Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

That's a sad state of affairs when these doctors would just rather have you stay on these drugs then to get you off of them. You have to really insist that you want off of them like I did. The one doctor I had a long time ago who got me off the benzos wan't at all like the current doctor I have now because he really wanted to get me off of the benzos and didn't question me at all to if I just wanted to stay on them. He knew they were bad. I guess these doctors just don't want to do anything because it's easier for them when they don't have to bother.

I do find though that these docs love love love the antidepressants. In my opinion they’re just as bad as Benzos.

I so agree and my doctor put me on the Viibryd when it can have interactions with other meds I'm on.

I always thought my psych doctor would always do the right thing but not so much anymore they would rather do the easiest thing as I've found out through this Effexor thing. He would rather just keep me on it if he could that would be the easiest. Since I'm complaining so much he has to get me off of it now. I'm rather disappointed in him. I don't know maybe they do want to help but they truly don't see what these drugs really do.

1. Ego related. They get their panties in a wad over patients who do research. 2. They dismiss patient concerns because, after all, we are crazy enough to need a psychiatrist, so our concerns stem from our diagnosis. 3. Big pharm gives kickbacks. 4. Laziness to research new information unless it can help their financial situation. 5. They usually have their own, untreated diagnoses, which is why they chose that profession.

Yeah, I was telling my doctor to do the Prozac bridge and not the other way around isn't that kind of odd? I mean he should have known. Duh?

I got off and said I would never go on it again no matter how bad withdrawal was. That someday withdrawal would be over. After six months if windows and waves I had to begin effexor again. I went on 75 and now to 150. At 75 I was begging for something else to add to take the edge off, because I did not want to increase again (because I want to be off of it someday). I got no relief and started taking half dose of 10 mg ambien at about 4 pm because I was ready to kill myself after a day of withdrawal. I never went over 10 mg of ambien a day but knew I was abusing it, using it as a benzo to treat the withdrawal. I begged so many doctors to give me something to help so I would not be abusing the ambien. I got no relief from buspar or hydroxizine. I finally have a psychiatric NP who gave me seroquel to sleep and is on board with a slow taper from effexor when I get stable. I mentioned my mood swings and that I felt maybe I could be bipolar. She thought not but handed me the questionaire and it turns out to be the case. I began taking vraylor which I'm sure will turn out to have its own set of side effects, but I feel my moods are stable now. Or else I'm just more aware of them. Either way its a win. I'm way more positive and clear headed. I also began taking adderall again ( not prescribed for adhd but for energy, however I see I am ADHD as well). I'm now slowly tapering by dumping some beads from the 150 mg capsules and changing my rx to 4 37.5 mg capsules daily to assist in the bead counting. I actually had no problems the first time I tapered effexor, going from 150 to 75, which I know is not recommended but it was fine for me. When i get my 37.5 capsules I may try a 37.5 decrease. We'll see. Anyway, thats my convoluted story for today and I hope it helps someone on this forum if only to help you realize you are not alone, crazy, or irresponsible in this quest.

They should know, especially if psychiatry is their specialty since they have less medications to keep up to date on (obviously they need to know contraindications with nonpsych meds, but thats just general info). But they don't. I'm a nurse and it offends me.

Thank you for sharing. I feel I went through similar issues and ended up on seroquel and zoloft and so far so good. Yeah, it stinks having to be on meds to be happy. I’m so so jealous of people who can do it without. But I’m also so grateful that there was help available for me so I could get my s—- together again 🙂

@secretwhitepop same. ❤