← Return to Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@texasduchess

@wrkingitout
Okay, you apologize for sharing too much and say that you had an unexpected reaction to a medication change.

Dinner was a faux pas--you didn't kill anyone and the hopelessness and feelings of not being worthy ARE withdrawal symptoms as are the other things you listed.

Talking with your doctor is a very good idea.

So was reinstating Effexor until you connect with your doctor.

You didn't say why you thought you'd quit Effexor ... if you felt it just wasn't helping you, or if you had side effects you weren't willing/able to deal with anymore. You found out that dropping from 37.5mg to zero AND taking this drug every other day is TOO much of a taper ... your doctor can help you taper off Effexor and onto a different medication if one is necessary, or to help ease you off Effexor (a Prozac bridge). He can prescribe a different formulation--changing from extended-release to regular release, or from capsules to tablets (I was on 25mg tablets that could be cut), or specifying a certain brand (@farm_mom found Teva had the most consistent size and number of beads within a capsule--helpful to those counting and throwing out beads to taper). He can write a prescription for a compounding pharmacy to make tapered doses for you.

Jump to this post


Replies to "@wrkingitout Okay, you apologize for sharing too much and say that you had an unexpected reaction..."

@texasduchess , thank you for putting it into perspective. I guess it took me by surprise that catastrophic thinking could happen so fast. I do have a tendency to be really mean to myself. The Effexor dose was working, I've never felt better, except for the one thing that makes it difficult to work on a reconciliation with my estranged husband. Intimacy. I just don't feel like it, never think about it either.

@texasduchess , I just remembered that one of the people at the table is a pharmacist. This fact might be funny to me when I feel better.