Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

I was on 37.5mg for at least a year. I used my last few capsules every other day. Now I take a dozen or so of the little micro tablets from inside an old 75mg cap as required (works for 18 hours so far). I ordered some empty gel caps. Will divide 75 by 4 to get 18.75mg. (Those little balls are static sensitive, use glass plate and metal tools.) Basically 4 lines...

No one is sensitive enough to react physically to a 1 gram in 38 reduction of medication. That's a clue that someone still has issues. I use a cbd vape pen when my issues get acute. That and the little venlafaxine er balls, it seems.

I have plenty. Even at 18.75mg/day for a year. Are there pharmacists who do this? 75 to 37.5 to clear is too extreme.

Thanks. I’m really not feeling better. It’s there anxiety. It’s incapacitating at times. But again, I have loads going on and I’m waiting for it all to pass. I’m changing jobs to add to everything. A job I’ve been at for 23 years! By choice. The commute was killing me. But it’s yet another anxiety ridden change, nonetheless.

I’ll talk to my doctor when I see her on the 29th. But this is precisely why I didn’t want to be on meds. They’re kind of unpredictable!

@sandij
Can you expand more on what you were told about it being dangerous? It's a tricky process weaning someone off one drug and onto another--you would definitely want an experienced and knowledgeable doctor.

@secretwhitepop
GrandmaR mentioned that Effexor didn't work for her as well when reinstated some months/years (?) as it did the first time she was on it.

By the time I realized that I was experiencing Effexor withdrawal effects, I had been off for over 6 weeks. I didn't reinstate Effexor because I read that doing so that far out was unlikely to quickly mitigate my very distressing withdrawal symptoms (1-2 weeks for sleep, energy or appetite to improve and 6-8 weeks for depressed mood and lack of interest in activities to fully improve) and I hoped those 1-8 weeks were better served moving further away from my Effexor use (I no longer needed it for hot flashes).

Could your doctor prescribe a short course of a faster-acting medication (Valium, clonazepam, or Xanax for example) for the anxiety to take along with the Zoloft until the Zoloft fully kicks in?

@daver
Hi there,
I personally don’t think a 50% cut is wise. Some people can tolerate it, hope you are one. It has been proven time and again on this forum that 50% don’t work for most. Some have successfully reduced by 50% when they were beginning their taper. As a taper continues and someone is using a set percentage, that percentage does not remain constant.
Good luck whatever you decide.
Jake

Well, it’s not nearly as bad as the anxiety I experienced on Lexapro, so, so far it’s manageable. And truly, we are having an extraordinary heat wave here in Delaware. It should break in Tuesday, and the heat really bothers me.

My husband reminded me to meditate. I’ve been slacking and depending on Zoloft. So, it’s been two weeks. I’ll be at three weeks then I’ll see the doctor and go from there.

I actually have some Xanax, but I’m taking things one day at a time. Hoping little by little things come around.

@daver
Compounding pharmacists can make tailored dosages for medications. You need a prescription and this service can be pricey and may not be covered by insurance. A commenter on another site who was getting off Ativan used Johnson Compounding and Wellness in Waltham, MA.

Since 2014, a Dutch medical charity, called Cinderella Therapeutics, together with Maastricht University creates personalized "tapering kits,” with precisely weighed out tablets in labelled packets that gradually reduce over several months. There are tapering kits for 24 different medications so far. Most of these were for people in the Netherlands, but a few kits have been sent to other countries.
https://www.cinderella-tx.org/en/
http://www.taperingstrip.org/

@texasduchess
Happy Sunday!
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "you would definitely want an experienced and knowledgeable doctor".
As far as PCP goes, I don't think they work enought with psychotropic drugs.
They may re-new prescriptions and give something mild to 'take off the edge', but I don't think they really KNOW.
There are 2 professionals who SHOULD know very well how the drugs work; it is their job to know.
A psychiatrist, who should manage the medication(s) and a pharmacist who should be able to answer questions (especially with the data they have available via internet).

For me, it was ages ago and it was my PCP who was 'taking me off Effexor because I was doing so well."
Sure I was doing well, I was on the correct medication for ME.
She did not 'wean' me off slowly at all!
I only got to the first part when I went into withdrawals!!!!!!

The therapist I was going to suggested I see a psychiatrist to manage my medication(s).
I did, and she said it would take (I think) somewhere around 6 months before I would be able to go back on.
I waited and tried a couple of other meds the psychiatrist suggested, even one that was suppose to be similar to the Effexor.
NONE of the meds worked for ME!
At the 6 month point, I asked to go back onto the Effexor since it had worked so well.
The doctor agreed.
Although the Effexor helped me, it did not make me 'feel' the way I did before.
The HORRIBLE anxiety was gone, but still, just not the same.
I really don't know if I can explain it well other than I no longer 'felt like myself."
I felt like I was outside looking in.
It did not last, but again, I still just didn't feel the same.
However, I was SO very happy that all the anxiety attacks ended and I was able to get back to my life.
That was probably over 15 years ago.

Hope this helps...
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

@jakedduck1
Hi!
I agree with you wholeheartedly!
A 50% reduction is a lot and might cause many issues!
We've had members wind up in the hospital.
It took me approximately 5 or 6 months to taper down 25%.
I have remained on that dosage since April in order for my body to have time to adjust before I begin again.

Yes, GOOD LUCK @daver
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

@texasduchess
Wow! Wouldn't that be fantastic if we COULD get it here!
My only concern would be the differences in the actual medication(s) since the processing is probably different as is their system of measurement.
But wow!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Just dangerous as in not helping the withdrawal and possibly making the symptoms worse, I guess?