Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Sounds like this isn't a common problem?!

Thank you! Yes, I have a doctors appointment Monday and, my symptoms also included phantom smells too! The smells have subsided (thankfully! It was awful!) but the vertigo comes out of the blue. Perhaps it is just allergies clogging up the old ear canals 🙂

Thank you! Yes, seeing the doc Monday and she will likely refer me to an ENT. I tried the maneuver, but I couldn’t get my symptoms to appear... I may not be waiting long enough between moves. Thank you for your advice!

@farmboy , haven’t seen any posts from you lately. How are you feeling? Hope your doing well.

@farmboy
Yes, please. Would like to know how you are doing.

Unfortunately, Effexor discontinuation at a rapid rate is my only option. Neurological testing 4 weeks ago) finally a diognosiis, “dystonia”. When I met with my prescribing nurse practitioner and informed her of my diognosis, she did not hesitate to state “serotonin syndrome”. Details: Perscribed: 75 mg Effexor Nov-2016 developed diarrhea, photosensitivity, loss of appetite, weight loss. Began seeking medical advice for symptoms and did not connect them to the Effexor. The reason for the administration of Effexor in Nov 2016, pain control, PTSD episode “severe” . Disabilities, neck injury cervical spine which causes similar symptoms to Effexor side effects. On Dec 29 admitted to hospital, given toradol injection. The result of Torodol with Effexor for me equates to cognitive funtion declining rapidly and developed a full blown rage. New physical symptoms upon discharge were jerks, tingling in face, pressure behind left eye, arm weakness. Then my new prescription was Ultram. A big, big mistake... You see the errors and how it all went south! So then I add Ultram to the serotonin mix. Deathly ill, literally have been wondering if I have Huntington’s disease all this time. Ok! I have been sick for so long, I feel amazing. It is day 4 of rapid taper. Here is my taper/formula: on 75mg Effexor for 2.5 yr, 37.5 mg for 10 days then stopped. Continue Ultram 4 per day add Visteral 3 x per day. I am a retired programmer (not by choice by disability) so I am keeping a detailed data log of signs and symptoms with rapid discontinuation. The only uptick in symptoms in 4 days is my appetite spiked. I lost 30 pounds due to this, so I am going to eat.....Is visteral a good choice for Effexor withdrawal? Throwing this out here for others.

@cmedoverload
Good Morning,
You have certainly been through the ringer with these drugs!
Was it the same doc who prescribed all these different meds or different docs prescribing meds for different symptoms and ailments?
I ask this question because if it were the same person, they evidently didn't check the interactions of these drugs.
Speaking of that, if you use the same pharmacy chain, isn't there some sort of a popup that warns the pharmacist of the pending interaction among drugs you are taking? Just wondering?

As far as withdrawing from Effexor?
If you did not have the opportunity to read previous posts, the conclusion is an OVERWHELMING......GO SLOW! GO AS SLOW AS YOU CAN!
We've had members who have wound up in the hospital due to a quick withdrawal.
What quick means?
That is different with each person and his/her doctor.
For some it is a rather large % jump down or a 'too soon' jump down, or both.

I am currently reducing without any intention of total withdrawal.
For me, Effexor is the only drug that has worked on my anxiety.
I was up to 300mg for the last 3 years or so.
Obviously, the lower dosage stopped working and I was upped.

I am going SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I started this reduction with 2-75 mg in the morning and at night.
Starting mid-November 2018, I reduced my evening meds first:
1/4 of one 75 mg tablet.
I took the reduced amount every other night for 3 weeks.
After 3 weeks, I took the reduced amount every night for 3 weeks.
Other than sleeping issues (it might not even be from the withdrawal), my body handled it fine.

When the 3 weeks were up, I reduced another 1/4 of a pill.
I continued the same pattern as above.
I always left time to remain on a dosage for another 3 weeks or longer, IF IHAD CONCERNING SYMPTOMS OR AN INCIDENT THAT I KNEW WOULD CHANGE THE OTHER MEDS I AM TAKING.
For example, I got sick and needed antibiotics.
Not to confuse anything, I remained of the Effexor dosage for a total of 4 weeks even though I felt fine.
I did not want to take a chance of the drugs interacting.

I am currently taking 1-75 mg tablet in the evening.
My intention is to stay on this dosage for at least a month before I attack my morning pills.
Again, I want my body to adjust.
Ultimately, I am not yet sure is I want to be at 1-75mg in the monring and afternoon.

Hope this helps!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Hello, A Psychiatric nurse practitioner prescribed Effexor and a hospital Resident physician with access to my current medication list put me on ultram (toradol). The interaction between the drugs, according to the FDA, is not major enough to warrant a flag. Day 4 of no Effexor an unpleasant jerking is mild. The issue is, I have been experiencing Effexor type withdrawal symptoms for the last 3.5 months. While taking my normal dose of Effexor with Ultram. Odd the interaction with ultram and Effexor produced like a “withdrawal syndrome” in my body. I literally thought I was dying this whole time. I will never put another Effexor in my body, my chemistry is against it I think. Told my husband this morning I have never felt so alive. After thinking all this time I had some type of cancer. Side note, In the middle of all this, my family watched me fade away. On day one, just 24 hours, I stopped shaking. I think 🤔....I might be opposite in some areas due to my allergy of the drug.

@texasduchess

Yes, @farmboy we haven't heard from you.
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

I have been completely Effexor free for about 2 weeks now. I went down from 4- 37.5 capsules a day to zero by gradually reducing by one about every ten days. When I was at full dose, if I missed a day, I would not only have the usual side effects but that night, I would have nightmares that would rival the Freddy Krueger movies! Now that I am two weeks into an Effexor free life,, I still have pretty bad dreams every night. I am hoping that they will subside eventually. I have also experienced all the other symptoms described by others with the exception of brain zaps. Never had those. I have mood swings like crazy and am an emotional train wreck a lot of times, but only for short periods. If this is what PMS is like, I owe a lot of women in my life a major apology! At the time I was prescribed, I think Effexor was the right choice. It definitely did help where other meds did not. But there is definitely a price to pay for this help. I wish you all strength through your withdrawals. I'll let you know my "lessons learned" once I'm on the other side of the tracks.