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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suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 15, 2020
In reply to @sears "Exactly! But all the doctors want to yank patients off the Benzos and put them on..." + (show)
@sears

Exactly! But all the doctors want to yank patients off the Benzos and put them on antidepressants which in my opinion are just as dangerous and much less effective for severe anxiety disorders.

Jump to this post

The doctor I had a long time ago didn't want to yank me off of benzos like this current doctor wants to yank me off Effexor he knew better. This current doctor will listen to me and I know he has to go down a lot slower on the Effexor XR my body can't tolerate any other way.

REPLY
sears | @sears | Mar 15, 2020
In reply to @texasduchess "From the experiences recounted on this forum, doctors routinely give/recommend to patients tapering schedules that are..." + (show)
@texasduchess

From the experiences recounted on this forum, doctors routinely give/recommend to patients tapering schedules that are TOO FAST. Your doctor may be guiding you, but only you know how you feel; unless you're in a big hurry for medical reasons (i.e., Effexor is making your blood pressure spike dangerously, or you're pregnant), slow down–WAAYYYY down. You will know if you are tapering too fast–withdrawal symptoms are the big tip off.

I was only ever on 25mg regular-release Effexor/venlafaxine--it came as very small (approx 1/4 inch), flat, dry tablets; usually round, but occasionally my refills were 5-sided, or oval-shaped; color was usually pale pink/salmon, or yellow. These were all very easy to cut with a pill cutter. You could cut these into halves, quarters, or even smaller with a razor blade, or Exacto knife and mix-match to get smaller doses as you taper.

Folks have opened the capsules and counted/removed beads; it is tedious and is somewhat hit-and-miss as the number/sizes of beads within a capsule varies from capsule to capsule within a bottle of pills. Your doctor could specify a specific brand of capsule--@farm_mom found Teva had the most consistent size and number of beads within a capsule. See @sandij, or @doorman on how to count/throw out beads to taper.

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Does Effexor come in a liquid form so one doesn’t have to actually count beads?

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3 replies
lisa0878 | @lisa0878 | Mar 15, 2020
In reply to @sears "Does Effexor come in a liquid form so one doesn’t have to actually count beads?" + (show)
@sears

Does Effexor come in a liquid form so one doesn’t have to actually count beads?

Jump to this post

No it don’t come in liquid form

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1 reply
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 15, 2020
In reply to @sears "Does Effexor come in a liquid form so one doesn’t have to actually count beads?" + (show)
@sears

Does Effexor come in a liquid form so one doesn’t have to actually count beads?

Jump to this post

I just read it does not.

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texasduchess | @texasduchess | Mar 15, 2020
In reply to @sears "Does Effexor come in a liquid form so one doesn’t have to actually count beads?" + (show)
@sears

Does Effexor come in a liquid form so one doesn’t have to actually count beads?

Jump to this post

I don't think you can just get it at a regular pharmacy, but I did see instructions for compounding pharmacists--
https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/venlafaxine-hydrochloride-15-mg-mlhttps://www.mipedscompounds.org/sites/default/files/standard-formulations/Venlafaxine.pdf

Here's an article about tapering strips available from Cinderella Therapeutics--
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2140106-people-are-hacking-antidepressant-doses-to-avoid-withdrawal/

REPLY
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 15, 2020
In reply to @texasduchess "From the experiences recounted on this forum, doctors routinely give/recommend to patients tapering schedules that are..." + (show)
@texasduchess

From the experiences recounted on this forum, doctors routinely give/recommend to patients tapering schedules that are TOO FAST. Your doctor may be guiding you, but only you know how you feel; unless you're in a big hurry for medical reasons (i.e., Effexor is making your blood pressure spike dangerously, or you're pregnant), slow down–WAAYYYY down. You will know if you are tapering too fast–withdrawal symptoms are the big tip off.

I was only ever on 25mg regular-release Effexor/venlafaxine--it came as very small (approx 1/4 inch), flat, dry tablets; usually round, but occasionally my refills were 5-sided, or oval-shaped; color was usually pale pink/salmon, or yellow. These were all very easy to cut with a pill cutter. You could cut these into halves, quarters, or even smaller with a razor blade, or Exacto knife and mix-match to get smaller doses as you taper.

Folks have opened the capsules and counted/removed beads; it is tedious and is somewhat hit-and-miss as the number/sizes of beads within a capsule varies from capsule to capsule within a bottle of pills. Your doctor could specify a specific brand of capsule--@farm_mom found Teva had the most consistent size and number of beads within a capsule. See @sandij, or @doorman on how to count/throw out beads to taper.

Jump to this post

I'm going to have to use the regular Effexor pills to do this and it's OK to use Prozac as a bridge? It'll help?

REPLY
1 reply
secretwhitepop | @secretwhitepop | Mar 16, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "A long time ago I was addicted to benzos but I had a doctor who knew..." + (show)
@suzy31

A long time ago I was addicted to benzos but I had a doctor who knew how to get me off of them and he did but it was hard. Now I have doctor who gave me this Effexor XR who doesn't apparently have a clue to help me get me off of it and I'm going to be the one telling him how to do to by the advice I read on here. That is so sad. This doctor thinks I can go down from the 75 milligrams to 37.5 milligrams then to no milligrams and then I'm off of it. It's not that easy and I wish it were. They say the last 75 milligrams is the hardest to come off of and it really is.

Jump to this post

You’re already more than halfway there since you now know the trick. It’s just a shame the doctors don’t know that you have to ween so very slowly! Please, go so slowly you do t have ONE withdrawal symptom! It IS possible! I took 18 months to week off the lowest dose but with no real withdrawal symptoms.
(Don’t get me wrong, I still use an antidepressant/anti anxiety drug. I think my body/brain need them - but I did not suffer withdrawal from Effexor. You CAN do this. )

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1 reply
secretwhitepop | @secretwhitepop | Mar 16, 2020
In reply to @suzy31 "I'm going to have to use the regular Effexor pills to do this and it's OK..." + (show)
@suzy31

I'm going to have to use the regular Effexor pills to do this and it's OK to use Prozac as a bridge? It'll help?

Jump to this post

No need to feel daunted by “counting” beads. Remember, you don’t actually have to count the beads in every single capsule. Just count the beads that you take OUT of the capsule. So for example, at first I took out five every single day for about three weeks, until I felt my body was used to the lower dose. You shouldn’t feel a thing, and if you do, stay on whatever dose you’re down to longer until the symptoms go away. It’s quite easy.

And I felt more in control this way.

Remember, XR means extended release. Those little beads are made to enter your system slowly. I wouldn’t add any more change to your meds since you take several.

REPLY
2 replies
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 16, 2020
In reply to @secretwhitepop "You’re already more than halfway there since you now know the trick. It’s just a shame..." + (show)
@secretwhitepop

You’re already more than halfway there since you now know the trick. It’s just a shame the doctors don’t know that you have to ween so very slowly! Please, go so slowly you do t have ONE withdrawal symptom! It IS possible! I took 18 months to week off the lowest dose but with no real withdrawal symptoms.
(Don’t get me wrong, I still use an antidepressant/anti anxiety drug. I think my body/brain need them - but I did not suffer withdrawal from Effexor. You CAN do this. )

Jump to this post

I don't intend to give up it's just my doctor had to go lot slower on weaning me off of this stuff. I know know I do need an antidepressant because I have severe anxiety and depression and some OCD too but Effexor XR is not the drug for me.

REPLY
suzy31 | @suzy31 | Mar 16, 2020
In reply to @secretwhitepop "No need to feel daunted by “counting” beads. Remember, you don’t actually have to count the..." + (show)
@secretwhitepop

No need to feel daunted by “counting” beads. Remember, you don’t actually have to count the beads in every single capsule. Just count the beads that you take OUT of the capsule. So for example, at first I took out five every single day for about three weeks, until I felt my body was used to the lower dose. You shouldn’t feel a thing, and if you do, stay on whatever dose you’re down to longer until the symptoms go away. It’s quite easy.

And I felt more in control this way.

Remember, XR means extended release. Those little beads are made to enter your system slowly. I wouldn’t add any more change to your meds since you take several.

Jump to this post

Kind of mad at my doctor right now. I'm on 20 milligrams of Viibryd and one of the side effects of that is a headache and I'm having that so trying to get me off of the Effexor XR like he did so drastically made me have one killer of a headache the last time. He has to get me off the Viibryd to get me off the Effexor XR for sure. I seriously wonder if my doctor know what the heck he's even doing.

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