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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (6419)Comment receiving replies
@annie60.. I think I may be able to stop my 1/4 of 1/2 of 36.5 effexor. I think None today. I think I told you the psychiatric nurse prescribed Trintellix to replace the Effexor. I contacted her today and let her know I am stopping the Trintellix. I have taken it for 6 weeks and had all negative reactions. I kept hoping and praying the Trintellix would be the one for me. Everyday I took it and every day I felt worse. There is an awesome saying in AA. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. She agreed and recommended Pristiq, another depression medication that I have not used before. At least I think I haven't. I of course researched the Pristiq and it is VERY similar in compound as Effexor. I messaged her back telling her of my concerns over another "Like Effexor" I haven't heard back yet. Did I also tell you that she did the Genesight test and Trintellix is one my genetic test said would be helpful. She said Pristiq also came up as good on the Genesight test. Well then what about Effexor which wasn't helpful? So I am medication free for depression and so we will see the recommendation tomorrow. She said I could just stop the Trintellix because it was a low dose and I hadn't been on it very long. Oh Lord, no more withdrawal. Between pain of neuropathy, fibromyagia, lymphedema and depression I am feeling in a very bad way with so little hope of it getting better. Another beautiful AA word "Let go. Let God" I ask for your prayers to keep me focused on that. Of course you all have my prayers.
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I’m so sorry for all that you are going through. If you think back, was there ever a time that any medication worked for you? Just curious.
I was on Effexor for about 20 years. When I was 51 I thought since I was doing so well, I’d start to ween off. I stayed at 37.5 for about a year and then slowly started to ween off that by opening the capsules and taking out a few beads at a time. It was tedious but I had no withdrawal effects while I was taking even the most minuscule dose.
I weened for 18 months. I was very fearful of withdrawal!
Since I was over the menopause hump I thought maybe my hormones would be amenable to no SNRI’s and I would be a happy camper again 🙂
I was completely med free for 6 months. Yeah, I felt, eh. I lost a lot of weight because I was eating as healthy as I could, jogging constantly (due to anxiety) and meditating (which was extremely helpful).
My doctor was keeping a close eye on me. She was worried because it’s REALLY hard to come off Effexor. (Apparently, my doctor is an anomaly!). Actually, she’s a nurse practitioner.
Anyway, it got to be too much. She put me on lexapro and after only a few days my anxiety went through the roof! It was awful! She had me stop that and come in to see her.
She prescribed me Seroquel. Seroquel is used for bipolar disorder (which I’ve never been diagnosed as having!). She said low dose of Seroquel for one week as a mood stabilizer then add low dose of zoloft as a mood lifter.
25 mgs of each.
Now I’m at 50 mg of zoloft and down to a half a 25 mg of Seroquel and I’m very very stable and very very content.
Finally.
My basic point is, so t let low doses of stuff fool you. Don’t go cold turkey in even the lowest crumb of a dose. You will feel it. Give your self lots of time. This medicine is effecting your brain and it takes time to adjust.
Please be slow. Slower than you’re doing now.
Talk to your doc about the meds I’m on and see if they’re familiar. I’m not saying you have what I have. I’m just curious if your doc is well-verses on this very important subject. I totally totally lucked out.
ALSO - during my 6 month med free stint, I had so many wacky things happen. One of which was phantom smells! Another was the development of vertigo that I still suffer with.
Take it easy and take this very seriously. I’m convinced that, while doctors mean well, no one knows exactly how or why some medicines work for some and not for others.
Be well!