I urge you to BELIEVE the horror stories. 😳
I was within that hell, after being on Effexor Extended Release for about 15 years, prescribed by my primary who was evidently clueless about the evils of that drug, and also failed to check my blood pressure regularly. (I've been taking 2 BP meds for years now due to how my pressure went from a tranquil zone to a serious high.) She was a hands-off physician, insipid physicals (I spent more time with the nurse than with my doctor) and missed altogether how I was NOT improving while on that drug. Finally woke up to that fact: On an antidepressant and yet my depression kept getting WORSE. I didn't feel good about myself, and became anorexic. I'll cut to the chase since I've detailed several times before on this site my ordeal and the journey toward freedom from the clutches of that devil drug: I sought the help of a trusted neurologist in my life at that time, she agreed to help me taper off and get off that drug. With a carefully detailed week by week calendar, I slowly got off the drug because STOPPING TOO SOON can result in serious conditions, especially for me with heart arrhythmia. People have been known to die from cardiac arrest. It took many months, and she was always available to me for check ups and also when I needed to just 'check-in' with a call. BUT I SUCCEEDED GETTING OFF THE DEVIL DRUG and am FOREVER grateful to that doctor. And yes, I dropped that primary doctor who had such a laid-back approach to practicing medicine.

I do NOT support "counting beads" as a means of tapering off this or any other "bead" medication. My extensive research found that medical institutions do not support that method either. I know quite a few members on this site have written that they use that method. But I've also read of members who find it so difficult weaning on their own that they then UP the dosage and remain on the drug. GET MEDICAL SUPPORT.

One member recently commented that her physician informed her that Effexor was the best one possible. SO UNTRUE, and SO UNPROFESSIONAL in my opinion.

I subsequently went a few years without any antidepressant, finally agreeing to Zoloft (low dose). That did not help either, and also created hallucinations, etc....so AGAIN got help from the psychiatric nurse who had prescribed it. I found Zoloft to be even harder to get rid out of my body, dragging on weeks after the last "weaning dose", having to deal with torturous side effects. The PN wrote prescription to my pharmacist for DROPS, to be taken in a specific amount of water, and after a time (don't recall how long) I was FINALLY FREE, no "whoosh" sounds in my ears, nor any of the other nasties that had lingered.

I swore off ALL antidepressants after those awful experiences. My personal choice. Everyone has to make their own. But my advice when asked is DO NOT take Effexor, be wary of how you decide to get off the medication, and be especially careful if you have a chemical/drug sensitive system.
Best of luck to you, I know all too well how difficult is the journey of depression.