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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 10 hours ago | Replies (6411)
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@basil

Hello JK. Well 75 mg of Effexor helped me tremendously with anxiety and depression for many years, but about 6 years ago I started to develop high blood pressure. Then, lots of stress hit and I had a coronary artery dissection causing a heart attack. I really feel the Effexor contributed to this mix of problems. Now, I'm withdrawing and my blood pressure has spiked so severely I thought I would have another dissection. Just be sure your loved ones consider many factors before taking it and before withdrawing. I felt this was the right time for me to taper off it and then Covid19 hit.

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Replies to "Hello JK. Well 75 mg of Effexor helped me tremendously with anxiety and depression for many..."
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 19, 2020

Hi @basil and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm tagging @contentandwell JK to make sure that she sees your very helpful response to her query made a while back.

Basil, did you decide to continue with 75 mg until post COVID to taper with your doctor?

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JK | @contentandwell | Apr 19, 2020

@basil, I too welcome you to Connect. I do not often participate in this topic because I have no experience with Effexor. The person I mentioned is not on Effexor, he is on different anti-depressants but it seems that people want to get off any medications of this type.
Do your physicians feel that Effexor could have contributed to your heart attack? If your BP is spiking can that be helped with a BP medication?
Thank you for the cautionary advice, and thank you, @colleenyoung for tagging me.
JK

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