Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

I'm on day 12 - venlafaxine free. The adjustments continue. I no longer have 'cotton-wool brain' but it still feels like my brain is working very hard to re-wire itself... fatigue and scatterbrain are the 'new norm' today & yesterday. I'm keeping on my supplements & exercise - praying for all the little synapses & dendrites to make the right connections again!

I'm on day 12 - venlafaxine free. The adjustments continue. I no longer have 'cotton-wool brain' but it still feels like my brain is working very hard to re-wire itself... fatigue and scatterbrain are the 'new norm' today & yesterday. I'm keeping on my supplements & exercise - praying for all the little synapses & dendrites to make the right connections again!

I’ve been taking EffexorXR 75mg for 6 or 7 years now and recently spoke with my PCP about discontinuing the drug. He said it was up to me and said the safest way would be to just stop. He said trying to discontinue by taking a pill every other day or decreasing the dosage could create more problems and actually be dangerous. He advised that if I did decide to discontinue, it would be best to pick a timeframe when I didn’t have a lot going on (or something to that effect). I didn’t ask how long it would take...dumb me...had no idea that withdrawal would be this miserable. I thought it might take 3 or 4 days before the effects wore off. I’m now on day 5 of “cold turkey” and not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel yet. Headache, queasiness, itching, brain fog, weepy spells, vertigo, digestive upsets, etc...

I was beginning to think I had the flu but decided to research Effexor withdrawal first to see if there was any information available. OMG. In some ways it’s reassuring to know what’s going on, but in other ways, I’m really worried about what I’ve learned and am wondering how long this horrible feeling might last. A lot of what I’ve read says it could take months to completely get through it.

Any others going the cold turkey route? Would love to hear from you.

I'm on day 12 - venlafaxine free. The adjustments continue. I no longer have 'cotton-wool brain' but it still feels like my brain is working very hard to re-wire itself... fatigue and scatterbrain are the 'new norm' today & yesterday. I'm keeping on my supplements & exercise - praying for all the little synapses & dendrites to make the right connections again!

I’ve been taking EffexorXR 75mg for 6 or 7 years now and recently spoke with my PCP about discontinuing the drug. He said it was up to me and said the safest way would be to just stop. He said trying to discontinue by taking a pill every other day or decreasing the dosage could create more problems and actually be dangerous. He advised that if I did decide to discontinue, it would be best to pick a timeframe when I didn’t have a lot going on (or something to that effect). I didn’t ask how long it would take...dumb me...had no idea that withdrawal would be this miserable. I thought it might take 3 or 4 days before the effects wore off. I’m now on day 5 of “cold turkey” and not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel yet. Headache, queasiness, itching, brain fog, weepy spells, vertigo, digestive upsets, etc...

I was beginning to think I had the flu but decided to research Effexor withdrawal first to see if there was any information available. OMG. In some ways it’s reassuring to know what’s going on, but in other ways, I’m really worried about what I’ve learned and am wondering how long this horrible feeling might last. A lot of what I’ve read says it could take months to completely get through it.

Any others going the cold turkey route? Would love to hear from you.

@sl144er reinstate at 75 mg until your symptoms are gone, then if you want off, start a very slow taper, and please don't listen to that doctor!

I’ve been taking EffexorXR 75mg for 6 or 7 years now and recently spoke with my PCP about discontinuing the drug. He said it was up to me and said the safest way would be to just stop. He said trying to discontinue by taking a pill every other day or decreasing the dosage could create more problems and actually be dangerous. He advised that if I did decide to discontinue, it would be best to pick a timeframe when I didn’t have a lot going on (or something to that effect). I didn’t ask how long it would take...dumb me...had no idea that withdrawal would be this miserable. I thought it might take 3 or 4 days before the effects wore off. I’m now on day 5 of “cold turkey” and not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel yet. Headache, queasiness, itching, brain fog, weepy spells, vertigo, digestive upsets, etc...

I was beginning to think I had the flu but decided to research Effexor withdrawal first to see if there was any information available. OMG. In some ways it’s reassuring to know what’s going on, but in other ways, I’m really worried about what I’ve learned and am wondering how long this horrible feeling might last. A lot of what I’ve read says it could take months to completely get through it.

Any others going the cold turkey route? Would love to hear from you.

Why are doctors advising this? It’s terrifying.

Because benzodiazepines and antidepressants have been found to be very dangerous drugs. Doctors are yanking their patients off benzos right and left regardless of the consequences. They like replacing the Benzos with antidepressants. Anti depressants have their own horrible short term and long term side effects and horrible withdrawals. This is all getting really pitiful for those of us who suffer with debilitating anxiety and depression.