. Make sure that you don't let this go on too long as your brain adapts to less serotonin. Would you consider ever going on an antidepressant again?

Oh I definitely am still medicated. Did a Prozac 'bridge' then switched to Cymbalta. Just isn't doing enough. Gonna see about increasing the dose next appointment (which will be long enough to see if it will work). I had a nice break from depression for almost two weeks.

I've learned the hard way, through a psych ward stay, that I need to be medicated. My brain is not functional for long without it. Just need to find something that works.

Doc is willing to try a straight up Rx stimulant to see if it can get me to where I can do the necessary self care to get better.

@secretwhitepop
Vertigo (dizziness) can definitely be an Effexor withdrawal symptom. Many posters on this thread have experienced this; you may find OTC Dram*mine, or Bon*ne helpful. On 4/15, I will be a year out from my last dose (tapered off slowly from 25mg) and I still carry Dram*mine with me as the dizziness can come on unexpectedly. Vertigo was not an issue for me until I quit Effexor. You are wise to get it checked out since the dizziness seems to have restarted and is worse.

The only thing is that this is different from the occasionally dizziness or head spins. This is full blown vertigo that has me falling over. It’s scary! But since it’s only been a couple months, I’m still chalking it up to withdrawal. We’ll see what the doc says. (She’ll probably put me back on meds!)