Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

I just read your post to my pharmacist son and he said, “Maybe.” From what he knows it has to be very slow, decrease the dosage a very small amount and stay at that for two weeks and then do another very small decrease for another two weeks etc. until you have completely weaned off of it. The decrease amounts and the length of time is trial and error based upon whether you have bad withdrawal symptoms.

Thank you for your fast reply! I will let you know how your helpful tips go!

Good for you. You took an action to verify things being said here. Hurrah.
Now, many have opened the capsule and started taking some of the beads out each day and decreasing their dosage that way.
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Go read here until you find that method, or wait till they come and share. Your choice...
Bright Wings.

There are many more helpful tips here, go read......

God Bless!

You’re going to be ok and you’re going to ween off successfully, but you MUST ween incredibly slowly. Docs notoriously suggest a regimen that is too fast for folks and leads to horrible withdrawal. If you give yourself, say, a year (don’t freak out!) to ween off, then cut back amounts accordingly, you will not only get off the drug, but with minimal or zero withdrawal. I did.

Thank being said, after 6 mo this med-free, my anxiety and depression came back. (I suppose I got it in my genes... who knows). But I am taking a low dose combo of seroquel at night (half tab of lowest dose made) and 50 mg of zoloft.

It’s not Effexor. So there’s that :).

Just please take care of yourself and your brain!

I joined a group on facebook to help me get off of effexor. Over 5 weeks I have weened off down to 25 mg from 150. The group is saying this is too fast and I will feel awful in weeks to come. I am scared now and wonder should I go back on it. They say to cut back 10% every 3-4 weeks. They say I am in for a terrible time in the next weeks/ months. I am scared now.

I’m in your same boat, I am 69, on the highest dose of Paxil, 2 30mg tabs a day, I will NEVER get off of this! I’ve never felt better in my life, my memory goes back at least 63 yrs and I had anxiety issues all the way back to then. To me it is great there is a medication that frees me from that horrible anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD etc! Find what works for you, what your body can tolerate and enjoy the relief. I know the journey to finding that relief is long and not easy but it is worth seeking out.

Don’t be scared but also, hang out at 25 mgs for a few weeks and see what happens. Once you start cutting the smaller doses down, it has a bigger impact, but if you’re doing well, see if you keep doing well at the lower dose. Then, when you’re ready, start decreasing very very slowly and hang out at the decreased done for a few weeks. You’ll be fine 🙂

The only reason I wanted to ween off Effexor was due to the side effects it was having on me... after weening off but then going back on an ssri pmus Seroquel, i feel great! (And without the side effects I had on Effexor!)