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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 17 hours ago | Replies (6411)Comment receiving replies
Hi it’s me again. 2 weeks off this damned drug and I’m still suffering from absolute confusion, lack of concentration, extreme mood swings, anxiety, etc etc. Feels like my brain can’t find any balance. Something similar to being constantly high, living through a bad bad chemical trip.
Has anyone experienced something like that?
Is it going to stop.
Will I ever be able to think clearly again?
Without pills. Call me dumb but it feels so wrong to treat withdrawal symptoms with other psychoactive meds.
ISN’T IT JUST FALLING TO THE SAME SPIRAL.
You treat symptoms from withdrawal of one drug, need to then suffer from withdrawal of another. Repeat.
Ps.
The lack of concentration or difficulty making any decisions was already there while taking meds.
Replies to "Hi it’s me again. 2 weeks off this damned drug and I’m still suffering from absolute..."
My experience with a bad withdrawal sounds much the same, especially brain not being able to find balance. It is getting better, lighter, brighter. Still a very long way from emotionally stable and it seems once the pile of issues hiding in the back corners of my brain came busting out that they wont go back in. But, and its a big but, no more pukey, head spinny feeling. No more dreams that made me afraid to sleep. No more sugar craving. Certainly not as much anger and wanting to crush people. All I keep hearing is to be patient.
No choice but patience as nothing will speed up this re-adjusting time.
2 big challenges/frustrations - 1 is explaining to others and dealing with the wanting to explain, 2 is to feel vindicated as this was not self- directed, it was done to me. To us.
@chicago1211 I FEEL THE EXACT SAME! It’s been I think a little over 2 weeks and I’m having the worst mood swings and I’m ANGRY! I’ve been taking supplements and exercising daily and it’s just awful! I had to take 12 mg tonight of Venlafaxine. I feel like a complete failure. I’m scared to fall back into feeling the brain fog and useless, but now I feel angry and miserable, that’s awful too. The withdrawal I could handle, I can’t handle being irritated all the time, ESPECIALLY, that I’m raising my daughter!
I’m so frustrated! 🥺
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Hi there... did you slowly ween yourself off? I was completely med free for 6 months after taking 18 months to ween off the last 37.5 mgs. (You read that correctly. 18 months. A few beads at a time). Even those last few beads, daily, seemed to work and then, when I was totally off I had symptoms of withdrawal. Not so much physical, but mental. Emotional. I literally cried every single day. Now, my father passed away during all this. Don’t ask me why on earth I would even attempt such a feat during this time, but I did. I also moved my family out of state. You could say I was going through major crisis mode.
But, when I couldn’t take it any longer, doc put me back on an SSRI. Turns out, a mood stabilizer was needed, too. I almost think the SSRI and the antipsychotic (scary name, right?) together make up the active ingredients in Effexor! (I’m going to google that now!)
Anyway, during the 6 mo this of no meds, meditation worked quite well for me. There are lots of free you tube videos and I downloaded an app, too. It can’t hurt.
Also, scroll through this forum for some ideas for supplements to take. And/or CBD oil.
Take it easy and I wish you well. Keep taking to us. There will be answers for you. Don’t give up.