Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

@renwald thanks for this! I'm not sure what I believe about mental illness. I just know I would like to give myself a chance to become stable, at the least, before making a hasty decision. Honestly the effexor never helped me avoid anxiety, it was kind of crazy for me to stay on it. I think I'm experiencing withdrawals, not relapse, I'm hoping it will let up soon.

😊

Not sure if this got posted or not... but I never had good luck with CBD either. And I also just went successfully back on Zoloft. And seroquel. But everyone is different. Don’t torture yourself. Life is short.

Hang in there! My daughter has hit a wall at about 40mg. We're going to take a break from the weaning so she can stabilize and then we'll try again. You've always given such wonderful advice and support...we're pulling for you!♥️

Yeah. I thought since I’ve gone through “the change” maybe I could ween off Effexor and be ok. Well, life is too rough for me. And looking at my family, I think it’s kind of a heredity thing. Maybe a real chemical thing.

I was on Zoloft, successfully, about 20 years ago then switched to Effexor due to low libido side effects. Doc put me on seroquel as a mood stabilizer since Lexapro caused me to have crazy anxiety. The Zoloft seems to be ... well... not having bad side effects. My mood is slightly less bleh but I’ve only been on both for about two weeks. Not giving up. And sadly, and I’m not kidding, sad news and drama abounds still in my life! Praying and listening to uplifting stuff and meditating and eating healthy as much as possible. And yes, even after only two weeks, feeling slightly better.

Sigh. It’s such a shame so many of us feel better in chemicals. Why? What gives? Sugar? Plastic? Fluorescent lighting?

Wish I knew. But truly, life is short.

It’s admirable to want to be drug free. It would be ideal. But depending on the diagnosis and neurochemistry you may very well have to treat it like a medical condition no different than type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperlipidemia or any other condition where the body is simply wired in such a way as to cause problems.

Some individuals and groups sneer at psychiatry but it’s really puzzling because the same biochemistry, genetics and developed anatomy that sends them running to the doctor for medical emergencies is somehow not the same as that of the brain. I’ve absolutely never understood that disconnect.

Therefore, while one can take any other physical, genetic, endocrinological, or analogous system and modify one’s lifestyle, habits and factors to minimize disruption, the fact remains that a part of the system isn’t functioning well. The problem with any condition is how it interrupts life’s daily activities and quality of life. The underlying condition will remain regardless of taking medicine, so you can certainly stop, many do. But they are not always enthusiastic about the consequences and what can follow in its wake.

There are reasons that bipolar people have life expectancies at least ten years less than the average, are more susceptible to weight issues, type 2 diabetes, job instability and a trail of unhappy relationships. My suggestion is to fix what you can wherever possible to improve health, habits and stress triggers while firmly acknowledging that the biological is a fixture of life.

Finding ways to cope and improve is a vital and lifelong pursuit with no guarantees except that as one gets older it can get harder. (I think we get more intolerant, inflexible and simply slow down making bounce back and adaptation harder).

There is a book I read by an author named Alisa Roth,
Insane : America's criminal treatment of mental illness

It is worth a read and should be at the local library. It covers what happens when people stop. Everyone here likely already knows but the book is a good read and equips you to warn others and understand the bigger problems with treatment today.

It’s admirable to want to be drug free. It would be ideal. But depending on the diagnosis and neurochemistry you may very well have to treat it like a medical condition no different than type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperlipidemia or any other condition where the body is simply wired in such a way as to cause problems.

Some individuals and groups sneer at psychiatry but it’s really puzzling because the same biochemistry, genetics and developed anatomy that sends them running to the doctor for medical emergencies is somehow not the same as that of the brain. I’ve absolutely never understood that disconnect.

Therefore, while one can take any other physical, genetic, endocrinological, or analogous system and modify one’s lifestyle, habits and factors to minimize disruption, the fact remains that a part of the system isn’t functioning well. The problem with any condition is how it interrupts life’s daily activities and quality of life. The underlying condition will remain regardless of taking medicine, so you can certainly stop, many do. But they are not always enthusiastic about the consequences and what can follow in its wake.

There are reasons that bipolar people have life expectancies at least ten years less than the average, are more susceptible to weight issues, type 2 diabetes, job instability and a trail of unhappy relationships. My suggestion is to fix what you can wherever possible to improve health, habits and stress triggers while firmly acknowledging that the biological is a fixture of life.

Finding ways to cope and improve is a vital and lifelong pursuit with no guarantees except that as one gets older it can get harder. (I think we get more intolerant, inflexible and simply slow down making bounce back and adaptation harder).

There is a book I read by an author named Alisa Roth,
Insane : America's criminal treatment of mental illness

It is worth a read and should be at the local library. It covers what happens when people stop. Everyone here likely already knows but the book is a good read and equips you to warn others and understand the bigger problems with treatment today.

Wow! You truly summed it up! I appreciated that. Truly. I’m one of those folks that want desperately to be drug free. But wanna know what happened when I went off (well, very slowly weened - successfully, I might add, when it came to side effects). I moved my family from our home of 15 years, bought a house and two pieces of property and got another job. (About to leave the one I’ve had for over 20 years - all while on Effexor)

There’s no denying that I, personally, have a more stable life while on SSRI or SNRI’s. There’s no denying that my family suffers when I am drug-free (although I’ve only done this the one time).

While I didn’t make completely irrational decisions and, being drug free “inspired” me to take chances I hadn’t previously taken - I can’t say I regret my decisions. Additionally, I am in the middle of family loss and menopause! Ha!

I am grateful for my family and friend who stuck around. And, I am slowly accepting that I am a happier and much more stable person with the assistance of meds.

Not sure I’ll go back on Effexor, but there’s a chance I will since I’m on two meds now and would prefer just one 🙂

Anyway - thanks.