Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

perhaps it's the emotions due WD, but i teared up when i read you had a sudden bout of happiness.. oh how i long for that.. i'm also completely off venlafaxine now, it's been 7-8 days.. of hell.. i will locate my previous posts and update. thanks for Sharing

Hi All,

Day 3 of 0mg and it’s not as awful as I expected. Definitely need to fight through things, but it’s not crippling me.

Yesterday I puttered around house and took my time with things, it’s all cerebral as @flind felt as well! Sensory overload is DEFINITELY a thing! Especially in the evening. My husband came home from an Expo for our business and was so excited to tell me everything and I just started crying and was like “I can’t talk right now”.

Brain zaps are still there, nausea comes and goes, headaches aren’t bad. Overall, I feel like I can get through this is I just take my time with my daily routines.

So incredibly grateful for this forum! Definitely, would feel alone if I didn’t have everyone here! 💜

I did share a bit about what I am taking in my post but it won't be relevant to anyone else's needs because each of us has a completely unique physio-chemical makeup. I have heard that a few of the supplements are fairly common, so these are probably beneficial to many people. The pretty 'standard' ones are the Essential Fatty Acids - like Fish, Flax, Evening Primrose, Vitamin B-12 - make sure it's methylcobalamin (unless you feel your body can handle the extra molecule of cyanide in cyanocobalamin - personally I avoid cyanocobalamin), and then D-3 & A (especially important on cloudy days). A good multi is probably helpful for most people - I personally use Source Naturals "Life Force Multiple" with no iron and no cyanocobalamin. The brands I have come to trust are Source Naturals, Pure Encapsulations & (most) Jarrow Formulas. I take Jarrow's "Bone-up" which is a decent source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and more.

Did you taper or cold turkey?

Hi @cp6401 I hope you can read my response to @lisalucier . Genetic testing in and of itself isn't helpful, I think what is important is having a skilled geneticist who can explain the implications of the findings. I had a medical and an 'ancestral' genetic workup/readout - 2 different sets of genetic markers/variables were assessed. Then the psychiatrist I saw did the interpretation from those findings. I wasn't sure it was going to help at all, but now that I have followed the recommendations for supplements to alter my own brain chemistry (by supplying what had been lacking) I KNOW that it has helped me.

I hear you. Venlafaxine withdrawal wreaks havoc on brain chemistry including the emotions. The emotional responses I've had to others stories though are I think genuine and quite 'rational'. From a profound sense of relief knowing it's not 'just me', to deep empathy for the pain and suffering of others, I've cried many times reading this thread. That someone's little burst of sunshine can illicit pangs of longing makes sense too... it's a very 'raw' state we are in. I hope you're touched by your own sunbeam soon. And please know that it lasted only a moment - but even a 'glimpse' of a brighter future is enough to keep me pushing on on towards a better day... wish you all the best!

I did share a bit about what I am taking in my post but it won't be relevant to anyone else's needs because each of us has a completely unique physio-chemical makeup. I have heard that a few of the supplements are fairly common, so these are probably beneficial to many people. The pretty 'standard' ones are the Essential Fatty Acids - like Fish, Flax, Evening Primrose, Vitamin B-12 - make sure it's methylcobalamin (unless you feel your body can handle the extra molecule of cyanide in cyanocobalamin - personally I avoid cyanocobalamin), and then D-3 & A (especially important on cloudy days). A good multi is probably helpful for most people - I personally use Source Naturals "Life Force Multiple" with no iron and no cyanocobalamin. The brands I have come to trust are Source Naturals, Pure Encapsulations & (most) Jarrow Formulas. I take Jarrow's "Bone-up" which is a decent source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and more.

Thanks and yes, I would like that for us all. I thought I saw a glimmer of light this morning.. of hope..usually the severe anxiety kicks in all day, and the light disappears but so far it’s minor..I remember feeling this as a kid.. in my teens.. terrified, no knowing or understanding what was going on...but now as an adult, I feel like maybe I’ve got a chance to beat this.. just maybe. I slept without any klonopin or otherwise aids (other than a hot ass bath) which I now know I can use as a tool..Day 10 for me