Looking for help and support in stopping Effexor

Posted by magskay @magskay, Feb 4 7:56pm

I want to discontinue Effexor. I’ve heard horror stories. Looking for answers, solutions that worked. I’ve been on it for about 16 years and am down to lowest dose available. If I miss a dose I get terribly sick with dizziness and nausea. It’s awful.

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@mmsm

My pharmacist said it would give you highs and lows throughout the day, rather than a steady concentration throughout. You could look up the specifics online regarding the science behind it.

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Thanks.

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@larrypains

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

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

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@mmsm

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

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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!!!!

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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

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@larrypains

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!!!!

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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.

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@mmsm

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.

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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.

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@mmsm

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

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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

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@larrypains

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.

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Way to go, especially with the klonopin. Desvenlefaxine is what i’ve been switch too recently. May ask what your side effects were for you. Im afraid it makes me anxious. And thats a major problem for me

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@kaylisa345

Way to go, especially with the klonopin. Desvenlefaxine is what i’ve been switch too recently. May ask what your side effects were for you. Im afraid it makes me anxious. And thats a major problem for me

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I had anxiety attacks at night sleeping, that's how bad my anxiety got. Klonopin helped that. But answering your question. The desvenlafaxine was much like the effexor. The only side effect I got was a little dizziness when I dropped 50 milligrams. Each time. I've started week 3 of a total of 3 weeks. No dizziness yet. At the end of this week I stop it completely and start a rather benign ssri Prozac. I assume with the total stop of the desvenlafaxine I will get something. We'll see. 6 days left.

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@kaylisa345

Way to go, especially with the klonopin. Desvenlefaxine is what i’ve been switch too recently. May ask what your side effects were for you. Im afraid it makes me anxious. And thats a major problem for me

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Were you switched from effexor to pristiq? And still had increased anxiety? I'm supposed to do this in a few days, and don't need any more anxiety!

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