Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Checking in...
I was just reflecting on what I am doing and how different it is from just one month ago.
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Today I am feeling good, filled with the zest for living, baking 5 loves of bread and preparing to go camping...and kayaking.
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One month ago I was preparing to go to my Tribal gathering, (I am 10% Indian) to say good bye to the Many sons and daughters of my heart.
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I knew I was dying......
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Yet God in his mercy, spared my life again. I am so humbly grateful.
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I know I have both feet firmly rooted in life now. I have the skills, determination, drive and the DNA to live to be 105.
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What a difference a month makes...
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Bright Wings, who is so grateful
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It was pain in my body from a misaligned spine that almost took me out. I am seeing a chiropractor and well, I am Definately feeling good and happy. Moving to a healthier house this week. Life feels sweet.
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See, there is life after withdrawing from Venlafaxine.

Ronnie, thank you for rejoicing with me. I am so grateful...And ful of joy too. Each breathe is sweet.
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My energy level is a bit low but have hired my favorite son and his friend to move me. I got rid of so much stuff when I thought I was dying.
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Considering that the area of my lungs under my clavicles were the only parts of my lungs working when I moved into this house Dec 4th, I'd say I am doing pretty darn good.

Bright Wings

You sure are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ronnie

Headed out for camping and kayaking as soon as bread is finished baking. It is rising slow today.
I will be gone for the weekend.
BW

Checking in...
I was just reflecting on what I am doing and how different it is from just one month ago.
.
Today I am feeling good, filled with the zest for living, baking 5 loves of bread and preparing to go camping...and kayaking.
.
One month ago I was preparing to go to my Tribal gathering, (I am 10% Indian) to say good bye to the Many sons and daughters of my heart.
.
I knew I was dying......
.
Yet God in his mercy, spared my life again. I am so humbly grateful.
.
I know I have both feet firmly rooted in life now. I have the skills, determination, drive and the DNA to live to be 105.
.
What a difference a month makes...
.
Bright Wings, who is so grateful
.
It was pain in my body from a misaligned spine that almost took me out. I am seeing a chiropractor and well, I am Definately feeling good and happy. Moving to a healthier house this week. Life feels sweet.
.
See, there is life after withdrawing from Venlafaxine.

Hi @hopeful33250 and @linxy. Teresa, it's hard to know what the brain zaps are unless you have had them, but for anyone who has gone off of one of these anti-depressants, it's a common side effect. It feels like a slight electrical current that runs through your brain. They are usually not painful but they are very strange and disconcerting. (Some people also get them as a side effect of the meds or when increasing their dosage). In my case, I got them anytime I moved my head too sharply. The good news is that once you're fully off the meds, they usually go away within a few weeks. Mine did at least.

@brightwings
You didn’t have to make me that many loaves.
You take care and wear a life jacket. Take a compass and don’t wonder off alone. If your as bad with directions as I am stay home. I was coming home (north) from Los Angeles one time and stopped for gas got back on freeway going south. Next time I’ll look at the direction indicator or use the Navigation thingy. Don’t fall off a cliff.
Actually it sounds kinda boring compared to the thrills and fun of Antarctica, lol
Jake

I'm going through Effexor withdrawal right now, and I appreciate the accurate description of "brain zaps". When I tilt my head I almost feel like there is sand inside my skull, and I feel like I can feel and hear it moving. It's bizarre. My PCP at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in Manhattan put me on Effexor four years ago after meeting me once or twice and having me complete a short multiple choice quiz on his computer. I scored "mild depression".
General practitioners really should not be giving out psychiatric medications. In retrospect, I think the PCP was a dummy. I had him for one summer before I switched. My depression was more situational in nature, and I think ADD (that I was only recently diagnosed with) was a major contributing factor to it (among other variables). The PCP didn't take the time to learn about me at all before just prescribing me drugs.
Effexor withdrawal makes me so irritable and almost constantly hungry. I hope the symptoms will go away soon.

To each of you,
Thank you for caring about me. It means so much to feel this cared about after years of self imposed isolation after my husband died.
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Oh I should give you all an update on my husband too. It was nice and words can't express how wonderful it was to have him with me on and off for the last year. But Boy, that really messed with my head...
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He has not been with me since that night I fought to stay alive. The benefit of the gift of his coming was all the illwill we had towards each other over the last 5 years of his life has been straightened out. We each learned the one thing about the other we had been missing and not understanding. It healed our realationship. Its ok he is gone, dead people aren't supposed to come back and yet he did keep me alive when it was so cold in the house near valentines day. The last year was a precious gift.
Do I miss him, well just sort of...I do know he will be waiting for me however long that is and we will finally be united when I finally do get to walk those streets of Gold.
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I am looking at a crystal someone gave me. Its name is a fractured crystal. You can see the injury to the form of the crystal sparkling in the sunlight, yet that very apparent wound has completely been surrounded by healthy, normal crystal. It is stunningly beautiful.
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I see myself as that crystal, wounded so badly when I was a child, yet now I am healed and whole as God intended me to be.
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I am so grateful. Thank you all, Bright Wings