Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Posted by richyrich @richyrich, Nov 2, 2016

I have been taking Effexor/Venlafaxine for years and tried to get off it a few times but each time I try to give up the chemical withdrawal symptoms are a horror story and I give up giving up. Anyone got any tips or tried and tested strategies? Thank you

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secretwhitepop | @secretwhitepop | Jul 1, 2019

Hi all! I posted on another forum but I didn’t want to ditch this group because I don’t want to lose you all! So, Lexapro made my anxiety so much worse! (And here I was gearing up to feel good again!) so, given my personality and impulsiveness (can’t deny it) doc asked me today if it was ever discussed that I am bipolar. And yes. It was. About 20 years ago.

Sigh. As far as mental health goes, I was fine! Fine! For the best part of 20 years taking 75 mgs of Effexor I did great. Then, I weened off super slowly post menopause with very few side effects. Success! But then, anxiety and depression crept back in. And, after 5 months, I went to seek pharmaceutical help.

So the Lexapro was a no go. Made things worse. Anyone use seroquel? Doc said it’s a mood stabilizer. Then she wants to add Zoloft later.

Sigh. At the moment, I feel great! No anxiety, no depression. I kind of feel in control. Just hate to take anything! But I will if I need it. And well, perhaps some folks need it?

I love your replies if anyone has any feedback 🙂

grandmaR | @grandmar | Jul 1, 2019

In reply to @secretwhitepop "Hi all! I posted on another forum but I didn’t want to ditch this group because..." + (show)

I am sorry that things did not work out like you had hoped.
There IS NOTHING WRONG with needing some pharmaceutical interventions to help keep you healthy!
Would you say anything about a diabetic who MUST take insulin?
Of course you wouldn't!
Why is this any different?
Could be your anxiety is inherited and meds are the only way to control it.
Sadly, sometimes we feel fine when not on meds, but when anxiety hits or depression starts......bam!!!!
I never gave it a thought to come off Effexor.
I tried many years ago on the advice of my PCP and I saw what happened.
No meds we tried worked.
Effexor works, I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel or play with other meds.

Good luck to you and I hope you find your answers!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

secretwhitepop | @secretwhitepop | Jul 1, 2019

Thank you so much. Ha! Yeah, perhaps I’ll end up back on Effexor after all is said and done :). (And, sadly, in my family, we have bipolar, depression and three suicides...). Life is too wonderful to spend needless time sad or anxious. Fingers crossed the seroquel helps...

texasduchess | @texasduchess | Jul 1, 2019

In reply to @secretwhitepop "Hi all! I posted on another forum but I didn’t want to ditch this group because..." + (show)

@secretwhitepop
I found my withdrawal symptoms very distressing and I wanted HELP NOW. Keep in mind, I was only on 25mg Effexor and just to control hot flashes. I tapered off Effexor because those days were over and I thought why keep taking a pill I don't need. I had no issues on it (it worked great!), only after getting off it. If I'd known THAT, I would have left well enough alone and stayed on Effexor--a frivolous reason to stay on a drug. But, as well as avoiding a whole of lot of aggravation, jeopardizing my husband's and my sanity, I'd have saved a lot of $s, too (I'm taking a whole handful of supplements 3x a day and the occasional 1/2 Valium now just to keep level and they cost). You've discovered that you really do need medication to function well. Sounds like a good reason to me.

secretwhitepop | @secretwhitepop | Jul 2, 2019

I don’t understand why doc would prescribe Effexor for hot flashes? But evidently it happens. If you’d like to try to go off again, I weened ridiculously slowly and successfully. But again, sometimes at a certain point in life, it’s just easier.

This morning (after my first dose of seroquel last night) I was tired and groggy but (believe it or not) that’s all. No tummy jingles of anxiety. Which is a beautiful thing.

I had a close friend who was so anxious she drank like a fish and threw up every morning. She never sought help from a doctor. She was smart and successful and never made it to her 39th birthday. Turns out she had an undiagnosed heart problem.

Maybe had she been to the doc more often the doc would have found it. Who knows and it doesn’t matter now.

And the operative word is what matters NOW because that’s all we have.

Hugs and gratitude.

1013leigh | @1013leigh | Jul 2, 2019

In reply to @careth2 "Hi there! I am new to Connect, but hopefully can offer some insight. I DID go..." + (show)

@careth2

Hi there! I am new to Connect, but hopefully can offer some insight. I DID go off 150 Effexor XR (name brand) COLD TURKEY on January 2016. I survived it, but will never in my life EVER go off ANY antidepressant cold turkey. I had taken Effexor for at least 8 years, Zoloft prior to that and and Imipramine (sp?) as the first antidepressant (in all 25+ years on antidepressants.) It all started with running out of meds over a long weekend and deciding it was time to try to get off antidepressants to see how I would do. Since I had recently retired from teaching, thought this would be an ideal time to give it a go. In addition, Effexor just wasn't helping all that much anymore (I thought.) The first 3 days I felt like I was going to die! When I realized that I wasn't dying, decided to keep going to get it all over with. In addition to the symptoms you have heard about, I had deep bone/joint pain that felt like I was being pinched with clamps. Also had skin sensations and peeling, and noticed a strange smell on my skin. Each day got a little better and by the 3rd week started to function a bit more normally. I was very emotional, however, which caused my family great concern. Well, to make a long story short, the depression crept back in full and I am still trying to get my life back. I did everything I could to stay stable, including herbal supplements and took a vacation where I hiked 6 miles daily for 9 days on hilly, rocky terrain. I finally had to accept that I'm a person who will need antidepressants for the rest of my life. With the help of a PCP and counselor, I am on my 3rd antidepressant & may need to resort to going back on Effexor, because nothing seems to be working. All in all, in my opinion, the chronic depression is worse than the withdrawal symptoms that do eventually end. If you are a person with situational depression, you may be successful weaning off Effexor gradually. If I were to do it again, that's what I would do (while replacing Effexor with something else.) Here are the things that helped me with the physical withdrawal symptoms:
1. Get plenty of sleep/rest.
2. Eat a very well-balanced diet (this is not the time to worry about your weight.) Lots of soup & easy to digest foods the 1st few days.
3. Drink plenty of water, including coconut water.
4. Have a glass of wine in the evening (if advisable.)
5. Get outside and walk or other excersize (the warm sunshine will feel good!)
6. Hot yoga 3-4 times per week. Stay in class even if you feel nauseous & can only do a few postures.
7. Soak in a hot tub (with bath salts if available.)
8. Use a good moisturizer on face & body several times per day.
9. Get several professional massages.
10. Take Tylenol for muscle pain, if OK on your stomach.
11. A heating pad is also helpful at bedtime or during naps.
12. If you are single & live alone, make sure a few trusted friends/family members know what you are doing.
13. In general, be kind & gentle to yourself.
14. NEVER give up! Keep going, even when you don't feel like it (which will be often.) YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!

Jump to this post

I was on effexor and many other SSRIS SSNIs etc. I was a zombie so I went off of everything by myself. I went to the hospital and went on a mood stabilizer, "Lamictal" and there are newer ones out there. I was either happy or really sad and felt no joy. The mood stabilizer helps the dopamine in your brain and it changed my life. I felt joy, I wasn't tired, I didn't gain weight, I didn't have restless legs anymore. Good luck to you.

secretwhitepop | @secretwhitepop | Jul 2, 2019

Thank you! I hope this works! I’m kind of tired this morning but otherwise calm. I am functioning, thank God. Mostly I worry about being “there” for my child!

terri672 | @terri672 | Jul 2, 2019

In reply to @richyrich "Thanks Nankee99. Reassuring to know that it's not just me who finds getting off the stuff..." + (show)

Don't go cold turkey. I honestly believe it could kill you. It took me 8 months. I've been off 4 1/2 months now. You can do it, but go slowly!

texasduchess | @texasduchess | Jul 2, 2019

In reply to @secretwhitepop "I don’t understand why doc would prescribe Effexor for hot flashes? But evidently it happens. If..." + (show)

@secretwhitepop
Off label use of Effexor to minimize/reduce hot flashes is very common--especially for women like me (breast cancer survivor) who cannot use hormones to deal with them. At very lose doses, it works really well for this (I was on just 25mg regular release). Conversely, people on high/higher doses of Effexor may find that they sweat a lot/too much.

Hope the Seroquel continues to work well for you.

1013leigh | @1013leigh | Jul 2, 2019

In reply to @terri672 "Don't go cold turkey. I honestly believe it could kill you. It took me 8 months...." + (show)

He started on his own wheening himself off because the VA was unaware of helping him. Now he had the psychiatrist take it down somemore

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