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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 14 hours ago | Replies (6411)Comment receiving replies
@merpreb This is day 3 of cutting my 150mg Effexor dosage back by 25% at my doctor's instructions. I would have bet $$ that I would have withdrawal symptoms because the side effects are so awful if I accidentally skip a dose, but skipping a dose is 100% reduction and so far no problems at all at this initial reduction. I feel geat, no brain zaps at night which always clues me in that I forgot to take it in the morning. It really comes down to how each person reacts to weaning. My reason for starting on Effexor was anxiety so I will be on the lookout for any reemergence; it so often shows up in my dreams first which is kind of interesting. I hope I won't have any problems when I have hip replacement surgery later this year but will make sure all the docs know where I am with the Effexor. You were one of the lucky ones as far as the side effects. None of us knows how we will react until we actually start the process. Appreciate all the info here for sure. Blessings to all.
Replies to "@merpreb This is day 3 of cutting my 150mg Effexor dosage back by 25% at my..."
I don’t recommend increasing the amount you cut out anymore for a while! I think 25% is a lot! But I am quite glad you are doing well! This site is great for support and you know what else? Doctors aren’t the best advisors when it comes to weening off this terrible drug. Doing it their way sometimes makes people feel they can’t do it. So if you start feeling bad, just don’t cut back any more and then, on your next taper, go much more slowly. Most especially when you get down to 75mgs or lower. As I have revealed on this site in the past, it took me 18 months to slowly ween off the last 37.5 mgs. (I may have gone slower than necessary, but I was going through a family crisis at the time as well and took extra precautions). BUT, not too bad in the w/d symptoms!
It can be done. Just remember to set yourself up to succeed! Ain’t no prize in rushing 🙂
-BUBS
@sharonlou
You mentioned that you're going to have hip replacement surgery later this year AND that you'll tell your doctors about your Effexor. Please be on the lookout for serotonin syndrome--I was only ever on 25mg Effexor AND my doctors knew--I experienced SS when I was told to use dextromethorphan (cough medicine) during a sinus infection and while on fentanyl and hydrocodone after breast reconstruction surgery. I think both doctors thought 25mg was too little to worry about, but it wasn't.
@sharonlou I went from 225 to 150, stayed there for 6 weeks, then 150 to 75. Stayed there for six weeks or longer before I started experimenting with going lower. Symptoms I experienced mostly were: dizziness when shifting focus (turning my head for instance, to look in different directions) , nausea, fatigue, shaking or shivering like I was cold. All of these symptoms would come and go. Stay the course. If you find yourself having anxiety, it may ver well be caused by withdrawal and bot necessarily relapse into old anxiety. I think that all of us here, yourself included, are extremely self aware and we KNOW what we need to do. Have a great day!
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@sharonlou
So what dosage are you actually taking. I got off cold turkey at 150 mg. Do not do this!!!
I found this site months after my last dose cuz of the horrible ongoing withdrawal symptoms...worse one being a stroke. I am fine now. I look agile.
Hang in there. Keep coming back. We have a great team of helpers to get you thru this.
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