1. < Depression & Anxiety

Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Posted by richyrich @richyrich, Nov 2, 2016

I have been taking Effexor/Venlafaxine for years and tried to get off it a few times but each time I try to give up the chemical withdrawal symptoms are a horror story and I give up giving up. Anyone got any tips or tried and tested strategies? Thank you

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texasduchess | @texasduchess | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "I need the withdrawal of the Effexor Xr cushioned for me badly so adding the adding..." + (show)
@suzy31

I need the withdrawal of the Effexor Xr cushioned for me badly so adding the adding the Prozac will help that so I won't get the terrible headaches then?

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Usually when withdrawal effects are too much, the advice is to go back on the dose of Effexor where you weren't having symptoms and stay there awhile before trying to taper again. In this case, you said you need to get off Effexor because it's detrimental to your blood pressure. I'm not a doctor, never experienced the headaches you're having and didn't know about using Prozac until I was well off Effexor, but I'd go back to your doctor and bring this up--if Prozac worked for you before, it might help. Also, folks who were experiencing "brain zaps" found relief by taking fish oil capsules.

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2 replies
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @texasduchess "I have a temper, but I knew I was experiencing Effexor withdrawal symptoms when I would..." + (show)
@texasduchess

I have a temper, but I knew I was experiencing Effexor withdrawal symptoms when I would go from mildly annoyed/irritated to I-want-to-throttle-you/homicidal maniac in the blink of an eye. While reducing and after getting off Effexor, it takes your brain a while to figure out how to rebalance serotonin and norepinephrine.

NOTE: If you are on birth control pills, taking red clover along with birth control pills might decrease their effectiveness.

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My doctor had started me on a new antidepressant Viibryd but it does not help at all with Effexor XR withdrawal. I like the Viibryd a lot but I can't be on all these antidepressants so if the Prozac helps me to get off the Effexor XR he will probably have to to stop the Viibryd for a little bit and use the Prozac to get me off the Effexor XR? It's truly not easy getting off Effexor XR and I don't care what he has to adjust just adjust it!

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suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @texasduchess "Usually when withdrawal effects are too much, the advice is to go back on the dose..." + (show)
@texasduchess

Usually when withdrawal effects are too much, the advice is to go back on the dose of Effexor where you weren't having symptoms and stay there awhile before trying to taper again. In this case, you said you need to get off Effexor because it's detrimental to your blood pressure. I'm not a doctor, never experienced the headaches you're having and didn't know about using Prozac until I was well off Effexor, but I'd go back to your doctor and bring this up--if Prozac worked for you before, it might help. Also, folks who were experiencing "brain zaps" found relief by taking fish oil capsules.

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So I should hold off trying to get off the Effexor XR for a bit? Just stay on 75 milligrams for awhile? The stuff has messed with my blood pressure, blood sugar, even my liver enzymes. I truly hate the stuff.

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2 replies
texasduchess | @texasduchess | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "When my doctor told me to cut back on the 75 milligram capsule and go down..." + (show)
@suzy31

When my doctor told me to cut back on the 75 milligram capsule and go down to 37.7 milligram capsule I think he thought it would be easy for me. I think it was because I had done it before but he forgot that I know before I was on Prozac too so that helped a lot. I don't know why I got back on the Effexor but I regret it to this day and now really need to get back off of it again. I've been on the Effexor XR and it's wrecked my blood pressure so need to get off it. I wonder if my doctor doesn't realize Prozac helps with the withdrawal.

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Reading the comments on this forum and out on the great wide web, the NORM is most doctors don't know how to get folks off drugs.

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2 replies
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "When my doctor told me to cut back on the 75 milligram capsule and go down..." + (show)
@suzy31

When my doctor told me to cut back on the 75 milligram capsule and go down to 37.7 milligram capsule I think he thought it would be easy for me. I think it was because I had done it before but he forgot that I know before I was on Prozac too so that helped a lot. I don't know why I got back on the Effexor but I regret it to this day and now really need to get back off of it again. I've been on the Effexor XR and it's wrecked my blood pressure so need to get off it. I wonder if my doctor doesn't realize Prozac helps with the withdrawal.

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The Effexor headaches started creeping up on me slowly they weren't so bad at first and the longer I just stayed on just the 37.5 milligrams of the Effexor XR they got worse and the last headache I had I just couldn't stand so I went back up to 75 milligrams.

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1 reply
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @texasduchess "Reading the comments on this forum and out on the great wide web, the NORM is..." + (show)
@texasduchess

Reading the comments on this forum and out on the great wide web, the NORM is most doctors don't know how to get folks off drugs.

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So it's like a hit and miss on what advice they give you? OH, Geez!

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texasduchess | @texasduchess | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "So I should hold off trying to get off the Effexor XR for a bit? Just..." + (show)
@suzy31

So I should hold off trying to get off the Effexor XR for a bit? Just stay on 75 milligrams for awhile? The stuff has messed with my blood pressure, blood sugar, even my liver enzymes. I truly hate the stuff.

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Oh, gosh. That's a conversation to have with your doctor.

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1 reply
dbivens | @dbivens | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "So I should hold off trying to get off the Effexor XR for a bit? Just..." + (show)
@suzy31

So I should hold off trying to get off the Effexor XR for a bit? Just stay on 75 milligrams for awhile? The stuff has messed with my blood pressure, blood sugar, even my liver enzymes. I truly hate the stuff.

Jump to this post

I take 150 mil of Venlafaxine for about 14 months now. I started getting noises in my right ear this month. I have hypertension and I'm a heart patient. I see doc on Monday. It's not normal and they are musical notes I hear for gosh sakes. This stuff can affect brain.

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1 reply
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @texasduchess "Usually when withdrawal effects are too much, the advice is to go back on the dose..." + (show)
@texasduchess

Usually when withdrawal effects are too much, the advice is to go back on the dose of Effexor where you weren't having symptoms and stay there awhile before trying to taper again. In this case, you said you need to get off Effexor because it's detrimental to your blood pressure. I'm not a doctor, never experienced the headaches you're having and didn't know about using Prozac until I was well off Effexor, but I'd go back to your doctor and bring this up--if Prozac worked for you before, it might help. Also, folks who were experiencing "brain zaps" found relief by taking fish oil capsules.

Jump to this post

It did help and got off the Effexor XR with more of a blah feeling then a head-achy sick feeling. I think the headaches I've been having have to partly be due to getting off the Effexor XR is the Viibryd. There is no Viibryd bridge to the Effexor XR like there is a Proxac bridge. Do I make sense?

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secretwhitepop | @secretwhitepop | Mar 14, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "The Effexor headaches started creeping up on me slowly they weren't so bad at first and..." + (show)
@suzy31

The Effexor headaches started creeping up on me slowly they weren't so bad at first and the longer I just stayed on just the 37.5 milligrams of the Effexor XR they got worse and the last headache I had I just couldn't stand so I went back up to 75 milligrams.

Jump to this post

Are the headaches high blood pressure related? I know headaches and vertigo are related - and both accompany Effexor withdrawal.

Taper slower than you ever thought possible while taking Prozac. I tapered off 75mgs over the course of 18 months. I was med-free for 6 months but the anxiety and depression got bad. Doc tried a low dose of lexapro and my anxiety went through the roof. I’m talking three days of meds. Lowest dose. Doc then tried low dose of seroquel for a week to stabilize mood. Worked very well. And now added zoloft.

I’ve accepted that these meds help me be a happy part of society.

That being said, my niece was on all sorts of antidepressants and is completely off all and doing very well! There is hope for some of us :). Everyone is different.

Keep a sharp eye on your blood pressure.

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