Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Sounds too fast to me, but what do I know? I jumped off at about 68 mg but I just want this crap out of my system. I'm gauging my recovery against the recovery from neurontin which I had to cold turkey from. Honestly I think I'm going to be ok but I am also realizing a few things, one being that I am very homesick (sounds odd at age 56, but I have such a deep feeling that I need to be with my parents more often) and two that I am lonely. I spend most of my time by myself, I'm really only with my husband, I'm sure being isolated is not the healthiest thing. But it is what it is right now, I cant sustain any other relationships even if I wanted to, just don't have the energy to give. Whether that's fibromyalgia, withdrawal, depression, etc. I will wait for it to pass and in the meantime rest and care for myself. Hope everyone is finding what they need today.

Someone please Google: From gloom to gratitude. Its on NPR. Then post the link.
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Why is this important? Cuz it gives specific skills to do each day to get to a happy space, even if its minutes a day to start.
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I accomplished this in my life time, you can too.
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Bright Wings

@sandij
Cold turkey off any seizure medication is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!! You are very lucky especially if you had any underlying problem with your brain.
Seizure meds are awful. They give Fibromyalgia patients Neurontin and Lyrica quite often. I detest Lyrica, I took it just after it came out and filed a complaint with the manufacturer and the FDA. You could have gone into Convulsive Status Epilepticus.
Im worried about how your discontinuing your meds. You need to straighten up and fly right my dear for your own safety, please.
Jake

I suck at percentages...

Is this closer to 10%?
37,5 gets cut in 4 so it’ll be 9.3 mg which makes my daily dose a total 46.8 mg per day down from 75mg.

Figure it out like this, subtract 10% from 75 mg. 75 minus 7.5 equals 67.5. So if you want your dosage to be close to a 10 percent cut, you would take one 37.5 mg pill and a little more than three quarters of another 37.5 mg pill.

Hi everyone. Haven't posted lately. I'm now taking 150mgs of effexor and 50 Seroquel. The Seroquel has not helped at all. It makes me feel numb emotionless and depressed. I've only been on the Seroquel 4 weeks now and hate it. Going to quit taking it. This isn't living. This hell on Earth.

@brightwings, I'm sorry to hear you had a brain event like a small TIA or stroke last week. Hoping your neurologist is helping you with this.

I also wanted to mention that you might consider posting about this experience in the Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases group on Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/cerebrovascular-diseases/.

Thanks Lisa, I am already there. It helped to remove my fear. BW

@farmboy
Thanks for coming back. Lots of folks have been worried about you.
You may feel alone but remember, we are with you. BW

Hi @searchgirl, I was on 75mg and then went to 37.5 for a good 6 months and then over 2 months I emptied the pills to half (18mg) and then none. The best things that work for me are limiting coffee and eating food as bland as poss (boring I know). Showering before bed, listening to calming music and concentrate on breathing.
Things that really tip me over edge are loud bar/restaurants, vacations (even relaxing ones). Work meetings.
Sugar and chocolate at night and too much caffeine.