Effexor Tapering Off and Side Effects

This approach not advised by Dr Horowitz who wrote Deprescribing guidelines
More research is needed
You seem to be unusual in having few withdrawal symptoms

No, I'm not lucky. Been depressed and anxious for 40 years. Effexor was the best I could do, I'm very sensitive to mess, but it pooped out on me. Was switched to desvenlafaxine which is alot like venlafaxine. Not much help though. But switched over in 3 days. I haven't tried stopping the desvenlafaxine yet but told by my Dr. Not nearly as bad as the venlafaxine. We'll see.

Still on it. But Dr. Said nothing like effexor. We'll see

Thanks.

How are you doing now? Did you ever get any withdrawals from stopping effexor? Did the desvenlafaxine eventually help?

The desvenlafaxine was a step down from effexor. I am weaning now from the effexor with the desvenlafaxine and olanzapine. So far 10 days in I've suffered some minor dizziness. Today I start the lowest dosage off desvenlafaxine. I'll take for 1 week along with the help from 5mg of the olanzapine. Then stop the desvenlafaxine. I'll be. Off the snri from hell. Never again! Then start with 20 MG of Prozac a ssri. So in 3 weeks I've have gotten off effexor and klonopin. I have to stay on the 5mg olanzapine and 20 MG Prozac because I'm still a sufferer of depression and anxiety. See how this works. Overall I haven't suffered any of the withdrawals others have suffered. Was on 3mg of klonopin and 300 MG of effexor. Good bye to both!!!!

I was having a rather problem free spell weaning off Venlafaxine
I used the Maudsley Hospital Guide and very slowly reduced from 150 mg
I went onto liquid form 37.5 mg/5 mg
I was at 2 mls twice daily I
Lowered to 1.5 mls they started
I could hardly speak fluently and my memory was gone frightening
My husband noticed the change

I returned to 2 mls for three weeks
Then lowered to 1.75 mls
Gradually the withdrawal symptoms were reduced
I am
Now on 1.3 mls twice daily
It surprises me that even with tiny reductions I had such distressing symptoms
I think Dr Horowitz advice that the last few mgs are the hardest to wean off
I had become less cautious as I had few withdrawal symptoms
I will take my time now and maybe wait quite a few weeks before lowering my dose each time by 10% of the current dose only
I was on this drug fur 20 years so no rush

Thanks for your reply. Just to clarify, you think the desvenlafaxine was helpful in weaning off effexor? But it didn't help with depression and anxiety?
How are you getting off the desvenlafaxine? I hear that can be just as bad as effexor to stop.

3 week wean off desvenlafaxine. Straight to Prozac. Switching to
desvenlafaxine from the effexor was easy. Now. Remember I am also on 5 MG
of zyprexa. The withdrawal from the desvenlafaxine at 10 days I have been
dizzy, tolerable. 11 days til I stop the desvenlafaxine. We'll see. But
no the desvenlafaxine worked worse than the effexor. But remember that's
just me. It could help you, don't know.

Theswitch was nothing
I'm now weaning from desvenlafaxine. A 3 week weaning
Remember I'm on 5mg. Of zyprexa as well
If someone wants to wean from. Effexor without at least a. Benign ssri I
wish you. Luck